Book Review| Sameer's first fictitious novel is philosophically crafted, succinctly narrated story of migrant workers

The region that is called ‘South Asia’ has seen many ups and down over the years. These ups and downs came into various forms and have deeply impacted South Asian states in more than one way. Among those many factors, one is the migration - internal and external - that is people coming from outside and people going outside.

If we look into the history of such movements, one can certainly find that South Asia has largely witnessed people coming from outside, which roughly began from the time of Vasco da Gama, a Portuguese traveler who set footprints in the region—looking for the new world for their own economic pursuit. Not only Vasco da Gama, but many people from the Western Europe also started travelling beyond their own region after the Papal Bull or decree was signed in 1492 that allowed European countries to colonize others for economic and other purposes.

Taken together, for most part of the second half of the second millennium, migration was taking from other parts of the world towards Bharat Varsha—an ancient name of the region that collected large amounts of wealth through extraction and revitalized their own economic conditions. Such a state of affairs transformed the capital formation process that largely contributed towards the industrialization process in Northwestern Europe.

This shift in the capital formation process ultimately changed everything in the region and the once economically powerful, whose combined GDP was more than half of the global GDP until 1800 AD, as per the British economist Angus Maddison started plummeting. This change in the capital formation process has also brought about significant trends and patterns in the migration process. That said, migration now has taken the reverse trend, that is, it’s now the turn of the people from the sub-continent to become migrant workers for their own livelihood.

The large number of settlements in the West Indies, Malaysia, Sri Lanka, and in many more countries is the consequence of this process. For good or bad reasons, things, however, again started changing particularly after the late 20th century and early decades of the 21st century. During the period, changes that occurred brought a paradigmatic shift in the political economy of migration itself.

The political instabilities and failed economic policies have forced many people from the region to leave their country as migrant workers. Remittances coming from the migrant workers have become the main sources of income for the majority of the South Asia countries, which has significantly contributed to reducing poverty as well. Yet the societal impacts of migration as a phenomenon too are enormous.

Paradoxical as it may be, but the classic example is such that children and spouses back home only remember their loved ones when their ATM runs out of money. This is the classic example and one can argue that familial relations are becoming more materialistic than emotional.

Not only that, but families are also breaking down in more than one way and the society is going through a great deal of upheavals never noticed before in South Asian history. Almost a generation now has either seen political instability or people migrating in hordes.

The youngsters at large feel that they are just born as the future migrant workers. And many college going students in the region only think about going abroad in one form or the other. Part of the problem lies with neoliberal economic policies that led to the growth of the culture of consumerism without sufficient production at home. The consequences of migration (both positive and negative) are well reflected in popular culture: songs, novels, films, dramas and many more.  Today, large numbers of fiction and non-fictions are written around the stories of migrant workers as well.

Book review: Wake UP Ali …Wake UP Now: A South Asian Diasporic Story

And one such fiction that has recently come out in the market and looks into various facets of the migrant workers is from a Nepali writer Sumit Sharma Sameer. Sameer’s novel ‘Wake UP Ali …Wake UP Now: A South Asian Diasporic Story’ - initially published in Nepali - is the story of such migrants who have left their country and are forced to work/live outside.

Ali, a Pakistani who is the main protagonist of the Novel – was forced to leave the country not only due to internal strife and lack of economic opportunities but also pressure from his own wife who wanted him to make more money and consume all the facilities brought about by the modernity per se factors.

In fact, there are many more Alis, Riyas, and others as ‘migration’ has become the established trend in the region and often seen as part of prestige in society if the family members are working outside. Yet it’s only the ‘migrant’ who knows where the shoe pinches.

Ali, a trained engineer—ultimately ends up in casual work in Canada with the help of Nepali migrant workers.  At the workplace Ali faces many difficulties but he also finds his love there and makes new friends. But sadly, as is often the case, he forgets his own family back home.  Not only has that family become some sort of myth for the likes of Ali.

This is not only true for Ali but also Riya from India who went to work out to support her family back home. When migrant workers are away from their own families, it creates its own momentum in the family and society back home and also into the life of those who are working as migrant workers.

The novel is the story of South Asians working abroad mostly in the West. It is not only the story it is also the philosophical question of our time as the writer argues what the parameters for living should be - the source of happiness - is material, spiritual or being with family.

Most of the time, the state of loneliness that hovers around migrant workers forces them to support each other and be for each other, perhaps, is also the most important factor that novel comes up with.

A philosophically crafted and succinctly narrated story of migrant workers is truly engaging. tand citizens at large so that everybody can live a decent life. For that there is an urgent need to revert the capital formation process as said in the beginning.

The author is a policy professional, columnist and writer with a special focus on South Asia. Views expressed are personal.

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