The Mystic Masseur

"I myself believe that the history of Ganesh is, in a way, the history of our times; and there may be people who will welcome this imperfect account of the man Ganesh Ramsumair, masseur, mystic, and, since 1953, M.B.E."

V.S. Naipaul's The Mystic Masseur is the funniest novel I have read since Ishmael Reed's Reckless Eyeballing. Telling the story of a Trinidadian man of Indian descent, Ganesh, who rises spectacularly in Trinidadian society and politics, Naipaul's characteristically condescending and humorous novel pokes fun at the Indian community of Trinidad, the literary scene of colonial Trinidad ("You ever hear of Trinidad people writing books?"), and the social and religious conflicts of the island. Written in a mixture of standard English prose for narration and Trinidadian vernacular, Naipaul's hilarious novel is a quick read, quite informative on Hinduism and Indian culture in this context, as well as broader social and political changes wrought by WWII. 

The rise of Ganesh as a writer (one of Ganesh's huge writing successes is a tract on constipation!), masseur, and mystic healer in the community and his eventual shift from "Socialinduism' and the working masses exemplifies the West Indian mimic men, those very Black and Indian men who took power in legislative councils and then absorbed themselves in English cultural ways, gaining favor with the Governor, or turning to complete corruption. For anyone interested in a short novel on the Indian aspect of the 'West Indian mimic men,' this is a highly entertaining read. The scene featuring the black and Indian legislators at the Governor's mansion in Port of Spain is more than amusing, it's downright tragic. Besides the obvious themes of colonialism and the shadow of US soldiers stationed in the island, the amazing numbers of time deception, manipulation, or exploitation occur within Ganesh's community is enough to make you laugh while crying. 

In addition, readers of Naipaul's A House for Mr. Biswas or Miguel Street might spot some intertextuality (one reference in the text alludes to a character on Miguel Street in Port of Spain) and similar themes about Hindu traditions, marriage, or gender relations. Indeed, Ganesh's relationship with his wife, Leela, is quite reminiscent of Mr. Biswas and his wife. Like Mr. Biswas, the problem of race also complicates this narrative. While Indians are depicted as always against each other's mutual interests, their relationship with the black population of Trinidad is problematic and difficult in the instance of the labor unrest in the novel's end. Earl Lovelace's omission of Indians from his classic, The Wine of Astonishment, likewise bodes poorly for the future of race relations, but at least Lovelace avoids any racial slurs.