6 The fabulous un-detection

I have not read the whole lot of writings done by colonial English administrators and writers in British-India. It is not possible, I suppose. Yet, I have had the occasion to see and read a lot of them. I do not remember seeing any specific writing that focused on this very powerful Satanism embedded in the native languages.

Yet, I have noticed huge administrative set-ups, created with a very powerful understanding that there is some terrible hideousness in the local languages. Yet, it is not seen mentioned in words. I have seen the mention of the hierarchies in communication that existed in all parts of the subcontinent in the book: Travancore State Manual.

This book was written by a native of the subcontinent. The author does mention that a very specific hierarchy different from other locations in the subcontinent is well-defined in Travancore. It might seem to suggest a social set-up similar to that in England, with the nobility at the heights and the common man below them.

However, the reality of the South Asian subcontinent is entirely different. The hierarchy does not stop at the common man. It literally arrays the common man into different layers of mutually repulsive and mutually ferociously competing populations. Each layer would not be willing to give a quarter. For none can be expected from the other side. Yet, there is a sly manoeuvring that literally keeps the beastliness hidden. Everything is done and acted out in a mood of cunning affability and treachery.