,8,mataji & ! ,hippies,0 by ,balwant
,g>gi3 ,%ort ,/ory ,analysis
  ,8,mataji & ! ,hippies,0 is a
3tempor>y ,punjabi ,9dian %ort /ory p5n$
by ,punjabi dramati/1 %ort /ory writ] &
noveli/1 !atre pr(es.nal1 & academic
pr(essor ,balwant ,g>gi4 ,g>gi is ma9ly
well "kn z a ,punjabi language writ]1 &
? %ort /ory too 0 9itially writt5 9
,punjabi & lat] translat$ 9to ,5gli%4 ,!
/ory is a mid-tw5tie? c5tury culturally
p[];l /ory ( an unm>ri$ woman :o has
tak5 ! life ( an ascetic & has r5\nc$
_wly pl1sures = ! sake ( 5li<t5;t4 ,!
woman is address$ z ,mataji & is ! prime
"* ( ? /ory4 ,mataji1 h["e1 is full (
dep? & ! r1l r1son %e took to ! life (
an ascetic is 2c ( a fail$ love a6air4
,! /ory al hi<li<ts ! hippie culture ( !
#aigjs1 : br"\ c.t.s :ite ,am]ican &
,europ1n y\? to ,9dia to seek 5li<t5;t1
a guru or t1*]1 wisdom 9 ! holy books (
! ,h9dus1 9toxicat$ 5li<t5;t via
psy*$elic drugs1 or ma9ly to avoid ! w>
games 2+ play$ 9 _! [n ,we/]n         #a
c.tries4 ,9 a subtle b sli<tly lurid
mann]1 ! /ory br+s \ ! lives ( six
9toxicat$ & hi<ly addict$ ,am]icans :o h
let g ( _! e>li] bonds 9 life & _! pa/ &
future roles z citiz5s ( a sl[ly em]g+
globaliz$ _w4 ,balwant ,g>gi br+s \ !
rhy?m ( ! lives ( ^! ,am]icans &
,mataji4 ,!y h ab&on$ e claim ( _!s = !
sake ( true k1 my/icism1 & 9toxicat$
psy*$elic /ates t[>ds :at !y 2liev$ 0
all[+ !m to make h1dway t[>ds union ) !
,almi<ty4 ,? /ory has a fable 5d+ 2c
,mataji meets up mo;t\sly ) h] old lov]
,mangal ,g>giaga94 ,h["e1 9/1d ( rjcg1 !
r1d] is left to wond] :e!r ,mataji
ultimately sacrific$ h] body & v life to
! ,ganga or ! fun]al pyres or :e!r %e
took (f1 l1v+ h] six ,am]ican 4ciples to
rema9 9 _! /ate ( 9toxica;n & delu.n4
  ,! /ory titl$ ,8,mataji & ! ,hippies,0
c5t]s on ! 4turb.e 9 ! m9ds ( ! y\? f !
,we/]n c.tries 2c ( _! c.try's 9volve;t
9 ,vietnam & o!r w>s f ! n9ete5 fifties
to ! sev5ties4 ,! * ( ! sixties &
sev5ties _h decid$ to prote/          #b
p1ce;lly ag/ ! n"e-5d+ w> 9 ,vietnam &
o!r places >.d ! globe4 ,! op5+ ( !
bord]s 2t ,ea/ & ,we/ 9troduc$ ^! y\? to
,ea/]n lore & ,ea/]n religi\s lit]ature
& music1 : !y took up = /udy & life4 ,^!
y\? 2gan to call !mvs hippies1 & ?us !
psy*$elic ]a truly 2gan4 ,9 ! "n ( seek+
5li<t5;t1 ^! y\? travel$ to ,9dia to
take tutelage "u a guru :o wd l1d !m 9to
! ways ( ! ascetic or _w r5\nc]4 ,x 0 a
giv5 t ^! ,:ite ,am]ican & ,europ1n y\?
7 al seek+ 5li<t5;t via drug 9toxica;n1
free love1 ! /udy ( holy scripture1 &
liv+ 9 communities ) _! h1d guru4 ,9 ?
/ory1 ,balwant ,g>gi relates h[ ,mataji
_h tak5 "u h] w+ six ,am]ican hippies1
all ( :om %e manag$ to 9toxicate on a
regul> if n n"e-5d+ basis ) m>ijuana4
,mataji's de;y 0 ,"l ,%iva1 al "kn z
,bhairawa1 ,%ank>1 & ! god ( ! crema;n
gr.ds4 ,%e t1*es h] 4ciples to live 9 !
3/ant ,pres;e & wor%ip ( ,"l ,%iva1 & h]
me?od 0 to smoke m>ijuana4
  ,m>ijuana is ! sacr$ h]b ( ,"l ,%iva !
,de/roy] & ! la/ holy 2+ ( ! ,h9du    #c
tr9;y4 ,x 0 n unusual to see pl5ty (
lic5s$ m>ijuana drug sell]s at e nook &
corn] ( ,9dia at ! p]iod ? /ory is set4
,mataji h]f /ates t "! 7 alm elev5
au?oriz$ m>ijuana sell]s 9 ,ban>as1 !
,holy c;y ( ! ,gods4 ,at ! same "t1
m>ijuana 3sump;n 0 sl[ly 2+ bann$1
especially f #aihf 2c ( ! 9cr1s+ drug
m5ace4 ,! ,h9du & ,9dian communities h
di6]5t views ab m>ijuana 3sump;n ma9ly
2c ( xs religi\s symbolism4 ,9 ! holy "n
( ,"l ,%iva1 ,mataji smokes h] sacr$
m>ijuana "? a *illum & pipe 3trap;n &
%>es h] dosage ) h] sl[ly dw9dl+
4ciples4 ,see+ _! 3di;n 9dicates _!
extreme devo;n to ,mataji & _! full fai?
9 h] m9i/ra;ns4
  ,! six ,am]icans m5;n$ 9 ! text :o >e
help.s & hi<ly addict$ 4ciples ( ,mataji
>e3

_4 ,n&9i1 ! only ,am]ican girl 9 ! gr\p4
_4 ,rama1 ! ,am]ican boy ) a ?ick black
  but*]'s be>d4
_4 ,bh>ata1 ! blue-ey$ ,am]ican       #d
  boy4
_4 ,lak%mana1 ! ,am]ican lad :o wore a
  sa6ron dhoti or lo9clo? & sadhu e>r+s4
_4 ,kumbhk>an1 ! ,am]ican y\? 9 %orts )
  a ,*5giz ,khan m\/a*e4
_4 ,prem ,das1 ! ,am]ican s1t$ 9 a lotus
  posi;n we>+ a yell[ dhoti ) ! holy "n
  ( ! ,"l ,8,ram,0 pr9t$ "?\t x4

  ,f all ^! 4ciples1 ,prem ,das is ! mo/
vocal & n>rates ! possible my/]ies (
,mataji to ! n>rator4 ,prem ,das is at !
ultimate /ate ( 9toxica;n4 ,we r1lize ?
2c he cd n eat or dr9k any?+1 ma9ly 2c
he cd n reta9 any?+ 9 8 /oma*4 ,prem
,das is alm z if x 7 on ! v]ge ( d1? or
mad;s1 b he / seems s9c]e 9 8 total tru/
9 ,mataji4 ,he has complete fai? 9 h] &
m5;ns ? ev5 to ,mangal ,g>gi :5 he
>rives back at ! h\seboat af ! police
raid4 ,we r1lize t ,prem ,das knew
,mataji m 9timately ?an ! o!rs 2c 8 !ory
( ! ,gwalior /ory turn$ \ to 2
ultimately true ": ! leg5d ( ,mataji's
orig9s 7 3c]n$4 ,prem ,das's 9noc5t   #e
love = ,mataji is se5 ma9ly on ! la/ "d
:5 %e m5;ns to ! n>rator t ,prem ,das wd
2 ! only "o n to eat t "d 2c %e 0 fa/+
h]f4 ,%e coaxes hm to eat 9directly by
/at+ t %e wd get hm rice & yogurt4 ,?
%[s ! r1d] t %e c>$ ab ,prem ,das b 9 a
dom9e]+ mann]4
  ,mataji 0 a wor%ipp] ( ,"l ,%iva1 b ac
to ,rama1 "s"ts ! ,goddess ,kali or ,*&i
5t]$ 9to ,mataji's body1 & !n %e wd 2
fe>"s4 ,*&i is a ,%akti goddess g5]ally
associat$ ) ! 3sort ( ,"l ,%iva1 "nly1
,goddess ,p>va?i4 ,mataji 9de$ %[s ?
fe>"s side ( h] :53

_4 ,mangal ,g>gi trick$ ! dacoits t came
  to ,mataji's pan %op :5 %e 0 an
  ei<te5-ye>-old lass 9 ,gwalior4
_4 ,mangal ,g>gi 9t]rupts ! 9toxicat+
  ses.n ( h] six ,am]ican hippies & /&s
  face to face ) hm 9 rage4
_4 ,:5 ,mataji 0 ask$ & be7$ by h]
  4ciples to get m food1 %e told !m t %e
  _h n yet rcvd ! ,div9e ,comm&4
                                      #f
  ,mataji is a h1d/r;g1 wild1 & 9dep5d5t
woman4 ,%e is a /r;g fem9i/ "* 9 ? /ory4
,%e %[s 9 _m ways t ev5 z a p]son ) no
m"ot>y value or ) no patri>* back+ h]1
%e c run a h\seboat on ! ,riv] ,ganga &
a3ept & tra9 4ciples 9 h] way ( life4 ,!
mo;t %e sees ! eld]ly ,mangal ,g>gi1 %e
recognizes hm despite ! lapse ( ye>s z
h] memory is z %>p z his4 ,%e 0 aw>e t
,mangal ,g>gi wd return to see h]1 & s
2f he approa*$ h]1 %e ei kill$ h]f or
escap$ f ! si<t ( ! n>rator1 ,mangal
,g>gi1 & ! lives ( ! six 4ciples ="e4
  ,! descrip;ns ( ,mataji's body >e l !
v image ( bur/+ vital;y & 5]gy4 ,x is
alm ak9 to ! def9i;n ( a holy goddess's
body1 : mo/ ascetics look l 9 ,9dia ev5
td",-robu/ & full ( 5]gy4 ,mataji's drug
addic;n 0 sev]e & %ock+4 ,z ! text
9dicates1 %e may h gott5 9to ! drug
habit f ! ,sadhus :om %e travel$ ) :5 %e
left h] "f's h\se4 ,ac to ,prem ,das1
,mataji 0 s adept 9 drugs t %e cd ev5
tra9 a p]son to h&le ,8! trip,0 ( ,,lsd1
! mo/ dang]\s b allur+ ( psy*$elic    #g
drugs4 ,f ^! descrip;ns1 we see a woman
( vital;y & /r5u\s det]m9a;n & a woman
:o is n made ( a 3v5;nal mold4 ,9 !
#aifjs & #aigjs1 mo/ ,:ite hippies wd r
h 5t]ta9$ a male sadhu or ascetic z a
guru4 ,/1 "h 9 ,balwant ,g>gi's %ort
/ory1 we see a woman ) no "picul>
f9ancial back+ tra9+ ascetics on h] [n4
  ,com+ to ! n>rator1 he 0 a curi\s
p]sonal;y :o 5joy$ 2+ 9 ! company ( !
hippies & ,mataji b n"e "pook ( ! drugs
hmf4 ,he is ! *ronicl] ( ! /ory & /&s z
a te/a;t to ! life & "ts ( ,mataji4 ,he
5joys 2+ 9 3v]sa;n ) ,prem ,das & is
amiable4 ,he is scatt]bra9$1 & we notice
t al? af ! f/ "d at ! h\seboat he wi%es
to return to x ! foll[+ "d1 he only
returns af _m "ds4 ,he is full ( fe> &
is aw>e ( ! dang]\s implica;ns ( smok+
m>ijuana4 ,he holds ,mataji ) respect b
at a 4t.e4 ,%e is amiable t[>ds hm &
9troduces hm to h] 4ciples1 _! new "ns
ac to ! "*s 9 ! ,h9du scriptures1 & _!
pray] "t4
  ,we notice ! 4gu/ ( ,mataji & !     #h
cultural cla% 2t ,we/ & ,ea/ :5 we see
,mataji compla9+ ab ! way ! ,am]icans
eat ) ! same h& ) : !y wipe _! bottoms4
,%e takes h] job z a guru s]i\sly2 %e
fe$s h] brood1 prays ) !m1 t1*es !m1
wa%es _! clo!s1 etc4 ,h["e1 :5 we notice
! 4p>;y 9 h] way ( mak+ (f f !m at ! 5d
)\t ev5 a ,8gdbye,01 we r1lize t h] [n
h1d/r;g nature 0 too ov]p[]+ ?an h]
feel+s t[>ds ^? 9 h] c>e2 h] hatr$ ag/
,mangal ,g>gi cut deep )9 h] : probably
l$ h] to h] ultimate d1?4 ,! /ory 5ds )
,mataji miss+ & ! revela;n to ,prem ,das
& ! n>rator t _! hun* 0 correct &
,mataji 0 a victim ( a fail$ love /ory4
,h["e1 %e refuses to h any 3nec;n ) !
sup]ior male 9 h] life & "!=e ab&ons h]
h\seboat 2f he c talk to h] ( ! "ds g"o
by4 ,%e want$ to 2 a3.table to no "o4
  ,i 5joy$ r1d+ & analyz+ ? %ort /ory
titl$ ,8,mataji & ! ,hippies,0 by
,punjabi writ] ,balwant ,g>gi4 ,a ,brl
v].n ( ! %ort /ory analysis is available
"h4 ,i hope to r1d & analyze m ,9dian
%ort /ories 9 ! com+ "ds4 ,if y >e    #i
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alw6
  ^c#bjbb ,fiza ,pa?an



                                     #aj