Ethnic Consciousness in the Age of Modernization in Rohinton Mistry’s Fiction

Abstract

This research article critically examines the emergence and evolution of ethnic consciousness in the fiction of Rohinton Mistry, with a specific focus on the socio-political dynamics of modernization and urbanization in India. It investigates the underlying causes contributing to the intensification of ethnic identity within the context of a rapidly modernizing and globally influenced Indian society. As a prominent literary voice of the Parsi minority, Mistry articulates the collective anxieties, marginalization, and cultural insecurities of his community, particularly in relation to the dominant Hindu majoritarian framework. His narratives serve as a literary ethnography, documenting the distinctive socio-cultural practices, historical legacies, and existential dilemmas faced by the Parsis. The study also interrogates Mistry’s critique of the idea of a unified, secular Indian nation-state, exploring how such a construct often obscures internal diversities and marginal voices. In addition to textual analysis, the paper incorporates theoretical insights from urban sociology and political studies to contextualize the socio-ethnic transformations in Bombay during the 1970s. Ultimately, the paper argues that modernization, while fostering economic and infrastructural growth, simultaneously amplifies both class and ethnic consciousness, particularly in complex metropolitan environments