My reading of English fiction as well as non-fiction isn’t great and I had
never heard of Vikram Chandra. But a chance reading of Vikram Chandra’s
interview in Indian Express supplement made me buy this book called “Mirrored
Mind – my life in letters and code” and read it immediately. He is a famous,
critically acclaimed writer that worked as programmer in the past, kind of
thing I aspire for.
Mirrored Mind is a semi-autobiographical and researched account of both the
passions (writing and programming) of Vikram Chandra. He starts by explaining
how both the fields coincide and how programmers claim their profession to be
an art. He then takes us on short trip through history and culture of
programming, elaborating on how differently that culture is viewed in America and
in India.
Language is core to both programming and literature. Sanskrit, nowadays considered
to be most appropriate for programming as well, is brilliant case to consider.
Drawing on accounts from ancient Sanskrit philosophers and aestheticians Anandvardhana
(820-890) and Abhinavagupta (950-1020), Vikram Chandra explains the (difficult
but not impossible) process of enjoying a work of art (i.e. poetry) and related
aesthetics. He tries to relate that with coding that programmer does and how it
should suggest things beyond flexibility, maintainability etc.
In between, Vikram Chandra also gives us historical perspectives of philosophical
depth of tantric culture in India that existed before westernization, its
vilification and (sort of) annihilation by westerns, loss of rich Sanskrit
heritage, westernization of Indian culture etc.
Book spans various fields, touches various topics, provides lot of
references and made a wonderful reading. Chapters on aesthetics did seem bit abstract
and difficult for un-initiated reader like me, but crispness of Chandra’s writing
kept things understandable and relevant.
To speak aesthetically (taking inspiration from the book itself), reading of
this book reverberated inside me with Adbhutam rasa. I might not be able to
explain what that means exactly, because as writer says, to experiencing work
of art (in this case reading book itself) is best way to enjoy it.
To say the least, this book has indeed provided me lot of motivation to
study further and also renewed sense of pride in my profession of programming.
