Magic, Myth and Multilinguilism: The Echo of the Indian Knowledge System in the Language and Style of Salman Rushdie and Shashi Tharoor

Oct 1, 2026

The Indian Knowledge System (IKS) has long shaped India’s literary traditions, influencing storytelling structures, linguistic diversity, and stylistic choices. This paper examines how Salman Rushdie and Shashi Tharoor embed magic, myth, and multilingualism in their works, showing how IKS narrative and epistemological frameworks operate through oral tradition, intertextuality, mythic allegories, and code-switching. Using Midnight’s Children and Riot and The Great Indian Novelserve as primary texts, the study argues that both writers “Indianize” English through magical realism and historical intertextuality.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryLiterature

FormatPDF

Pages6

Reading Time9 min

AccessFree to download

Indian Knowledge System (IKS): An Introduction

IKS as a diverse intellectual tradition

Language and multilingual civilization

Stylistic features of Indian literature

Rushdie’s and Tharoor’s narrative parallels

Rushdie’s magical realism in Midnight’s Children

Tharoor’s multivocal storytelling in Riot

Magic, myth, and multilingualism in contemporary works

Carrying forward the essence of IKS

International Journal of English Literature and Social Sciences Vol-10, Issue-5; Sep-Oct, 2025 Peer-Reviewed Journal Journal Home Page Available: [https://ijels.com/](https://ijels.com/)[ ](https://ijels.com/)Journal DOI: 10.22161/ijels Magic, Myth and Multilinguilism: The Echo of the Indian Knowledge System in the Language and Style of Salman Rushdie and Shashi Tharoor Feroza Khatoon Department of Comparative Languages and Culture, Barkatullah University, Bhopal, India Received: 09 Aug 2025; Received in revised form: 05 Sep 2025; Accepted: 09 Sep 2025; Available online: 12 Sep 2025 ©2025 The Author(s). Published by Infogain Publication. This is an open-access article under the CC BY license ([https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/)). Abstract— The Indian Knowledge System (IKS) has long shaped the country’s literary traditions, influencing storytelling structures, linguistic diversity, and stylistic choices. This paper explores how Salman Rushdie and Shashi Tharoor incorporate magic, myth, and multilingualism into their works, reflecting the epistemological and narrative frameworks of IKS. Rushdie’s Midnight’s Children and Tharoor’s The RiotandThe Great Indian Novelserve as primary texts, analyzed through the lens of oral traditions, intertextuality, mythological allegories, and code-switching. The study highlights how Rushdie’s magical realism and Tharoor’s historical intertextuality parallel ancient Indian storytelling, where myth and history intertwine seamlessly. Additionally, their extensive use of Indian languages, Sanskritized English, and cultural symbolism demonstrates the deep-rooted impact of IKS on their linguistic and stylistic innovations. By examining their narrative techniques, this paper argues that Rushdie and Tharoordo not merely write in English but rather "Indianize" the language, preserving indigenous literary traditions within global discourse. Keywords— Chutnification, Heteroglossia, Indian Knowledge System, Intertextuality, Magic Realism, Midnight’s Children, Multilinguilism, Postcolonial Literature, Riot, Salman Rushdie, Shashi Tharoor, The Great Novel. Indian Knowledge System (IKS): An Introduction The Indian Knowledge System (IKS) is a vast and diverse intellectual tradition that has shaped India’s literature, philosophy, and linguistic heritage for centuries. Rooted in ancient scriptures like the Vedas, Upanishads, and Puranas, IKS embraces a multidimensional approach to knowledge, integrating history, mythology, ethics, and linguistics. India has always been a land of stories—where history and myth blend seamlessly, and where languages flow into one another like rivers meeting the sea.Language plays a vital role in IKS, as India has always been a multilingual civilization where Sanskrit, Prakrit, Tamil, Persian, and many regional languages have coexisted and influenced each other. This has led to a rich tradition of code-mixing, metaphorical storytelling, and poetic expression. Stylistically, Indian literature is known for its non-linear narratives, symbolism, allegory, and oral storytelling techniques, which continue to influence modern writers. Rushdie’s Midnight’s Children brings alive India’s past through magical realism and a chaotic, non-linear narrative, much like the oral tales of the past. Similarly, Tharoor’s The Riot reflects the multivocal nature of Indian storytelling, where different perspectives merge to create a larger truth. By blending magic, myth, and multilingualism, contemporary authors like Salman Rushdie and Shashi Tharoor carry forward the essence of IKS in their works, using language not just as a tool for communication but asa reflection of India's diverse cultural and intellectual heritage. IJELS-2025, 10(5),(ISSN: 2456-7620) (Int. J ofEng. Lit. and Soc. Sci.) [https://dx.doi.org/10.22161/ijels.105.13](https://dx.doi.org/10.22161/ijels.105.13) 62 Khatoon Magic, Myth and Multilinguilism

FAQs

What is the central focus of this paper?

The paper explores how Salman Rushdie and Shashi Tharoor incorporate magic, myth, and multilingualism, and how these elements reflect the Indian Knowledge System’s narrative frameworks.

Which primary works are analyzed?

It uses Rushdie’s Midnight’s Children and Tharoor’s The Great Indian Novel and Riot as primary texts, examined through oral tradition, intertextuality, mythological allegory, and code-switching.

How does the study characterize the authors’ treatment of language?

It argues that Rushdie and Tharoor do not merely write in English; they “Indianize” the language by using Sanskritized English and cultural symbolism while preserving indigenous literary traditions.

Oct 1, 2026

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