The Eternal Silence of these Infinite Crowds Terrifies me – Nirad C Chaudhuri

“The eternal silence of these infinite spaces terrifies me” Blaise Pascal

“The Eternal Silence of these Infinite Crowds” is an extract from Chaudhuri‟s second work
“A Passage to England”. In this extract he brings out a striking contrast between the reserved
nature of the English and the garrulousness of the Indians while travelling , and subtly points
out some basic differences in character between the two races. His article is remarkably vivid,
humorous, interesting and informative. According to Chaudhuri the English people do not
enter into conversation with a stranger. Even in public places they keep silence. Life in
London according to the traveller is very akin to a silent film. Though the streets are crowded
and public places, peopled to a large extent, there is absolutely no hustle and bustle. The
unending streams of people in Oxford Street and the Underground station remind him of a
“long line of ants going into their holes” (81). After the raucous bazaars of India, this
unaccustomed silence is frightening indeed. Silence greets him everywhere he goes- pubs,
restaurants. Chaudhuri absorbed the same silence when he went into a pub or restaurants.
Both will be crowded at the lunch time. But he heard no conversation. According to him, they
avoid entering into a dialogue. They knew that, others will criticize their notorious reserve.
Conversations are absent even in places regarded as centers of social life: clubs. The coziness
amongst people sitting side by side in a public transport is also not evident.

Nirad Chaudhuri doesn’t find English people cold or formal. But he finds weird ‘The Eternal
Silence Of These Infinite Crowd’. The word ‘silence’ is, to the Indian mind a bizarre notion.
Be it places of worship, public places, homes or roads, it is the din and bustle of life that
signifies the Indian way of life. Nirad Chaudhuri emphasizes this when he says, “...for us
noise is as essential a condition of cheerfulness as is the warmth of the sun ” (80 Physical
proximity has a totally different nomenclature in India- “In the buses of Delhi all of us make
use of one another for bodily comfort” (81). The buses are abuzz with conversations on all
sorts of topics, private and public. Nirad Chaudhuri calls the buses of Delhi “a microcosm of
our national life” (83). Very subtly, he weighs against the dreariness of the English people’s
public behaviour, the ‘ comedie humaine'1 (84) the large-heartedness of the Indians. . Unlike
the English, Indians are gregarious by nature. Public places such as railway station, bus stand,
and club are filled with noise. The bus stops are also full of conversation. People share not
only public topics but also personal matters.

1. What is the binary contrast Chaudhuri finds between the British and Indians?

Chaudhuri brings out a striking contrast between the reserved nature of the English and the
garrulousness of the Indians. English people do not enter into conversation with a stranger.
Even in public places they keep silence. Indians are gregarious by nature. Public places such
as railway station, bus stand, and club are filled with noise. The bus stops are also full of
conversation.

2. The subtle irony and humour of Chaudhuri’s style.

There is irony and humour when Chaudhury highlights the contrasting attitudes maintained
by the English and the Indians. Pubs and restaurants are normally noisy places. But the writer
was flabbergasted when he experienced complete silence in public places like pubs and
restaurants in England. Ironically Indians are loud and hearty in public places and they easily
strike into a conversation even with a total stranger.
3. Do you think Chaudhuri finds the behaviour of both Indians and the British
objectionable? Briefly elaborate.
Chaudhuri seems to be amused by the contrasting attitudes expressed by people in
public places. Though silence is an essential quality of British people Chaudhury has
not found chilliness or formality among them. He observes how once in a club when
he tried to open a conversation across the table he was fended off without the slightest
suggestion of discourtesy. Noise among Indians he finds is an essential condition of
cheerfulness as is the warmth of the sun.
4. Does Chaudhury sound condescending and snobbish while commenting on his fellow
Indians. Elaborate.
He is certainly not condescending and snobbish though at times he has felt
embarrassment in the unnecessary intrusion into his personal spaces. He finds comedy
and humour inthe variety of human life.
5. Comment on Chaudhury’s mastery of the English language.
Nirad C. Chaudhuri is an icon of 'pungent writer of English prose' and the finest non-
fiction writer of post-modern history. His erudition and analytical mind runs through
his special trait of personality.
II. 100 words
1. How do Indians and the British behave in public vehicles? How does it reflect on their
character?
The English are very reserved when they are in public places. While travelling they
bury their faces in newspapers. Even in a very crowded Oxford street people moved
making no sound. As they moved to the Underground stations they looked like long
lines of ants moving into their holes. The pubs and restaurants in England were
crowded during lunch time but there was no conversation. Indians on the other hand
are very noisy. Public vehicles are places where one can find a microcosm of national
life. In the buses of Delhi people don’t mind leaning against one another or put their
arms around a fellow traveller. The buses are full of conversation on public and
private topics and even between total strangers. Trvellers find it quite normal to
borrow a newspaper or a book from total strangers.
2. Do you think that in the postmodern era, social media has moulded the Indian psyche
to be more taciturn and cold?

Using social media in a way that connects us with others can make us less lonely and
more social. Unfortunately, as social media use increases, we are becoming lonelier
and taciturn. This trend suggests we may not be using social media in the most social
ways, comparing ourselves to others. In addition, we may be sacrificing in-person
interaction for the convenience of social media interaction. Both of these factors
increase the likelihood of experiencing social isolation. The internet always gives us
something to do. Checking Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, Pinterest and Snapchat can
easily knock four hours out of your day. That may double if you have a large
 following, and triple it if you're trying to use social media for business. This
ultimately results in the loss of warmth in relationships.

3. What is the significance of the title of the essay”. How is it related to Pascal”s
óbservation of the Universe?

“When I consider the short duration of my life, swallowed up in an eternity before and after,
the little space I fill engulfed in the infinite immensity of spaces whereof I know nothing, and
which know nothing of me, I am terrified. The eternal silence of these infinite spaces
frightens me” said Pascal. Pascal was referring to insignificant presence of human beings in
the infinite immensity of spaces. This leads to alienation and this experience of alienation in
the modern day is all-too common. Few individuals feel connected to themselves, let alone
the universe. A widespread sense of separation pervades the times. The British habit of
keeping silence in public spaces brings the same kind of alienation to an Indian who is used
to noise in public places.

4. What is Chaudhuri’s experience in the buses of Delhi?

People make use of one another in buses in Delhi. They lean against one another or put their
arms round a fellow passenger. If anyone wants to know the time and has not got a watch he
simply takes up the hand of the fellow passenger andlooks at his wrist watch. The buses are
full of conversation on public and private matters.The passengers alos help one another about
the way to get to a destination. The bus may be taken as a microcosm of national life.

5. Are Chaudhuri’sobservations still relevant today

It remains the same.

“The Eternal Silence of these Infinite Crowds” is an extract from Chaudhuri‟s second work “A
Passage to England”. In this extract he brings out a striking contrast between the reserved
nature of the English and the garrulousness of the Indians while travelling , and subtly points
out some basic differences in character between the two races. His article is remarkably
vivid, humorous, interesting and informative. According to Chaudhuri the English people do
not enter into conversation with a stranger. Even in public places they keep silence. Their
silent movement in the underground railway is like “ants moving towards a hole”. Chaudhuri
absorbed the same silence when he went into a pub or restaurants. Both will be crowded at
the lunch time. But he heard no conversation. According to him, they avoid entering into a
dialogue. They knew that, others will criticize their notorious reserve. Unlike the English,
Indians are gregarious by nature. Public places such as railway station, bus stand, and club
are filled with noise. The bus stops are also full of conversation. People share not only public
topics but also personal matters.