Introduction
Amitav Ghosh is a well-known author who blends history, culture, and imagination in his
stories. His writing often challenges traditional genre boundaries, merging scientific inquiry
with mystical and historical narratives. In The Calcutta Chromosome, he fuses science fiction
with mystery and spirituality to challenge dominant perceptions of science and discovery.
This presentation will explore how Ghosh employs science fiction in two key ways:
● The speculative premise of chromosome transfer.
● The novel’s subversion of traditional scientific narratives.
What is Science Fiction?
Science fiction, or sci-fi, is a genre that combines imagination with logic. Literary critic
Darko Suvin defines science fiction as a genre characterized by "estrangement" and
"cognition." Estrangement presents the unfamiliar (the novum), while cognition allows
readers to interpret rationally in the novel. Suvin argues that science fiction creates a world
where seemingly scientific ideas, even when fictitious, are presented in a logically coherent
manner. Ghosh follows this principle by introducing speculative yet coherent concepts.
Science Fiction in The Calcutta Chromosome
A key science-fiction element in the novel is the idea of chromosome transfer enabling
immortality. Murugan believes that Mangala Bebe's discovery of chromosome transfer as
medical technology, which allows people to control who they will become in their next life.
This theory disrupts the Western notion that identity is biologically fixed.
For instance, Murugan while explaining to Urmila, explains chromosome transfer as a
process involving the malaria parasite. This theory, while fictional, mimics real biological
processes, making it appear scientifically plausible. He states:
"Mangala began to notice how treatment often produced strange side effects
that looked like personality disorders, except they weren’t really disorders
but transpositions. She realized it was a crossover of randomly assorted
personality traits from the parasite donor to the recipient via bird " (Ghosh
93)
This reflects Suvin’s "cognitive estrangement," making readers question whether
such a phenomenon could exist.
Scholar Claire Chambers argues that The Calcutta Chromosome breaks the boundary between
science and fiction, positioning it within postcolonial science fiction—a genre that critiques
the dominance of Western science over knowledge systems (Chambers 3).
By using scientific terms like "transpositions," "encrypted," and "regenerative tissue," Ghosh
makes this idea sound legitimate, a technique often employed in science fiction. He further
enhances this effect by suggesting that modern science has yet to detect such processes:
"It is so deeply encrypted that our current techniques can't isolate it"
(Ghosh 213)
This aligns with real-world phenomena such as horizontal gene transfer, where genetic
material moves between organisms outside reproduction. Ghosh fictionalizes this
concept, stretching its possibilities to humans, and making it seem like an undiscovered
scientific breakthrough.
Through this, Ghosh challenges the belief that Western science is the only valid way to
understand the world, instead proposing an alternative epistemology that integrates science,
spirituality, and indigenous knowledge.
Questioning Western Science
The novel also critiques the history of malaria research. Historically, Ronald Ross is credited
with discovering the malaria parasite’s life cycle. However, in the novel, Murugan suggests
that Ross was manipulated by Mangala and her group, who already knew more than he did.
As he claims:
"Ross didn’t really discover anything; he was led, nudged, and manipulated.
Mangala was the true genius." (Ghosh 93).
This subverts the traditional narrative of heroic Western scientific discovery and aligns
with postcolonial critiques that highlight how European scientists often relied on
indigenous knowledge but erased their contributions.
By depicting Ross as uncertain and dependent on external guidance, Ghosh questions the
authority of Western science. Chambers argues that Ghosh deliberately blurs the line between
fact and fiction, forcing readers to reconsider what is considered "true" in scientific history
(Chambers 12). This technique, known as cognitive estrangement, makes the novel an
effective critique of Western scientific hegemony.
Technology, Surveillance, and Control
Ava, the supercomputer assisting Antar, represents another sci-fi element: the ethical
dilemmas of artificial intelligence and surveillance. Ava does more than provide information;
it manipulates Antar’s perception by selectively revealing or concealing data:
"Ava had rearranged the files again. Things that had been right in front of
him had suddenly vanished" (Ghosh 37).
This aligns The Calcutta Chromosome with broader sci-fi traditions that critique how
technology controls human knowledge and autonomy. Chambers notes that Ava acts
as an "all-seeing force that extends beyond the boundaries of human perception"
(Chambers 12), illustrating how technological systems shape and constrain individual
understanding.
Mixing Science with Spirituality
One of the novel’s unique aspects is its fusion of scientific ideas with spiritual and mystical
beliefs. The idea of chromosome transfer resembles Hindu concepts of reincarnation.
Murugan explains:
"It wasn’t reincarnation in the usual sense—it wasn’t the recycling of souls.
It was a matter of getting the right chromosome to the right person" (Ghosh
201)
This blends science with Hindu ideas of karma and rebirth, challenging the supposed
divide between scientific rationality and spiritual belief. Chambers observes that in
India, scientific concepts often merge with cultural traditions, creating alternative
knowledge systems (Chambers 11). Ghosh’s novel exemplifies this by presenting an
epistemology where science is not purely Western but is adapted and reinterpreted
through local contexts.
Conclusion
Through speculative ideas and historical revisionism, The Calcutta Chromosome exemplifies
sci-fi’s potential to challenge dominant knowledge systems. By blending technology,
indigenous knowledge, and mystical practices, Ghosh invites readers to reconsider the nature
of scientific truth.
The novel raises an essential question: If science is always evolving and shaped by culture,
can fiction also be a valid means of discovering knowledge? Ghosh suggests that the answer
is yes. Murugan’s speculative theories compel us to question whether scientific "truths" are as
objective as they seem.
As Chambers aptly states:
"The Calcutta Chromosome is fantasy couched in a precise, logical style that
is backed up with seemingly undeniable rationalization."
By seamlessly merging fact and fiction, Ghosh challenges how knowledge is produced
and who gets to control it, making The Calcutta Chromosome a significant work within
postcolonial science fiction.
