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‘Diaspora’ simply means ‘dispersion’ or a ‘scattering’ as per dictionary. The present extract ‘The Ghat of the Only World’, dabs a very morbid line of Indian diaspora. First of all the writer talks about indian citizens living in different parts of the world like America, England and so on. Their life-style go with them to foreign lands. Like Shahid went to settle in Brooklyn.
But his love for rogan josh, Heeng never ceased. He won’t throw parties where Indian dishes, well cooked and delicately served were the main attractions. He was fond of Kishore Kumar. His love for poetry and in that too Kashmir had almost become a universal topic during his declining days.
Secondly, I feel perhaps that the writer felt somewhat scattered and greatly affected due to the violent political atmosphere in his beloved State Kashmir. He wanted that politics and religion must be kept secret. He expressed his desire to die in Kashmir.
It proves clearly, that in spite of all the worldly luxuries his soul craved to touch his home land. So it was an ‘emotional diaspora’ on the part of Shahid, which I feel every Indian settled in foreign land must be suffering from. Finally, his own residence in New York, presented various tastes of various continents.