About the world being better off without religion . . . I think so. It would be less beautiful perhaps, because some religions have created really beautiful architecture, incredible music, some of the most moving dances stem from religion — this idea or acknowledgement of something that stems from something larger than yourself. But I have a feeling that the world would have found a way of substituting it, or creating the same thing from a different source of inspiration.

About exile and writing . . . I don’t believe that it changed my style, no, but it certainly changed my rhythm. I had to extract time whenever possible. I worked everywhere and anywhere in cafes, in restaurants, on the plane. I developed a habit of shutting out the world completely. In terms of what I actually wrote, I don’t believe it changed. I actually wrote those memoirs on the move.

The complete interview is in The Hindu magazine.

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