Book Review: In the Convent of Little Flowers

The huge acclamation Indu Sundaresan's Taj Trilogy (the trilogy comprises of books - The Twentieth Wife, The Feast of Roses and Shadow Princess) received made me purchase her only short stories collection - In the Convent of Little Flowers.  This book stood "sort of first" in many ways - first one I purchased from amazon.in site, first one I read from all penned by the author and first in which some stories had Chennai connection.

The book comprises of nine short works of fiction running roughly into a total of 210 pages with an afterword and acknowledgements section at its end. The first story - Shelter of Rain details the journey of Padmini, from Chennai to Seattle, from being just another girl in an orphanage, the Convent of Little Flowers to acquiring a warm and secure identity and being daughter to Tom and Diana Merrick. The journey in the story is interspersed with contents of a letter that Padmini receives from a nun in the convent who claims to be her biological aunt. Shunned away in past, forgotten for long, more appropriately, handed over to safe hands in a distant land, Padmini struggles to reason why her measly past in Chennai nags her current identity and peace. 

The second tale in the collection is Three and a Half Seconds, the best one in my opinion. It traces the path of a family as they migrates from village, leaving behind destitution and drought stricken farmlands to cacophonous urban life in Mumbai in search of work and money.  Meha and Chander strive hard to adjust to city life, tackle many challenges to ensure a better living for their only son - Bikaner, only to be ill treated, recklessly insulted and physically abused by him in their old age. The plot is highly common place but the author strikes hard in the way she narrates it. It is simply astounding how one can engage a reader so thoroughly even when with a plot so typical.

The Faithful Wife and Fire come next in collection, both bear a strong voice of outrage against injustice meted out by society in name of up keeping ancient traditions and practices. The author views these old customs as "just a vicious need to connect with the past, with a willing scapegoat". 

The Most Unwanted is a story where the author, in my opinion, strikes gold, much like she does in Three and a Half Seconds. The story is simple, say even banal but the rendition sets it apart from everything else. Parvati and her child Krishna, throw their entire family into a tumultuous state, open up a chronic scar but with time comes a healing effect, a much needed one.    

Bedside Dreams iterates the premise of old ones deserted by their own blood, in a slightly different setting and in a tone less intense than Three and a Half Seconds. 

The remaining stories are where the author goes into a deep slumber - The Key Club, The Chosen One and Hunger. It is sad to see the awe you built up for the author's story telling skills disappear in a jiffy with these follies. 

Most stories have sad endings, however, in all that tragedy and drama the author creates, she embeds little hope as well, some relief after breaking free, free from the clutches of constraints and rules the society lays. In Indu's Convent of Little Flowers, there are many thorns as well. A decent book to read, definitely overpriced, but barring the follies, the author's art of story telling needs a good round of applause. 

AJAYA - Book 1: Roll of the Dice - Book Review

Book Details:

Name of the Book - AJAYA, Epic of the Kaurava Clan, Book 1 - Roll of the Dice

Author - Anand Neelakantan (also authored best seller book Asura)

Publisher - Leadstart Publishing

Chapters/Pages - Organised into 27 chapters, a total of 455 pages.

Price in India - Rs 299

Prelude to the Book Review:

The Mahabharata - longest known epic poem written by Vyasa has always fascinated me. I am sure many will agree that we were literally transported to the kingdom of Hastinapur and its times through BR Chopra's television series (1988) based on the epic. The Mahabharata has been narrated by many in different manners highlighting myriad aspects. Many tales of this epic find reasoning and revelation in Bhagavata Purana, a work again attributed to Vyasa. Each narration of this gargantuan epic unfolds hidden tales and perspectives. I picked up this book AJAYA - Roll of the Dice with the same intention, to visit episodes of the epic from an unseen angle - from the viewpoint of Kauravas, more aptly Duryodhana, topically referred to as Suyodhana. 

Review:

What caught my attention as I opened the book was its immaculate structure. The author's beginning note titled "Why write about Duryodhana" sends a clear message on his intention in writing the book and justifies his efforts. It reminds me of the proverb - The devil is not so black as he is painted.

Few pages are dedicated to explaining characters that feature in the book and there is an impressive genealogy tree diagram relevant to the epic too. Right from the prelude, where Anand explains Bhishma's exploits in Gandhara and unravels the birth of the story's real villain - Shakuni; he plays devil's advocate. And, I must admit, he pulls off this tough job in an elegant fashion without mincing words and sans editing gaffes. 

In the opening chapter, animosity between cousins - the Kauravas and the Pandavas is portrayed in a light hearted manner, Suyodhana hates and fears mighty Bhima who always prowls around him. Another cousin he dreads is Yudhishtra who he feels is only more "poisonous" than "pious".

As the story unfolds, Drona, the teacher arrives to make true Kshatriyas out of Pandavas and Kauravas. Suyodhana is depicted as one who lacks interest in teacher's lessons, who often gets reprimanded as son of a blind fool, one who prefers appreciating the love between birds perched on a tree rather than treat them as mere target, one who wishes to fight the rigid varna system and many other perils like hunger, poverty, caste discrimination and untouchability that hog his kingdom. He is projected as one who possesses a strong vision to rebuild the society, base it on merit and talent rather than on caste and dogmatic rules laid out in scriptures, an idea patronized by only few mavericks like Kripa, Carvaka and Balarama.

Ekalavya and Karna come along as victims caught in this societal quagmire, rebuked and shunned to darkness despite possessing immense talent. While the former tastes only failure and loss, the latter proves little luckier to be trained under Parashurama and be crowned the king of Anga by his loyal friend, Suyodhana.

An adage states - only lawyers and painters can turn white to black; through many episodes like the burning of house of lac at Varanavata, creation of Indraprastha and curse of Mayasura, Draupadi's Swayamvara; her subsequent marriage to five brothers and Arjuna's marriage to Subhadhra, the author manages to paint the Pandavas, their mother Kunti and even Krishna "black" with words.

The book ends with the infamous dice game between the cousins where Pandavas lose everything to Kauravas.

Anand has treated this book not just as a piece of fiction but moulded portions of the epic to incorporate many present day problems in society. Lot of research has gone in as seen from concluding sections of the book - notes on Polyandry in Ancient India and Gandhari and Dhritharashta's 100 sons and one daughter. A short glossary and a preview to the sequel of this book - Rise of Kali too follow these articles.

Anand Neelakantan does a decent job as devils' advocate all along. However, why the game of dice rolls on even when Pandavas gamble away their wife, why self righteous Suyodhana and his friend Dharmaveera Karna turn a blind eye to the farce unfolding before them is inexplicable. Does Suyodhana really turn into Duryodhana in the last few pages of the book despite author's best efforts, is he really just a "son of a blind fool" are questions that need rumination.

This book is a definite NO for those who view Pandavas as unquestionable heroes and refuse to introspect Lord Krishna's naughty shenanigans even jokingly. The book might also prove cumbersome for those who do not have a broad idea of the chronological sequence of events in the epic. Otherwise, the book offers a good read and a distinctive perspective. 

Elections 2014

Elections 2014 in India has earned many sobriquets - watershed elections, India's most polarising elections, elections with the highest voter turnout. The longest election ever held in the history of the largest democracy in the world, with nine phases spanning from Apr 7 to May 12, 2014 culminates tomorrow, May 16, with results declaration.

The elections to constitute the 16th Lok Sabha in 543 constituencies has been a significant one in many respects. It has witnessed sledging and slamming that downplays infamous episodes in cricket and puts masters like Aussies to shame. Repugnance and acerbity have overflown in excess in all directions.

While debates still ensue if a Modi wave exists at all, it is undeniable that an insuppressible urge to vote persisted in the youth of the nation. For the first time, youngsters cared to look and think beyond cricket and its closely linked partner in entertainment, cinema. While people wanted to come out and vote, the Election Commission did not quite like this over enthusiasm and deleted as many as 74 lakh names in the state of Maharashtra alone.

People thought only paper and ballot boxes proved convenient for rigging but were taken aback when Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) too malfunctioned. Irrespective of any button pressed, lights flashed against the current ruling party. As if men were not enough to rig, rodents too joined in creating mayhem, cut wires, devored buttons and damaged EVMs stored post voting in Ghaziabad, the only solace that rodents imparted damage impartially.

News channels ate, drank and slept elections 2014. News on weather, sports, cine glitz and glamor, terror/militant attacks, economic/market affairs, international topics like problems in Nigeria,Ukraine, Turkey, South Korea all went missing much like the missing Malaysian airline MH 370. Reporters ran between Amethi and Varanasi like lunatics and many reconciled to spending days and nights on Ganga ghat in Varanasi.

Nations' pulse is high, anxiety and enthusiasm levels hit a top notch, call it over awareness incited by media or a mad drive against incumbency or intolerance to unfathomable corruption and scams in the nation, this election has been the most closely followed one by many who never cared to check how the government formed or functioned.

I voted in Bangalore on April 17, 2014 and did my duty as a citizen. As said in the Gita, I am only supposed to do my action and not expect the fruit of it. I wait with bated breath (minus expectations) for the announcement of the nation's leader for that decides the country's future. And yes, a quick sign off from the post before someone terms me communal and non secular for having quoted the Gita.

Book Review: TALE SPIN

Is the next spin only a page away? 

I did not think much when I laid my hands on this book - Tale Spin - a collection of 14 short stories by Sanjay Chopra, published by Harper Collins. Priced at Rs 299 and available at the Strand Book Festival, Bangalore at a whooping 60% discount, there was no room for second thought. 

My one year old son keeps me busy to the extent that hitting the blog/web space or reading a sizable book is next to impossible. Therefore, short stories give me the right option, a story a day at bed time after my baby goes to sleep, no worries of forgetting characters after a prolonged and significant disconnect from the book. 

Without further ado, let me hit at what Tale Spin provides. The short stories are crisp, simple in prose; most importantly, they provide an interesting, proportionate mixture of fact and fiction. The prelude to the book specifies that many stories have won accolades and to me 7 out of 14 tales are clear winners. 

Turache?, the first story in the collection mixes history and fantasy in an excellent fashion and provides a great start for the book. A neat figment of imagination, it deals with an encounter between King Darius III and Alexander taking us back to the Battle of Gaugamela, 331 BC. The throttle for the tale spin intensifies with the next tale - A Fate Worse Than, different periods in history - times of Timur rule and Hitler's attack on Russia are woven in an impeccable narrative. Sanjay Chopra once again conjures the past and present in a magical manner in his next tale - Men of the Horse. Odysseus, Troy and Trojan Horse together churn a gripping account. 

A small slack is felt in Awake, a story set in Magadha in 500 BC, during the reign of Ajatashatru. Nonetheless, the author quickly picks up lost momentum in Project Ha Ha. With this tale, the author proves his mettle lies in mixing true accounts of history with fiction/present day events and the transition in time is completely seamless. The German and English air crafts bombard in high skies to provide some intriguing stuff in this story. 

Putra, The Last Gurkha and God's Hand do not offer that brilliant a read as its predecessors. It appears that the author was tired of speeding all along and decided to go a little easy for some time. He tries to rivet the reader's lost interest in the next few tales - Bata Shoes, The Contractor, A Sound Idea. 

Bata Shoes  provides an interesting account of Indo-Pak war from an angle never viewed before.
The Contractor is passable, seems the author wobbled for a second when he tried to gain some lost momentum. The author nails a clean victory in A Sound Idea which is total thriller.

Betrayal unravels dirty dark secrets of twin sisters but miserably fails to impress, it is a sheer spoiler. Twenty20 brings back some lost smile on the reader's face, its protagonists hack into the most secure main frames and super computers and also place the author stealthily on a strong foothold for his next tale spin. The Day Tina was Born is an emotional power pack, well executed and sure to leave even the most hard hearted soul teary eyed. However, genre wise it is a misfit in this collection.

Overall, seven strong favorites make me pronounce Sanjay Chopra's Tale Spin a good read. The author's interest in history is highly admirable and his definitive style of mixing fact and fiction is laudable. 

The back cover of the book mentions the author ensures that the next spin is only a page away. Some tales stand tall by this claim but some do not - a MIXED BAG! 

Train to Pakistan: Book Review

Train to Pakistan details a story that dates back to the summer of 1947. Published for the first time in 1956, this book holds a place of prominence till date. That it features quite noticeably in most bookstores' shelves even today speaks volumes of its relevance and notable ability to cross decades in time.

The story revolves around incidents in a tiny, fictitious village - Mano Majra,  in Punjab, on the border of India and Pakistan. This 190 page book (Penguin publications) is divided into four broad sections.

The first  section describes the village Mano Majra and activities of its residents only paint it as an insipid speck in the vast subcontinent. The village is marked by only three brick buildings - a gurudwara, a mosque and a moneylender's house, a peepul tree right at its centre, adjoining sprawling fields, flat roofed mud huts, low walled court yards and narrow lanes. The author highlights the importance of  railway station in Mano Majra, how its residents, an almost equal number of Muslims and Sikhs, chalk out their daily chores in sync with two passenger trains, one from Delhi to Lahore in the morning; another from Lahore to Delhi in the evening.

The central nerve of the story is the village gangster, Juggut Singh's love for a Muslim girl, Nooran. Other important characters include Bhai Meet Singh who preaches at Gurudwara, Imam Baksh, Hukum Chand who is the district deputy commissioner and Iqbal, the educated, social worker who lands up at a wrong place at a wrong time. Post independence tumultuous times coupled with the death of a money lender - Ram Lal, the only Hindu resident in Mano Majra, catapults the village into wild, gripping action.

Sections two and three portray TRAIN as the chief and central character. The author paints grim pictures of massive killings during partition. He describes ghost trains choked with dead bodies, Sutlej river brimming with dead and running red; how both sides nonchalantly killed, raped, shot and speared, how institutions meant to maintain law and order watched mutely, took very few, impulsive but wrong actions only to create a farce. These sections weigh upon the reader.

It is however, the last ten pages of the book that deliver the real, hard hitting stuff. When Iqbal contemplates in the last section of the book - India is constipated with a lot of humbug, be it religion, art and music, one cannot refrain from accepting his thoughts. Higher is the acceptance when the author weaves in Tryst with Destiny into the plot. Long ago, we made a tryst with destiny, now the time comes when we shall redeem our pledge, said the Prime Minister of a free nation in front of dignified visitors seated in galleries, rapt in admiration; how beautiful, elite and poetic it sounds. However, the common man had a completely different tryst on the roads across the border narrates the author. The author clearly differentiates the literate, statesman lot who preach and make policies but fail miserably when it comes to actions from the illiterate, not so well informed lot which believes in delivering only by actions and trusts in presence of mind more than logic and researched literature.

Even if you remarked that the book offers no exceptional stuff and wondered why or what earned it its place, you go completely wrong as the author nails it in the climax, a heart wrenching one it is, one that has secured the eminence of this piece of Indian literature through years.