The Kite Runner

An unforgettable and shocking story that would haunt you for years-That’s what Afghanistan-American writer Khaled Hosseini's novel The Kite Runner is for me. 

"There is no act more wretched than stealing, Amir" (P.16) Amir's Baba has instructed him during his childhood days. But before Amir crossed the doorsill to teenage, he stole the friendship, trust and love. But he was not alone in enduring his life with usurping guilt feelings. Life reveals to Amir that his Baba, his very own instructor had also stolen from him the right to know an intricate truth. The truth opens a path for Amir’s redemption through a thorny path.

The novel takes place in three countries-Afghanistan, Pakistan and United States- in the aftermath of 1978 civil war. The civil war, the Soviet invasion, the rise of the Taliban opposition, the tension between Shiite and Hazara community play an intrinsic role in the novel. The political issues merge with the emotions of the characters and often secrete into the oblivion. The oppression of Hazaras by the fanatic rulers of Taliban reassembles the scenes of the suppression of Jews by the Nazis. The brutal prosecution at the open ground is an instance that freezes anyone's blood for a moment.

The Kites have a symbolic meaning in this novel. It was through a kite running competition that Amir first encountered the sinful rules of cowardice, disloyalty and treachery. That had prompted him to hide in a shelter in an attempt to forget his childhood traumas. However Amir breaks the shell of solitude and sin through a path of redemption on a final kite running. The kite running becomes a path for him to soar to the real truths of life cutting back the guilty feelings and traumas.

I read this novel two years before my life at Saudi Arabia. When I had decided to come to the holy land of Muslims, I was inwardly scared. A life at a country, which is rumored to have atrocities as mentioned in the book seemed to be a nightmare. As I got used to the life here, the nightmares vanished. Though I haven’t witnessed any atrocities, rumors still hung in the air. My shameful selfishness to turn away from danger also egg me on not to know much.

After reading the book, I also watched the film adaptation of this novel. I had a fear to watch the violence in the book in front of my eyes. In contrast to my fear, the violent scenes are shown through an undertone in the movie. Moreover the movie ends with a pleasant feeling than the book.

This novel may pull you back at many times but, as you finish the last page, you may realize that pain in life may not come in a small measure. However, if you cannot stand to read dreadful violent realities, I would ask you to turn away from this book.

Ancient Promises: Jayashree Mishra

Some books make a deep impression on us that we carry its memory even after years. Jayashree Mishra’s   Ancient Promises is one such book for me. I had read the book for the first time in 2002. Later I bought a copy of the same in 2005 for re-reading.  Even now, I can remember the pangs, protests and panic that the protagonist had undergone in the novel.

I was drawn to the book due to various reasons. At first, I saw the mention of this book in a write up of Priya. A.S, an upcoming star in Malayalam literature. When I had started reading the book, I could relate to the character in many points too.

As a teenager, I also had a friend like Leena, whom I had accompanied in many adventures. That was one of the initial similarities.  Also, I always possessed a similar will power to change the circumstances that oppress my life. As of now, I love my daughter as dearly as Jayashree loves hers! Final and minimal reason is that there is a similarity between our names. Many incidents that followed never matched in my life.

Janaki, the protagonist of Ancient Promises always stood as the model for woman power in modern India for me. While she respected and abide to the rules of the family and society, she also had the power to change her life, when elders had gone wrong. Similarly, the hero Arjun became an ideal model lover for me in my teenage days. Janaki’s and Arjun’s union definitely proved the success of love among couples with reason.

The plot is set in three places-Kerala, Delhi and U.K.  The description of Delhi is so enchanting that one would feel like walking on its streets. The description of the places and people in each area is very accurate owing to the biographical touch in the novel. 

There was a criticism that the author had sketched characters of Marars in a cynical way. But, many Indian women would vouch for such experiences after getting married into such families.  Also, I read somewhere that the book promotes extra marital affair. But, it is only natural for a woman with liberal mind to get away from a passive husband and nagging in-laws. Above all, during all these drama, Janaki loved, cared and protected her mentally challenged daughter.

Most of the readers of the book, whom I’ve encountered, seem to have enjoyed all through the pages. The words, phrases and emotions are crafted together in such a way to draw the reader into the heart of Janaki. When the reader cries over the agonies of Janaki; the author managed to add a little pinch of humour to her writing to make them laugh through tears. 

 The novel flowed like a poetry taking the glory from the writer’s own personal experiences. The writing is truly Indian, true to the heart and direct. The novel ends with a positive note and definitely makes you think of your own life.  Women might be ready to change the circumstances that oppress them, while men might ponder over whether they are like Suresh or Arjun!

The Love Queen of Malabar-An Insight to Kamala Das' Life

Merrily Weisbord’s recently published biography, of the deceased poet Kamala Das, is an asset for anyone, who loved the latter as a person, an artist and as a human being with natural feelings. The Love Queen of Malabar is a memoir of the writer’s unique friendship with the poet who made her soul flow out through her pen.

Kamala Das' life with intense passion and her confessional work had always put her amidst applauds and apprehensions. There was always a question in people who knew her-Why she’s doing all these? Critics and society gave many explanations for her acts. However, many reasons are getting unraveled in The Love Queen of Malabar in an authentic way. I call this book authentic since it is based on trust, friendship and immense loyalty between the writer and Kamala Das.

The book has been written through 10 years, since Merrily Weisbord’s first visit at Cochin in 1995 till her last visit to Kamala Das in 2005. The book got published in 2010 only after the death of Kamala Das, owing to her wish. (p.226) During these years, Merrily visited Kamala Das five times and Kamala Das visited Montreal twice to contribute for this memorable work.

The book gives the hint that all through her life Kamala Das had passionately searched for fulfillment in things she believed. She never hesitated to change her opinion on the very next day, since she believed that only through these experiments; she can understand the true value of things. She never stopped experimenting in her life:

                           ...Rob me, destiny, if you must,

                                Rob me of my sustenance, but do not, I beg

                                Of you, do not take away my thirst... (p.5)

This passion reigned throughout the acts of kamala Das' life. 

When an outsider analyzes this passion in Kamala Das' works, it can be seen that physical lovemaking and spiritual love co-existed in them. While reading her life, I could even glimpse a similarity between Kamala Das and the (in?)famous spiritual leader Osho. Both of them celebrated the importance of sexuality in a spiritual way that Indian society’s moral thinking couldn’t actually comprehend. However, towards the end of her life Kamala was convinced that her experiences are her own and she cannot make others see or feel her inner bliss.

Kamala Das seems to be contended with her life by the last years of her life. Her experiments proved to her that nothing ends anywhere and it’ll continue through something else. While she was ready to say good bye to this life, she was making Merrily to take a note of her life.  As she told Merrily after the last visit:

Only names change, situations, destinations. We stop writing, someone else continues. No story never ends. (p.266)

The Love Queen of Malabar is definitely an apt tribute to the eminent poet Kamala Das. The non-fiction flows like a fiction that a person who chooses it can’t put it down. It also comprises some rare photographs of Kamala Das that add value to the book. I would strongly suggest this book to those who would love to know truth in Kamala Das' life.

Chittamruthu by V.S Khandekar

A well researched work of fiction about the intricacies of human mind will always make us sit and think. When the solemn aspects of thoughts are expressed in an artful manner, it would appeal to the common minds more easily. Through his wonderful mastery over words and immense knowledge in literature V.S .Khandekar put forth an intricate conduct of human minds in his novel Chittamruthu.

I assume that time period of the novel is in 1940s, a time after the Indian Independence. The novel centres on Alakananda an educated young girl of Post colonial India. Alakananda, whose fiancée got killed in a plane accident, is in despair with life. When fate has wronged her, she even thinks to take her life off. But the love of her dear ones keep her rooted to the life.

It is at this time that her old friend Vasundhara invites her to the latter’s mansion at Vilaspur. Nanda’s family hopes that a change would revive her. Nanda also feel a little more relaxed to move out of Mumbai with her friend and the latter’s little daughter. 

Soon after Nanda reaches Vilaspur, she recognizes a missing note in Vasu’s life. She realizes that Vasundhara lives separated from her husband Devadattan who lives in the next door mansion. Nanda learns the apparently violent nature of Devadattan from the words of Vasundhara and the fear of little Madhura.

Fate soon introduces Nanda to Devadattan. They soon become dear friends due to their common interest in literature, philosophy and the love for nature. However Nanda is acutely aware that ‘Buddha’ and ‘the hunter’ co-exist in Devadattan. On their trip to Chandanghatt, Devadattan opens his mind to Nanda.  He reveals how the adultery of his mother and the subsequent exile of his father changed him into a violent person. He lives a life of solitude now, comparing his life with the mythical character Aswathaatma. 

The relationship between Devadattan and Nanda, soon sparks rumours in the rural hillside. Nanda leaves to Bombay but comes back again to attend the hospitalized Vasundhara. Devadattan is absent at this time in Vilaspur. However, Nanda gets a letter from him, explaining his ongoing pilgrimage.  He had received a letter from his mother who is also in a pilgrimage. In her letter she had explained how she had been abandoned by her husband that led her to adultery.  Devadattan is in search of her with a new positive feeling of forgiving mind and a perspective that that no one is wrong.

The letter completes Nanda’s transformation from an ailing lover to a person with the positive feeling.  The novel ends with a note that life is not a straight line but there can be positive things that can happen in this roller coaster ride.

The novel is undoubtedly a great work of Marathi literature. In this interesting study of human life, Khandekar has brought up the thoughts of many great thinkers like Sage Vyasa, Shakespeare and Hemingway etc.  The novel shows the intricate feelings that can arise in the human mind when the feeling of being wronged arises in it. Even the minor characters in the novel go through it. Characters like Devadattan, his father, mother, Vasundhara and even Alakananda take it with violence at times. However, there are those like Nanda’s parents, Professor, Bapu and his wife Savitri who face it with an optimistic view. The novel undoubtedly shows how the optimistic force of human mind prepares it to face even the major challenges in life.

I’ve read the translated version of the novel in Malayalam. It had been originally published in Marathi with the title ‘Amruthavel.’ Sri Kaaliyath Damodaran has translated the work in beautiful literary Malayalam. The novel fills the reader with a positive energy and an optimistic feeling.

Lankalakshmi by C.N. Sreekandan Nair (Malayalam)

Lankalakshmi

Before I start writing the review, let me take the excuse. I haven’t read much plays to analyze one and not any Malayalam plays at all. Why I bought Lankalakshmi was only in the form of a gift for my mother and happened to leaf through its pages. However the attempt was worth rewarded. 

Lankalakshmi takes us to some scenes that have been missed out from the so familiar scenes of Indian epic Ramayana. Instead of concentrating on the adventures of Lord Rama, the simple play shows the history of Lanka, the kingdom of the demon lord Ravana.

The name ‘Lankalakshmi’ is very symbolical in this play. In Ramayana, there is the reference to the character named Lankalakshmi, who is a demon and who keeps the vigilance for the kingdom. In the play Lankalakshmi, the character appears only in the first scene. However all along the play, there is the allusion for Lankalakshmy that is the prosperity of the kingdom of Lanka.

In this play, the demonic king Ravana has been portrayed in a heroic light. He is the one behind the prosperity of Lanka (Lankalakshmi) and always vigilant in keeping its pride. The sufferings that Ravana had endured to bring back the glory of his race is highlighted through the dialogues between him and his courtiers.  There is also a reference to the atrocities of caste system that must have been prevalent during the time of the story and how the demon race suffered under that!

Apart from Ravana, each character is viewed in a different light in this play. Though the play doesn’t justify the abduction of Seetha, it does justify the motive of Ravana. Ravana didn’t abduct Seetha to make her his own but as an adornment for kingdom of Lanka. He made it clear that he would get the finest things in the world to improve the prosperity of Lanka. 

Ravana was determined in his mind that if he loose Seetha for the power of Rama, he would be losing a part of Lanka’s acquired prosperity. In that way he would be lowering the pride of his kingdom. He was not ready to give up his fight for the pride of his race even when he lost his dear ones.  Here, the playwright has shown a different characteristic of Ravana, the fearless one who is ready to do anything for the pride of his race. It is the prosperity of Lanka that matters the most for him. 

The inevitable demise of Ravana happens at the end.  With him, an era of Lanka also comes to an end. We haven’t heard of Lanka under the rule of Vibhishana even in Ramayana. So, we cannot tell whether the end of Ravana also took away the prosperity of Lanka also. When others felt that the end of Ravana marked the end of darkness, was it so in the case of the kingdom of Lanka? In the words of Seetha, there is a shadow in the glorious sunrise of the new Lanka (p.64). After reading the entire play, it is easy to understand what the playwright implied that is the end of Ravana means the end of the prosperity of Lanka too.

The play was a good read altogether. Even though the play comprises a minimum number of 64 pages, each page has something deeper to ponder on.  The book also rewarded me with the lyrics of ‘Pancha Chamaram’ that is the Lord Shiva Stothra, supposed to be written by Ravana. The language used is pure literary Malayalam and crafted in a poetic manner. There is an insightful introduction to the play written by K. Ayyappa Panicker. However if you are looking for some book for easy reading, I won’t suggest you this one.