My Feudal Lord: Tehmina Durrani

My life at Saudi Arabia became an apt platform to develop interests in Muslim society and their culture. I bought Tehmina Durrani’s novel My Feudal Lord because of three reasons- the novel dealt with woman’s issues, my newfound interest in Muslim culture and as a souvenir for my visit at Bahrain.

The novel dealt with Tehmina Durrani’s second marriage with Mustafa Khar with a few lights on her own parents' family, contemporary political issues and culture of Pakistan. This autobiography is written as a fiction to hold the interest of the readers and to convey the message easily.

Tehmina Durrani was the fourth wife of Mustafa Khar, one of the leading politicians of the time. The handsome and alluring Mustafa took Tehmina out of her secure and comparatively happy family life with Anees and their daughter. Though the romance broke many hearts in the initial stage, Tehmina was blind with love to take care of them. Subsequently the inevitable followed- she became a helpless victim to a possessive, jealous and playboy husband who mastered her away from the outside world. 

Tehmina went through the worst of domestic violence for fourteen years with three attempts to escape from the prison of marriage. However each time, she had to return in misery. At first she loose the custody of her four children, second time no support comes to her even from the parents and third time she had to fear the wrath of the society. 

Tehmina finally gets divorce after Mustafa Khar regains his political power. Though this time, Mustafa does not prevent her from getting out since he was taking his fifth wife.  The author says that Mustafa’s words after their divorce, prompted her to write the novel. 

“Once you were Begum Tehmina Mustafa Khar. Now, you are just Tehmina Durrani.  When you ring up people you have to introduce yourself as my ex-wife. You’ve no identity of your own.” (P. 374)

The novel seemed to shake the Pakistan Society to its foundations. When Mustafa had called Tehmina to argue about the book, she concluded, “Well, Mustafa, now the world will soon know you as Tehmina Durrani’s ex-husband.” 

I was not at all aware of the Pakistani culture until I met some ladies from Pakistan. Still I have only a glimpse of their culture. But it strikes me that though there is a difference in religion, they are so much like Indians only. I asked one of them about “My Feudal Lord.” She said, “All written in the book is not true. She has exaggerated a lot.”

The exaggeration must have been for fictitious purposes. However, the reader will feel that something is left untold after reading the book.

The novel became a bestseller in European countries. However, I later judged this success as a wild reception of westerners for anything that throw a stone at the Islamic society. Also, this book is only one side of a coin and we don’t know the other side until the voice comes from there.

This book is a good suggestion for those who are interested in woman’s rights.

Publisher: Corgi Books

Price: 4.70 BD

One Amazing Thing by Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni

Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni’s works have a special effect on me, invoking positive perspective about life. Stories told to make you feel like part of those stories, often make the reader ponder and look upon own life in a positive manner. One Amazing Thing is such a story! The stories of a group of people in a vital situation make you think of the one amazing thing in your life.

The storyline is in the aftermath of a massive earthquake. As in her many other novels, Chitra Divakaruni sets her plot in U.S. A. A group of nine people, seven of them of Indian origin and two of them of Chinese are captured in a crashed visa office at an Indian Consulate. 

For a claustrophobic person like me the situation of these people is beyond imagination. The ex- soldier Cameron in the group tries to tackle the situation at his best. Still, the situation is worsened by his asthmatic development and injuries of Uma and Jiang. Dust accumulates, water rising, food goes less and they hear the footsteps of death near them.  

Above all these, they hope to rescue into life. Yet, hopelessness develops into panic, panic into frenzy and frenzy into physical violence. At this moment, Uma, an American born Indian girl comes up with suggestion-telling stories! Each one has to tell a story about a crucial incident in their life that she/he had kept secret from everyone so far.

Uma had got this idea from Geoffrey Chaucer’s The Canterbury Tales.  But curiously everyone in the gang agrees to the idea. They must have thought this as a last confession that might not arrive again in their life. The stories come out easily from each and every person. As each story gets finished, they realize that they all had once been in a situation that they once thought life to be a tragedy. But, they had been pulled out from those situations by one positive inspiration. Also, they had despised life at one point or another in their lives. Yet, at this moment of almost certain death, they crave for life. 

Uma was the last storyteller. Just before her story finishes, they hear the sounds from above. It can be either of rescuers' machines or of the collapsing ceiling. Divakaruni leaves the reader there.

Each reader may feel differently to each story. Personally, I could feel with Lily’s aggravation to understand and gain what she wants out of life, Malati’s aspiration for growth and intolerance for injustice, Tariq’s helplessness and anger at racism, Jiang’s survival and Mrs. Pritchett’s realization of her loveless life. This is my reading. Many other readers must have felt with Mr. Pritchett’s troubled childhood,  Uma’s fear for a broken family, Mangalam’s failure in marriage and love and Cameron’s guilt feelings.

Overall, there cannot be any central point or dialogue as shown as the message of the novel. Each reader would get different messages from different stories.  I took the message of the night nurse to Mrs. Pritchett as the message for me.

‘Remain where you are and work on your heart. Once you’re dead, it’s much more difficult.’ (p.175)

The novel undoubtedly shows Chitra Divakaruni’s Indian spiritual inclination and reading on life. The stories have been crafted well for the readers to submerge in. Taken as a whole, this is definitely a novel to rejuvenate your spirit.

Afterword: After reading this novel, I’ve imagined at many times about an earthquake. By God’s greatness nothing had happened. I am convinced that life is worth living and that I should spent my days reminiscing on beautiful moments in life and not regretting sour incidents.

Publishers: Penguin Books India

Price: Rs. 250/-

Orikkal by N Mohanan

 

Who hasn’t loved and lost even once in life? The love might not have been explicit, double sided or even recognized. But, that love must have played at least a small role in our lives. Malayalam writer, N. Mohanan’s semi autobiographical novel Orikkal is about such a love that had shaped a persona in him.

Who was the owner of the author’s lost love? There is no name given in the novel respecting the identity of the beholder. She has been constantly addressed as ‘the girl.’

Before getting into the details of the novel, let me remember an article written by Tanuja S Bhattathiri about her late uncle. In that she had written about her uncle’s lost love. The lost love always remained in his mind with the tokens of love letters, hand kerchiefs and other reminiscent of the romantic period. I was surprised to learn that N. Mohanan’s wife had safely kept these love tokens for him and his romance was not a secret in the household. 

Tanuja had written, “When my brother had undergone a troublesome period after his love failure, ammaman consoled him citing his own experience.” I really admired N.Mohanan’s wife for that loving courage, without whose loving understanding, he wouldn’t have sustained his love traumas long enough to give advice to the next generation. However, after reading his autobiography I have admitted one more thing. He was the owner of a loving mind, who could also radiate the fragrance of love to those around him.

Mohanan wrote about ‘the girl’ in his life with much fondness. Their platonic love in the 1960s' Kerala society was coloured by literary discussions, first lessons of the unconditional love, innocent dreams and above all, trust to each other.  The world that they had dreamt together subsequently shattered. After drinking the pain of separation, each of them walked in their own paths holding the hands of their loving partners.

Still the love sustained! It is that love that N.Mohanan talks about in the novel. The love is not romance but a mixture of concern, care and gratitude for the woman in his life who first taught him the meaning of love. In his poetic and meditating language N Mohanan transcends the reader to this world of love, which many of might not have experienced. 

I’ve to give one more last reference before completing this review. In the Malayalam movie Chandrolsavam the already married heroine Indulekha asks her returned lover Sree, “Didn’t you ever hate me for marrying another man?” Sreehari’s reply was crisp and from heart, “Never! I was upset with myself and life, but never with you! My life afterwards taught me to smile at the face of miseries and befriend with those who had gone from my life." I never believed that such a love existed! Well, N. Mohanan’s Orikkal is a testimony for it.

That Long Silence by Shahsi Deshpande

When I read Shashi  Deshpande’s novel That Long Silence  in the first year of my graduation, how little had I known about its depth other than pure academical intentions. I thought of that novel on and off over the years for some purpose or other.

That Long Silence is not an imaginary story. It is a story that happens in every middle class and educated Indian woman's life. The Indian women in this era are born at a time when there is much awareness about her rights, liberty to express her ideas, freedom to enjoy finance and the chance to stand for a cause. Still… they have a tradition of silence to continue!

This silence is not visibly forced upon them but something to be knowingly followed. The conditions may be different from family to family, but as Jaya in That Long Silence, at some point women are forced to be silent in all families. 

The protagonist Jaya is an educated middle class woman who lives with her husband Mohan and their kids Rahul and Rati. She is the typical Indian middle class woman in the present century, caught in between her realizations and the restrictions. Her father brought up Jaya as an "individual", who has the rights in the society irrespective of gender. When she thus assumes her role in the society, this upbringing still looks strange in front of the family she married into. 

Immediately after her graduation Jaya gets married and steps into her role as a dutiful wife, affectionate mother, "carefully being" dutiful to her in-laws…. to Aa, Ajji, kaka and her relatives. Her husband Mohan also plays his role as a dutiful Indian husband and never looks up to consider any imperfections in the life. As time goes Jaya's dutiful behaviour to Mohan and his family becomes a routine.

Jaya ponders throughout the novel for her role clarity, her life or is she living for someone else! She searches her identity as an individual and where her emotions are getting subdued! She, a failed writer and who had been forced to change her name as "Suhasini" in marriage, get haunted by memories of the past. 

In the meantime, Mohan leaves home due to his failure in career and to avoid the situation of "two bullocks yoked together." By the end of the novel Jaya gets back to her destined role, being present to the happiness of the family and ready to subdue her emotions.

 That’s what finally happens, right? Conciliation with your destined role!! Many of the readers can identify with one or other situation of Jaya’s story in your own life. You may find happiness or peace there but the silence will continue to echo!

The Golden Sepia Leaves

Amandeep Sandhu's debut novel The Sepia Leaves is indeed a promise to Indian English literature. The young Appu’s life, his emotions, feelings and concerns immediately take the reader to a new world, where they can stand beside Appu and watch his life.

The novel opens with Appu’s Baba's (father's) death, which triggers in Appu’s mind the scenes of his childhood.

At the initial stage of his childhood, Appu senses that there is something that distinguishes his family from others. In the growing up years, he realizes that his mother's unaccepted mental illness is responsible for that. The time when Appu asks his father to leave his mother is a significant scene in this novel. His father replies that his marriage with Appu's mother is a destined one and he cannot move away from responsibilities.

Baba was the real hero in his life who taught Appu the lessons of responsibility, courage and ethics in life. Appu shared Baba's love for literature and thirst for writing. A part of young Appu always longed to become the valorous Baba before his marriage with Mamman (Mother).

Always despised by her husband's family and the public, cared by her husband and loved/feared by her own son, Mamman's life is always under the shadows created by her own. She takes pride in being highly educated and coming from an affluent family. At the same time, she blames her husband and family for wasting away her wealth and education. An unfortunate incident had turned this poor woman into the circumstances that she was put in. Appu learns her story at a later stage and his heart goes on for her.

There are other prominent characters that leave their strong impressions on Appu’s eventful life. Baba takes Mando home to take care of Appu as well as to save her from the disastrous condition that she had been put in. Mando adjusts with the screeches and curses put on her by Mamman. Even in the troubled ambience of Appu's family, Mando finds peace. However a bad luck awaited her too, since she becomes victim to a brutal attack when Appu and family are out of home. Later she finds her peace at home in Antaryamin's small hut.

Even after all the troublesome experience in childhood, Appu never feels that he is someone to be sympathized on. He is ready to help others and ready to ask help from others too. As the reader goes through Baba's words to Appu a new light dawns before them.

"...the world is still a good place. There are problems. We all have problems. Still, you will never be lonely." (p.179)

This is the positive energy that the reader attains as he/she turns down the last pages of Sepia Leaves. As the title of the novel suggests reading this novel will make you as nostalgic as turning the sepia leaves of your childhood album. The only difference is that this novel will rekindle your memories and make them evergreen in your life...

Yayati By V.S Khandekar

I strongly believe that there is a time for each act in our life and the same act can have different significance in different situations.  Similarly, reading a book in different periods of your life can be totally different experience too. A re-reading of V.S. Khandetkar’s Yayati was such an experience for me. I was surprised on how much I had omitted during the first reading of this book in my childhood days.

As Yayati feels the difference in his perspectives during the four stages-Childhood, teenage, youth and old age- every human being must be feeling a difference in perspectives during these four stages in their lives too. That may be the reason; I got attracted to the dilemmas of characters in their young age during this second reading.

There is no doubt on the genius of the author to pen out the inner dilemmas of human life in an appealing manner. What we neglect about our ‘self’ in the day today life stand in bright colours in this piece of literary work. We not only think about the philosophical thoughts that hare vivid in the work but also consider our own inner dilemmas that we neglect in fear of facing them.

Human life itself is a change or growth in different levels. When we begin from our childhood, we are acutely aware of our existence within nature, which might wear off in our adolescence or youth and which might come back with a bang in our old age. When we think of this unbreakable relation with nature and not able to go with its order, there might be a tendency to wander off the path. 

Characters like Yayati, Devayani, Sage Sukracharya, and King Nahusha tried to find a way of their own through earthly pleasures. Whereas people like Yati tried to get away from the bond through extreme abandonment of worldly aspects. In a way, we, normal human beings like Sharmishta also tend to follow either of these paths when we cannot get hold on our own lives.  Curiously, it is only through a strong bond between worldly duties and our inner self that we can arrive at the final salvation.

In his long letter to Yayati, Kachan explains the intense relationship between one’s Atman (soul) and body (p.226-229). People may neglect the relationship sometimes and may realize the relationship in another turn of life. The excerpts from Upanishads and Vedas, on this relationship have been put in the novel in simple and coherent way for the reader’s thoughts.

I am not going in detail on the story line of the novel in this review. The re adaptation of the original story of  Yayati from Mahabharatha, has been made interesting with writer’s imagination and profound thoughts. In this novel, even the minor character has their own significance as Alaka (depiction of re birth and pure love), Madhavan (true friendship), Vrishaparvavu (a considerate ruler), Mandaran (depiction of fake sages) etc.

The novel progress as Yayati tells his life story from childhood to old age for the sake of humanity, so as to keep them away from his mistakes. The story is substituted also through the thoughts of his wives Devayani and Sharmishta. I felt that the technique is also an attempt to show that how two people’s perceptions on the same event can be different from one another.

Over all, you won’t be the same person who had started reading the book, after turning the last page. I missed this novel in my adolescence but keeps in my mind that I’ll take this book for re reading in my old age.

More about the book:

V.S. Khandekar had originally written Yayati in Marathi in . The book has won so many accolades, the major among them are Gyanpeeth Award (1974),  Sahitya Academy Award (1960 ) and Maharashtra State Award (1960). I read the Malayalam translation of the work done by Prof.P. Madhavan Pillai. The English translation of the book is available online

Book: Yayati

Price:  150

Writer: V.S. Khandekar

Translator: Prof.P. Madhavan Pillai

Publishers: D. C. Books

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!