My Indian Literature Connection

As a school student, I had read my fair share of books authored by Indian writers. Back then, it was Narayan's Malgudi Days, Tagore's works, and the minor works of Vikram Seth and Anita Desai which we got to read as part of the CBSE English syllabus. Indian Writing in English, I was was introduced to this term in my first year of college. As the name suggests, the subject is Indian literature, written in the English language. So we read RK Narayan's The Guide, Raja Rao's Kanthapura, Mahasweta Devi's Arjun, Arundhati Roy's essay on the impending nuclear war and Naipaul's idea of India.' But there was more to Indian literature, as i was to discover later in the years to come. 

College had expanded my horizon, I discovered a complete new avenue of books and authors, I savored the names of books as I pronounced them to the nearby American Bookstore uncle. What began as just a subject to study for a semester, turned into a personal interest.

My handicap of not being able to read the Bengali language, forced me to explore the books kept in the Indian translation in English section. It was the best thing that happened to me. I realized that I had just uncovered a cache of regional literature. I had the good fortune to read the translated works of some celebrated authors from different languages like Tamil, Hindi, Punjabi, and of course Bengali. My reading list now had Sadat Hasan Manto, Satyajit Ray, Amrita Pritam. What drew me to this genre is the ease with which I was able to place myself in the situation, the place where the events occur. Familiarity helps in understanding, accepting and reasoning the plot, the outcome is a pleasurable read and this feeling stays with the reader forever.

There are a few books which left me with same sentiment.

Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni's The Palace of Illusions
This one was recommended by one of my colleagues. HIgh on the feminist ideology, this book is Mahabharata retold from Draupadi's viewpoint.

Ashapurna Devi's trilogy The First Promise, Subarnalata, Bakul Kotha
She is one first female writers in pre-independence era in Bengali literature. Her novels set in the same period give a unbiased view of the Bengali society of those time, her protagonists were most often the women folk, thus helped in getting their perspective of the matters.

Kalki's Ponniyan Selvan
This is a historical novel written by Kalki during the reign of the Chola kings. As the novel was based on the lives of real people, its a real account of the society back in the Chola era. It is a record in the form of a story, told in five-parts.

Every one of these books is a wonderful read. Each protagonist lives a different life, tells a different tale. Yesterday, I added a few new authors to my reading list, and have decided to explore a new line in the same subject, poetry. 

Soul searching through the lens

Its wonderful how thought provoking a movie can be. This Independence Day, I watched an old Hindi flick. The plot goes very simple; boy dreams of making big in the world, challenged by the old players and their rules, he defies all and makes it big on his own terms, but not before being ridiculed for his spirit to be remain true to himself.

Took a step back to the real life, and I found that things are not so different at all. When we start anything new, we are faced with doubts and questions from the rest, who exhibit a complete lack of confidence in our efforts, chances of succeeding in the chosen path.

To not give in these doubts, and answer the questions without compromising the values that one believes in, is the real test. Its tough. But then when was it ever easy. 

I realized that the ability to face the situation will aid in achieving the task. To seek, to strive, not to yield; this is what defines us. Hang on there for a moment, and face the situation, answer the questions, and you will be a wiser, strong man. 

Retrospection

8PM. Mount Poonamallee High road. Rupa saw buses, trucks, cars, bikes race down the road. As she sat in the LnT stop, waiting for her bus she sat thinking about how her life had changed. Four years old in the IT industry, and she was almost losing touch with her old self. What had happened? She missed her college days, her friends, their last bench gossips, the murukku sandwich from cafeteria, Thahiya madam's Gender Studies classes, the tall, green trees that grew by the English department. She recalled the day when she vacated her hostel, after living the 3 years of her graduate life; the watchman Tatha who helped her with the luggage, the final goodbye to the wardens. It all seemed like a story from the past.

Rupa took a deep and uneven breath and looked at her watch anxiously. 8.20PM. This did not look good. If it got too late, then she might miss her dinner. They closed the mess at 9.30 in the night. Another borrowed space, where she paid the rent every month for her food and accommodation. This time she smiled. She paid her rent, bought her groceries, visited her parents once every three months, she was able to bear her expenses and had some savings too. Rupa was happy, in that moment. In the next, 88L screeched to halt, and some people got down. She slung the backpack over her shoulder, and boarded the bus bound for T.Nagar. 

Chennai ki Garmi

Most of us identify Chennai with its climate, which is hot, humid and (pardon me for us) horrid. My friends, who have come to Chennai for trainings in their professional career, thanked their good stars once they bid farewell to the city. It seems the 'heat' had got them. The month of May happens to the hottest part of the year, locally known as Agni Nakshatram meaning fiery star. This post is dedicated to Chennai’s the month of May.

चेन्नई में मई का ये महिना,

सोच के ही आ जाये पसीना।  

दूसरे महीनों में नहीं इतनी परेशानी,

मई  की अलग ही है कहानी।   

सुबह के 10 से दोपहर के 4,

बहार निकलने के नहीं कोई आसार। 

सत्तू पानी, मट्ठा, दही

इडली, सांभर और नारियल चटनी। 

मई महीने का यही है भोजन,

संपूर्ण शाकाहारी बन जाता है अपना व्यंजन। 

25 का नारियल पानी मिलता है 40 में,

कोई 19-20 का फर्क नहीं है ये। 

चेन्नई की गर्मी में बदल जाती है सबकी चाल'

सूर्य देवता की कृपा है अपार। 

चेन्नई में मई का ये महिना,

सोच के ही आ जाता है पसीना। 

The 5 best things in my childhood

Vacations

Best perk of being in school. Oh the word brings back such fond memories! J. Summer and winter, the highlights of both this season was vacation time. Time off from school, meant that I could spent more time reading storybooks, cycling and exploring new areas, playing cricket or dip-dip. And of course, watch Chutti- Chutti on Doordarshan after completing my holiday homework.

Books

Remember Nancy drew, Hardy boys, Secret Seven, Famous Five, Phantom, Mandrake, ChachaChaudhary, Tinkle, Chandamama, and my favorites Tintin and The Three Investigators. I have always had a very healthy reader’s appetite, and enjoyed reading and collecting books. Saving my fee from the small errands that I ran for Ma, I used to buy Chandamama. But as years went by it was not enough, what cost only Rs. 2, has raised to Rs. 15 by time I finished schoolL.

Doordarshan

As a school student I had about 1.5 half hours set aside as viewing television programmes. With no cable connection, Doordarshan was only savior, but I am not complaining! My favorites shall always remain ByomkeshBakshi, Potli Baba Ki, Duck Tales, Tales Spin, Chekhov Ki Duniya, and EkTha Rusty. As I write this down, I begin to understand that my love for stories goes a long way back, and I need to thank Doordarshan for introducing me to Ruskin Bond, Chekhov, Tolstoy, Mark Twain and the Bong sleuths.

Evening adda

At 5.15 my house bell used to go off, our eight member strong gang rushed out for our daily playtime. All time favorite game was Dip-Dip, Chain-Chain, Lock-and-Key. Then there were the girls-only games like nine box. At times, when the boys insisted we played football and cricket in a small stretch of land at the end of K Road in Sonari. Winter season always meant endless games of badminton. When in mood for adventure, we used cycle around exploring new areas, away from our parents prying and concerned eyes. And this went on until 6.30; the street lights would come on, our mothers would repeatedly shout out for us to get back home.

Radio

In sans cable connection era, BBC, Voice of America, Akashvani, and Vividh Bharati were my source of information. Apart from the regular news and music, plays, interviews with famous personalities, science info were some very interesting segments in the programme format. While Ma cooked, and I studied, the radio played in the background. Back in my home, the radio was an integral part of our daily routine; it spelled the hour of the day for us. :)

Revisiting your childhood is always very nostalgic; it brings back a lot of memories, goood and bad. I look around and can see how much has changed since then. I guess just as I am growing old, the world is ageing as well. But there remain certain things which I cherished as a 14 year old child, hold the same charm for me as a 24 year old.

Dowry - Is that all to Marriage?

Being a quarter-of-a-century old arthropod is difficult, more so if you belong to the female species. And if you have the good chance of being born into an Indian family, then be prepared for a rough ordeal into the world of match making.

If luck has been unfavorable towards you, with regard to love, then count yourself in for some tough times. Yes its that time of your life, when all that parents talk to is about marriage, prospective grooms, the constant reminder that you-are-not-getting-any-younger, and so on. In most cases, this is just the prelude. it is often followed by emotional manipulation wherein you are tricked into giving your consent for this matrimony affair.

And then suddenly the ugly part of this drama is unveiled. I am talking about the forbidden word, Dowry. For most of us who have the privilege of hailing from educated families, brought up in free thinking environment, this is a rude awakening.

That was Rupa, last year. She was told that the groom's parents wanted a car, gold accessories for his sisters, and furnishing for his new flat at Thane. At first she was aghast, shocked that such an expectation was put forth despite them being family acquaintances. Rupa was shattered.

Of course she called things off, and on her family's insistence had to politely cite her sudden disinterest in marriage as the main reason. What remained with Rupa at the end of those 7 months was pain, disbelief, and disappointment. The experience left her emotionally scarred, and I as her friend have tried to understand what would have led to a well-to-do family to have such atrocious expectation.

And then it dawned upon me, it was never a marriage, it had been a business arrangement from the very beginning. Its like a bargain that you strike with your vegetable vendor at the weekly bazaar. When you arrive at a price that is agreeable to both parties, one decides to part ways with his goods and you have your item.

And yes, I am talking about marriage. Thats the horrifying part of it all.

Rupa is doing well today. She has move on since that incident. This has made her a stronger person, prepared her for the better or worse times of life which are yet to come.

Ajnabi

तू कौन है
जिसका सपना देखा मैंने
सोच - सोच मै घबराऊँ
पाऊ ना मै अब कुछ कहने

तू कौन है
जो लगे है जाना - पहचाना नहीं
तेरी बातें है बहुत प्यारी
पर है तू एक अजनबी

तू कौन है
जिससे हुआ है ये अनोखा परिचय
'तेरा साथ ' होगा कि नहीं
विधाता ही करेगा इसका निर्णय