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Literary Review
First Impressions
GOA, circa 1990s. A small ward, myriad characters. Unfortunately each one fits neatly into the concepts of typical Goanese traits. A tavern called "Elsa's Joint", the meeting place for all the men in the ward. From the wayward John to the Professor, Mr. Fernandes and of course the attractive Pedro. In between is a succession of women so essential to the landscape. Their inept, non-existent husbands who never seem to surface into the realities of daily life. All this adds up to a somewhat quirky plot, where Mr. Fernandes is supposed to give a lecture on the ward's history. But it turns out to be a fiasco. Fernandes's German-made umbrella is stolen during the lecture. His notes disappear only to be found again. Fernandes vows never to give up the search for his umbrella, which finally surfaces in the hands of another woman.
This book reaffirms what popular Hindi cinema tries to peddle as Goan culture. Surprisingly, it is written by a Goan writer. A weak story, tepid characters, a confusion of plots and, to top it all, some terrible editing make this one of the worst reads of the month.
Elsa's Joint, Remigio Botelho, Rupa, Rs. 150.
AT first glance, the title suggests a book is sci-fi. But, this is a book about a writer suffering from menopause (male in this case), who is bored with his wife, the woman he once found mysterious and attractive. She is now a cloying female, the worst of the species, who insists on playing mind games and worse still, is the sort that manages to humiliate grown, successful men in public.
Shravan, the writer, gets a telegram announcing the arrival of an old college mate. Someone with whom he has shared not just laughs but also a lot of life. The two hatch plots with a ferocity that few can match. But Shravan is successful and with success comes a certain arrogance that he holds dear. While they once again get back to the comfortable slot of yesteryears, the skeletons come tumbling out of Shravan's cupboard. Reality overtakes fiction and Shravan finds the strange phenomenon of life imitating a story. Writing is a craft best kept simple. A tale told with clarity and purpose is better than a yarn spun in a tangled web.
Virtual Realities, Neelum Saran Gour, Penguin, Rs. 250.
"WE the local people, our senses faded by years of involvement with the straight lines and squares of reason and reality, were overjoyed when we heard that a Jarum had come up upon the beach. If that is superstition, so be it." Thus opens the page to this stunning debut novel by K.P. Ramanunni. This is a story set in matriarchial Kerala. Ramanunni, picks up the story from the words of an old grandmother which leads on to a sufi saint, the one who has seen all and known all the stories of his time.
The sufi relates the story of Karthy a woman who is supreme in her confidence and in her being. Karthy is born to a Nair household where the mama (uncle) is the head. Even as she grows up, Karthy is an object of awe to those around her. Her mother retreats unable to handle this daughter. Suddenly Karthy meets Mamooty and falls in love. She leaves home and goes to his tharravad and lives with him.
Mamooty is smitten with his wife but before long finds himself wilting under her powerful persona. He soon finds he does not measure up to her and after a series of disappointments and he begins to avoid her. Mamooty finds solace in the arms of his cherubic young cousin Aamir. As Karthy grieves, she drowns Aamir and herself. There are no moral passages in this story. It is a simply-told tale of a woman who is sufficient in herself. Ramanunni's novel won the prestigious Kerala Sahitya Akademi Award and the Edasseri Award. Reading it is a revelation each one ought to bestow on oneself.
What the Sufi Said, K.P. Ramanunni, Rupa, Rs. 150.
EVEN before Osho retreated into his silent shell, he had already taped his thoughts and discussions with his disciples. Today, most of it is history and even the silent era of Osho has been marketed. This, then, is a compilation of his lectures on Yoga. According to him, Yoga is not only a system of belief but is also a scientific methodology that heightens awareness and makes it possible for us to live in a constant state of happiness, harmony and fulfilment. It is through the correct practice of yoga that one can transcend all barriers, drop all outward goals and finally "fall into your own being". As always his parallels and little asides make for interesting reading and if you are a devout practitioner looking for that final rainbow, this might well take you onto the path of self-enlightenment.
Yoga — the Science of Living, Osho, Penguin, Rs. 250.
SUCHITRA BEHAL
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