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Literary Review
First Impressions
WHAT begins as an innocent fascination ends up as an obsession. This is the story of an unusual passion — of a loyal subject for his emperor. For this blasphemy he is banished, with no thought given to his brilliance, to his evocative hand that drew the most amazing of pictures. It is with this twist that Kunal Basu's tale on the most promising of artists in Akbar's kingdom, comes alive. Drawing from fact, Basu springs slyly into the realm of fiction.
Son to the master artist in all of Agra, Bihzad is brought up as an unlettered child, not allowed to mix with his peers nor subject to any other art form except his own and his father's, who is also his tutor. His stepmother reads to him the passages of the scene that his father wants him to paint. As she reads Bihzad deftly sketches the scenes. But there is an inherent mischief in him and of all the scholars in the royal workshop he is the most impudent. When Akbar decides to shift his court to Fatehpur Sikri, it is almost presumed by everybody that Bihzad would soon replace his father the Kwhaja as head of the artists in Akbar's court.
Fate decrees otherwise. Because Bihzad's bizarre love for the emperor stands discovered. Painted almost frenetically by him are a series of paintings revealing his longing for Akbar. And they are soon discovered. Bihzad is exiled to the outer perimeters of the huge empire. Basu has written an exquisite tale of intrigue, passion, longing and historical fact.
The Miniaturist, Kunal Basu, Penguin, Rs. 250.
SUDDENLY the historical novel gets a fillip. And if the Mughal empire inspired many a tale, the Marathas were not far behind. This is the story of a princess who is on her way to the kingdom of the man she is to marry. On the way she is attacked by the dreaded Pindari looters. Unknown to them, a British officer watches the loyal soldiers defend their princess but is stunned to see the ladies of the escort also join in the fighting, led by a slim, commanding figure dressed in regal finery. As they are about to be overwhelmed, the British officer steps in and storms the Pindaris away.
He offers his services to the princess as her escort. But he finds that many of his gestures seem to be misinterpreted by the princess. He is attracted more to her valour than her glamour and that he is unable to put across. Finally, as the princess is denounced by her intended husband, she proclaims her love for the young British officer.
Woven into this story is the role of the British Empire and its alliances with the Maratha kings as well as the Company's effort to extend its domain. Even as the British officer discovers his love for the princess, he is forcibly taken away as her escort and given another set of duties. In a bittersweet ending, the Britisher realises that finally it is he who has been ensnared.
When the Fight was Done, Frank Rogers, Penguin, Rs. 250.
ANDRE, who falls madly and badly in love with his boss's boss, ends up wanting nothing but more. But it's sex in the office over the boss's desk, it's sex in the afternoon with the boss's crazy wife and it's sex in the evening with his secretary. As if that were not enough he rushes to the gay clubs of Manhattan to get a taste of the underside. Finally, one day the curtain is parted and he confesses to both husband and wife that he's the common factor in their sexual proclivities.
Unfortunately for our non-hero, he comes across as a slightly demented, sex-crazy idiot who only lives for the moment. Definitely a book to be canned before being shot.
The Three of Us, Abha Dawesar, Penguin, Rs. 250.
ONCE more, a sparkling collection, like vintage wine. Once more one is amazed at the richness of the stories that Indian literature has to offer. Drawn from 15 languages, The Best of the 90s represents yet another turning point. This volume has stories selected by a diverse jury of film folk. Each one is a rare gem in its own right some unyielding to the changes and dictates of a modern narration while others seem ahead of their times. Thus you have "The Full Moon in Winter", the tale of three men well into middle age suddenly confronted by one of their college mates. In a subtle replay of eroticism, magic and even a hint of madness this story lingers in the mind long after.
"Purana Katha" is a story about a widow who is regarded with curiosity in her village. A bold and contemporary story, this shifts rapidly from the urban to the rural landscape. "The Return" is Manoj Kumar Goswami's look at contemporary Assamese society. Vandana Bist's "The Weight" is a poignant reminder of the everyday conflicts within ordinary families. The sheer honesty of her writing stuns one into sitting up and reflecting "this could be me too."
This is a power-packed volume that demands to be read and re-read.
Katha Prize Stories: Best of the 90s, edited by Geeta Dharmarajan, Katha, Rs. 250.
SUCHITRA BEHAL
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