There is always an interesting story behind how one comes to pick up a certain book. Sometimes books reach out to you, sometimes you wander over the library enclosure and pick up a certain book, presumably because the cover looks attractive. At other times you may meet midnight chat buddies (your midnight, not necessarily theirs) over facebook and they may urge you into picking up a book. So enthusiatic did she sound that a couple of days later I had procured the book from the local library (Wellington City Library). I sure was in for a joy ride.
This is an interesting satire morphing the characters from the ancient Indian epic, "Mahabharatha" onto colonial and post colonial India. Even the name of the book is a pun on the ancient epic. The author deftly switches between the ancient times and the days of the Raj twisting details from the past to make them fit into the present. His literary skills are highlighted as he makes use of allegory and seemingly innocuous puns during the recounting of the tale. The author's vivid imagination is apparent as he has gone about the task of mapping the characters between the past and the present. The book spans different ages and characters despite which, the author has managed to capture the reader's interest throughout this fast paced, open-ended allegory.
One of the interesting aspects of the book is the character guessing game that the reader can indulge in, while, avidly perusing the book. Even for someone with limited knowledge of Indian politics, the characters of Gandhi, in the guise of the mild mannered and idealistic Bhishma Pithamaha and Nehru, his partner in (non-violent) crime potrayed by the well-educated yet blind Dhridhurashtra, should be quite obvious. His choice of narrator, the wise sage, Ved Vyas (C.Rajagopalachari) could not have been better.
On the flip side, the relevance of characters such as Arjuna and his younger brothers can definitely be questioned.
The title of the book can seem a bit daunting. Afterall such a mighty title would conjure up images of a serious, dense book, but the book is anything but. Humour, something one does not associate much with the earnest Indian diaspora, spins it's magic through the tale much like the Khadi clothing that Gandhi advocated.
I would urge anyone looking out for an interestingly humourous book, with clever plots and colourful characters to pick a copy of this book. Do not let your knowledge, or lack of thereof, of the ancient epic or Indian politics stop you from taking the plunge into this book. You sure won't regret the good laughs.
Book Rating 4.5/5
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Keep an eye out for my next review - The Buddha of Suburbia - Hanif Kureishi
Review of 'An Equal Music' by Vikram Seth pls. I loved the book :)
ReplyDeleteHey Arun,
ReplyDeleteIndeed! Indeed! An Equal Music has been one of my all time favourites too but to do justice to the review I am going to re-read the book shortly. I have even gifted the book to quite a few people.
this book has been one of my fav reads and was impressed how tharoor weaves the great epic into the indian freedom movement. i even loved the different chapter names...very imaginative, each of them could go on to be independent novels :)
ReplyDeleteHi Sinoi,
ReplyDeleteI used to read Shashi Tharoor's columns but this book just kept me riveted. This book is such a unique book reading experience. Apparently it took him several years to get all the research completed for the book and get it out in print.
I liked this book so much that now I have 2 more of his books sitting in my bookshelf. ;)
that is interesting to know, but i think only indians can really appreciate this book..as a basic knowledge about mahabharat and the independence movement is necessary.. i hope you share my dissapointment of him writing in 140 word limits nowadays :)
ReplyDeletethere is this movie called, The Fall, in which one of the characters falls into a bed of arrows...now most of us will know instantaneously that that is a reference to bhishm, while my american friends think of it as a visually interesting spectacle, thats all :)