Delayed Monsoon

                                              Delayed Monsoon

                                                                                  By chitralekha Paul

                “Delayed Monsoon” is the best book I have read written by Indian Women Authors in English now. To begin with, the Title ‘Delayed Monsoon’ is so apt for the story. Abhilasha the lead character in the story meets her ‘true love’ late in life. The author rightly puts it, when the earth (Abilasha’s life) was parched the monsoon came to revive her dried up existence. She (author) describes the cultural as well as the social aspects of the people of Calcutta. I like the way the author uses the connotation on page 102 “Abilasha got angrier. Why did he call me sweetie instead of addressing her as ‘Boudi’ the customary Bengali way to address a brother’s wife? Author brings out the conservatism followed in Calcutta, also an exposure to Bengali language.   

                   The way in which she shifts from first person narration to third person is excellent. Makes us understand the characters and narration very well, on page 23 “With all her minus and plus points, Jyotirmoyee was a unique Lady. Her unconventional attitude made her different from her contemporaries”, shows rapid changes taking place in the social scenario in Calcutta. The whole book itself describes modern internet age which revolves over one idea that is, Modernism.

                    The book is a thorough narration of the Life of Air force officers and their wives about which the general populace feels is prestigious and sophisticated but the author rightly puts it as “Glimpse into what goes on behind the gates guarded by vigilant men in uniform.” Very apt description of the tough side of the very sophisticated lives of Air force officers and their wives. Her narration of the lovely places in the south like ooty, coonor and wellington is a simply good read! Must read the novel, which is one continuous stretch of really readable, enjoyable material.

                   At the end of the novel the author speaks again in the voice of her character, Abhilasha, this change in the narration style emphasizes and acts like the punch line making the story real. The last lines of the author’s Note pages 7-8, “Abhilasha is neither me nor Anamika, she is the synergy of both and even more”, introduces the book to the readers in a very spectacular manner.

                                                                                                     © -Anjana Pai

                                                                                                

Lychgate

   
                                                           Lychgate
With Malice Towards None...............

Once upon a time there lived  in a certain land a man who was very intelligent, highly educated and was placed on a very high rank in the society of famous people and academicians. They were to be known to the top crust of the people of that land.

This man was very sensitive, very popular among the crowd and very famous for his wit and sarcasm. He knew all the 'Mantras' of how to keep people happy. He knew how to win their hearts with his   sweet tongue. Anybody who met this man would feel that he is very convincing and a literati of those times. He knew the people appreciated him and he loved to give long speeches about the the superegos and all. He  thought  that he always superseded others  in every thing that he did. He was a socialite of his times. He was a suaver and thought that he had  the Talisman to give his people. But behind the mask that he wore was a very adamant snob. He loved to hear people applaud whenever he did something. If they didn't he would feel hurt and angry with them. He would try to convince them with his long speeches. If they didn't agree he would label them. 

One day this man met with such a crisis in his life that neither his humor nor his sarcasm or wit could save the situation. He was responsible for what he said and that inevitable, his own words proved to be detrimental to him. It boomeranged and that was his end. His egos were hurt and he had to bury his pride. He had to put it in a coffin which lay by the lychgate,after that the people of that land did not hear about that Egotist but they found a man in him who was really down to earth and humble and genuine. He was a changed man.


Notes:

• The man in the passage represents the human mind.
• Lychgate is the arch gate in the church place where the ego is shut in the coffin which is again the mind.
• Burying is  getting rid of our minus points like ego etc.

                                            

                                                                                            ©  -By Anjana. Pai.

Susanna's seven husbands-Ruskin Bond and the screen play 7 khoon maaf.

"I have even placed flowers on the grave, knowing full well that she is not there never mind the flowers are for Maggie as well she provides a link with the living susanna. I must be the only person who knows that  the occupant of the grave is not Susanna. Grave stones don't always tell the  true story." --Ruskin Bond. 

  Susanna Anna-Maria Johannes was her full name and she is the main character in the novel. The novel starts of slowly and picks up momentum very fast. There is a little contradiction  from the beginning of the novel to the end.  Susanna marries seven and has six kills, ironically the seventh husband does not marry her  so he survives to tell the story. He only loves her, he can't marry her as he is  younger then her.  Each man who comes into her life knows the consequential circumstances the previous  one went through but still he walks into the lady's den wilfully and willingly till he goes through the same fate as  the predecessor. Each husband tries to do everything to please her but at the end of the day she is displeased by the man and he dies a death which is a conceited murder by susanna. There is realism or naturalism in which the character is a slave to his/her actions. The chain of events follow without the person's control. 
       
        In the  screen play the characters are well defined. The light effects  are dim  and action  and killing are  always shown in night scenes, in darkness. Morning and light is used for showing partying  and  socialising. It is a black comedy.There is contradiction at the end of the screen play  Susanna who is shown as the fast one who falls in and out of love cannot join a nunnery  The movie says she confesses and joins the order of nuns  as sister Anna. If she accepts Christ the Lord then she automatically becomes a person who has control over her actions there is no need to join any order. Besides the novella tells us Susanna  repented  and then leaves tne house and stays far away from the materialistic world and the world of men.

                                                                                                             

                                                                                                                  ©-Anjana Pai.