Aug 24, 2003 01:53 PM
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(Updated Aug 24, 2003 01:57 PM)
You will never find a literature quite like this one. A novel that entwines the intricate history of India and fiction together to create a brocade of immense and ‘richly decorate’ reading.
I adore people who can create such beautiful masterpieces of fiction interwoven with history that enthral. Gita Mehta just does this with her book Raj, her first book of prestigious literature.
Balmer princess Jaya Singh, born to the great Maharajah and Maharani of Blamer, and sister to Tikka, grows up in an ancient land where she’s taught to fight fear. The Maharajah of Balmer takes Jaya into the luscious wild Indian jungle to come face to face with fear, face to face with a ferocious tiger on an elephant’s howdah. It is always this moment that the reader is referred to when the author claims Jaya’s fear with the British Raj and with her supposed husband.
Married to Prince Pratap of Sirpur-the oldest Hindu Kingdom in India of three thousand and eleven years-an egotistical arrogant man, Jaya gave birth to their son Arjun. The marriage however was of a convenience, as stated by Pratap himself, “Ours is strictly a marriage of convenience, Jaya Devi. Should the necessity for children ever arise, I am sure we can both rise to our duty, but until then…”
This book carries a sharp story about the British Raj in India and how it erupted the Indian subcontinent with the many groups of nationalists, socialists and what have you such as the Indian National Congress, the Mahatma Gandhi followers and the Muslim League led by Mohammed Ali Jinnah. It holds and sends rivers of views from all directions, leaving the reader pondered in thoughts about what could’ve been done to create self-governance without so much radicalism.
We experience the fight for independence within India with the Hindus and Muslims, Maharanis and Maharajahs and most importantly from the British. We go through this experience with the compelling character of Jaya, and we too see that she lives a life of misery, which adds to the colour of this breathtaking book.
Costumes, I believe, embody this story with character. Deeper into the novel you can tell of the character just by learning of what they’re wearing. For example James Osbourne, one of the Angrez as he’s related to, is mostly seen in a European suit with shiny medals on the front. Or take Lady Modi with her gloves, short skirts and lacquered nails.
Most of the characters in this novel have been rounded off extremely well, as seen through the eyes of Jaya. Nearly every façade about them being discovered. However I do believe that James Osbourne and Tikka lacked character.
It’s the first time that I’ve come across a book that has such a sophisticated elegance feeling with the language used, since I’ve read The Mistress of Spices by Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni. The anecdotes and metaphors are of the most brilliant. I would write a few here, but of all to choose from where would I start? I guess you’ll just have to enjoy all of them when you read it yourself! Sorry no sneak previews!
I also congratulate Gita for how she has used such appropriate language and has deciphered it in such a way that the reader doesn’t fall to sleep with the political jargon of the era. The terminology used is one to highly recommend!
It’s extremely hard to find a good book these days. This one just happened to catch my eye by fancy when I was in the school library, and I’m very glad it did so.
SO go on treat yourself, take that rusty library card of yours and issue Raj. It’s one to truly die for!
I know that I have only focussed on one book and that is because I don't believe any other book can compel with one such as this, but for the sake of you people who just love to read here are some I recommend:
Geisha by Arthur Golden
Goodnight Mr Tom
Chinese Cinderella
The Mistress Of Spices
Not Without My Daughter
Princess(and the series)
