Nov 20, 2003 07:59 PM
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(Updated Nov 20, 2003 09:23 PM)
Jaishree Misra's (JM) Ancient Promises is the story of an affectionate and dutiful daughter, a compassionate but guilty lover, a restless and miserable wife, a helpless and despairing mother - a woman constantly in search of an identity, a woman pursuing her rightful share of happiness.
Its the fascinating story of the protagonist Janaki's long journey traced through a happy childhood, an unexpected arranged match, a traumatic marriage ending in strife finally culminating with the finding of everlasting love in true fairytale fashion.
Janaki aka Janu is a Malayali Nair born in Kerala but raised and educated in far-away Delhi. She's totally at home in these ''alien'' surroundings but constantly reminded of her roots and values. When she is 16, Janu meets Arjun , the local school cricketing hero and they become friends. Slowly but surely love blossoms but things take a nasty turn when Janu's parents get wind of her romantic escapades. They whisk her away to native Kerala and arrange for her to marry a groom ''handpicked by them'' from the socially respected Maraar family. Janu is confused and unsure of her future with Arjun. Unwilling to hurt her parents, she agrees to the proposal and gets married to Suresh on her 18th birthday. Arjun leaves to the UK where he decides to pursue his college education living with his mother.
Janu enters the typical, traditional matriarchal Maraar household where everyone is fighting for affections and acceptance. Her husband's family resents her Delhi background and treats her as an outcast excluding her from household activities and discussions. To compound her agonies, her husband Suresh is very aloof and uncaring, more concerned about his business. A few years roll by and the family is still indifferent to Janu who now feels unaccepted and miserable. She hopes that the arrival of a child would change the family's attitude towards her but when she delivers a mentally challenged baby girl Riya , the misery only piles on. She raises Riya without any help and at the same time pursues her education. Her growing frustration in life worsens with her father’s death. Deciding to take matters into her hands, she applies to study abroad so that she can take Riya there and treat her.
She leaves for Delhi to give a scholarship interview and chances to meet Arjun. Old passions are aroused and the couple realize they still feel deeply for each other. Janu promises to file for divorce to end the miserable marriage, flee with Riya to England and restart a new life with Arjun. But fate has other plans for her as Suresh refuses to part with Riya. Janu is forced to leave for England without her daughter. She arrives in England and spends a year studying and reliving lost moments with Arjun. But Janu is unable to come to grips with the absence of Riya in her life. She leaves England to return to India and fight for custody of her daughter. And as if by magic, Suresh reconciles himself to a divorce, hands over Riya and alls well that ends well.
Thumbs up for
- the beautiful picture of Delhi JM has painted so much so that I cant wait to get there
manner in which JM has effortlessly manipulated me to feel for Janu and read on even though every single turn in the plot was very much predictable
for ending the story on a positive note and offering hope
Thumbs down for
- the characterization as I thought it was a little too one-dimensional. The Maraars, save the spineless patriarch, were shown as vile, insensitive people, Arjun was too goody goody for my liking
So who’s this author ?
Born in Kerala in 1961 and raised in Delhi, Jaishree Misra graduated with a Masters in Eng Lit before moving over to England in 1993. She then added a few more diplomas in Special Needs (caring for the Mentally challenged) and Broadcast Journalism. She worked for the BBC for sometime before returning to India in 2000.She's written three novels namely Ancient Promises, The Little Book of Romance and Accidents like Love and Marriage.
Heads I read, tails I skip (Flip) The coins lands...
The last time I read a book written by an Indian author was God of small things by Arundhati Roy and it wasn’t exactly a memorable experience. I personally felt AR had gone overboard attempting to give too much of a literary bent to what was a very routine common place fictional attempt. So you can imagine my trepidation when my friend recommended me another novel by an Indian woman (not being sexist here) which dealt with life in Kerala.
However I must confess that JM was a revelation simply because she did not attempt to set the literary world on fire with dense prose - her writing wasn’t ostentatious, rather she concentrated on keeping things simple with realism thrown in good measure. However, I was left disappointed on hearing in the authors note that the story is semi-autobiographical or to be put better, a thinly veiled fictional account of her own life.
''Ancient Promises'' won no Bookers, isn’t in the same league as The Glass Palace or A Suitable Boy but it does have its moments - sweet, heart rending and poignant !
My friend told me it’s a book which every Indian woman must experience, I’d go a step further and say that its a book which every humanist should give a read.
Pls do drop in and comment !
ps: If a dedication is allowed then this goes out to Davieboy - Tx for the last M2M
