This poet is in a soup
Aditi Garg

Something Black in the Lentil Soup
by Reshma S. Ruia.
Penguin.
Pages 245. Rs 250.

Legendary poetry traverses time and makes place for itself amongst great pieces of art and literature. People are equally intrigued by the lives the people who create these pieces of art. It acts as an inspiration for those who aspire to be in the league of Wordsworth and Shelley. It is rightly said that of all kinds of ambition, that which pursues poetical fame is the wildest. Reshma S. Ruia’s creation Kavi, formerly Jawahar Naidu, is the quintessential wannabe poet whose daily bump and grind unfolds in the most tongue-in-cheek manner.

Reshma was born in India, brought up in Italy, educated at the London School of Economics and is presently living in Manchester. Her experiences provided her with the database for a novel revolving around Indians, British and Brindians (as she refers to British Indians in the novel). Something Black in the Lentil Soup brings to life the futile attempts of Kavi at proving his worth with his effortlessly drafted verses. For him nothing is more sacred than his poems and his mother. It is the constant reminder of being the best by his mother that keeps egging him on. Some of the characters that the author introduces in the story are so typical that you most certainly know someone just like them.

Through the experiences of Kavi, one can almost see the soul of a person who is bent upon proving his might in a foreign culture. His turmoil and disappointments make you feel sorry for him, but at the same time amuse you. Kavi’s novice poetry convinces no one of his greatness, although it does punctuate the story humorously. His Indian values face a dilemma when he steps on foreign soil. The initial euphoria about being in the land of rich literature is soon replaced by confusion and helplessness. The protagonist’s preoccupation with being a person of dignified moral conduct leads him to write hilarious letters and say outrageous things.

The author paints a picture in the form of characters that are as diverse as the myriad colours. The lead character becomes a bit worldly wise after coming in contact with people he cannot comprehend. However, his mind is cloistered; something beyond which he just refuses to look. His literary pursuits are interspersed with the relationships that he forms in due course. Ruia fails to give reasonable basis on which Kavi forms the bonds that he does. The central character’s actions are vague and leave a lot unanswered. The novel fails to engross..

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