|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Or the Day Seizes You
Rajorshi Chakraborty’s debut novel spans two continents and many lives. It brings forth a colourful saga of love, sex, betrayal and dreams—both fulfilled and unfulfilled. The author’s upbringing in Calcutta and Bombay lends him the understanding of Indian consciousness that is reflected in his writing. His impressive academic credentials include Pearsons and the University of Edinburgh, complemented by the Philip Larkin prize that he received on his graduation from Hull University. To his credit, he declares that the story is an adaptation of V.S. Naipaul’s A Bend in the river that revolves around the life of a Muslim Indian shopkeeper in Africa who is trapped in the collision between African nationalism and a heritage of European colonialism. On the other hand, Or the Day Seizes You, revolves around Niladri, a Bengali, who, like most Indians, is trying to make a decent living by flowing with the system and at the same time trying to come to terms with his very tumultuous family life. Niladri Dasgupta, the protagonist of Or the Day Seizes You, is an average Indian going about his life as routine business, when everything that he takes for certain falls apart and he is left wondering what went wrong. It is these speculations that drive him away from his home. His marriage that never appeared flawed to him is suddenly torn to shreds and he fails to attribute any fault to his wife. Overwhelmed by a sense of guilt and also anger, he runs away with his daughter and more importantly his self-esteem, which has taken a huge beating. When life deals him one brutal blow after the other, he seeks refuge in an alien nation and tries to manifest its ways. He learns the hard way, not to take anyone for granted, least of all those you love the most. Thrust into bachelorhood again and confronted by the brutal murder of his uncle, he is forced to solve many previously untackled issues that plagued him. Niladri’s wife, Meena, evokes little negative feelings in spite of having strayed and offered no explanation for her actions. It is commendable on the writer’s part that he manages to create such an aura around her through just the nuances of the protagonist’s monologue. Even though she builds a family of her own after deserting him, she manages to appear warm, dignified and considerate. Shormila, his daughter, plays the child torn between two parents. It is a refreshing novel, written with a fine balance between heart and mind, which dwells deeply into the true Indian psyche with great panache. Only at times does the narrative slacken, as the author delves into unrelated banter making you wish to skip a page or two. The theme that he chooses to write on, i.e., adultery, is oft repeated and his novel is salvaged only by the treatment. But in today’s context, every reader will be able to relate the central characters with someone they know. |
THE Life of every man is a
diary in which he means to write one story, and writes another; and his
humblest hour is when he compares the volume as it is with what he hoped
to make it. When we reflect on the events as they unfold, we come face
to face with our shortcomings and are forced to accept that most of the
misgivings that we have to deal with could have been avoided. But for
this ability to calculate (or the lack of it), life would be bereft of
any excitement or remorse.