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The Homecoming
But a quirk of fate destroys the "richness of the fabric" bit by bit. Each relationship is tested in delicate times for what it is, and each fails to hold. The warp of a tenderly weaved fabric comes apart with a single tug. The Homecoming is a dark book, an end of hope for a man misunderstood; a broken man who can’t understand. The edifice of a make-belief world nurtured by illusion is brought down rather rudely, stripping a man of his will to go on. Javed Sharif flies in to Srinagar from Bangalore for his incapacitated dad’s birthday. Revellery turns into what would be the beginning of his end, so to speak. Irfan, his son, is arrested for a massacre under POTO. As Javed is trying to consolidate resources to pay off the lawyer, he learns that his older son has not only married a Christian, which is a non-issue, but has also decided to pull out of the business and have nothing to do with his brother’s ordeal. Some friends, too, turn cold, but there is a thaw when they smell opportunity with Javed’s younger brother becoming a minister. The pretence and the affectation is a bit much for him to handle, until one day, he explodes. He doesn’t know who or what to believe in any more. His father dies, leaving behind a manila envelop with the revelation that he had a son outside marriage. Javed’s business is ruined and his house is gone. His mother turns against him, as does his daughter who leaves to stay with minister-uncle. His woman, his love and confidante, also moves on. The last straw is the knowledge that Irfan may not be innocent after all. He leaves his house with nothing but a blanket and the insight that "for all my wealth and position, I am no less miserable ... The idea that wealth eliminates misery is wrong, if only people realised it. Wealth eliminates drudgery, perhaps some pain, but not misery. We need much less than we think we do". The book is power-packed with truisms, wisdom, human loss and failings and the possibility of a perfect world imploding right before our eyes. The book is certainly worth a read for all it has to offer and Warrier knows his Kashmir, and the pain of its people.
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THE
Homecoming is a story of a widower who has everything going for him —
a steady business, a close-knit happy family, sons seemingly on track
and doing well for themselves, dependable friends and a rock for a dad.