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Dancing with Kali THE novel is a sociological analysis of a conservative yet high status Hindu family. Told in flashback, the story portrays clash of cultures. Set in North Goa, which is culturally different from South Goa, the intertwining of the basic storyline with Hindu philosophy has been handed deftly by Lalita Das.
The novel brings forth two crucial points: First, it is about the deceit of a foreigner who comes and gets hooked on to the traditional Hindu way of thinking and thereafter gets into matrimony with a local girl who later on commits suicide when she comes to know of his already married past. Second, it is about Maushi, who is a witness to the trials and tribulations of the life of her daughter and granddaughter, and eventually becomes an incarnation of Kali, to make things and life easier for her granddaughter who otherwise would have been mired by the rigidity and complexities of the orthodox Hindu way of life. Alec, a practising advocate, is on vacation in Goa. He gets infatuated with the charm and the free spirit of Anu who is Maushi’s daughter. He decides to get married to her but later on realises that he is unable to continue with the relationship. The marriage triggers a chain reaction which culminates when Ronnie visits Goa after 18 years and meets Meera who is Maushi’s granddaughter. The end is absolutely mystical that holds the reader spellbound. The narration of the events is easy which keeps the readers interested, though at times one feels that the author has drifted away from the main storyline, but then the author bounces back with sudden dramatic chain of events in the storyline. Since the author is an
architect by profession, a lot many times she gives a vivid
description of architecture and the interiors of the house where the
plot of the story is set. During the course of the narrative, the
author goes overboard in describing about the flora and the vegetation
of the garden of the protagonist, which makes us realise that the
author must have avid interest in gardening herself. On the whole, Dancing
with Kali makes for an interesting light reading, which one
generally enjoys while travelling.
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The
dance of Kali in the novel is symbolic to the power of womanhood. The
treatment given by the author to the intermingling of the Western and
the Eastern cultures and their philosophies is refreshingly different.
The story is about a free spirited girl who wants to break free from
the oppressive cultures and traditions, gets hooked to a foreigner and
the end result is a matrimony which is a sham. Dancing with Kali
is an emotionally charged story of vengeance and love.