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From the Window of
Gelato
Based on the doctor’s conversations — painted in all shades of red and grey — with his friends from Chandigarh and beyond, From the Window of Gelato takes the reader through meticulous encounters of people from all corners of the world and prods you to explore "life as we know it" from varied perspectives. As Dr Chadha puts it "These stories, about real people, originate from the Gelato Ice Cream Parlor in Sector 8, Chandigarh and are based on the conversations I’ve had with people over coffee." All this happened at his designated table. The 20 chapters of the book begin with worthy encounters of the author with Dubai-based Indian philanthropist SPS Oberoi, who paid a whopping $1.2 million as blood money for 17 Punjabi youngsters, who were sentenced to death in 2013 in Dubai for killing a Pakistani citizen in a brawl. As the first chapter progresses, the author dares to probe deeper into the phenomena called SPS Oberoi and talks about Oberoi’s austere upbringing by his father, his helplessness at his son’s illness, his constant endeavour of changing Punjabis’ image in the Gulf by organising blood donation camps in the month of Ramazaan in Dubai, so on and so forth. He also keeps the reader hooked with mentions of Jessica Lal and the 75 per cent replica of the Indian Taj Mahal in Dubai, which was an essential milestone in Oberoi’s journey to success that he enjoys today, with, of course, his fair share of recognition. After an engaging beginning, the author introduces us to the light-hearted Sam (Shamsher Jang Singh Panwar) and the latter’s encounters with death and massacres as a child, during the Partition. After dealing with as heavy an issue as the Partition, the author smoothly moves on to Sam’s lighter side. What caught our attention particularly was Dr Chadha’s recital of Raja, the langoor’s story and his upbringing by politician Sweety Brar. Half way through the novel, the reader gets to meet a rather star-struck Dr Chadha, as he sheepishly contemplates hugging his childhood ‘crush’, actress Priya Rajvansh, during his second encounter with her. What unfolds later, after a woman tantric intervenes, is something we are not at a liberty to divulge. Through the stories — dark, deep and light-hearted — the one thing that remains constant is the author’s portrayal of his hometown, Chandigarh, through the eyes of his characters, replete with details like the ‘beggar boy’ Arjun outside the window of Gelato and his subsequent progression to the roads of Chandigarh through the book. But, what truly wins the reader’s heart is Dr Chadha’s stark honesty, be it in soliloquy or dialogue, and his ability to laugh at himself. One must also watch out for cheeky jokes through the book; those on the lines of a Swiss guard asking Mr Chadha "How do you keep it up", in reference to his macho moustache, of course.
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