So you read part 1 .... https://sowmyaticlife.blogspot.com/2024/10/the-textbooklover-part-1.html....
Part 2 somehow, in all its craziness, connects the debuts of two generations of Bacchans! Don't ask me how. Just read on.
The Hindu paper's tribute to Keki Daruwalla prompted a google search which didn't reveal anything in the first attempt. He was being remembered as a poet and for his famous 'Love across the Salt Desert' which inspired the film 'Refugee' by JP Dutta that was the debut movie of Abhishek Bacchan and Kareena Kapoor. I was pretty sure I hadn't read any of his poems and I definitely didn't know about Refugee being inspired by a short story. In fact, I didn't watch Refugee.
But as they say in Hollywood movies, I was too deep in it and the only way was through. Moreover, the gnawing and annoying half memories told me to solve the mystery or there would be no sleep. (it was already 12 in the night!). As I continued my search, it was Amazon that helped me (not sponsored, although I wish it was!) by giving me a reading sample of one of his anthologies and there it was... the title of the story I had read of Keki Daruwalla! "How the Quit India movement came to Alipur".
The title may sound serious but it's actually a political satire. Its how a small thing has led to such a big revolution in that area. The British officer of Alipur is nervous about the movement but he knew he had good relationships with the locals. When they ask for a meeting, he is aware of the political under currents and how sensitively the matter needs to be dealt. He has a habit of riding along the estate in the morning. Its during one of these rides that the group of prominent men of the locality choose to call on him. In the officer's absence the servant receives them and provides them with tea and biscuits. I am tempted to reveal how this gesture turns the locals against the officer and how they decide immediately to revolt against the British thereby bringing the Quit India Movement to Alipur. But I won't. Please please read the story!
Once I scratched the memory itch, I thought it would be satisfying and I can go to sleep. But they tell you never scratch an itch for a reason. It just begs you to scratch more. My memory, it turns out, had more in store. This story was part of an anthology I had read. I wish life was as simple as me running to my book cabinet and there the anthology would be and I'd close my eyes poetically with the book on my bosom and go to sleep. Nope.
Few years back.... I am too ashamed to admit this.... I GAVE AWAY SOME BOOKS!! I remember giving them away. There's no doubt about it. (This kind of guilt memory is always strong, huh?!) My disloyal memory made matters worse and jumbled two different books in my head. One definitely was an anthology of Indian English Writers. And the second one... or was there a second one or there was only one? One was definitely part of my elder sister's English syllabus. But I don't remember if it was her UG or PG syllabus. You know the tragedy of the whole thing? Syllabus keeps changing and this was during early 2000s and alas, no record of any old syllabus of Osmania University anywhere. One could find any book written by any other if published by the ISBN codes etc. But the text books somehow fall through the gaps and once they are gone, they are gone. (please oh please correct me if I am wrong!)
The two books (or one real book and one phantom memory of a book) had such beautiful stories of Indian English Writers. Firstly, those book/s told me that there is a branch of literature called Indian English Writing (this was before my Masters). And the stories were grounded in Indian reality. I am sharing here, in no particular order... who am I kidding.. in the order that my wretched/blessed memory serves. I am absolutely sure the writers' names are familiar and so are the stories.
1. Amrita Pritam's THE STENCH OF KEROSENE - set in rural India, it's about ...
Wait... while writing this blog, I realize they were indeed 2 books. One is definitely an anthology of Indian English short stories. These were written by Indian writers in English language. The second is an anthology of Indian stories written in various languages translated into English!!! Oh, thank you, dear God!!! (And no thank you for being silent when I was giving the books way).
Now, please bear with me, as the order changes. First, a list of Indian stories translated into English.
1. Amrita Pritam's THE STENCH OF KEROSENE - this story is set in rural India and the ending is quite surprising!
2. Chaganti Somayajulu's THE VIOLIN - I am yet to explore Cha So's (as he is called fondly) original writing in Telugu, but I did read this endearing story. Having classical music background myself, I had thoroughly enjoyed all the Carnatic music references in this story.
3. Rabindranath Tagore's THE HOMECOMING - Adolescence beautifully portrayed, unfortunately to a tragic ending in this story by Tagore. All of the above stories have sad endings, by the way.
Now, for the other book... of Indian English writers.
1. Anita Desai's THE ACCOMPANIST - Another story based on Classical music background (Hindustani, this time). Its quite a sensitive story of a young man who is part of the musical troupe of a music maestro.
2. Keki Daruwalla's 'HOW THE QUIT INDIA MOVEMENT CAME TO ALIPUR' - the first domino that set all this into motion and inspired my blog in two parts!!!
Mr. Keki Daruwalla, thank you for your words!
3. Mulk Raj Anand's 'THE LOST CHILD' - a story that paints a vivid picture of a child getting lost in a village fair (spoiler alert: he finds his parents)
4. Khwaja Ahmed Abbas (K.A Abbas)'s SPARROWS - a story that is insightful into why some men behave the way they do - again set in rural India.
I had watched 'Saat Hindustani' as a teen and really loved the movie. (Incidentally, the debut movie of Amitabh Bacchan!). Please watch the movie which is on such a unique subject and is so well written and filmed! Years later, I was pleasantly surprised to know that the writer of SPARROWS and the director of the movie are one and the same!
I look forward to explore more of the writings of the above writers and bring you along the journey when I do!
There was another story. I don't remember which of the two anthologies it is from.
Its about a family in the city. The young parents of a new born and another two kids are in financial distress. The couple decides to end it all one night. They plan serve their kids poison and then consume it themselves. They mix the poison in diluted buttermilk as that's the only thing they have left in the house. The new mother decides to nurse her baby one last time. The young father takes a moment and goes on to the terrace of their house before ending it all. He notices the dead tree in front of their house. But that night, he notices tiny leaves sprouting from it. That visual dramatically shifts his perspective. He runs downstairs and notices his family sleeping peacefully. He drains the poisoned buttermilk away. He knows they would be okay somehow.
This kind of literature makes all the late night turmoil worth it! And I am willing to go through it all again! There were other stories in both of the anthologies and I hope there would be another trigger and another part to this post!
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