A Book review::The Namesake by Jhumpa Lahiri

After listening to people praise the movie based on the book, I decided I would watch the movie soon. Yeah, but only after reading the book. I have always read stories before watching the cinematic versions. Of the few I have seen, Godfather, Mystic River and Rainmaker: only the mighty Godfather complemented the book and tops my favorites list.

So with some excitement I picked up the book from my favorite bookstore Oxford. Already having glimpsed the movie promos, I couldn’t help but picture the protagonists as I turned each page, specially Tabu. The first attempt took me through incessant 150 pages. Ashoke, Ashima and Gogol grew on me as if they were people I spent time with daily. Their idiosyncrasies seemed familiar, warm and endearing.

As the pages turned, I was vicariously living the lives of Non Resident Indians abroad. I could imagine the plight and envied the cultural myriad they lived. Of parents who struggle to imbibe Indian mores in children, whose souls wander unbridled in confusion and defiance.

Gogol’s romantic endeavors stripped my heart of memories and longings. I, an anti-Mills and Boons person savored each experience as if it were mine.

And somewhere it struck me that Indians will be always attracted to the fair skin and their “no strings attached” ways. But these relationships flounder, the reason being the latter. Because Indians will always be a degree/tad more emotional than their western counterparts.

Jhumpa Lahiri’s attention to detail and empathy makes ‘The namesake’ a must read. It is a book about about being in love, about learning to be lonely, about deceit and shock, about being a parent and about the most important lesson in life: Of accepting things and moving on.

It also tingles me of the fact that I may someday be a Non Resident Indian mother, wife or mother-in-law.

Jhumpa won the Pulitzer for Interpreter of maladies, but its this piece of hers which will stay with me.

I’d complain one thing though, the essence and the title of ‘The namesake’ was just for namesake and got lost somewhere.

Read it, I'd say while I wait to see the movie.

Drape me, oh lovely sky

I look at you and your lovely hue
Sometimes bright, sometimes nocturnal blue.

The sun and moon you hide and play
Studded with stars, your mighty foreplay.

Your ire takes a frightening shape
of lightenings and thunder crapes.

When you are gloomy, you down a joy
behind the cloud, you show you're coy

When you cry, are you a nepotist?
shower on some, and deprive others?

In a bright blue day or a starry night,

You are always in my sight.

Without you, what is romance?

I'd die without your glance.

Cause of you I know the infinity

and believe in a brighter next probabilty.