Indian Readers discussion

Arpit and me procrastinated for more than an year, finally we are hopeful to start this real soon. Now that we have the company of Aparna (holding it at 50%) and Sharadha. Like always, others are most welcome to participate.
Lets do it guys.
Cheers and happy reading.

Cool..finally the thread is here :)...looking forward to discussing it with you all !!

Yep, me too. I'm loaded with current reads but aim to start early or mid (latest) next week. Looking forward to some thought provoking discussions :D

Sorry to be pedantic, but I dont think A fine balance is a translated book. I think it was originally written in English. So perhaps it should not be in regional translation.

Thought it is Indian and regional translations. In this folder, observed threads of Vikram Seth's Two Lives, God of small things, the hungry tide, Ibis trilogy etc....
Not sure if it has to be moved somewhere. Mods please help.

Started with the intro. Arpit, you'd be happy to see it starts with emergency during Indira's time :)

I think this is the first book I'm reading about Mumbai. Never been to Mumbai.

I had read this book. it was a fantastic read☺️

Gorab wrote: "Thought it is Indian and regional translations. In this folder, observed threads of Vikram Seth's Two Lives, God of small things, the hungry tide, Ibis trilogy etc....
Not sure if it has to be move..."

Sorry. sorry. If it is "Indian and", then that makes perfect sense.

Gorab wrote: "Started with the intro. Arpit, you'd be happy to see it starts with emergency during Indira's time :)

I think this is the first book I'm reading about Mumbai. Never been to Mumbai."

No!!? Really? wait, you have read em and the big hoom, right? that's in mumbai too, though the city doesn't play a big role.

Yeah somehow couldn't relate Em with Mumbai. Shantaram was much closer :)
Now that I think of it, this not the first book about Mumbai. Remember now that many Manto stories are also in and around Mumbai.

May be got that feel because A Fine Balance begins with a train scene, and I've never travelled in a Mumbai local.

Gorab wrote: "Yeah somehow couldn't relate Em with Mumbai. Shantaram was much closer :)
Now that I think of it, this not the first book about Mumbai. Remember now that many Manto stories are also in and around M..."

Yes. The train scene is very well written, na? I remember it invoking vivid pictures in mind. (even after living near Mumbai for nearly a decade now, I have been in local trains only once)

One of my favorites, I read it in 2013. Hope you all like it too :-)

Liking the writing. Not just the train scene, the description about Mumbai houses is also good and genuine. Easy flowing story so far (Still in Chapter 1)

I am midway through chapter 3 and loving it so far!

The Hindi one liners that the author takes the liberty to use (without translation) every so often is a great respite in the free-flowing text. I'm also enjoying to read the description of the lives of people living with Dina Dalal.

So far, it feels like a wonderful induction to the Parsi culture. Just a little further down from where I live, about 30 minutes away, is a serene township called Parsi Colony - a peaceful quite prevails over the area perpetually, it's lush green, and has a quintessential vintage feel to it (also has a fire-temple). I am picturing just that as I read along the prose.

I can totally relate what you are feeling shar. Somehow the way Mistry describes every scene good or bad just comes right in front of your eyes. His prose is beautiful

Lucky you Shar. I'll have to look up what a fire temple means.
Do you also understand what Dustoor Framji means when he says:
"For death, they come to me - for saros-nu-paatru, for afargan, baaj, farosky."

Nusswan's behavior towards the beginning was very very strange. Not just cruel, felt it was molestation! (that bathroom scene)

I read a lot today. And still in chapter 1. Kindle shows 1 hour remaining in chapter 1! (Yay! :D)

Gorab wrote: "Lucky you Shar. I'll have to look up what a fire temple means.
Do you also understand what Dustoor Framji means when he says:
"For death, they come to me - for saros-nu-paatru, for afargan, baaj, ..."

Seem like events performed after the death of a person. Not sure of the authenticity of the source, it says (point D (iii)):

"The main after-death rituals are Gāh Sarna, 4 Baj of Srosh, Uthamna and Afringan-e-Sarosh (Also known as Sarosh no Kardo or Sarosh nu Patru)."

Afargan (also Afrigan) and Farosky (also Farokhshsi) are commemoration rituals.

From yet another source:

"Last but not the least, Daham Yazad is the great guardian and reliever who helps Rawaan to enter “Behest”. It is therefore, on fourth day morning (Cheharoom), Baaj and Afringaan of Daham Yazad is performed to aid Rawaan’s further progress."


So, they all look like events related to death, like Dustoor Framji says.

Nice! Thanks for sharing these sources Shar!

I'm also somewhere in the middle of Chapter 3 (Village by the River).

Loving the narration.

(view spoiler)[That stuff about Dalits, throwing in current events of the time, authentic!

Going by the way backgrounds are presented, I'm sure next chapter will be about Maneck's hostel life, how he landed there and what terrible things happened there which probed him to move to a PG. (hide spoiler)]

Gorab wrote: "I'm also somewhere in the middle of Chapter 3 (Village by the River).

Loving the narration. That stuff about Dalits, throwing in current events of the time, authentic!

Going by the way background..."
The stuff that is being done in the name of caste difference is pretty chilling !!!

Gorab wrote: "Yeah somehow couldn't relate Em with Mumbai. Shantaram was much closer :)
Now that I think of it, this not the first book about Mumbai. Remember now that many Manto stories are also in and around M..."

Mistry captures the mumbai flavour so aptly.
I have travelled in mumbai trains for four years duirng my engeneering days and man it was exhausting!!!

Finished chapter 3. Lots of "Eeeesh" moments!
(view spoiler)[
I see glimpses of IAG and TrainTP in this. Would have dismissed Jayaprakash Narayan's reference if not for IAG. And that Hindu Muslim families living together was so much Mano Majra. (hide spoiler)]

Read chapters 4 and 5.
All the characters are so familiar.
(view spoiler)[
That Chacha bhatija jodi. That bossy employer. Those huge lines for hoarding water. Those talks at railway tracks.
All in a simple flowing language. Loving it. Now comes the sophisticated Manek. (hide spoiler)]

Sorry, not read 5. Currently reading it. "Mountains".
At 35%.

Chapter 5
The proofreaders story narration was so much like RKN :)

Chapter 6
(view spoiler)[
This incidence, where Indira Gandhi's stage collapsed due to chopper, feels like it would have happened for real.... Since every other political fact is relatable. (hide spoiler)]

This book is unputdownable. 5 stars so far. Moving on to chapter 8 - Beautification.

How much you guys have read? Enjoying it? I guess/hope so :)

Aparna, I think you would have stopped just after "On the move" as well, going by your 50% progress comment?

Generic comment on people till chapter 8

(view spoiler)[The most tormenting part is the descriptions of how every character is so good at heart, so amicable and helping, but still unable to help/sustain due to their own poor condition.

Full of gross moments too. That drops of sweat falling into hot oil. Eeeeks!

The subtle tone - on acid attack and burning on dowry demands.... How casually brought forward and disappearing into background, but nagging inside your head somewhere. (hide spoiler)]

Gorab wrote: "Aparna, I think you would have stopped just after "On the move" as well, going by your 50% progress comment?"

Gorab , I have requested the book back from the library.
I should be able to start it soon this week.

Gorab wrote: "The most tormenting part is the descriptions of how every character is so good at heart, so amicable and helping, but still unable to help/sustain due to their own poor condition.

Full of gross mo..."
I agree the characters are what are the high lights here .Their helplessness hits the reader hard.

Gorab wrote: "Started with the intro. Arpit, you'd be happy to see it starts with emergency during Indira's time :)

I think this is the first book I'm reading about Mumbai. Never been to Mumbai."

Same here. Never visited Mumbai yet.
Yep, happy that we already have a lil knowledge of that time... Fiction will fill the holes Guha's non-fic left :)

Thanks Gorab for putting your thoughts for every chapter!
Will discuss them once I reach there :)

Added spoiler tags to previous comments.
Glad to read this after IAG. There are lot of references. And it helps when you know the factual parts.
Congress would have hated this book :P

Sorry everyone but I had to hunt for a hardcopy of this book in my lib since I dont have a kindle and looks like the library copy is unavailable now .
I will not hold you up , I am shelving this for now and will pick up later when I get the hardcopy .

I'm currently at 60%, and know that Sharp (Shar + Arp :P) is not going to read it at the moment.
I'll go ahead and finish it within this month.

Gorab , some blessed soul happened to return the book back to library .Got the copy and now and restarting from the chapter " what law there is "..Might go little slow because of the dark prose at times. But will surely give company to finish this month !

Yuhoooooo! Excellent. I read some today morning, and am at the middle of "What Law Is There". So we're at the same level... and will take it slow :)

How long since you dropped it before? I hope you still remember the characters. In a continuous reading, its difficult to forget these characters :D

Yay!!..Good that we are in sync ! Yes I remember the characters pretty well. They are so real and unforgettable that way...Good characterization by Mistry .

Buddies <3
Now my CR is out-of-danger condition, I can fully focus on this and Sapiens. You guys go on according to your pace/position. Sharp will follow behind :P

Shar buddy, tell me your location and I'll try to reach and then we can properly BR from there. Good thing that buddy Gorab left so many comments :)

Arpit wrote: "Shar buddy, tell me your location and I'll try to reach and then we can properly BR from there."

These words feel like you are meeting in person to BR this sitting together :)

Gorab , Finished the law chapter. Had a doubt , Will ask after you finish the chapter .

Finished the law chapter. What's your doubt?

Chapter 10 - Sailing Under One Flag
(view spoiler)[This has been the most uplifting part so far. So happy to see those raw emotions flowing.
Had some bitter sweet memories rekindled from hostel life. People used to come together and share their talents/expertise. One person cooking for all. Another playing guitar, one becoming the lead singer. And most of us participating as encouraging audience. Can't be compared.
The characters from this book are somehow making ends meet, and not doing it for pleasure.
(hide spoiler)]
Superb narration!

Chapter 11 - The Bright Future Clouded
(view spoiler)[Apt title. Beginning was again uplifting like a bright shiny day. But the ending left a bad taste :(
Couple of things to ponder. One is that lecherous tailor shop. Till date have heard at various platforms the usage of hidden cams to exploit privacy.
The second thing, and it was more disturbing is that objectification of Dina by Om. At the moment when she's stretching her own ends to somehow provide food and shelter for them, what Om insinuates to Maneck was heart breaking. Why why why Om why? Maneck's reaction was expected and justified.
(hide spoiler)]

Pausing it for now 😬 will pick it after Dragon Tattoo Gurl :)

I didn't open any of these spoilers, I'm improving :)

Arpit wrote: "I didn't open any of these spoilers, I'm improving :)"
Attaboy!
Now I'm worried if you'll EVER open them!

I am speechless (actually lazy :P) on Chapters 12-13-14....
And went numb after Chapter 15 - Family Planning!
On to the last chapter now.

Don't know about reading taste of Shar much now ...will get to eventually :)
But Arpit, you are going to love this book!