Delhi, promising, polluted & punishing

Roopinder Singh 

Victims of our insecurities, we all live in glasshouses, more so in India where the concept of personal space is seldom recognised. Our fevered imaginations will, if necessary, construct a glass house where we ensconce ourselves even as we imagine others looking in — after all, much of our life is governed by the constricting interrogatory: "What will they think/say?"

The crush of humanity that gravitates to the nation's capital finds itself thrown together arbitrarily — both at work and in dwelling units. A Punjabi landlord may have a Bengali tenant, just as Mr Khanna aka Fat Bum Khanna has MB, a Bengali sahib, a history teacher. Throw in a pretty and accomplished wife, a college with its usual bickering faculty and demanding students, and the extended Khanna family — and you have the ingredients for a gripping story.

The narrative starts 10 years into their marriage and even then "Roshini is as slim as head-turning gorgeous. And her tongue is as sharp, if anything, it has become sharper. It is time for them to get a home for themselves. They find a builder in Gurgaon, and seek Mr Khanna's help. On Day 22, "the unstoppable elemental force that Mr Khanna unleashed swatted away every obstacle in our path to home ownership." 

The book is in first person, as MB's daily notes. Refreshingly, it is not aimed at the lowest common denominator. The format allows for introspection, which raises the bar of what would have just been a simple story. The protagonist being an academic allows the writer to bring in cerebral reflections. His ruminations about the role of the English language are to be found at various points in the book, and these make for in interesting reading. Added in this beguiling mix is MB's elder brother, a dominating and successful NRI businessman, who attempts to keep his cultural roots alive with a house in Chitranjan Park. 

The quest for the house takes its toll on the family and widens fissures that inevitably appear in any old relationship. Roshini's growing interest in Rocky triggers her husband's suspicion and jealousy. During this rough patch, his colleague Malti Patel, initially seen as a bitch by him, becomes his coffee companion, who has a refreshing take on life... and sex. 

Coffee meetings turn into beer sessions and inevitably, their trysts are spotted. In this melee of distrust, MB also finds some pictures of Rocky on Roshini's cell phone, showing off his muscular body. In this tussle of melting relationships, the one thing they had pinned all their money and hopes on does not work out either. The rapacious builder's project is stalled. The poor people who have put in the money try to organise some resistance, not much seems to be forthcoming. 

Characters battle with depression, an unpleasant encounter with the police, dependency on alcohol. This conundrum eventually leads to a swift and surprising conclusion. In a pile of new books, this one draws attention with its cover, and keeps one's interest with its story and its treatment.  That's quite a debut.