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short takes
Of love and colonial tales
The Prisoner of Paradise
by Romesh Gunesekera. Bloomsbury. Pages 389. Rs 550
Reviewed by Randeep Wadehra
 What
is it about a nation’s colonial past that draws writers to it
frequently? One can understand Europeans indulging in nostalgia, but the
locals, or "natives"? Although one comes across heaps of
literary verbiage on the Raj days in India this novel, by a writer of
Sri Lankan origin, is set in Mauritius circa 1825. Gunesekera conveys
the island’s natural beauty through the reactions of Lucy Gladwell –
a teenager who has just arrived from England. Its rich and colourful
flora, the bright sunshine etc. are in direct contrast to London
suburbia’s gray bleakness. Lucy Gladwell is orphaned and her aunt,
Betty Huyton, takes her away to Mauritius where her uncle, George Huyton,
is a Superintendant. The palatial house, luxurious furnishings, material
comforts and being top-of-the-heap in the local society is something
that Lucy takes time getting used to. Europeans, comprising French,
Dutch and British settlers, rule the roost while African slaves, Indian
convicts and locals form the bottom of the heap.
Let me tell you about Quinta
by Savia Viegas. Penguin. Pages 254. Rs 299
 There
is the usual display of white supremacist and racial prejudices against
the island’s coloured people, which is balanced with the exiled Sri
Lankan Prince’s contempt for Africans. Injustice and exploitation
cause great resentment against the Europeans. Things come to a boil when
the indentured labourers from India are not allowed to have a temple of
their own as the "Hindoo heathen" have no such rights even if
they are free men. Although characters like Narayene and Kishore feature
in the novel, it is basically an elitist narrative. The bittersweet
affair between Lucy and the coloured interpreter, Don Lambodar, provides
the element of romantic love. However, the narrative neither intrigues
the reader nor holds his attention for long. Predictable stuff.
This
book too harks back to the colonial era although the narrative continues
into post-liberation India. Set in sylvan Goa, the
quasi-autobiographical novel is basically the tale of a Goan landlord
family – known as bhatkars – of Portuguese descent, owning
estates and other properties in Carmona. It swings back and forth in
time, and is narrated through the perspectives of several characters –
the easy going Tito, who could be roused into action when provoked, as
happened when his grand daughter-in-law California tried to pull a fast
one on him with the help of a co-conspirator named Tim. Both Tim and
California are of Russian descent and are lovers.
This is a story of not
just the Viegas family’s inexorable disintegration but also the
changing socio-economic profile of the Goan society. The
"callow" and "swarthy" locals, who used to depend
upon the bhatkars for sustenance, become economically
better-off, thanks to employment abroad and by working on various
merchant navy ships. The old order’s going to seed also tells on the
family’s discipline, leading to its gradual decline. And then there
are some revelations of dark secrets.
 The Last Letter
by Aditya Neogi. Benten Books. Pages 111. Rs 95
Sagar
is a Punjabi businessman –
well connected and immensely prosperous. He is married to Shalini – a
rich, intellectually negligible, Punjabi beauty – and has a
"beautiful" son Tipu. Sagar should be a happy man. But, he is
dissatisfied with his marital life for lack of cerebral and emotional
compatibility. On a trip to Kolkata, he meets Madulika – a young
Bengali beauty who is also an accomplished singer. Sagar falls madly in
love with her for her intellectual ability. His passionate epistles
receive cold response initially but soon she gives in and becomes his
Shagorika. Sagar helps her become a film star. Just when they begin to
contemplate marriage things take a turn for tragic denouement. This
epistolary novella should attract young, lovelorn readers.
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