Of Lust,Realism,Shattered Dreams & Intimacies. Review on Age Of Shiva, The - Manil Suri

I don’t think I will ever be able to fully explain why this is the best way to end things. I’ve tried, I’ve redrafted this letter so many times, but you’re too young as yet to understand. How should I convey the feeling in my heart having outlived my usefulness? The notion that I have overshot the goals staked out for my life?

Manil Suri’s “The Age of Shiva”, unlike its name has nothing to do with a male protagonist. Catering to the reader’s inclination and of course would say intrigue; it has a female protagonist in the lead.The Age of Shiva set in the post independence era of India has Meera as the core character.

Meera in her teens, witnessing her elder sister’s plans on wooing Dev, the heartthrob, and creating a ploy to steal him away right under her nose.

Meera the newly married wife of Dev, ending up in a locality in Nizamuddin with bare minimal at her disposal.

Meera the rebel, putting her foot down in front of the preposterous suggestion of her dad and Dev, trying to use her for their own personal advantages.

Meera the woman , relenting in lieu of her husband’s dreams of becoming a singer and getting her first child aborted to move to Mumbai. Finally realizing that the pieces of shattered dreams pierce the soul forever.

Meera the Mother, giving birth to Ashwin and revolving her world around him.

Meera the widow, realizing that post her husband’s death, she has to survive in the society of vultures and also act as a sheath for her son. Mostly from the advances of Arya , her brother in law.

Meera the bemused, helplessly watching her son attaining puberty and slowly growing apart from her.

Meera the identity , finally learning to break free from the chains of her own soul……

In this singular character of Meera, Manil has woven many intricate characters and nuances of women. He has carefully etched them through this one protagonist , where she plays all the roles singularily. Her journey from start to destination, her musings and the way she finds herself stuck between her dreams and reality is truly commendable. Living the story through a woman’s mind requires a lot of precision and observation. The other characters of the novel have an equally powerful role to play, but the two relations to watch out are: Meera and Sandhya & Meera and Ashwin.

Sandhya as Meera’s sister in law (Arya’s wife) is her mentor, guide and friend for all times. Even post her demise Meera finds herself surrounded by her presence in times of joy and sorrow. Her character portrays the shades of soothe and patience.

Ashwin ‘s relation with Meera is something you as a mother,can actually relate to. Yet the book has few instances which might come as a shock to the reader. The places where Meera realizes that her son is attaining puberty and is growing apart from her bodily; and the instance where they accidentally end up in a huddle may not go well with all. Nevertheless the beauty of their relation and a Mother’s misgiving of knowing that her world surrounds her little baby, who would never grow in her eyes are truly heartrending.

Manil Suri has won many acclamations for his earlier work “The Death of Vishnu”,but this is the first novel I am reading of him. His research and ground work relating to lifestyles of Nizamuddin locality, the workings of HRM and all the backdrops is up to date. The novel grips the reader in one go and though it shocks at few place, yet it retains the flow. Though as a sucker for such books (read woman) I would have preferred a different climax for the book, yet considering the realistic circumstance I guess there could not have been another end to it.The book seriously left some queries in my mind:

Is the essence of woman is in being a daughter, or is it being the woman of somebody’s dreams or does it lie in rocking that cradle which will be the gen next? Will she always settle as the second best or she has her priorities in place? Will her life of hard toil and labor yield fruitful results? What is it like to see a part of your own being growing and silently getting apart from you? Fore mostly will she ever be empathized with?

The Age of Shiva is advised strongly, but at reader’s discretion! Its powerfully Intimate and Epic!