Book Review: Chaurassi (84)

Chaurassi is a fictional story of Rishi and Manu (Manjeet). Set in Bokaro, the story details out the lives of the members of a middle class Sikh family. The romance that brews between the landlord’s daughter and the young man is sweet. The characters are not larger than life but realistic in their varying shades of grey. The relationship is quite endearing in being so rooted in the everyday, girl next door/ boy next door, interaction. 
The name of the book and the preface was enough to set the tone for the expected turn of events post Indira Gandhi’s assassination. Yet, as the story progressed, I found myself wishing that the riots and onslaught against one religion would not happen. I felt a strong need to erase history, or at least rewrite it. Anyone who believes that they are untouched by riots and hooliganism is fooling themselves. It is not just those facing the attack but also those who are the perpetrators who are marked forever. Even when not participating in the riots, the perpetrators would experience a change by witnessing violence, by remaining silent, by not being able to save someone, by experiencing power. It is books like these that ignite a need, to teach to make a generation that is more sensitive, to help children to grow up to be reflective beings who think before they act, who are not blinded against religions, genders, caste, race, or ethnicity.
Vyas’s writing has been magical in bringing in core issues to the fore in a very subtle manner. The notion that newspapers present news of only certain regions, that knowledge needs to go beyond what is presented by the media, that mob develops without a clear direction or understanding. I was particularly struck by the situation when the rioters chose to not touch the book shop. Vyas argues that if they were interested in books, there may not have been violence. A debatable point, but I am tempted to believe, has an element of truth in it. But then again, I am biased in favour of books.