Ek Chithda Sukh
Nirmal Verma
2017 (first published 1979)
Vani Prakashan
pp. 242
The book title, loosely translated as a patchwork of pleasure, is an exploration of pleasure, happiness and contentment. The life of each of the characters presents a struggle for finding meaning, purpose, and peace. These are ordinary people with not so ordinary thought processes. People who reflect on the everyday, people who go back and wonder why they are doing what they are doing, who delve deeper into the meaning of meaninglessness in life.
The story revolves around two cousins one of whom is a teenaged boy, and the other, his cousin, Bitti, is a theatre performer. Most characters in the novel are Bitti’s friends. Each character is living his or her own struggles, reminiscing on life that was, is and can be. If you are looking for a definite direction, or a neatly packed story, this is not the book for you. The pace is unsteady, and if you are a serious reader, there are places when you would leave you exasperated. For me, this exasperation stems from our own acceptance or denial of our quest for finding peace and happiness.
It is a good read, albeit a slow and serious one.
Nirmal Verma
2017 (first published 1979)
Vani Prakashan
pp. 242
The book title, loosely translated as a patchwork of pleasure, is an exploration of pleasure, happiness and contentment. The life of each of the characters presents a struggle for finding meaning, purpose, and peace. These are ordinary people with not so ordinary thought processes. People who reflect on the everyday, people who go back and wonder why they are doing what they are doing, who delve deeper into the meaning of meaninglessness in life.
The story revolves around two cousins one of whom is a teenaged boy, and the other, his cousin, Bitti, is a theatre performer. Most characters in the novel are Bitti’s friends. Each character is living his or her own struggles, reminiscing on life that was, is and can be. If you are looking for a definite direction, or a neatly packed story, this is not the book for you. The pace is unsteady, and if you are a serious reader, there are places when you would leave you exasperated. For me, this exasperation stems from our own acceptance or denial of our quest for finding peace and happiness.
It is a good read, albeit a slow and serious one.