Grandmother's Tale by R K Narayan

    How many of us remember the stories of our great grandparents told through our grandparents or parents? The stories of their struggle during the wars or the freedom movement highlight the problems of the common people and for sure we have taken that for granted. Neither we record them nor pass those stories to our next generation. And in this stressful world, we rarely get the chance to meet our grandparents. But the book I'll be talking now is one such record.

  Grandmother's Tale by R K Narayan is the story of his great grandmother told by his grandmother.

It was the days of East India Company. Bala was married to vishwa at a tender age in a village of southern India. Remember that child marriage was common in those days. Like the traditions of those ages, Bala was kept in the house cutting off all the contacts of the outside world until her puberty to join her husband.

The only meeting between them was during the festivals. But what does a little shy couple speak to each other in the very little time? But her observation of his appearance makes the major clue.

Things turn upside down when he leaves the village after telling her he is going. No clues except for the word pandaripur, No communication and the society's gossips makes life a difficult to lead for Bala.

Years pass by and gossip of his death only grows louder. Angered by this, Bala leaves home to search him and bring him back. In those days, it was difficult as there was no proper transport facilities, no communication lines and being a woman as the society was still orthodox.

The story is amazing to see the main character Bala turning to a determined, aggressive woman from a shy, innocent girl and then to an orthodox Hindu wife. The way she finds her husband in an alien land of unknown language and how they lead their lives makes the rest of the story.

It is a very small book written in simple language as told by his grandmother. Yes, the book is good and if one loves family drama, then this is one for you.

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