Ghachar Ghochar

“Ghachar Ghochar” is minimalist storytelling in every sense. It's short, at only 118 pages. It shows only a small part of a family's life together, focusing on two scenes with a few flashbacks to establish characters. But most of all, it tells only part of the story while you have to fill the rest in.

The story is told from the perspective of an unnamed unreliable narrator. He's either hiding information or is ignorant of most of what's going on. So to find meaning in the story, you must read between the lines. Though you could read the story in or or two sittings, it's better to take your time. As you read, take time to think about the part of the story that's being hinted at but not explicitly stated. What's really going on?

It's also thematically rich despite its brevity, dealing with classism, materialism, and traditional conservative family dynamics challenged by more modern sensibilities, most of all by young feminist women.

And possibly also about how society turns a blind eye to murder? Or was there a murder? That's one of the debates about the novel. Because so much of the story is implied rather than stated, you'll have to decide for yourself.

The book is a short read power packed with a lot of contents that brings back the nostalgic memories of a middle-class family, the way they lived and the togetherness and taking decisions together, budgeting and budget cutting and sacrifice by the parents to buy you a new dress in the year helping parents with their work and sharing the happenings of the day to each other about school, work and about neighbours.

The narrator says how his family became so rich by starting a business and the business owner was his Uncle and how their life revolves and what are the changes that happened in their lives after riches and how dependent their family is on their Uncle and everyone trying to make him comfortable and becoming a guard to him as he is the only breadwinner and reason for the rich life they are living.

The narrator always visits a coffee house and loves to hear opinions and talk to Vincent. I loved the character Anita who was the narrator's wife.

It's a good read for people born in the 80s and 90s which can be a reminiscence of some childhood events.

We are first introduced to Vincent, sitting in a Coffee House in Bangalore and avoiding responsibility. From there we spiral outward to his family as they navigate their suddenly changed situation and newfound wealth. Money affords them a laissez faire ruthlessness. They are sharp edges to those outside the family unit. The intricate dependencies on each other in poverty binds them in wealth. It's a fine balance ;) A tiny book, easily read and beautifully done. Frankly some of the reviews are almost as enjoyable to read as the book itself.

Deborah Smith, Han Kang's translator, effuses in the Guardian. Parul Sehgal in the New York Times is lyrical in her praise, calling it the Great Indian Novel and evokes the trick of translation from the original Kannada. Translator Srinath Perur does an incredible job.

” Ghachar Ghochar” is a masterpiece that will leave you spellbound and introspective. Vivek Shanbhag's writing is pure magic, weaving a narrative that is both poignant and humorous. The story of a Karnataka family's journey from humble beginnings to prosperity is a universal tale of human struggle, love, and self-discovery.

The characters are expertly crafted, with each one offering a unique perspective on identity, culture, and social hierarchy. The narrator's voice is both witty and wise, making this novel an absolute delight to read.

Shanbhag's prose is lyrical and evocative, transporting you to the bustling streets of Bengaluru and the quiet intimacy of family moments. The themes of identity, class, and social status are timely and thought-provoking, making this novel a must-read for anyone interested in contemporary Indian literature.

While reading the English translation was a wonderful experience, I must note that the essence of emotions in the original Kannada version was not fully captured in the translation. However, this in no way diminishes the impact of the story, and the translation still conveys the overall spirit of the novel.

The book somehow captured intertwining and complicated indian family dynamics over the years so well in 100 pages.

I'm not a big fan of open ended endings, it feels a bit lazy to me. I have enough uncertainty in life I don't want it in the books I read hahaha. Despite that, the style of writing still kept me hooked till the very end.