Finally a post after a very long time. My marriage kept me occupied, and hence the delay in writing about my new book. While I was on my honeymoon to Kerala, I saw this lady in a cafe reading a book "Holy Cow!".. What struck me was the cover of the book. It had the Hindu God Shiva on the cover, and the title too was definitely intriguing. Once back from Kerala, on my visit to the Book store, I saw this book, and I picked it up.
Holy Cow! by Sarah MacDonald is all about an Indian adventure. I like the books about India specially written by foreigners. It tells us how they perceive this land. India does not fail to surprise anyone, and specially people who visit India from a foreign land. You either love it or hate it.. Nothing in between.
This book tells us about the writer's visit to India, and in this first trip, she knows exactly how she feels about the country. She hates it. There is nothing that goes right for her, and this point she decides never to return back. But on the airport a beggar reads her palm and tells her that she will return to India, and for love. With no inclination to believe she heads back. His prophecy comes true after 11 years and Sarah, quits her job as a DJ in Australia, and returns to India to be with her boyfriend who works in New Delhi, and her romance with India soon begins.
There are many things that shock her, disgust her, from the very common sight of filth, people picking noses in public, or the even common very loud way of people clearing their throats, early morning , noon and night. People constantly are concerned about her marital status, and keep reminding her that soon she will be out of marriage market if she delays it further. She finds it difficult to understand why a girl from a different caste can't marry in another caste, the pressure from parents and consequences of marrying inter caste.
Its these visits that take her to Rishikesh, Amritsar, the Taj Mahal, Delhi, a little insight into the people, the place and the religion, along with its ancient history associated with all the places, makes it an interesting read. She attends a Vipassana meditation in Dharamkot, a small town in Dharamshala. She learns about the various cultures, a trademark of India, and in the process she understands herself and a goal-less life that she was living back in Australia. She sees herself in a new light, the customs and the people. After living all the experiences - good , bad and ugly - she finally understands herself and her soul is reborn.
Sarah MacDonald's book is like a travel across India. The diversity as seen by a foreigner, the way people live, and live contentedly in such chaos, baffles her and finally leads her to her destiny. As she travels to different parts of the country, she gives a brief history of the place and religion, which gives us a good background. The book is funny, and the writer sees the lighter side of serious things, which makes it hilarious. The book at some places does seem to drag, but on the whole is worth reading. All in all - I like the book. Interesting at most times, a little less, for the rest. Sarah's writing style is very simple,and funny at right places.The way she creates an image of the new place she visits,or about a person, herself included is simply amazing.
I have read a lot of books, with lots of writers writing the routine acknowledgments. But Sarah in her unique way has written it in such a way, that I think its the best I've read, and somehow is difficult to get out of my head. It says
" To my mum and dad for having me,
To Jonathan for taking me
and
To India for making me."
Simply amazing.
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2 comments:
Appears to be an interesting book, going by what you have written. The book I am reading is about India too and that also has been written by two foreigners. It is more factual than perception based I would say. It is indeed nice to read flattering things about your country from an outsider, but there are also cases where there approach to our culture and history, should be taken with a pinch of salt, as it is difficult for them to have a complete picture of it, and hence can at time be far from correct.
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