Shantaram

SHANTARAM- by David Gregory Roberts was given to me as a farewell gift by Rahul in Johannesburg. Intending to read it on the flight, I carried it in my handbag, but never managed to read even a single page. Arriving in India, we got so busy socializing and travelling that I forgot about the book. One fine day when I remembered about it, I couldnt find it and finally when I found it, I just couldnt go beyond the first two pages, as I didnt find it intruiging enough to hold by interest. After reading two other novels, I decided that I should give it another try as I had heard a lot about it. So I grabbed the book and started reading it slowly and steadily. As you read on, it starts to interests you and pins you down to your seat. One thing that still awes me are the incidents in the authors life. For e.g. two of his best friends die in the same night in two seperate but dramatically horiifiying incidents. Another aspect that strikes you is the humane face of the author, inspite of being a convicted felon and a prison runaway. A foreigner staying in the slums ofin Mumbai and running a clinic for the slumdwellers is not an easy task. Again Lin baba's (as the author is called in the novel) involvment in curing the slumdwellers during the chlorea epidemic is definitely heartwarming. With each passing day and with each good and bad experience, the way Lin babas life gets intricately woven with those of his fellow neighbours is remarkable. The author's jail experience shows his mental and physical strength and also marks his entry into the Mumbai mafia world. Inspite of being on the wrong side of the law,the author always manages to earn your sympathy with his parallel good deeds. This novels also gives you the lowdown on all the shadowy areas and businesses thriving in those zig zag hapazard lanes of Mumbai. Being a Mumbaikar, I had always heard about such illegal activites, but a firsthand account of the same definitely bogged me down. Another overwhelming chapter was the author's rendezvous with jehad in Afganistan attempted purely out of love and respect for the mafia king, in whom he searches the long lost father figure. This battlefield was also manifested by several confessions, truth and loss of friends.
The power battle of two rival gangs ensuing after the death of the mafia king was typical bollywood. In short the novel had all the required masala, albiet the fact that it was based on the true happenings in the author's life..