Author: Shobhaa De
Publisher: Simon and Schuster India
Srilaaji by Shobhaa De is the story of the namesake character, a Marwari
goodwife. The book chronicles the journey of Srilaa from the age of 11 years,
till the time she has led her full life. Brought up in erstwhile Calcutta, she
is an untamed woman, who does not shy away from expressing her desires, and
pursuing the things she wants. Heartbroken from her first suitor, she is
married off to another from Mumbai, a person she lovingly calls squirrel. In
the hustle-bustle of life in Mumbai, she experiences womanhood and explores her
sexuality, misgivings and desires
refusing to live her life by the unrealistic standards society often
sets on unconventional women. The young and vivacious Srilaa slowly but
assuredly becomes the inimitable Srilaaji! And each time life starts crumbling
around her, she manages to pick herself up. The story explores the life of a
woman, akin to a phoenix who rises every time life deals her a blow.
The plot of the book is crafted beautifully with the undertones of the author’s message through her character coming out towards the end of the book. While the book seems to talk about Srilaaji and her carnal desires, the story of the protagonist is a lot more. The plot of the story basically creates an enigma of a person who can fight against all odds to do what her heart desires. Srilaaji as a story represents a strong-willed woman who has the courage to choose her own destiny and fight to achieve it. There are many instances in the story which stand testimony to the fact that all she desired was her own identity and to be her own person. The biggest example of this can be seen when she creates her own brand of food later in the story. Another aspect of the story that appealed to me was the manner in which it has been crafted. True to Shobhaa, the language is extremely local with bits and pieces of the local dialect coming in, making the story seem all the more real, more natural. Set in different cities like Calcutta, Delhi, Mumbai and Goa, the author has taken the very fabric of each and embedded it in the story itself. Shobhaa is known for her signature writing style, and her food allegory through out the book is a testament to that. With comments on various types of relationships, social drama and the antics of the “high-class” people, there is a bit of social analysis as well. I loved the way the book closes and the imagery of it is amazing!
The book has a
lot of strong feminine characters that add flavor to the book. Buaji is
a headstrong woman, the mistress of the house that Srilaa grows up in. We see
that she has a strong hold over the house, and the staff in it through
instances when she commands the respect of one and all. We see little of
Srilaa’s mother in the story, but despite the limited presence, it is evident
that she is her own woman. Post her marriage, we come across Chachiji,
another heady character that’s sort of equivalent to Buaji in Kolkata. We
see similar characteristics that standout in her marital home as well. On the
other hand, there are a couple of amazing male characters as well that drive
the story well. I liked the character of Squirrel as well as “Ji” and the
manner in which they both added so much to the character of Srilaa in their own
ways. Finally, our protagonist, Srilaaji, who is a person that is steadfast and
believes in whatever she does, and sees it through. There are shades of
impulsiveness and irrational behavior, but mostly she is a person who was
starved for love and was looking for that spark of affection throughout her
life.
Overall, a good
book, though recommended for mature audiences only. It scores a 4.31/5 for me.
Grab a copy of the book here.
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