The Far Field by Madhuri Vijay

I read the beautiful debut novel The Far Field by Madhuri Vijay last weekend and tried penning down the stir of emotions it caused.

Sometimes all we remain to someone's experience of life is an outsider. Beyond family, friends and belonging in a way we are all outsiders to the joy, pain, suffering of others. Who are these others? People related to us in some way or mere people who have no connection to us whatsoever? When life propels us face to face with these people, away from our sheltered, cocooned existence, what happens to our naive world-view? Naive - yes. To think that we might intrude someone's life for some time and try to become a part of it and then try to change it because as an outsider we find it so easy to mend what is broken or seems broken. To plan someone else's life. This is what The Far Field explores on a deeply personal and political level, spanning the lands from Bangalore to Kashmir.

Through this naivety, an utterly lost, urban Shalini goes to Kashmir on a quest to find Bashir Ahmed, a mysterious family friend from the past. In the hope that she will find clues about her temperamental, unhappy but loving Mother (no longer alive), with whom she shared this fragile yet deep bond. She is trying to piece her life together. She is an outsider in Kashmir now, the way Bashir was all those years ago. Unknowingly she enters the tumultuous lives of Zoya, Amina, and Riyaz.

Without going into the political situation, Madhuri Vijay portrays the story and unfolding events through the personal lens of 24-something Shalini. So you always see this as her journey. Her choices. Some of the things she does are questionable but it's in a way coming of age for her.

I thought about all this and more on a personal level as well while reading the Far Field. I ended up re-examining the bonds I share with my family and friends.

The book explores a lot of themes. It handles them well through MV's rich prose and command over the language. The book also has a past and present narrative, which is skillfully handled. The characters are still fresh in my mind. That's how powerful this book is!

I am always pleasantly surprised when Indian authors writing in English churn out something so beautiful and meaningful. Its a gift of a debut novel! Highly recommend.