The
first striking thing about AMALTAS AVENUE, Dr. Manju Jaidka’s latest novel,
published by Lifi publishers Delhi is its striking cover, that has a city
flyover in the background and yellow laburnum bunches hanging over, defining
the geographical setting of this piece beautifully.
The
author being a senior and accomplished academic herself makes the campus come
to life in this latest book of hers.
The
novel tells us that the title comes from a lovers’ lane on campus of the Panjab
University in Chandigarh. Many characters live and work there and at various
stages of the story the setting comes as alive as any other character in this
interesting tale.
The
novel has three parts divided into three days- Scorching Sunday, Muggy Monday
and Torrid Tuesday and just like the names of the three sections the poet in
the novelist takes over in the creating the impactful imagery of this book.
Descriptions like the one excerpt below make even ordinary scenes have a long
lasting recall value for any reader.
“Narendra
notes, the bird more like an ethereal dancer, arms stretched out, pirouetting
to unheard music. A ballet dancer, lithe and graceful. Isadora Duncan, hair
flying, scarf flying, waiting to be entangled in a wheel. Isadora with long,
flowing scarves waiting to choke the life out of her.”
Even
a simple painting on a wall – Breughel’s Icarus makes its presence felt at
critical junctures in the life of one of the main characters, Narendra.
The
other characters of the novel like Charu, Atul and Madhavi are made to connect
with the readers with their peculiar idiosyncrasies, their nicknames so common
on every campus and a peek into their personal histories.
The
novel places itself firmly into today’s time and age in more than one way. One
of the characters runs a blog called bantusapera.com and the characters have Facebook
friends and online interactions regularly.
Every
aspect of the University living right from the happenings at the all-important
Vice-Chancellor’s office to the research committees and the girls’ hostels are
realistic to the core. Regular campus issues in any university in India like student
indiscipline, academic frauds, office politics, manipulation in appointments
and ragging are also dealt with realistically.
In
the Epilogue the novelist skilfully tries to tie up all the loose ends in all
the plots and
“The
last blooms of the amaltas fall to the ground and merge with the rain and slush.”
The
readers are left craving for more as they savour this gamut of multiple
emotions –love, passion, sorrow, loneliness and despair all neatly packaged
into the 262 pages of this brilliant novel.
