TITLE- MEN AND DREAMS IN THE DHAULADHAR
AUTHOR- KOCHERY C. SHIBU
GENRE- TECHNICAL FICTION
NO:OF PAGES- 283
PUBLISHERS- NIYOGI BOOKS
FORMAT- PAPERBACK
About the book-
Nanda, an engineer from Kerala at the dam construction site, hiding from his past, from the law, torn between the love of his dear ones and the Kalari code of revenge. Khusru, a youth displaced from his native village in Kashmir, a gambit in the terror plot threatens to blow up the dam, working as a labourer at the site. Rekha, a Kathak dancer at heart,a doctor by profession, arrives at the campsite as the consort of Khusru. A village that accepts the dictates of modernity with a heavy heart, its population steeped in superstitious and religious beliefs.
All throng the campsite like moths to a flame, some escape untouched, successful: some miss a step and perish. Each has a story to tell and a dream to realize. Men and dreams in the Dhauladhar is about the aspirations of these people, with their cares and worries woven into the site life. The fury of nature and hardships of the project life have no mercy for the weak and no time for the dead. Like an external spectator the Dhauladhar watches as men risk their life and limb in the quest to fulfil their dreams.
My rating- ★★★★☆
My review-
"He looked for the snow-capped peaks of the Dhauladhar. they looked far away. He heard a voice from the past echo in the mountains... 'Malika ketti uyarthanala, Mattuppavil urandanalla, Piranna mannil orithirinal Jeevikkananisamrambham' (it is not to make mansions, nor to sleep on the terrace, but to live in your birthplace for a few day that this struggle is all about)"
This is the story of many characters- Nanda, Khusru and Rekha in particular, all three uprooted from their native place, surviving in the small village with an ongoing dam construction in the foothills of the Dhauladhar range. It narrates each of their individual stories and how they intersect with each other- the Dhauladhar range remaining as a witness of the journey at this point of their lives.
The story narrates beautifully a wide array of human emotions, the torment of separation of the characters from their families, their secrets, the day-to-day life of construction workers and of the intimate desires of these human hearts. The author has personified the Dhauladhar range which seems to provide the solace to all the characters- where they look up to see the change in the color of the range and feel it answering their questions.
The story introduces each character separately, starting from their origin, making its way to the present and going back every now and then to narrate the manner in which they ended up at the construction site. It focuses on the culture that prevailed in South India after British rule, of the inhumane conditions faced by people during partition and the Kargil war, of the rise of terrorist organisations against India, of the way the village has accepted the dam construction despite their superstitious ways and of the dreams and aspirations of different human beings living there despite everything.
A really powerful story with immense emotional indulgence which is capable of leaving the readers awed by the insight the author has about everything. It combines all the aspects of life in general- of the little moments of happiness that humans strive to achieve in the vast ocean of sorrow, of their dreams, desires, emotions and duty, it shows how people have the ability to transform into evil beings and again regain their humanity.
Most of the story revolves around the dam construction with a lot of technical details which makes it a bit difficult for the non-technical people to read it, the story has its own crescendos and decrescendos showing the mundane construction site-life and what matters to these people but the emotions and the slight tinge of thriller makes this a heart- warming read. An absolute beauty in itself which leaves the readers in a trance.
Characters-
Nanda- he is one of the main characters, the engineer at the dam construction site from Kerala who has fled his native place for his life. He is a person who always keeps to himself and does his work but always wondering what the situation is back home. He of one yearns the most to be back home and has been the victim of a vicious tradition all his life.
Rekha- a doctor who decided to take up her love for dance as her career. Bought up by her grandmother she is the naive girl in search of her one true love. Through her journey she faces the real world- the cruel and harsh people in it ready to satisfy their needs first. Ultimately she finds her true love in Khusru and dreams of a life together.
Khusru- separated from his family during the wars, he is rescued by some terrorists who in turn train him to be one of them. Supposedly he was to play a pivotal role in blowing up the dam construction, however he yearns to go back to his village, to reunite with his family. The story shows the dreadful life that he has lead and how he is transformed at every turn.
There are many other characters which include the villagers, the construction workers and their in-charges and the terrorists who were the mastermind behind the operation of blowing up the dam. There are also some people whom the main characters came across in their journey.
Writing style-
The writing is a bit difficult to comprehend since it mainly focuses on the technicalities of the dam construction. Consisting of varied themes, initially it is difficult to keep up as the characters are introduced one after the other- only when the connections are made that the text becomes comprehensible. However it vividly describes human emotions and every aspect is detailed minutely. Despite its reading difficulties it has a lot of local terms with explanations, Overall the essence of the story remains intact.
I would definitely recommend this book even to non- engineers as this book is a marvelous experience- yes initially its difficult to wrap your brains around it but the emotional aspect will definitely touch your heart. An insightful, intricately detailed book which will definitely leave an impression.
I would like to thank the author and writers melon for sending me a review copy. Really had a great time reading it.
About the author-
Kochery C. Shibu graduated from the prestigious National Defence Academy, Khadakwasla, in 1981. He has served in the Indian navy and commanded two warships. Post his retirement he has executed hydroelectric projects in the Cauvery river basin in Karnataka, Beas river basin in the Himachal and lately Teesta river basin in Sikkim. He holds a postgraduate degree in defence studies from Chennai University and MA in English Literature from Pune University.
This is his debut novel and many chapters are inspired from his real life experiences, he now lives in Bangalore with his wife and daughter.
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