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Jahnavi Barua’s Rebirth is a haunting story of one woman’s relationship with her unborn child, through the journey of her pregnancy.
Review By Unmana Datta
It seems so much more difficult to review a book you loved than a book you had mixed feelings for. Balancing pros and cons is much trickier when you can find no cons!
Rebirth is a novel with an unusual narrative premise: the narrator is a pregnant woman talking to her unborn child. This unusual framing device helps to establish that Kaberi, the protagonist, is so alone that she has no one more sentient to talk to and no more meaningful relationship to hold on to. It also means that the entire novel takes place within the space of Kaberi discovering that she is pregnant to before she gives birth, thus constraining this meandering, almost timeless narrative inside the span of a few months.
As the entire book is written in Kaberi’s voice, the language gets jarring at times. The narrator isn’t erased to make you comfortable; Kaberi is undeniably present in each word, daring you to judge her life. I am full of admiration at the author’s skill – the framing device of Kaberi speaking to her foetus never falters; any uncomfortable disclosure is always acknowledged by the narrator. When towards the end of the book, Kaberi reveals a shocking secret, it doesn’t seem unconvincing that the unpleasant fact was hidden away for so long. It is more than believable that Kaberi doesn’t want to say it outright to her baby, that she instead blurts the truth out to her mother in a vulnerable moment.
I found the book very satisfyingly slow and devoid of action or conversation. Much of the “action” is Kaberi reminiscing in solitude, talking to the child whom she can now lavish all her frustrated affection on. Kaberi spends days in quiet, barely speaking to the affectionate daily help, barely leaving the house for weeks. She might be depressed, or she might just be someone who doesn’t need much company, and either explanation is equally satisfying.
When, a little into the story, Kaberi’s husband comes back from his lover and unapologetically demands that she host a dinner for his friends, Kaberi obediently swings into action. You wonder how, and why, she is so undemanding, so willing to please. Barua offers much of the answer in Kaberi’s intermittent nostalgic musings.
Kaberi often thinks of her best friend, Joya, whom she idealizes, you slowly realize, as much because of the place she had in Kaberi’s life and the fiery personality Kaberi admired as because of her death; making her in a way, inviolable. No one now present in Kaberi’s life gets quite the same adulation.
But this isn’t a novel where little happens apart from the slow reveal of the characters’ personalities. Even though the pace is measured and slow, much does happen in the book, and the effect of it all on Kaberi’s personality is considerable. From being submissive, almost apathetic, in the beginning, she gains a confidence that leaves the reader hoping that she takes control of her life.
Read the book for the beautiful descriptions of Assam (since I, like Kaberi, grew up there, I was overcome with nostalgia through those paragraphs), for the skillful writing, and for the haunting story of a woman who veers between being irrevocably weak and intensely strong.
Publishers: Penguin Books
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Unmana is interested in gender, literature and relationships, and writes about everything she's interested in. She lives in, and loves, Bombay. read more...
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People say that women are the greatest enemies of women. I vehemently disagree. It is the patriarchal mindset that makes women believe in the wrong ideology.
The entire world celebrates International Women’s Day on March 8, 2024. It should be a joyful day, but unfortunately, not all women are entitled to this privilege, as violence against women is at its peak. The experience of oppression pushes many women to choose freedom. As far as patriotism is concerned, feminism is not a cup of tea in this society.
What happens when a woman decides to stand up for herself? Does this world easily accept the decisions of women in this society? What inspires them to be free of the clutches of the oppression that women have faced for ages? Most of the time, women do not get the chance to decide for themselves. Their lives are always at the mercy of someone, which can be their parents, siblings, husband, or children.
In some cases, women do not feel the need to make any decisions. They are taught to obey the patriarchal system, which makes them believe that they are right. In my family, I was never taught to make decisions on my own. It was always my parents who bought dresses and all that I needed.
14 years after her last feature film Dhobi Ghat, storyteller extraordinaire comes up with her new film, Laapataa Ladies, a must watch.
*Some spoilers alert*
Every religion around the world dictates terms to women. The onus is always on women to be ‘modest’ and cover their faces and bodies so men can’t be “tempted”, rather than on men to keep their eyes where they belong and behave like civilized beings. So much so that even rape has been excused on the grounds of women eating chowmein or ‘men will be men’. I think the best Hindi movie retort to this unwanted advice on ‘akeli ladki khuli tijori ki tarah hoti hai’ (an alone woman is like an open jewellery box) came from Geet in Jab We Met – Kya aap gyan dene ke paise lete hain kyonki chillar nahin hain mere paas.
The premise of Laapataa Ladies is beautifully simple – two brides clad in the ghunghat that covers their identity get mixed up on a train. Within this Russian Doll, you get a comedy of errors, a story of getting lost, a commentary on patriarchy’s attitude towards women, a mystery, and a tale of finding oneself, all in one. Done with a mostly light touch that has you laughing and nodding along.
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