A Himalayan love story by Namita Gokhale

"A Himalayan love story" by Namita Gokhale. This revised edition of the book is published by Penguin books in 2002 and has 207 pages. 

Parvati grows up with her maternal uncle, a head master. He refuses to marry her to one of his favourite student, Mukul, and instead marries her to another favourite student for cast reasons. Years later head master dies and bequeaths his estate to Mukul. Mukul returns to find Parvati in asylum. 

What does the will say? What is Mukul's reaction after seeing his first love? How will he fulfil his responsibilities?

The book starts as a 1st person narrative of Parvati. Midway it changes to first person narrative of Mukul. In Parvati's narrative, Mukul only has a passing reference. It appears that Mukul's love was one sided. Parvati did not love him or any other person but she has multiple affairs. 

Author has used Heavy English words normally not seen in books of Indian English authors. I also found Continuity issues. Ramsingh dies but he helps Mukul pack his bag a few pages later. Avoidable.

Mukul is attracted to a Tibetan girl who sells trinkets. He visits her and sleeps with her. Why? What was the significance of this girl in the story and why does she agree? Unnecessary. 

The book is titled 'A Himalayan love story'. If it's the love story of Mukul, he fails. If it is of Parvati, she never loved. If it's about the hill people, there is no love story. At the end the solution agreed could have been agreed on the first day of Mukul's arrival. So why the story? Is it a story of rediscovery? Not really. The story sounds more like drivel. 

Cover shows black silhouette of trees on blackish red background. Gives it a spooky appearance. But the story isn't. 

I have been reading this book for about one month and half, which by my standards in interminably long. I did not abandon reading only because I don't like to abandon. But it was a test of my patience. 

AVOID