Page 129 - EducationWorld May 2022

row Airport in casual jeans its young to thrive in other
and shirt, while Keteki KEEPING IN TOUCH birds’ nests. In more ways
revels in the relationship Anjali Joseph than one, Keteki and Ved’s
with her new lover, she WESTLAND relationship is an inversion
takes time to make up her Rs.599 of the conventional roles
mind about settling down associated with male and
with him. Thus begins Pages 232 female stereotypes.
a whirlwind romance The binding force of
between two individu- keeping in touch plays out
als entirely unknown to in several ways. At a lit-
each other. As a freelance ebrations and her reunion eral level, it could involve
designer and curator, with family and friends Expertly written Keteki and Ved remain-
Keteki’s work makes travel in Guwahati, become oc- novel that transports ing in touch with each
normative as does Ved’s casions to celebrate these the reader into myriad other, or as Joy mama
who is a venture capitalist. distinctive, age-old tradi- cultural scenarios of (uncle) states quite simply,
Nearing 40 now, Ved has tions, contrasting them north-east India and Keteki’s mother not keep-
been feeling the absence with the noisy contempo- London ing in touch with them. At
of familial warmth, love raneity of the present. The another, it could involve
and affection and wants to temple of mother god- politics, red-tapism and keeping in touch with one’s
settle down but Keteki (39) dess Kamakhya endorses moribund beliefs define place of belonging or one’s
is wary of commitment, the ancient and glorious the region’s business home and culture. And at
almost afraid to commit to historical Assamese past environment. Later, his yet another level, it could
a long-term relationship. and the line of valorous taking up residence in refer to keeping in touch
Spanning across Assam kingdoms and dynasties Guwahati while he waits with one’s self or inner
and London, their affair that worshipped her. for Keteki to make up her being. It is this ability to
unfolds like a performance eteki’s travels to mind becomes the reason remain connected with
across continents, with the Kvarious north-eastern to foreground aspects of themselves or their abil-
author filling in details of cities including Jorhat, the Assamese way of life, ity to listen to their inner
their lives. Majauli and Aizawl; to a sharp contrast to the voices that brings Ved and
Keeping in Touch is the mountains for a yoga weekend getaways, pub Keteki together. Moreover,
alternately fast-paced and retreat; to villages to culture and work which reliving or rethinking one’s
slow moving and trans- establish her new busi- characterise life in London past, reviving old relation-
ports the reader into the ness venture are manifold and Suffolk. ships, moving on, accept-
myriad cultural scenarios expositions of the culture The narrative fore- ing change and letting go
of North East India and of the Seven Sister states. grounds Keteki’s layered — all form part and parcel
London. There are vivid Invigorating and keeping persona, while Ved is like of this theme.
observations about the up the demand for tradi- a satellite compelled by Keeping in Touch ex-
topography of riverine tional weaves and fabrics unknown forces of attrac- plores pertinent personal,
Assam, its fertile land and is instrumental in preserv- tion to revolve around her. social and political issues
verdant fields alternating ing the weavers’ means of Keteki’s childhood was of people in contempo-
with its bustling, noisy, livelihood. fraught with rejection and rary society by means of
polluted cities teeming Ved’s venture capital- abuse in a dysfunctional insinuation, understate-
with youngsters who party ism brings him to Assam family; a huge trust deficit ment, explicit discussions,
hard and make merry with to finance an erstwhile consequently becomes a irony and humour; it is
abandon. Joseph portrays British-owned company part of her personality and only rarely that protago-
an enigmatic and fascinat- manufacturing Everlasting her reluctance to commit- nists let go of themselves
ing picture of the spiritual Lucifer, a light bulb with ment; the houses she has emotionally. It is an engag-
traditions of Assam — god- a filament that can last grown up in, all of them ing, sensitively imagined
dess worship and tantri- for decades as the name instrumental to the dance and expertly written novel,
cism, Xonkordeb vaish- suggests. Striking work- she and Ved have been serenely navigating the
navism that constitute its ers, an accidental fire and choreographing from the intricacies of a multifac-
complex and sophisticated frustrating glitches and time she explicitly wards eted culture and a complex
ethnic and cultural fabric. superstitious beliefs at the him off, stating that she central protagonist.
Keteki’s home-coming just factory exasperate him and gets her name from a FATIMA RIZVI (The Book
in time for Durga puja cel- reveal how present-day trickster bird that leaves Review)

MAY 2022 EDUCATIONWORLD 129