Kintsugi - A Novel by Anukrti Upadhyay
Price - The hardcover of this novel is priced at Rs 310/- and Kindle Edition at Rs 294.50
About the Author
Anukrti Upadhyay is
a law graduate and holds a post graduate degree in literature and
management.She has earlier worked in Global Investment Bank in Hong Kong and
India and is now working for the World Wildlife Conservation Trust. She is
currently dividing her time living in Singapore and Bombay.
Anukrti has tried her hand at both Fiction and poetry and
her published works include two novellas in English - Daura and Bhaunri that have been critically well received and a collection of short stories in Hindi - Japani
Sarai.
About the Novel
I am sure you will be wondering about the title of this work
“ Kintsugi” . Kintsugi or
kintsukuroi means “ golden repair
“ and it is the Japanese art of mending broken ceramic pottery by using
lacquer dusted mixed with powdered gold, silver, or platinum. This
art form does not seek to hide or conceal a crack or deformity in the pot
rather the repair is undertaken while retaining
the crack and the cracks are embraced as part of the heritage of that object.The flaws thus become highlighted and become an inseparable part of the identity of
the mended object, giving it a new character. The book seeks to extend the same
philosophy in the context of human lives.
Anukrti Upadhyay could not have chosen a better title for
this novel,this book urges one to look for beauty in broken things and accept them
as part of the whole package.The characters in this book -Hanuko , Leela, Prakash
and Meena ,are all people broken by destiny but they embrace it and make something
better out of their setbacks.
Hanuko is a Japanese girl whose passion for jewelry design takes her halfway across the globe to learn the now fast fading art of Meenakari and Kundansazi from the heirloom Sunars Madan ji and Munnaji in the dusty,smelly bylanes of the famous Johri Bazar of Jaipur .
Leela is born in family of Goldsmiths and is
hugely talented but her family traditions forbid a girl to become a Sunar
(goldsmith).
Prakash is a sincere and hardworking Doctor whose fiancé
Meena is studying in Japan for a research scholarship.
Meena comes to Tokyo
for a research scholarship and while her family and fiancé are concerned about
how Meena will cope with the completely different food ,culture and climate of Japan, she just falls in love and not only with Japan !
Anukrti is a very gifted writer , she paints beautiful pictures with
her words,her writing has a lyrical and
Zen like quality which even reflects in the
occasional Haikus. Her writing style sometimes reminded me of Haruki Murakami's "Norwegian Wood".
She effortlessly brings alive Haruko’s quiet fortitude, her cheerful
determination and strength of character even in the most distressing times.
One can feel and empathize with Yuri's deep sense of loneliness and
unrelieved despair despite living a seemingly full life.
Being born and brought up in Jaipur and having travelled to Japan ,Anukrti gives us life like
descriptions of the hustle and bustle and heat and dust of the Jaipur City and the fascinating elegance of Tokyo city. Even when the author chooses to skip translating
the Japanese terms she has liberally used in her text, I did not find it restraining in any way but I feel a small glossary or footnote would really have helped
the initiated.The narration becomes slightly stretched towards the end but still manages to end on a profound note.
To conclude, this is a really good book that touches you,
grows on you as you turn the pages and stays with you even when you finish it.
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