A Fine Balance

Rohinton Mistry, in his second book has done a fine job with this wonderfully written compelling story – one you cannot forget easily.

Tragic, heartrending, broken are the words that come to my mind when I think of A Fine Balance. It’s a story of four people from different backgrounds, beliefs, situations and priorities, but with a similar underlying hope of being happy and loved and how the roads of life cross each other in their struggle to achieve A Fine Balance.

It’s not just a story, but most of it can be related to situations in our lives dealing with one or the other struggle. One is left aghast at the cruelty that human nature can reach just for its sustenance. I must confess that the story of their lives is just not pleasant and how much ever you want to forget it you cannot help but carry the imprints of the characters.

The plot of the book, set in Mumbai between 1975 and 1984 during ‘The Emergency’, revolves around Dina Dalal, a widow who is struggling to meet her both ends meet , and in an attempt to do so, she employees Om and Ishvar (uncle and his nephew) as tailors for stitching. They have come to the ruthless city of Mumbai to earn some money. Maneck Kolah is Dina’s long friend’s son, who is staying as a paying guest in her apartment. Maneck has come to Mumbai for his higher studies but succumbs to the unbearable behavior by his seniors in the hostel and decides to stay as a paying guest in Dina’s house. The characters are neatly etched out, with very little in common but one thing, their desire to be independent, to be loved and to have their fair share of life.

Dina is a strong willed woman, fiercely independent, against the will of her conservative brother, tries her level best to earn her life her way. Various shades of her personality unfold during the course of her life. One of the most touching revelations that she discovers about herself was her need for emotional dependence as she starts sharing her life with Maneck and the two tailors. Her name truly depicts her situation: ‘Dina’ meaning poor and she is often seen struggling with her finances and asks her brother for financial help. ‘Dalal’ suggests her stitching business where she employs the two tailors. She is a warm person with a kind heart but strong values.

Maneck Kolah is a sweet boy, who lived in the mountains. In his entire life, he yearns for acceptance and a healthy relationship with his loving but rigid father. Like any other teenager, he loves his home but is sent away for further studies. Disheartened, he finds himself in utter mess, when he loses his friendship with his only friend in the hostel, and cannot bear the ruthless behaviour of the rest of the students. Extreme disappointment touches him when he wants to help his father in business, but is met with disagreements and non conformations. Maneck cherishes the moments spent in Dina’s house, with Ishwar and his nephew, Om. Maneck is an extremely soft hearted, with no prejudices. He doesn’t mind going that extra mile to help Dina Aunty in her household work, or to keep awake two nights to help her complete the stitching assignment in the absence of the two tailors.

Ishwar and Om have come from a village, tired of the atrocities from the landlords, and perpetual victims of caste bias. They are cobblers by profession but determined to achieve something better in life. They learn tailoring from their uncle, move to the city to earn their living, and get employed by Dina. These two are probably the most tragic characters of the entire saga, becoming the victims of the most ruthless mayhems from the corrupt governments, spineless officials, brutal assaults by the landlords. Their plight also gives us a sneak peek in the dilapidated conditions of the country during the state of ‘The Emergency’.

Om is the young, strong headed chap who yearns to bash the heads to the wrong doers and is often pacified by his uncle. His unchallenged optimism is seen from the fact that even after being castrated (yes !!!), he does not lose his smile. He does not succumb to the assaults, nor does he loses his will to live.

Ishwar, as appropriately named, is the sage of the story…..His favorite mantra is……”Life is long”. Probably impying that, eventually, life would be fair to them too….but it isn’t! He is a man with a strong sense of values and responsibilities, extremely loving, giving and thoughtful to the needs to the people around him. He understands the situations. Although not trusted by Dina initially, but finally earns respect and wins trust also. Often seen pacifying his hot headed nephew, he is concerned about his life and his marriage. Taking care of his unwell nephew, he even loses his legs. His affable nature is bound to touch and win anybody’s heart.

If it comes to choosing my favorite character, it has to be the ever sweet, effervescent, strong willed Dina. She chooses to live life on her terms and manages to do so as long as she could.

If there is one thing the book shouts out loud…it’s the fact that “life is not always fair”. It is not always a happy-ever-after ending. It does not even have larger than life characters. It rather is about simple people with basic needs, and their struggle for their balance between life and death, perseverance and surrender, the happiness and pain, the love and despair.

I would suggest you to read the book only when only when you are ready for meeting the realities of life in harsh daylight, stripped off due to cruel, inhuman circumstances. Hats off to Rohinton !!

….the music in my heart I bore, Long after it was heard no more..