What is that which hold a bonding between me and you?
I like pickles. Do you like it? I like pickles because it has all which is of my like and with a pinch of it you get a taste to digest a big mouthful. Chilly and spicy still affective I like pickles. Let it be mango, lemon, tamarind, mango slices in salt, beef, Papaya, whatever. I like Thushara James’s story collection, ’Enikkum Ningalkkumidayil’ (Between me and you) just like I like pickles, as it is equally chilly, spicy and short.
15 stories in 46 pages, yes, it is short - short stories where each of the stories we can finish reading in 10 minutes or so. It needs lot of talent to tell stories in shorter version, especially if it leaves a mark in the mind of a reader. The book has a 4 pages introduction by a known writer to Malayalam, Dr. George Onakkur, who was teacher to Adv. Thushara James. In the introduction, Dr. Onakkur has made an observation. That is, ’the stories of Thushara James takes us through the roads which we have traveled several times but the writer presents images which we have never observe and sounds which we have never heard before.’ After reading the book, I can vouch to the fact that this story collection is true to the observation and more.
In the stories, we meets an aged woman, you call her Kariya chedathi, Mariya chedathy, Elia chedathi or whatever chedathi (elder sister) who is one character in itself. One who is jealous of others, never happy with whatever she receives nor know how to value the blessings what she possess. She is fascinated by the ’foreign’ things fly around and do not care for religion or for relatives. We can see this character wander in many stories of Thushara James and how I love to read her again and again, in different names!
Paappi is the name of the lover in almost all of the stories where there is a love angle is projected. This I felt an innovative idea where by the name itself the character establishes in our mind and in more than one way the character remain identical. Paappi, who is poor but strong, enters the mind of the teenage girls who loves to see rain and enjoy its pleasures. Paappi not only helps to show her the rain but cut mud ways to flow for the water to help them float the paper boat which is bound to sink even with a simple push. Saivthri, the not so committed vulnerable girl who loves to go out and see rain and ready to float her paper boat to have the thrills and shivers of it. She always abides to the parental pressures to marry the Captain, Sunny, Hari, Sam, Ravi, Lathif or whatever name you call him. The distance and time always plays the villain and mind you, she is not a saint to remain alone where her husband is not there. Later she may find ways to commit suicide and some times succeed but many a time it will be her husband who will be committing suicide where she is undecided what way to choose for this act. The husband and wife have everything of material pleasantries but nothing to hold an emotional attachment.
Nostalgia is there in many stories - old values and the lost childhood, and adolescence which never lived in full. In youth they try to bring back the childhood but financial worries may prevent it while taking nostalgia home the youth goes in vein before they came to realise it too passes. Values change with generations but change of values to relations is the most difficult part. They make a reason to come home some to make money, some to cherish the memories.
There is sex and the captain is strong. Ouseppu chettan still find the fish curry red and smelly but Mariya chedathi likes the ’strong’ compliment anyway. Human body has a separate soul in these stories and it didn’t hear any other language. Human touch is a must for human body and you deny it and it will find its own ways to get it. There is liberation of thoughts and the emotions swim deep. There is always a Paappi to find it, Husband to feed it and neighbours and friends to console it.
Rain showers throughout the relation between me and you. There is presence of rain in most stories and mind you, rain is symbolic in most of them. In one particular story, Pinneyum Mazha Peyyumbol (When it rains again) it is rain which observes the birth, youth and death and fall freely and we love it heartily. There is criticism on Church, let it be priest or for the people. The author didn’t stop there but even throws a stone direct to the Christ as well but stop at that. The statues of religion are dirty and people only observe those dirtiness. The authorities don’t take initiative to make the symbols, statues and rituals meaningful where the people are more than ready to observe and criticise these black points than purifying their own hearts. The international winner for speeches, Adv. Thushara James makes her points strong, crisp at the same time, entertaining.
The best plus of the collection is the language style which is been used. I simply love this style of writing. Between the simplest of words and incidents hides the deepest of thoughts, sharpest of arrows and black h.oles of emotions. For love or for revolution the swords of sharp words shines and the sounds of it announces the arrival of a strong warrior who can cut any opponent to pieces, only if she stays in the battlefield.
On the minus side, the stories may need little more drama in some of them. Also the author should attempt to portray different spheres of life to the readers. Veteran writer, S Saradhakkutty had mentioned that in the absence of criticism literature takes an early death. I wish the same don’t happen to such a talented writer like Thushara James. The writer is a genius in her own right where she was selected as best law student of India and represented India in many international competitions. Writing is a new war front for her, probably she considers it as a second front, but....if the talent shown in this story collection, ’Enikkum Ningalkkumidayil’ is of any hint, it is a great attempt and announces the arrival of such a nice writing style and a thought process. Look forward to read more from Thushara James.
Now, tell me what is it which bound me and you? Read the story collection and chances are that you may love it.