Wow! I think this is the first time it has taken me almost a month to finish a book. It is a 900 + pages book nevertheless.
When I started reading this autobiographical narration (usually my favourite kinds) I was a little bored. The fact that the first few chapters describe Mumbai and places that one has visited so often, there was hardly anything left for imagination.
The book started engaging my interest once the author moved to the village of his tour guide. A gora’s interpretation of the village and life there was something to read about.
Interestingly it was also here in the village that he got the name of Shantaram.
Every little detail is written with precision beyond fervor. Sometimes taking it a little away from the narration on hand.
What is most interesting about Greogory David Roberts’ life is the fact that so much happens to him over the course of time because he is open to his fate leading the way.
A convict in Australia, he escaped the prison with one other friend of his and managed to come to Mumbai. The moment he landed here, he knew he was home. Mumbai does give that feeling to a lot of people.
From there on he just took things as they came. Whether it was visiting the Sunder village or coming back and staying in a slum and helping the people as a slum doctor or joining the underworld.
There is a certain kind of detachment too when you just let go and I guess it takes a lot of heart breaks and miseries to push a person to that point where nothing really matters.
Shantaram or Linbaba or David Roberts is no hero or has no great inspiring stories to tell. He has chosen the most interesting anecdotes of his life and spun into a book.
It is the turn of events that makes for an interesting read.
There is however no exagerration when he comes to talk about the love he felt for his friends and that special woman in his life.
Love at first sight struck him the very first day he set foot in Mumbai. Although it wasn’t an Indian woman who stole his heart. A woman who was as confused and as lost as him never let him love her the way he would’ve wanted to.
And of course like every autobiographical stories, there is a lesson or two to learn here too. You do learn from other people’s lives if not your own.
The description of getting over the heroin habit is quite a hair raising one.
Most of us, even those who are born and brought up in this city would think more than twice about living in a slum and helping those less fortunate than oneself. That is quite admirable about Shantaram.
But like I said before, he is no hero. Just an ordinary guy who let some extraordinary adventures happen to him.
It would sure be interesting to watch Johnny Depp star in a film that narrates the afore said story.
For those of you who have the time and patience, this sure will make a good read.