The Lowland

Jhumpa Lahiri is an admired writer and her work is phenomenal when emotional quotient and characterization is considered. Her book namesake perfectly captures the plight of Indian migrant and his struggle for keeping his family and values together. The Lowland is a tale of complex characters spread across three generation in the family. It is a tale of differences and their struggle of identity; Lowland is high on emotional quotient and distress in parts it is agonizing and some you sympathize with its characters. Jhumpa is a master storyteller when it comes of weaving stories out of individual characters, she poses some evident questions and social circumstances under which few characters crumble and a few thrive.

Lowland starts on a promising note of chirpy and jovial brothers who are inseparable. The pre independence and post-independence era is beautifully described from the eyes of these brothers and the story builds up with growing brothers. Their ideologies are challenged growing up and it shapes their due course of future. Subhash leaves for US for higher studies and delves in continuing his research while Udayan embraces the Naxalite movement and find soulmate in Gauri and eventually get married. Through Udayan Jhumpa narrates the communist movement and the Naxal influence in Bengal politics in 1960’s. Jhumpa’s eye for detailing is surreal and she describes the student movement and political situation realistically. By the beginning of Subhash’s 3^rd year, he comes to know about Udayan’s death. Subhash visit home to find Gauri living with his parents. How one individual alive or dead can alter the lives of others and be the reason of their emotional distress. This is a story of regret mistakes and selfishness of others. Subhash’s character is woven with absolute brilliance, his calm demeanor and persistence make his character likeable yet he suffers the most. At times I felt emotionally exhausted reading this book and felt anguish with Gauri’s character who has never been grateful to Subhash for all the sacrifices he makes and walks out of his life one day with even telling him but the trauma and emotional distress she suffers is unmatchable. In the end everyone has their share of happiness or rather peace.

Jhumpa’s story telling is subtle yet the story is slow dull at places but characters vivid.