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Chennaivaasi
Ravi is a Tamil Brahmin returns from US. How Ravi tries to convince his parents for his marriage?
- GenresFiction
270 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2012
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Displaying 1 - 20 of 20 reviews
April 20, 2018
I wish I could give it a 3.5 star rating, but I'll be generous with that .5 star because it's a Madras novel. In fact, I believe there should be a category of novels called the Madras Novels that are set at least partially in the city of Chennai at a time when it was still called Madras.
As a standalone book, it is predictable, but as a chronicle of the disintegration of the joint family system as seen in the story of a single affluent Tamil Brahmin family living in Chennai, it is a priceless record of a bygone way of life. The house, Sundari, is used skillfully as a metaphor for the joint family system, even if that disintegration is an apparent fallout of the conflicts in the story.
It's an effortless read, and if you've grown up in Chennai when it was still Madras, it's a saunter down memory lane.
As a standalone book, it is predictable, but as a chronicle of the disintegration of the joint family system as seen in the story of a single affluent Tamil Brahmin family living in Chennai, it is a priceless record of a bygone way of life. The house, Sundari, is used skillfully as a metaphor for the joint family system, even if that disintegration is an apparent fallout of the conflicts in the story.
It's an effortless read, and if you've grown up in Chennai when it was still Madras, it's a saunter down memory lane.
June 29, 2018
Having been born and brought up in Chennai, at a time when traditions were given more importance than cosmopolitan thinking, I could relate to almost everything in the book! The style is simple, interesting and makes for a gripping read. When I initially read the synopsis, I thought this would turn out to be yet another love story but I was proven wrong within the first two pages. Highly recommend it, if you are looking for something to pass time by!
July 2, 2012
"Chennaivaasi" - By the time you finished reading the book, you will feel like you are an chennaivaasi. Excellent characteristic narrations by author. Sure a page turner book. Author moves in depth into the characters and shows the presence of them when they are required into the scenarios.
February 1, 2013
Chennaivaasi is an engaging book to the reader upon two conditions. a) if he can relate in some way to the life of a Tamil Brahmin, and b) if he's grown up or familiar with Chennai! It was (a) & (b) in my case. This is the first book that I've read from T.S.Tirumurti and the story is engaging.
Tirumurti brings the sights, smells and sounds of Chennai alive with his picturesque descriptions and lively narrations. It's almost as if we're standing right there, in each of the places along with the author. The plot is neat and simple. The struggle that Ravi goes through to gain confidence of his family is well-narrated and not a tinge overdone. The traditions and customs of Tamil brahmins have been well portrayed and Debbie really does catch our sympathy and love! The only sore patch in the entire book is the use of local language words here and there, which may confuse a non-native reader. To someone who knows tamil and belonging to TamBrahm community, this book would be a fine read. I did notice how the author very cleverly gave names to every character in the book except for 'Amma' and 'Appa'. :) The parts where there is emotional exchange between Appa and Debbie have been well written. It's quite amusing and understandable when Appa is able to connect easily with Deborah than anyone else. The ending comes unexpectedly, like a bolt out of the blue. The reconciliation and the eventual selling-off of Sundari touches our soul, as if it's our own house that's been put up for sale.
I thoroughly enjoyed the book. Would suggest it for a breezy, light one-time read. The book (according to me) is a happy transformation to a Chennaivaasi.
Tirumurti brings the sights, smells and sounds of Chennai alive with his picturesque descriptions and lively narrations. It's almost as if we're standing right there, in each of the places along with the author. The plot is neat and simple. The struggle that Ravi goes through to gain confidence of his family is well-narrated and not a tinge overdone. The traditions and customs of Tamil brahmins have been well portrayed and Debbie really does catch our sympathy and love! The only sore patch in the entire book is the use of local language words here and there, which may confuse a non-native reader. To someone who knows tamil and belonging to TamBrahm community, this book would be a fine read. I did notice how the author very cleverly gave names to every character in the book except for 'Amma' and 'Appa'. :) The parts where there is emotional exchange between Appa and Debbie have been well written. It's quite amusing and understandable when Appa is able to connect easily with Deborah than anyone else. The ending comes unexpectedly, like a bolt out of the blue. The reconciliation and the eventual selling-off of Sundari touches our soul, as if it's our own house that's been put up for sale.
I thoroughly enjoyed the book. Would suggest it for a breezy, light one-time read. The book (according to me) is a happy transformation to a Chennaivaasi.
April 14, 2014
A book written in good mugurtham :P Entertaining one indeed :D
Strange cocktail of conservative customs, love and modernity. One major drawback is the glorification of one particular community, Tamil Brahmins and their difficulty in accepting the reality/modernity.
TamBramin Ravi meets American Jewish Deborah, falls for her and he brings her to India to convince his parents for Ravi-Deborah's marriage. And just as Ravi's mother softens, she dies. Ravi's father is an elderly man full of traditional customs instead of blood in his veins and he opposes as expected. A lot cannot happen over this elderly man's filter coffee and thats the problem. To his dismay, Ravi and Deborah moves in together :P
Deborah, on the other hand, gets used of being stared in the streets of Chennai, understands Tamilans and their customs. Ravi's aunt, Chinnama, Marimuthu, Lawyer Vaidhyanadhan. Well-crafted set of crew !
Subrabaatham, Filter coffee, Madras central railway station, Naadi astrology, our own Navraatri Golu and other Tamil Brahmin customs were well explained.
Found the book bit dragging and dramatic at few places. Can be read and enjoyed once for author's wit. I felt that deep bond between me and the town in many places :D Nostalgic :')
Strange cocktail of conservative customs, love and modernity. One major drawback is the glorification of one particular community, Tamil Brahmins and their difficulty in accepting the reality/modernity.
TamBramin Ravi meets American Jewish Deborah, falls for her and he brings her to India to convince his parents for Ravi-Deborah's marriage. And just as Ravi's mother softens, she dies. Ravi's father is an elderly man full of traditional customs instead of blood in his veins and he opposes as expected. A lot cannot happen over this elderly man's filter coffee and thats the problem. To his dismay, Ravi and Deborah moves in together :P
Deborah, on the other hand, gets used of being stared in the streets of Chennai, understands Tamilans and their customs. Ravi's aunt, Chinnama, Marimuthu, Lawyer Vaidhyanadhan. Well-crafted set of crew !
Subrabaatham, Filter coffee, Madras central railway station, Naadi astrology, our own Navraatri Golu and other Tamil Brahmin customs were well explained.
Found the book bit dragging and dramatic at few places. Can be read and enjoyed once for author's wit. I felt that deep bond between me and the town in many places :D Nostalgic :')
December 30, 2019
DNF at 60%. While I liked the descriptions of the city, the writing was stilted and the characters fairly superficial. I also got tired of reading about how Tamil Brahmins are this, that or the other.
October 5, 2012
An okay book, not a great one.
I am not so sure as to what exactly the author wanted to convey in this book?
I am not so sure as to what exactly the author wanted to convey in this book?
December 30, 2013
The only reason this book gets 1 star is because it's impossible to give it none. The writing was stilted, and completely uninspired. If you spot it on a bookshelf, walk far far away from it.
October 3, 2023
This is a bad book. The dialogue is stilted and sometimes incomprehensible. The writing lacks creativity - the repetition of the word "whore", is incongruous with the rest of the writing style and unnecessary to convey the author's meaning. There is very little character development. The lectures about the Brahmin struggle display a prejudice against reservations for underprivileged castes in India. The story is all over the place, without ever resolving the fundamental question of if the couple has support to marry. And then there is the small but annoying inconsistency in who built the house at the center of the narrative, which is just lazy. The summary of the book on it's back cover is better than any page from the actual book. Surprising that Shashi Tharoor gave it a solid review.
July 21, 2019
A rambling story, which seemed to lack focus. Good capture of the Madras feel though...
January 15, 2022
A gripping drama of love, family, rejection, acceptance, and surprises. Throughly enjoyed Tirumurthi's writing style and description of Chennai and its characters.
March 31, 2015
What happens from then on is a fascinating story set in the heart of Chennai and encompassing a variety of characters ! "Chennaivaasi" is also a commentary on Tam Bram (Tamil Brahmin) values and the joint family system. It takes you around Chennai like a tour guide!
Ravi goes to the US to study, meets Deborah at his first job, falls in love, wins her heart. Enter the family. Amma and Appa are strongly against their son marrying a white woman and refuse to meet her, even after the couple move to Chennai in an attempt to win them over. Just when Amma looks like she might soften, she dies. What follows is an intricate storyline involving property disputes, local dons, supportive aunts, abusive brothers-in-law, all lubricated by generous doses of filter coffee.
This story is equally about Chennai as the people who live there, about what makes a 'Chennaivaasi' and how to become one. It's not just Deborah's journey, it's also Chinamma's, her elderly low-caste maid. The real love story goes beyond Ravi and Deborah's cross-culture bond, beyond Amma and Appa's enduring marriage, to the relationship between the city and its people. The author's own ties to Chennai are obvious, deep and nostalgic, though his dry humour, especially his potshots at caste and politics, saves the book from sentimentality.
Ravi goes to the US to study, meets Deborah at his first job, falls in love, wins her heart. Enter the family. Amma and Appa are strongly against their son marrying a white woman and refuse to meet her, even after the couple move to Chennai in an attempt to win them over. Just when Amma looks like she might soften, she dies. What follows is an intricate storyline involving property disputes, local dons, supportive aunts, abusive brothers-in-law, all lubricated by generous doses of filter coffee.
This story is equally about Chennai as the people who live there, about what makes a 'Chennaivaasi' and how to become one. It's not just Deborah's journey, it's also Chinamma's, her elderly low-caste maid. The real love story goes beyond Ravi and Deborah's cross-culture bond, beyond Amma and Appa's enduring marriage, to the relationship between the city and its people. The author's own ties to Chennai are obvious, deep and nostalgic, though his dry humour, especially his potshots at caste and politics, saves the book from sentimentality.
December 16, 2012
This is not the best novel I've ever read, but it was definitely entertaining. The cross-cultural aspects of the story, in which an American tries to marry into a Tamil Brahmin family in Chennai, are quite realistically portrayed. I like the way that Tirumurti, although writing in English, didn't necessarily intend a non-Indian audience given all of the Tamil words and concepts embedded into the narrative. One definitely needs some insight into the specificity of the language and culture in order to get the gist of the story.
November 10, 2012
Ravi a Tamil Bramhin (TamBram), falls in love with Deborah. To convince the family they land in Chennai. What happens in the end is one needs to read the book. There are several aspects interesting about this book. You can learn certain things about Chennai. How a typical middle class family reacts to certain issues one can get from this book. I really enjoyed the way the book ends.
March 6, 2013
3.5 stars
It was really great to read a poignant and heart warming(even tear jerking)tale set in a part of India which seems wonderfully familiar and reminiscent in a quiet a few scenes.Family centered concept was executed very well.
It was really great to read a poignant and heart warming(even tear jerking)tale set in a part of India which seems wonderfully familiar and reminiscent in a quiet a few scenes.Family centered concept was executed very well.
August 1, 2012
A page turner no doubt and an easy read... Writing style flows very well
May 10, 2014
Nice quick read. English is simple, I read it over the weekend. If you are TamBram, you can relate to it easily.
July 12, 2014
Awesome read! Definitely recommend!
March 18, 2013
Loved it..
June 17, 2013
Enjoyed the writing style plus the cultural aspects depicted . I loved it.!
Displaying 1 - 20 of 20 reviews