Vanity Bagh

by Anees Salim

Inside every big Indian city, there is a tiny Pakistan.
Inspired by the legend of Abu Hathim, aging don of Vanity
Bagh, Imran Jabbari and his friends form a gang called
5½ Men in their mohalla of Vanity Bagh. They are hired to
dispense a batch of stolen scooters to different corners of the city; not until the city rocks with scooter bombs does Imran realize that they have been involved in a terrorist act.

One of the prime accused in the 11/11 serial blasts, Imran
is destined to live in captivity for the next fourteen years. He kills time plotting jailbreak until he is assigned to the bookmaking section of the prison. The new job equips him with a new facility: each time he opens a book and stares at its blank pages, he sees them scribbled with tales from Vanity Bagh. Imran thus traces the history of animosity between Vanity Bagh, nicknamed Little Pakistan, and Mehendi, a Hindu neighbourhood.

The solitude and reflection that characterize Imran’s
narrative is undercut by communal tension and a simmering
violence. Touched with a wistful small-town feeling in the
midst of a teeming city, Vanity Bagh is a darkly comic tale.

Genres: India, Fiction, Indian Literature, Humor, Asia, Literary Fiction

248 pages, Hardcover

First published April 1, 2013

About the author

Anees Salim is an advertising professional and is employed with Draft FCB Ulka. He loves being invisible and lives with his wife and son in Kochi. Vanity Bagh is his second novel.

Reviews

[VaultOfBooks · Rating 5 out of 5]

By Anees Salim. Grade A+

It is not easy to write a book that represents a religion which has innumerable followers all over the world, is a beautiful faith and is also infamous for the various terrorism attacks.

It is difficult to set the plot of your story amidst the growing Islamic culture in India in order to capture the essence of a faith which is on par with all other religions in the world and yet, stay objective.

It is a hard task to write a novel set in a culture one belongs to, where one’s identity is suspect on the basis of one’s religion and yet, deliver the goods without falling prey to the influence of Islamic fundamentalism.

But, the author of the novel, Anees Salim is successful in portraying ordinary lives of Muslim people without resorting to any sensationalism. He comes out with a story that portrays the life of a group of young Muslim boys living in a mohalla called Vanity Bagh who are ‘inspired by the legend of Abu Hathim, an aging don of Vanity Bagh’ or Little Pakistan as it is referred to.

The protagonist is Imran Jabbari who is part of a gang called ‘5 ½ Men’ comprising of young friends whose only goal in life is to appear to be powerful like dons while leading ordinary lives like in any household irrespective of faith or status.

The story moves slowly, helping the reader to sink his teeth into the plot, chewing the elements that make this novel a simple and abstract one simultaneously. The author’s wit is splendid and pops up when least expected. Here is an example:

(extract)
“Yahya, another one of us with a popular Pakistan name, as you can see, was born dumb. But he was not dumb dumb, he was smart dumb. When the Almighty pressed the mute button on him at the assembly line, He gave Yahya something exceptional in damages, and rolled him out into the noisy world with a set of remarkably big ears that heard things that no one else did: ants marching across asbestos roofs, beetles sneezing…..and even the squeal of the public lavatory door as the ghost of Iskander, a young man who died from having too much of fake cocaine, went in to pee.”

The novel centers around the life of Imran Jabbari who like any other young chap has dreams of his own, albeit a wee bit difficult to accomplish because of various constraints of everyday life. So, what is it that makes this novel different? Well, the gang of 5 ½ Men are unexpectedly caught in a terrorist attack certainly not of their making. Their dreams definitely did not involve becoming terrorists and killing people. All that they wanted was just doing things that would make others think great of them – murderous hatred was never on their agenda. Unfortunately, life does not go as planned and Imran is jailed for fourteen years. Does his jailbreak plot work out? What happens to his friends? How does his family take to this sudden terrorist tag on their son? What of Vanity Bagh? What does the mohalla have to say of it all? What about the scenario in prison? Will the history of Vanity Bagh catch up with Imran? Will the communal unrest and simmering violence destroy the life of an unassuming youngster?

The author’s narrative is like a journey in itself making the reader feel danger lurking in the corner, ready to jump upon you any moment. Read on to know more. Kudos to Anees Salim for writing a novel with a message without sound preaching. Very much needed.





Originally reviewed at Vaultofbooks.com, a close-knit community of fanatical readers. We are looking for perceptive readers who can write well, and we are eager to provide lots of free books in exchange for reviews. Shot us a mail at contact@vaultofbooks.com”

[Deepak Nare · Rating 5 out of 5]

Vanity Bagh is a fictional place clearly mentioned as ‘tiny Pakistan’ in Mangobagh with Mehendi – quite analogues to India – as neighborhood.

Imran Jabbari, accused mastermind of a terrorist plot that shook Mehendi with three scooter bombs, is spending his time in jail, recounting the memory of his hometown Vanity Bagh. The places, the people, their fears, hopes and anxiety. Imran’s plans of escape, his delusions and self-amusing nature make him a great narrator. Also, dispersed tactfully are anecdotes from his friends, foes and strangers, which complete this novel of delicious rendezvous.

Seeing from a distance this book can be labeled as a biography of a young, unemployed Muslim from Pakistan trying to make his stand, expressing his views on India and the rift between two countries, and how it is destroying his life. Where violence has become a routine of our life and nobody feels uncomfortable if accused terrorist is a Muslim, truth is: everyone is caged, on both sides of the boundary. Blinded by hypocritical media, misguided society and deceiving politicians that rule our life.

When I took this book in my hands for the first time, it reminded me of Khushwant Singh’s Train to Pakistan and Ruskin Bond’s A Fight of Pigeons; and one might relate the background. But, the infused dark humor makes it a completely different book I ever came across. Don’t get confused; the stated dark humor doesn’t resemble to that of Christopher Moore (who is the master of this genre IMO), but more to Christopher Buckley and Donald E. Westlake. Noir, subtle and pungent.

Rarely come a book with such story and characters that breaks the conventional approach and writing that redefines tradition. This is one of those books. The way Anees Salim molded this world of Vanity Bagh makes the reader stare in awe. Another best part of this book is that the author never preaches. And the way humor is blended, reader never loses the grip of the characters or maybe it’s the other way around.

One of the most inspiring books in the latest releases of modern fiction. A highly recommended book for anyone who wants to read something worthwhile. Read More..

[Rajat Ubhaykar · Rating 2 out of 5]

Tries real hard to be tragicomic but fails. Too contrived and filled with substandard attempts at humour and gimmicky literary devices. Disappointing because there's some serious meat in the setting of the novel: one of the countless insular "Little Pakistans" scattered across Indian towns.

[Bindu Manoj]

Trying to figure out my reactions....loved his style for sure

[Richa · Rating 5 out of 5]

Many times there are very simple moments that I witness and I feel like putting my experience in words but I stop myself- thinking that what will I say about it that has not been said before. How will I differentiate my description from thousands of others. And in this respect I admire writers for their ingenuity. They describe omnipresent emotions like love, hatred, jealousy,etc. everyday events like sunrise, going to the market, etc. and make each experience their own.

Anees Salim is fabulous in the way he makes you a part of Vanity Bagh, which is a make believe colony from which he hails. His description of the streets, the trees, the lanes, smells everything is so befitting that my dreams are actually taking place in the lanes of Vanity Bagh. And his comic sense is superb. In no book that I have read before was I able to laugh at so many places. His comedy comes from the simple ways in which he describes the idiosyncrasies of the beautifully etched characters.

If you read this book, it won't leave you. And I won't be surprised if you find yourself as much a permanent fixture of Vanity Bagh as I do.

[Marva · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book deserves a second read to go over and reflect and garner the deeper political meanings of the many metaphors. It has housed the Muslim India in it's verbatim heavily reflective of Hyderabad, Old Urban Muslim hubs in it's spatiality, cuisine, clothing, lifestyle, politics to sports. From kebabs to sevens, from madrasas and masjids to 'jihad' speculations, from terrorist tags to bomb blasts, from pride to fear, from audacity to abandonment, from freedom to confinement, it is the ultimate Muslim tale. It is darkly humorous, which is highly hilarious in a way when you consider the language and plot yet comically tragical as it is nothing but reality mirrored. Unlike the light-delightful read like 'Tales from a vending machine', Anees Salim journeys differently in Vanity Bagh. You cannot leave lots of pages without laughter , the least a smile, yet you cannot close it without a choke in throat, a prick of pain at heart.

[Sanuj Najoom · Rating 4 out of 5]

തീവ്രവാദ പ്രവർത്തനത്തിന് സഹായിച്ചതിന് ശിക്ഷിക്കപ്പെട്ട ഇമ്രാൻ ജബ്ബാരിയിലൂടെയാണ് കഥയുടെ ആഖ്യാനം. ജയിലിൽ കഴിയുമ്പോൾ പുറത്തുണ്ടായിരുന്ന തന്റെ മുൻകാല ജീവിതത്തെപ്പറ്റിയുള്ള ഓർമ്മയിലൂടെയാണ് കഥ മുന്നോട്ടു നീങ്ങുന്നത്.

ഏറെയും മുസ്ലീങ്ങൾ തിങ്ങിപ്പാർക്കുന്ന കൊച്ചു-പാകിസ്ഥാൻ എന്ന് വിളിപ്പേരുള്ള വാനിറ്റി ബാഗ് എന്ന ഇമ്രാന്റെ  തെരുവിന്റെയും, അവിടുത്തെ താനടങ്ങുന്ന അഞ്ചരക്കൂട്ടം എന്ന ഗ്യാങ്ങിന്റെയും അവരുടെ ജീവിതവും, അതിലെ അപ്രതീക്ഷിത സംഭവവികാസങ്ങളുമാണ് പുസ്തകത്തിന്റെ ഉള്ളടക്കം.
വാനിറ്റി ബാഗും ഹിന്ദുക്കൾ ഏറെയുള്ള തൊട്ടടുത്ത മെഹന്ദി തെരുവും കാലങ്ങളായി തമ്മിൽ നിലനിന്നിരുന്ന സാമുദായിക സ്പർധ ഭീകരമായ ആക്രമണത്തിലേക്ക് പോയ ചരിത്രവും നിലനിൽക്കുന്നു.
അബൂ ഹാത്തിം എന്ന പഴയ ഗുണ്ടാതലവന്റെ ധീരതകൾ കേട്ട് വളർന്ന ഇമ്രാൻ ജബ്ബാരിയും കൂട്ടുകാരും എങ്ങനെയും ഹാത്തിമിനെ പോലെയാകണമെന്നുള്ള ആഗ്രഹത്തിൽ നിന്നാണ് അഞ്ചരക്കൂട്ടം എന്ന ഗ്യാങ്ങുണ്ടാക്കുന്നത്. മുന്നോട്ടുള്ള പാതയിൽ അവരറിയാതെതന്നെ അവിടെ നടക്കുന്ന സ്ഫോടനപരമ്പരയിൽ ബന്ധപെട്ടു അവരുടെ ജീവിതവും തകർന്നടിയുന്നു.

വാനിറ്റി ബാഗിൽ സംഭവിക്കുന്നതെല്ലാം നമ്മുടെ മുന്നിൽ നടക്കുന്ന കാഴ്ചകൾ പോലെ വിവരിക്കാൻ കഥാകൃത്തിനായി. മുൻപ് വിവർത്തനങ്ങൾ ചിലതു വായിച്ചപ്പോൾ ഉണ്ടായ കല്ലുകടി ഇതിൽ അനുഭവപ്പെട്ടില്ല. എന്നാലും ഇംഗ്ലീഷ് തന്നെ വായിക്കുന്നതാവും നല്ലത് എന്നാണ് തോന്നുന്നത്.

ആദ്യമായാണ് അനീസ് സലീമിനെ വായിക്കുന്നത് അദ്ദേഹത്തിന്റെ ഈ കഥപറയുന്ന രീതിയും ഇതിലെ തമാശകളും വായനക്കാരെ പിടിച്ചിരുത്തി വായിപ്പിക്കും. പുസ്തകത്തിലുടനീളം രസകരമായതും കഥയോട്ചേർത്ത് ചിന്തിപ്പിക്കുന്നതുമായ ഉദ്ധരണികളും വാക്യങ്ങളും കഥയുടെ ആസ്വാദനം വർധിപ്പിച്ചു.

[Athul Domichen · Rating 3 out of 5]

Vanity Bagh tells the story of a young man who is convicted of aiding a terrorist act, who spends his days in jail, and remembers his life outside. Vanity Bagh is the name of the Mohalla he lived in. The unique thing about this short novel is the use of 'quotes' in various situations. There were quotes from famous people to tiny characters from the novel itself. They all aid the storyline and make the story move forward within those short words. Vanity Bagh could be a symbol of any place in India, where there are clear demarcations in localities due to communal politics and religious divisions. The novel has a good flow to it and the narrative has been kept interesting by going back and forth the life of the protagonist. A good passing read.

[Praveen Peethambaran · Rating 4 out of 5]

About a mohalla known as 'little pakisthan' and its undercurrents where religion is a predominant player. A deep and detailed depiction of certain unfortunate souls, who were unknowingly forced to do a heinous crime...
And the question that whos wrong and whos right, still remains at large.
Anees Salim's story telling is very unique.

[Nethra Ram · Rating 5 out of 5]

Simply one of the best books I've read this year, and one of the best books I've read, written by an Indian author. Such fantastic dark humour, wit and satire. Just brilliant! Plus there's a tree in this book called Franklin. Sold!

[Prateek · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book felt like a breeze while reading. Vanity Bagh is a place where one can find typical muslim characters. Author has plotted a simple narrative and added twist of humour in its dark shades.

I loved the quotes in between the chapters.

[Shynil Hashim · Rating 3 out of 5]

I would rate it at 3.5.

[Pradeep E · Rating 5 out of 5]

Inside every big Indian city, there is a little Pakistan, says the protagonist at one point. Inspired by the local aging don of Vanity Bagh, Imran Jabbari and his friends form a gang called 51⁄2 Men in their mohalla of Vanity Bagh. Anees Salim's tale of Imran Jabbari and his friends - all named after Pakistani political figures - Zulfiqar, Zia, Navaz Sharif, Jinnah and the mute Yahya (making up the half member), is suffused with dark humour.

Imran’s world is set in a fictional place called Mangobad which could be practically anywhere in the country. The religious skirmishes, the joys, the sorrows, the politics, the underworld, the Indo-Pak cricket matches are all littered across the book.

Vanity Bagh tells a gripping story of an accidental terrorist in contemporary small-town India and blends it in with such great amusement that it hard not to love this fantastic concoction of pathos and humour! A tragedy can be heavy reading but Anees (as always) manages to get across the message without sermonising or making it a poignant tale. Maybe messages work better when dipped in humour - the absurdity of the misfortunes make it more bearable..

[Alma Anvar · Rating 4 out of 5]

Vanity Bagh revolves around the story of a small town in India called tiny Pakistan. The author provides vivid imagery of the landscapes and its people with its own craze for cricket, politics and religious encounters.

[Book'd Hitu · Rating 5 out of 5]

My first read by Anees Salim and I totally loved it.
He's an expert story teller without a doubt.
Great way of writing with a sensitive subject. Nicely woven story with darker side of humor makes this book a special read of this year for me.

[Rachana · Rating 4 out of 5]

An entertaining read! One of those few books written by Indian authors that aren't laden with use of heavy language. Simple story and narrating style, the subtle humor in the descriptions kept me smiling throughout the story. Fast paced, it can be finished in a day. A must read for anyone looking for a quick and entertaining read.
The story is about a local Muslim boy getting caught in a blast investigation. Doesn't really try to paint a poignant picture of the blast/investigation/boy. The author isn't trying to side with any religion/party in the story. The blast, religion etc just gives a situation apt to write a story. The central character talks about how he misses his locality while sitting in the jail. His random musings about the book-room, where he is working while in the jail, the warden, his jail-break plan that last only for few paras and his flashback memories of his life in Vanity Bagh forms the essence of the story.

[Dev · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was lucky enough to win this novel in the goodreads giveaway,
I am thankfull to the author and goodreads for the same.
Top start with, I would like to tell that this is that kind of book which you pick with very low expectations and get stunned by its sheer brilliance both in the placement of plot and characterization. The plot revolves around a mini Pakistan in India and the depiction of the same is of the state of the art level. If you have been/seen any such place in your life the memories of the same strike you instantly while going through the pages of this creation of Anees Salim and you start relating to the environment, the characters.
For me it was a great read. I recommend it for every one who is willing to have a unique and contemporary reading experience.

[Nadira Cotticollan · Rating 5 out of 5]

" In black humor, topics and events that are usually regarded as taboo, specifically those related to death, are treated in an unusually humorous or satirical manner while retaining their seriousness; the intent of black comedy, therefore, is often for the audience to experience both laughter and discomfort, sometimes simultaneously. ”

So goes the description of black humour in the Wikipedia. If a literature student wanted to lay hands on a book in this genre, contextual to our times, Vanity Bagh” by Anees Salim would be a most appropriate one .

Six muslim youth, aspiring to attain the hieghts of notoriety of the local don, Abu Hathim, form an allegiance and wait for their moments of specious glory, meeting daily on the stairway of the mosque in their mohallah, Vanity Bagh, of which Bushra Jabbari, the mother of the narrator of this story had said,”The moment the rikshaw stopped, your abba had said, This is Vanity bagh, where we will build our home and make it heaven-like”. She would later speak of the row of dusty green colonaded structures with balconies made of wood and railings of wrought iron, “In my memory these buildings haven’t changed a bit in thirty years”.

Bushra Jabbari and her husband, the Imam of the local mosque , would never have foreseen that their son, Imraan Jabbari, would be incarcerated for fourteen years , having been judged guilty of having triggered off the deaths in the 11/11 scooter bomb blasts. Neither had Imraan Jabbari and his five other friends expected the twists in the tales of their macho manhood that they were scripting for themselves. Yes , they had names of famous Pakistani personalities …Imran, Zia, Zulfikar, Jinnah, Yahya and Nawaz Sharif. Yes, their Mohallah had earned the nickname “little Pakistan” after a riot had broken out outside the hair-dressing salon of Sharif Khan, when he and some others had started to celebrate Pakistan’s victory in the world cup by bursting crackers. But all that these youngsters had wanted, was to do what Abu Hathim had done when he was their age,”guarding their mohallah, being saluted by the mohallah-wallahs, collecting haftah, being salaamed by the mohalla-wallahs, making a fortune, being salaamed by the mohallah-wallahs , beating up the mohalla-wallahs , being salaamed still more by them ” and so on. Jihad was not on their minds.

It is indeed a feat to handle a subject ,so sensitive in these times, in a way that even the grimmest of situations is presented thus, that makes you smile.The narrative is interspersed with quotes from members of the mohallah and from the English films that the youngsters watched, mostly on the VCD, after Nawaz Sharif’s Abba pulled down the shutters of the salon for the day, which chips away at the darkness of the situation and lends a lightness , even as it evokes discomfiture in the reader.

And then there is Shair Shoukath , who deliciously steals lines from others and makes it his own , with a flourish , much to the grief of Professor Suleiman Ilahi and Rustom Sahib, the other members of the local Poetry club..

“Cowards die many times before their death. The valiant never taste of death, but once”-Shair Shoukath
“Now you are stealing from Shakespeare.That’s improvement.”-Professor Suleiman
“That’s Shakespeare? Sure? I thought Majrooh Sultanpuri wrote that” -RustomSahib.

I had watched the film “Shahid” , last night , produced by Anurag Kahsyap and directed by Hansal Mehta. It is based on the real life story of Shahid Azmi, who had enrolled himself in a jihadi training camp after witnessing a riot in which many of his community had been butchered and burnt alive , but had fled from there , unable to assimilate the violence the jihadis professed and practiced. He was imprisoned for his suspected terrorist links and spent many years inside. He picks up his life however, goes on to become a lawyer and decides to take up cases of innocents who are jailed on the flimsiest of reasons under the TADA. Shahid himself was murdered. In the short time that he had practised as an activist lawyer, he had acquired eleven acquittals.

The film had many undertones as does this novel, both pointing to a situation that has loads to despair about. But while the film never for a moment lets go of the seriousness of its tone, albeit very well executed, ” Vanity Bagh ” grips your attention with a kind of seeming flippancy which in fact adds to its poignancy.

vanity-bagh-review

The figure that remains starkly etched in my mind is that of the Imam , Imran Jabbaris’ father.

“The only time he wanted to be a human bomb was when Ammi came back from Haja stores on the eve of Eid with too many shopping bags and a Chiese umbrella. He frowned at the bags and announced it was time he took Khomeini sahib’s fatwa seriously and blew himself up when Rushdie was around so that Ammi and the rest of us could wallow in the same degree of luxury Mr. Mir sahib’s wife and children were spoilt with “, narrates Imran Jabbari.

He, who rendered the azan in his own inimitable style “that made the mohallwalahs wonder whether to laugh or complain to the Muslim Welfare Board” , had later on started to dread it. ” He dreaded the azan, something he used to love so dearly and with his own sense of rhythm that Wasim and I used to blush when the muezzin’s call drifted across the mohallah. He now feared his voice would be met with boos from the street. He had five three minute ordeals to live through everyday”.

That kind of summed up the tragedy of religion gone awry, of ghettoisation, of politics that fanned hatred , of our loss of empathy and inclusiveness , of the mistrust on both sides, of the resultant belligerance.

It is not a story of hope, Anees Salim had warned us. It isn’t .

[Dhaval · Rating 5 out of 5]

Anees Salim, you genius story teller!
You have fictionally retold the story of Mumbai bomb blast with utmost precision, and in the funniest way possible.
Right from naming of characters based on Pakistani politician and cricketers to telling a story keeping the subtlest feature of a poor Indian Muslim's life...you have created a riotous canvas of amazing story.
Thanks for writing Vanitybagh, I will be damned if I don't read your other books now!
You are a "true creative".

[Anandh Sundar · Rating 4 out of 5]

The book was quite good.finished reading it long back but could pen a review just now. The narrative style(first person) was a bit different from the stuff I usually read, but once I began reading it was hooked on to it. Its a good mix of a travelogue, demographic narrative and history merged into one book. Read it, atleast for the authors wit

[Monib · Rating 5 out of 5]

I would have given this book a four star but for the last few pages which were deeply moving. I found the narrative particularly engrossing and the quotes that appear throughout the text are a master touch. The ending as it dawned, mixed with strange emotions and thoughts really took me by surprise.

[Anil Swarup · Rating 4 out of 5]

Amazing narration. The ease with which the author paints helplessness with a tinge of humour is quite unprecedented. There is an undertone of communal tension but what is really remarkable that he keeps it matter-of-fact with a tinge of poignancy that flows quite naturally as a part of the plot. Perhaps the most touching is the last meeting of the chief protagonist with his father.

[P · Rating 2 out of 5]

Unconvincing setting (they mythical Vanity Bagh sounds more like Kochi than Bombay)and the plot is a quite pointless imitation of The Reluctant Fundamentalist and The Case of Exploding Mangoes; repetitive jokes, one-dimensional characters and listless style make this a forgettable novel.

[Sampath · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved the quotes and sentence after sentence of witty nonchalant humor throughout the book. Will make a solid bollywood movie with Nawaz Siddiqui in lead role. Must read if you want to understand India in its various avatars.

[Dileep · Rating 3 out of 5]

Anees Salim's Vanity Bagh is an easy read if you want to have a break from some heavy reading. The narration of the story is good and so is the plot. But there is nothing special about the book to recommend it. Go for it if you want to get a feel of a different kind of narration.

[Sudama Panigrahi · Rating 4 out of 5]

Brilliant monologues...as past and present play hide and seek in the blank pages of books in the Book room of jail.

[Sadiq Kazi · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very under-rated! Very impressive! Exposes you to a life in a ghetto, and life in prison...and there's not much difference between the two!

[Mandira Shah · Rating 4 out of 5]

Just makes you aware of the hopeless state of affairs without being overtly sentimental about it! Pretty good!!

[Lalit · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great read, refreshing style of simple writing and new take on how next door unemployed easy going guy can easily fall prey to the dark sides ambition.

[Vinayak Pattar · Rating 4 out of 5]

Book of humor that tells you the story of a terror, Great style of writing and a good end to the book though it may seem boring in between, definitely worth reading if you are reading it till end.