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Crowfall
Anima burns her diaries which record the long period of grief and mourning that followed Siddharth’s death in the Bombay riots. Bold lines of black on a blank canvas lead Ashesh to start a new painting. Sharada sings her own composition in the noon raag Shuddh Sarang at an evening concert.
Crowfall unobtrusively follows an eventful year in the lives of a group of friends—a journalist, a teacher, a musician and three painters—in Mumbai. Like the cycle of seasons, love and violence and heartbreak and joy pursue each other. And it is friendship that provides uncompromising solace amidst the ravening pressures of life today in the big city.
Steeped in sensuous detail, Crowfall takes in art and identity, music and communal madness, and the clash of the old and the new to etch a finely nuanced portrait of contemporary Mumbai.
‘Similes, metaphors and extended descriptions . . . hit the mark with fine precision’ —Navshakti
Crowfall unobtrusively follows an eventful year in the lives of a group of friends—a journalist, a teacher, a musician and three painters—in Mumbai. Like the cycle of seasons, love and violence and heartbreak and joy pursue each other. And it is friendship that provides uncompromising solace amidst the ravening pressures of life today in the big city.
Steeped in sensuous detail, Crowfall takes in art and identity, music and communal madness, and the clash of the old and the new to etch a finely nuanced portrait of contemporary Mumbai.
‘Similes, metaphors and extended descriptions . . . hit the mark with fine precision’ —Navshakti
280 pages, Hardcover
First published August 15, 2013
2 people are currently reading
424 people want to read
About the author
Shanta Gokhale
35 books17 followersShanta Gokhale, is an Indian writer, translator, journalist and theatre critic.
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Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews
May 31, 2024
No on understands Mumbaikars and Mumbai like Shanta. What a beautifully written book!
January 23, 2020
When I look back to the books I read last year, Rita Welinkar is one of the prominent highlights. I can't stop recommending it and Shanta Gokhale's work. Crowfall or Tya Varshi is her 2nd fiction(barring her play Avinash). The title is unusual considering it is not the translation of the Marathi title. But the context becomes clear few chapters into the book.
Crowfall follows an year in the life of a set of friends Anima, Ashesh, Haridas, Feroze, Sharada, Shekhar has and Janaki (who joins the group later). The story begins with Anima who is still haunted by her husband Siddharth's unexpected death years ago during the Mumbai riots. Ashesh, Animas brother is a painter struggling to complete his current work. Haridas and Feroze are painters as well, the former very flamboyant with a mysterious background while the latter thrives on his routine. Sharada is a classical singer exploring new avenues to her music with immense support from her husband Shekhar. She has a history with Haridas which is revealed over the course of the story. Janaki a journalist chances upon a meeting with Anima in local train and is drawn into the group.
Set in Mumbai, we follow around their lives ,particularly the art scene, media influence, political consequences. Chronicling their everyday journeys intertwined with their ambitions, griefs, memories . Anima and Ashesh are still trying to recover from their father's disappearance. We hear fondly of Anna , a Gandhian who strived for the betterment of his town Surgaon. Their mother is however polar opposite in views from Anna. Ashesh's past continues to cloud him and he very beautifully describes the color black in the book. I also learnt about the history of Warli art and the commercialization of the same.
Human emotions and art are the focus of the book. I have never been to Mumbai and this painted a beautiful picture of the city and the people for me. It very much felt like something I would reflect on years later with my friends looking back on our journey. Many of the incidents reflect the current society and talk about the turmoil of political situations. This book taught me to respect art and the thought process that goes behind it. I love the sensitivity with which Gokhale handles the plot without it deeming forceful. Highly recommend this book for its beautiful ode to Mumbai and its people.
Rating: 4.25/5
Crowfall follows an year in the life of a set of friends Anima, Ashesh, Haridas, Feroze, Sharada, Shekhar has and Janaki (who joins the group later). The story begins with Anima who is still haunted by her husband Siddharth's unexpected death years ago during the Mumbai riots. Ashesh, Animas brother is a painter struggling to complete his current work. Haridas and Feroze are painters as well, the former very flamboyant with a mysterious background while the latter thrives on his routine. Sharada is a classical singer exploring new avenues to her music with immense support from her husband Shekhar. She has a history with Haridas which is revealed over the course of the story. Janaki a journalist chances upon a meeting with Anima in local train and is drawn into the group.
Set in Mumbai, we follow around their lives ,particularly the art scene, media influence, political consequences. Chronicling their everyday journeys intertwined with their ambitions, griefs, memories . Anima and Ashesh are still trying to recover from their father's disappearance. We hear fondly of Anna , a Gandhian who strived for the betterment of his town Surgaon. Their mother is however polar opposite in views from Anna. Ashesh's past continues to cloud him and he very beautifully describes the color black in the book. I also learnt about the history of Warli art and the commercialization of the same.
Human emotions and art are the focus of the book. I have never been to Mumbai and this painted a beautiful picture of the city and the people for me. It very much felt like something I would reflect on years later with my friends looking back on our journey. Many of the incidents reflect the current society and talk about the turmoil of political situations. This book taught me to respect art and the thought process that goes behind it. I love the sensitivity with which Gokhale handles the plot without it deeming forceful. Highly recommend this book for its beautiful ode to Mumbai and its people.
Rating: 4.25/5
July 24, 2018
What a beautiful book! Brilliantly translated by the author itself. There's no 'plot' - it's just an unravelling of a bunch of friends lives in Bombay. They go back and forth in time. I absolutely love how Shanta Gokhale has depicted human emotions. So well done.
More people should read this book.
More people should read this book.
October 29, 2022
The most beautiful thing I’ve read in a while ! Makes you laugh, cry, smile and frown all at once . A brilliant commentary on the human mind, society, art and politics !
September 6, 2020
Crowfall, Shanta Gokhale’s own translation of her award winning novel Tya Varshi (त्या वर्शी) is an extraordinary piece of writing ...a meditation on art, music, modernism, religion and religious fundamentalism, and ultimately on the state of modern India. Set in Mumbai in the early 2000’s, the novel follows the lives of a group of friends - a teacher, three artists, an Indian classical musician, a journalist , and their families - as they face, alone and collectively, the challenges posed by a society profoundly in flux and families polarized by the tensions between traditional and progressive values. Anima, a teacher, burns the diaries she kept after the death of her husband, Siddharth. Sharada, a Classical Hindustani vocalist, sings a raga at an inappropriate time of day. And Ashesh, Animas brother and a painter - embarks upon a series of canvases which explore the significance of the color black. As in The Empty Room by Pakistani author Sadia Abbas, art is the lens through which these changes are viewed. But unlike the (overly) rich prose and excessive use of metaphors in Abbas’ writing, Gokhale’s work is restrained, spare, and elegant. There is sensuality here, in abundance, but her prose is minimalist and all the more beautiful for being so. Gokhale’s translation seems effortless. This is a deeply Indian novel, one which references a variety of artistic traditions ( from Worli adivasi painting to Mughal miniatures, Raja Ravi Varma’s work, and contemporary Indian artists such as Jamini Roy and Tyab Mehta) and classical literature from the Mahabharata to the Ramayana and lyric poetry from Hindi, Marathi, and Urdu traditions. The musical references also assume at least a rudimentary familiarity with classical Indian music , its Ragas, and its styles such as Khayal, Thumri, and Dhrupad. However non-Indian readers can easily catch up thanks to Wikipedia.
The novels title comes from a scene which transpires early on where two protagonists watch as crows start suddenly falling out of the sky, dead, into their apartment courtyard. They learn the crows are being shot by the watchman. Crows in Indian culture represent messengers between humans and their ancestors and gods. They are speakers of truth. Their death suggests a loss of continuity between modern Indian society and its traditions of plurality and tolerance as well as they say truth itself is manipulated by politicians and the Hindu fundamentalists who are currently ascendant in India.
Mumbai itself figures as a character in this novel. Spanning the posh galleries of South Mumbai to its communities like Dadar, Shivaji Park, and Mahalakshmi, it portrays India’s wealthiest cities manny faces.
In the end however - while encompassing a plethora of themes around art, religion, society, adivasi tribal rights, and politics - I was drawn deeply to the humanism of the main characters of the novel who struggle and succeed against the odds in nurturing their hopes, dreams, and values. In their circle of friendship and love, it is suggested, lies the hope for our resilience and perseverance. 5 stars.
The novels title comes from a scene which transpires early on where two protagonists watch as crows start suddenly falling out of the sky, dead, into their apartment courtyard. They learn the crows are being shot by the watchman. Crows in Indian culture represent messengers between humans and their ancestors and gods. They are speakers of truth. Their death suggests a loss of continuity between modern Indian society and its traditions of plurality and tolerance as well as they say truth itself is manipulated by politicians and the Hindu fundamentalists who are currently ascendant in India.
Mumbai itself figures as a character in this novel. Spanning the posh galleries of South Mumbai to its communities like Dadar, Shivaji Park, and Mahalakshmi, it portrays India’s wealthiest cities manny faces.
In the end however - while encompassing a plethora of themes around art, religion, society, adivasi tribal rights, and politics - I was drawn deeply to the humanism of the main characters of the novel who struggle and succeed against the odds in nurturing their hopes, dreams, and values. In their circle of friendship and love, it is suggested, lies the hope for our resilience and perseverance. 5 stars.
August 6, 2022
Some books leave a lasting impression... This definitely managed that. The mundane and momentous, were both beautifully delivered through the layered storytelling. Definitely an experience worth having.
October 27, 2016
Crowfall is a roller-coaster of a book that takes you through all the highs & lows that love & friendship entail. It has detailed discussions on art - painting & music - how it affects our life, does it need to change with the passing years, the guru-shishya parampara, etc.
Mumbai also forms a main character - its bylanes, bus & train travel, builders grabbing lands, the decrepit mills & my favourite Shivaji Park.
Gokhale weaves a lovely tale which goes back & forth & requires a diligent reading. Some of the interactions between the characters reminded me of my own set of friends. There are so many quote-worthy lines in the book & so many nuances that I need to re-read it to experience the magic again.
The best part is Gokhale wrote the book in Marathi first & then translated it herself into English. I am hoping to read the Marathi version too. It was such a refreshing change to read about the places you know in a book.
Mumbai also forms a main character - its bylanes, bus & train travel, builders grabbing lands, the decrepit mills & my favourite Shivaji Park.
Gokhale weaves a lovely tale which goes back & forth & requires a diligent reading. Some of the interactions between the characters reminded me of my own set of friends. There are so many quote-worthy lines in the book & so many nuances that I need to re-read it to experience the magic again.
The best part is Gokhale wrote the book in Marathi first & then translated it herself into English. I am hoping to read the Marathi version too. It was such a refreshing change to read about the places you know in a book.
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March 31, 2014"Since Gokhale swings back and forth among their lives, the narration is somewhat disruptive. But it can also be seen as a montage of mixed plotlines, or musical movements, or painterly layering. Truly, this is Mumbai redux." - Saleem Peeradina, Siena Heights University
This book was reviewed in the March 2014 issue of World Literature Today. Read the full review by visiting our website: http://bit.ly/1gVsOnX
This book was reviewed in the March 2014 issue of World Literature Today. Read the full review by visiting our website: http://bit.ly/1gVsOnX
Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews