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The Music of Solitude
They are solitary—they live all by themselves. They have met at a juncture in their lives where special friendships like theirs are unheard of in a city like Delhi.
Aranya and Ishan are neighbours. She is impulsive, anarchic and fiercely feminist while he is gentle, Asensitive, orderly and believes in the institution of family, even though he has no one to call his own. In the course of her thoughts, Aranya moves from one Delhi to another, to finally settle in a trans-Yamuna residential complex, the older Delhis glimmering on the other side of the river. Ishan, on the other hand, is deeply spiritual and draws strength from his Danish guide in the Himalayas. In the autumn of their lives, Aranya and Ishan banter about time, existentialism, changing cities, food, music and people in general. They think aloud about living and dying. Sometimes they speculate on whether what they are doing amounts to biding time.
A novel about sharing solitudes and growing old in a city keenly private and aggressively collective at once, Krishna Sobti’s The Music of Solitude is a portrait of changing times and the story of a beautiful romance that thrives on companionship.
Aranya and Ishan are neighbours. She is impulsive, anarchic and fiercely feminist while he is gentle, Asensitive, orderly and believes in the institution of family, even though he has no one to call his own. In the course of her thoughts, Aranya moves from one Delhi to another, to finally settle in a trans-Yamuna residential complex, the older Delhis glimmering on the other side of the river. Ishan, on the other hand, is deeply spiritual and draws strength from his Danish guide in the Himalayas. In the autumn of their lives, Aranya and Ishan banter about time, existentialism, changing cities, food, music and people in general. They think aloud about living and dying. Sometimes they speculate on whether what they are doing amounts to biding time.
A novel about sharing solitudes and growing old in a city keenly private and aggressively collective at once, Krishna Sobti’s The Music of Solitude is a portrait of changing times and the story of a beautiful romance that thrives on companionship.
168 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2000
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About the author
कृष्णा सोबती
21 books50 followersकृष्णा सोबती (१८ फ़रवरी १९२५, गुजरात (अब पाकिस्तान में)) हिन्दी की कल्पितार्थ (फिक्शन) एवं निबन्ध लेखिका हैं। उन्हें १९८० में साहित्य अकादमी पुरस्कार तथा १९९६ में साहित्य अकादमी अध्येतावृत्ति से सम्मानित किया गया था। अपनी संयमित अभिव्यक्ति और सुथरी रचनात्मकता के लिए जानी जाती हैं। उन्होंने हिंदी की कथा भाषा को विलक्षण ताज़गी़ दी है। उनके भाषा संस्कार के घनत्व, जीवन्त प्रांजलता और संप्रेषण ने हमारे समय के कई पेचीदा सत्य उजागर किए हैं।
कृष्णा सोबती का जन्म गुजरात में 18 फरवरी 1925 को हुआ था। विभाजन के बाद वे दिल्ली में आकर बस गईं और तब से यही रहकर साहित्य सेवा कर रही हैं। उन्हें 1980 में 'जिन्दी नामा' के लिए साहित्य अकादमी पुरस्कार मिला था। 1996 में उन्हें साहित्य अकादमी का फेलो बनाया गया जो अकादमी का सर्वोच्च सम्मान है। 2017 में इन्हें भारतीय साहित्य के सर्वोच्च सम्मान "ज्ञानपीठ पुरस्कार" से सम्मानित किया गया है। ये फिक्शन की लेखक हैं।
कार्यक्षेत्र
‘बादलों के घेरे’, ‘डार से बिछुड़ी’, ‘तीन पहाड़’ एवं ‘मित्रो मरजानी’ कहानी संग्रहों में कृष्णा सोबती ने नारी को अश्लीलता की कुंठित राष्ट्र को अभिभूत कर सकने में सक्षम अपसंस्कृति के बल-संबल के साथ ऐसा उभारा है कि साधारण पाठक हतप्रभ तक हो सकता है। ‘सिक्का बदल गया’, ‘बदली बरस गई’ जैसी कहानियाँ भी तेज़ी-तुर्शी में पीछे नहीं। उनकी हिम्मत की दाद देने वालों में अंग्रेज़ी की अश्लीलता के स्पर्श से उत्तेजित सामान्यजन पत्रकारिता एवं मांसलता से प्रतप्त त्वरित लेखन के आचार्य खुशवंत सिंह तक ने सराहा है। पंजाबी कथाकार मूलस्थानों की परिस्थितियों के कारण संस्कारत: मुस्लिम-अभिभूत रहे हैं। दूसरे, हिन्दू-निन्दा नेहरू से अर्जुन सिंह तक बड़े-छोटे नेताओं को प्रभावित करने का लाभप्रद-फलप्रद उपादान भी रही है। नामवर सिंह ने, कृष्णा सोबती के उपन्यास ‘डार से बिछुड़ी’ और ‘मित्रो मरजानी’ का उल्लेख मात्र किया है और सोबती को उन उपन्यासकारों की पंक्ति में गिनाया है, जिनकी रचनाओं में कहीं वैयक्तिक तो कहीं पारिवारिक-सामाजिक विषमताओं का प्रखर विरोध मिलता है। इन सभी के बावजूद ऐसे समीक्षकों की भी कमी नहीं है, जिन्होंने ‘ज़िन्दगीनामा’ की पर्याप्त प्रशंसा की है। डॉ. देवराज उपाध्याय के अनुसार-‘यदि किसी को पंजाब प्रदेश की संस्कृति, रहन-सहन, चाल-ढाल, रीति-रिवाज की जानकारी प्राप्त करनी हो, इतिहास की बात’ जाननी हो, वहाँ की दन्त कथाओं, प्रचलित लोकोक्तियों तथा 18वीं, 19वीं शताब्दी की प्रवृत्तियों से अवगत होने की इच्छा हो, तो ‘ज़िन्दगीनामा’ से अन्यत्र जाने की ज़रूरत नहीं।
पाठकों की कथाकार
उनकी लंबी कहानी ‘मित्रो मरजानी’ के प्रकाशन के साथ कृष्णा सोबती पर हिंदी कथा-साहित्य के पाठक फ़िदा हो उठे थे. ऐसा इसलिए नहीं हुआ था कि वे साहित्य और देह के वर्जित प्रदेश की यात्रा की ओर निकल पड़ी थीं बल्कि उनकी महिलाएं ऐसी थीं जो कस्बों और शहरों में दिख तो रही थीं, लेकिन जिनका नाम लेने से लोग डरते थे.
यह मजबूत और प्यार करने वाली महिलाएं थीं जिनसे आज़ादी के बाद के भारत में एक खास किस्म की नेहरूवियन नैतिकता से घिरे पढ़े-लिखे लोगों को डर लगता था. कृष्णा सोबती का कथा साहित्य उन्हें इस भय से मुक्त कर रहा था.
महात्मा गांधी अंतरराष्ट्रीय हिंदी विश्वविद्यालय, वर्धा में पढ़ाई कर रहे अंकेश मद्धेशिया कहते हैं, ‘उन की नायिकाएं अपने प्रेम और अपने शरीर की जरूरतों के प्रति किसी भी तरह के संकोच या अपराधबोध में पड़ने वाली नहीं थीं. आज तो यौन जीवन के अनुभवों पर बहुत सी कहानियां लिखी जा रही हैं पर आज से चार-पांच दशक पहले इस तरह का लेखन बहुत ही साहसिक कदम था.’
वास्तव में कथाकार अपने विषय और उससे बर्ताव में न केवल अपने आपको मुक्त करता है, बल्कि वह पाठकों की मुक्ति का भी कारण बनता है. उन्हें पढ़कर हिंदी का वह पाठक जिसने किसी हिंदी विभाग में पढ़ाई नहीं की थी लेकिन अपने चारों तरफ हो रहे बदलावों को समझना चाहता था.
वह चाहता था कि वह सब कुछ कह दे जो ‘बादलों के घेरे में’ कहानी का नैरेटर मन्नू से कहना चाहता था. अपने मन में बस रही एक समानांतर दुनिया से मुक्ति के लिए कृष्णा सोबती की कहानियां मन में धंस जाती थीं.
विवाद
इनकी कहानियों को लेकर काफ़ी विवाद हुआ। विवाद का कारण इनकी मांसलता है। स्त्री होकर ऐसा साहसी लेखन करना सभी लेखिकाओं के लिए सम्भव नहीं है। डॉ. रामप्रसाद मिश्र ने कृष्णा सोबती की चर्चा करते हुए दो टूक शब्दों में लिखा है: उनके ‘ज़िन्दगीनामा’ जैसे उपन्यास और ‘मित्रो मरजानी’ जैसे कहानी संग्रहों में मांसलता को भारी उभार दिया गया है। केशव प्रसाद मिश्र जैसे आधे-अधूरे सैक्सी कहानीकार भी कोसों पीछे छूट गए। बात यह है कि साधारण शरीर की ‘अकेली’ क
कृष्णा सोबती का जन्म गुजरात में 18 फरवरी 1925 को हुआ था। विभाजन के बाद वे दिल्ली में आकर बस गईं और तब से यही रहकर साहित्य सेवा कर रही हैं। उन्हें 1980 में 'जिन्दी नामा' के लिए साहित्य अकादमी पुरस्कार मिला था। 1996 में उन्हें साहित्य अकादमी का फेलो बनाया गया जो अकादमी का सर्वोच्च सम्मान है। 2017 में इन्हें भारतीय साहित्य के सर्वोच्च सम्मान "ज्ञानपीठ पुरस्कार" से सम्मानित किया गया है। ये फिक्शन की लेखक हैं।
कार्यक्षेत्र
‘बादलों के घेरे’, ‘डार से बिछुड़ी’, ‘तीन पहाड़’ एवं ‘मित्रो मरजानी’ कहानी संग्रहों में कृष्णा सोबती ने नारी को अश्लीलता की कुंठित राष्ट्र को अभिभूत कर सकने में सक्षम अपसंस्कृति के बल-संबल के साथ ऐसा उभारा है कि साधारण पाठक हतप्रभ तक हो सकता है। ‘सिक्का बदल गया’, ‘बदली बरस गई’ जैसी कहानियाँ भी तेज़ी-तुर्शी में पीछे नहीं। उनकी हिम्मत की दाद देने वालों में अंग्रेज़ी की अश्लीलता के स्पर्श से उत्तेजित सामान्यजन पत्रकारिता एवं मांसलता से प्रतप्त त्वरित लेखन के आचार्य खुशवंत सिंह तक ने सराहा है। पंजाबी कथाकार मूलस्थानों की परिस्थितियों के कारण संस्कारत: मुस्लिम-अभिभूत रहे हैं। दूसरे, हिन्दू-निन्दा नेहरू से अर्जुन सिंह तक बड़े-छोटे नेताओं को प्रभावित करने का लाभप्रद-फलप्रद उपादान भी रही है। नामवर सिंह ने, कृष्णा सोबती के उपन्यास ‘डार से बिछुड़ी’ और ‘मित्रो मरजानी’ का उल्लेख मात्र किया है और सोबती को उन उपन्यासकारों की पंक्ति में गिनाया है, जिनकी रचनाओं में कहीं वैयक्तिक तो कहीं पारिवारिक-सामाजिक विषमताओं का प्रखर विरोध मिलता है। इन सभी के बावजूद ऐसे समीक्षकों की भी कमी नहीं है, जिन्होंने ‘ज़िन्दगीनामा’ की पर्याप्त प्रशंसा की है। डॉ. देवराज उपाध्याय के अनुसार-‘यदि किसी को पंजाब प्रदेश की संस्कृति, रहन-सहन, चाल-ढाल, रीति-रिवाज की जानकारी प्राप्त करनी हो, इतिहास की बात’ जाननी हो, वहाँ की दन्त कथाओं, प्रचलित लोकोक्तियों तथा 18वीं, 19वीं शताब्दी की प्रवृत्तियों से अवगत होने की इच्छा हो, तो ‘ज़िन्दगीनामा’ से अन्यत्र जाने की ज़रूरत नहीं।
पाठकों की कथाकार
उनकी लंबी कहानी ‘मित्रो मरजानी’ के प्रकाशन के साथ कृष्णा सोबती पर हिंदी कथा-साहित्य के पाठक फ़िदा हो उठे थे. ऐसा इसलिए नहीं हुआ था कि वे साहित्य और देह के वर्जित प्रदेश की यात्रा की ओर निकल पड़ी थीं बल्कि उनकी महिलाएं ऐसी थीं जो कस्बों और शहरों में दिख तो रही थीं, लेकिन जिनका नाम लेने से लोग डरते थे.
यह मजबूत और प्यार करने वाली महिलाएं थीं जिनसे आज़ादी के बाद के भारत में एक खास किस्म की नेहरूवियन नैतिकता से घिरे पढ़े-लिखे लोगों को डर लगता था. कृष्णा सोबती का कथा साहित्य उन्हें इस भय से मुक्त कर रहा था.
महात्मा गांधी अंतरराष्ट्रीय हिंदी विश्वविद्यालय, वर्धा में पढ़ाई कर रहे अंकेश मद्धेशिया कहते हैं, ‘उन की नायिकाएं अपने प्रेम और अपने शरीर की जरूरतों के प्रति किसी भी तरह के संकोच या अपराधबोध में पड़ने वाली नहीं थीं. आज तो यौन जीवन के अनुभवों पर बहुत सी कहानियां लिखी जा रही हैं पर आज से चार-पांच दशक पहले इस तरह का लेखन बहुत ही साहसिक कदम था.’
वास्तव में कथाकार अपने विषय और उससे बर्ताव में न केवल अपने आपको मुक्त करता है, बल्कि वह पाठकों की मुक्ति का भी कारण बनता है. उन्हें पढ़कर हिंदी का वह पाठक जिसने किसी हिंदी विभाग में पढ़ाई नहीं की थी लेकिन अपने चारों तरफ हो रहे बदलावों को समझना चाहता था.
वह चाहता था कि वह सब कुछ कह दे जो ‘बादलों के घेरे में’ कहानी का नैरेटर मन्नू से कहना चाहता था. अपने मन में बस रही एक समानांतर दुनिया से मुक्ति के लिए कृष्णा सोबती की कहानियां मन में धंस जाती थीं.
विवाद
इनकी कहानियों को लेकर काफ़ी विवाद हुआ। विवाद का कारण इनकी मांसलता है। स्त्री होकर ऐसा साहसी लेखन करना सभी लेखिकाओं के लिए सम्भव नहीं है। डॉ. रामप्रसाद मिश्र ने कृष्णा सोबती की चर्चा करते हुए दो टूक शब्दों में लिखा है: उनके ‘ज़िन्दगीनामा’ जैसे उपन्यास और ‘मित्रो मरजानी’ जैसे कहानी संग्रहों में मांसलता को भारी उभार दिया गया है। केशव प्रसाद मिश्र जैसे आधे-अधूरे सैक्सी कहानीकार भी कोसों पीछे छूट गए। बात यह है कि साधारण शरीर की ‘अकेली’ क
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November 25, 2019
"Look for the tumult in the silence within yourself. That's where you will find your story."
"If you keep looking for glitter outside, the one inside will be forgotten."
"The body rides on the wings of change in order to live."
"Is disappearing into the limitless, into Shunyata, the destiny of mankind?"
"Are comforts the same as happiness?"
"The impression of experience can never let the mind know the intense bliss of innocence."
The music of solitude is a soothing love song that one wishes would never end. In the autumn of their life, Aranya and Ishan come to know each other as neighbors and then as friends and eventually in their shared solitude as they revisit their pasts, observe their present, discuss philosophy and the ways in which both come from distinct schools of thoughts, something tender and beautiful blooms between two souls.
Krishna Sobti builds her characters and incidents with fluidity of life as it unfolds over numerous cups of tea served with cookies and cakes. Just like its protagonists, the story is in no rush to reach any conclusion or a definite end. The celebrated author brings out various moods - melancholy, warmth, romance, contentment, vulnerability, anger, irritations, urges to provoke the other that influence the colors of their conversations.
The music of solitude is philosophically heavy material that feels as light as a feather, while it pours itself in the mind of the reader. Originally written in Hindi, Vasudha Dalmia's English translation works perfectly n terms of its effect. However I found myself wishing that the translator had given more emphasis on using punctuation marks. The book more than redeems itself for that one drawback by its intricately woven conversations and its slowly evolving characters with dense strokes of individuality.
The Music of Solitude is an immensely beautiful and profound read...
"If you keep looking for glitter outside, the one inside will be forgotten."
"The body rides on the wings of change in order to live."
"Is disappearing into the limitless, into Shunyata, the destiny of mankind?"
"Are comforts the same as happiness?"
"The impression of experience can never let the mind know the intense bliss of innocence."
The music of solitude is a soothing love song that one wishes would never end. In the autumn of their life, Aranya and Ishan come to know each other as neighbors and then as friends and eventually in their shared solitude as they revisit their pasts, observe their present, discuss philosophy and the ways in which both come from distinct schools of thoughts, something tender and beautiful blooms between two souls.
Krishna Sobti builds her characters and incidents with fluidity of life as it unfolds over numerous cups of tea served with cookies and cakes. Just like its protagonists, the story is in no rush to reach any conclusion or a definite end. The celebrated author brings out various moods - melancholy, warmth, romance, contentment, vulnerability, anger, irritations, urges to provoke the other that influence the colors of their conversations.
The music of solitude is philosophically heavy material that feels as light as a feather, while it pours itself in the mind of the reader. Originally written in Hindi, Vasudha Dalmia's English translation works perfectly n terms of its effect. However I found myself wishing that the translator had given more emphasis on using punctuation marks. The book more than redeems itself for that one drawback by its intricately woven conversations and its slowly evolving characters with dense strokes of individuality.
The Music of Solitude is an immensely beautiful and profound read...
January 10, 2023
"Are comforts the same as happiness?"
This was my first book by the author, Krishna Sobti is considered the grand dame of Hindi literature. This book is like a silent river, it just flows effortlessly.
The Music of Solitude tells the narrative of Aranya and Ishan, two old persons who live next door to each other. They both live alone. They go on walks together, share meals, pay visits to friends and acquaintances, and talk. But there's an issue running through their wanderings, a formidable existential crisis – what do you live for when the end of your life is the next thing?
Despite their personalities' contrasts and their polite acceptance of one another's refusal to change in their personal autumns, they discover a different depth of truth via one another's lives—the truth about themselves, rather than the truth about the world.
There are a few other stories of common friends that affect them and also impacted me as a reader. There is no question of right and wrong, life usually happens somewhere in between. The music of solitude is full of philosophy and existential questions and yet feels light as a whisper as it seeps into the reader's consciousness.
As my first read of the year, I am happy I found this.
Highly Recommended, a must-read.
happy reading!!
This was my first book by the author, Krishna Sobti is considered the grand dame of Hindi literature. This book is like a silent river, it just flows effortlessly.
The Music of Solitude tells the narrative of Aranya and Ishan, two old persons who live next door to each other. They both live alone. They go on walks together, share meals, pay visits to friends and acquaintances, and talk. But there's an issue running through their wanderings, a formidable existential crisis – what do you live for when the end of your life is the next thing?
Despite their personalities' contrasts and their polite acceptance of one another's refusal to change in their personal autumns, they discover a different depth of truth via one another's lives—the truth about themselves, rather than the truth about the world.
There are a few other stories of common friends that affect them and also impacted me as a reader. There is no question of right and wrong, life usually happens somewhere in between. The music of solitude is full of philosophy and existential questions and yet feels light as a whisper as it seeps into the reader's consciousness.
As my first read of the year, I am happy I found this.
Highly Recommended, a must-read.
happy reading!!
July 15, 2020
"Is disappearing into the limitless, into Shunyata, the destiny of mankind?" -Krishna Sobti, The Music Of Solitude.
How do you describe or review a book which seems like a page straight out of real life? Sobti manages to design this bitter truth of life intricately for the readers and sends us reeling into a long silence drowned into noise of our own thoughts.
The book is neither a character driven nor a plot driven work, just a sensitive and observative contemplation of life towards its end stage. The central characters Aranya and Ishan are what can be described as stark opposites to each other yet walking through this phase hand in hand.
Aranya to me was the milder version of Howard Roark from 'The Fountainhead', a firm believer of the individual vs society mindset, trying to strike down every cliched notion while Ishan was this grounded, God fearing, 'holding family values over everything' character.
Sobti manages to write out this very philosophical meditation of a book, with touches of spirituality and dissection of changing dynamics in family relations. Aging of the human form, the cities, societal norms are laid down aptly.
The common theme of course is the solitude humans face in the old age even when surrounded by family. Snippets of various scenarios are presented to us through minor characters leading to the question 'does one give up in the end and let others dictate life or try to stand tall and enjoy each day as it comes?'
The complex sentence structure sans punctuations can be very confusing at some points. The unique subject picked for the storyline would not interest all segments of readers, definitely not the best book to start with if trying to explore Krishna Sobti's works.
How do you describe or review a book which seems like a page straight out of real life? Sobti manages to design this bitter truth of life intricately for the readers and sends us reeling into a long silence drowned into noise of our own thoughts.
The book is neither a character driven nor a plot driven work, just a sensitive and observative contemplation of life towards its end stage. The central characters Aranya and Ishan are what can be described as stark opposites to each other yet walking through this phase hand in hand.
Aranya to me was the milder version of Howard Roark from 'The Fountainhead', a firm believer of the individual vs society mindset, trying to strike down every cliched notion while Ishan was this grounded, God fearing, 'holding family values over everything' character.
Sobti manages to write out this very philosophical meditation of a book, with touches of spirituality and dissection of changing dynamics in family relations. Aging of the human form, the cities, societal norms are laid down aptly.
The common theme of course is the solitude humans face in the old age even when surrounded by family. Snippets of various scenarios are presented to us through minor characters leading to the question 'does one give up in the end and let others dictate life or try to stand tall and enjoy each day as it comes?'
The complex sentence structure sans punctuations can be very confusing at some points. The unique subject picked for the storyline would not interest all segments of readers, definitely not the best book to start with if trying to explore Krishna Sobti's works.
July 7, 2020
3.5 stars. Review to follow soon
July 15, 2020
Rating 3.5
I finished The Music of Solitude a few days back but no matter how hard I tried, I couldn't write anything to “review” it. Even now I am not reviewing the book because. Just sharing some thoughts which are as sporadic as this book.
The music of solitude is a collection of musings and ramblings about life, with no definitive start or end. This book is based entirely on characters, incidents and philosophy. You have two main characters, central to narrative; Aranya, who is cynical, strong headed and absolutely temperamental. Ishan who is patient, gentle and always pacifies Aranya. These two elderly characters are neighbors turned friends and this book mostly revolves around them. In crisp and short chapters, the author either brings out an incident of injustice or crime against elderly by one of their own ; or she discusses life, it’s meaning, society in general and some musings.
Now, Krishna Sobti’s writing can be challenging and this book is a proof of that. It feels abrupt, detached and unhinged. Sometimes it feels like it’s just a collection of random pages, torn from a journal which had more context and details on the real agenda. You don’t know much about the background of these characters, why they do what they do and where they end up. So it’s quite understandable if you get frustrated and leave the book mid-way. But if you pull it together and read through the end, you will take away something from it. You will see various emotions in her writing and what situations old people have to face. You will get some best conversation in the book and after the book as well if you have someone to discuss it with. If you closely follow the conversations of Aranya and Ishan , you will realize, even when they are opposite in principle, they are dependent on each other.
I think this is a book where the author doesn’t do all the work. She has come half way with her thoughts and it’s up to us if we can move the other half with our understanding. If we fail this time, we can definitely pick it up again in the next 10-15 years to see if it changes.
I finished The Music of Solitude a few days back but no matter how hard I tried, I couldn't write anything to “review” it. Even now I am not reviewing the book because. Just sharing some thoughts which are as sporadic as this book.
The music of solitude is a collection of musings and ramblings about life, with no definitive start or end. This book is based entirely on characters, incidents and philosophy. You have two main characters, central to narrative; Aranya, who is cynical, strong headed and absolutely temperamental. Ishan who is patient, gentle and always pacifies Aranya. These two elderly characters are neighbors turned friends and this book mostly revolves around them. In crisp and short chapters, the author either brings out an incident of injustice or crime against elderly by one of their own ; or she discusses life, it’s meaning, society in general and some musings.
Now, Krishna Sobti’s writing can be challenging and this book is a proof of that. It feels abrupt, detached and unhinged. Sometimes it feels like it’s just a collection of random pages, torn from a journal which had more context and details on the real agenda. You don’t know much about the background of these characters, why they do what they do and where they end up. So it’s quite understandable if you get frustrated and leave the book mid-way. But if you pull it together and read through the end, you will take away something from it. You will see various emotions in her writing and what situations old people have to face. You will get some best conversation in the book and after the book as well if you have someone to discuss it with. If you closely follow the conversations of Aranya and Ishan , you will realize, even when they are opposite in principle, they are dependent on each other.
I think this is a book where the author doesn’t do all the work. She has come half way with her thoughts and it’s up to us if we can move the other half with our understanding. If we fail this time, we can definitely pick it up again in the next 10-15 years to see if it changes.
July 13, 2020
A music of solitude by Krishna Sobti felt like I was listening to fragments of a melancholic song that somewhere got lost in between.
The story introduces you to Aranya and Ishan, and doesn't really mull over the details of their lives. Rather, the author throws at you bits and pieces, pensiveness seeping through them when you get a glimpse of their lives.
What if life was more sorted?
What if we didn't have to worry about tomorrow?
What if a relationship could be defined?
What if you could hold onto the life that went pass by in a blink of time?
So many what if's and so much left to one's imagination. I was left confused for most of story and some decisions by the protagonist seemed out of place/character.
The optimist Ishan and pessimistic Aranya were intriguing no doubt, but I wanted more.
Finding solace and companionship when you have passed your prime is a happy thought, what I wanted maybe was a defined name for it. Maybe I shouldn't have wanted it. Maybe I should.
I did enjoy the sense of melancholy that hung throughout the pages and it did make me comforted to know they had each other, however small or big the interactions were.
My muddled thoughts is exactly how the book is to me- it made me think and made me yearn, but at the end it just left me with my thoughts. Maybe that's what the author was looking for. Maybe my incoherent thoughts aren't making sense.
The story introduces you to Aranya and Ishan, and doesn't really mull over the details of their lives. Rather, the author throws at you bits and pieces, pensiveness seeping through them when you get a glimpse of their lives.
What if life was more sorted?
What if we didn't have to worry about tomorrow?
What if a relationship could be defined?
What if you could hold onto the life that went pass by in a blink of time?
So many what if's and so much left to one's imagination. I was left confused for most of story and some decisions by the protagonist seemed out of place/character.
The optimist Ishan and pessimistic Aranya were intriguing no doubt, but I wanted more.
Finding solace and companionship when you have passed your prime is a happy thought, what I wanted maybe was a defined name for it. Maybe I shouldn't have wanted it. Maybe I should.
I did enjoy the sense of melancholy that hung throughout the pages and it did make me comforted to know they had each other, however small or big the interactions were.
My muddled thoughts is exactly how the book is to me- it made me think and made me yearn, but at the end it just left me with my thoughts. Maybe that's what the author was looking for. Maybe my incoherent thoughts aren't making sense.
Read
November 27, 2022I tried. I swear, I really tried to read this one, but I just couldn’t! Just a few pages in and the urge to DNF it got so bad, I ended up ditching the book. Still, I’m adding this to the list of books I read recently because I tried, didn’t I? I don’t know if it is the prose itself or if it is the translation, but it seemed to me a heavily pretentious account of two people connecting with each other, no offense to people who liked the book. I’ll probably try Krishna Sobti’s works in the original Hindi, but no more translations of her works for me, thank you very much.
(Taken from my January wrap up on my blog, themelodramaticbookworm.com.)
(Taken from my January wrap up on my blog, themelodramaticbookworm.com.)
May 29, 2019
‘Much later she thought, I could have phoned and thanked him. No. Let this remain unsaid. I'm feeling special. I've just received the flowers of narcissus for a gift. These bloom on the mountains where silence swims in the air.’
Having sat on the review for almost a month and thinking and rethinking about the novel, I don’t find a more apt and lyrical paragraph in the entire book like the one above…
Translated by Vasudha Dalmia as ‘The Music of Solitude’, Krishna Sobti’s ‘Samay Sargam’ is the story of Aranya and Ishan – neighbours in a Delhi complex but diametrically opposite to each other. Aranya is a feisty writer, living life on her own terms, vocal, impulsive and rebellious while Ishan is calm, disciplined, respect social norms and believes in the family institution despite having no one who calls on him.
The novel revolves around their daily lives and their little interactions. How each one is content in their own cocoon yet dependant on the other for emotional comfort. The beauty of the novel is that at no moment do you feel pity for these two for being alone or ‘deserted’. They are alone but they are definitely not lonely. They enjoy their space and solitude, they even need it to sail them through the last years of their lives.
To truly understand this, you need to see Aranya and Ishan in contrast to the elderly friends they visit regularly – the old widow, the former charismatic writer or the old man who was having an affair. Each saddened, bound by social norms and restricted by their children in contrast to these two highly functional emotional beings. It’s at that moment you decide how you want to grow old. Do you want to be like Aranya or Ishan, independent, happy or do you want to die worrying what the world thinks of you or what your family has reduced you to?
The sense of dignity in old age is what I admire about the novel and I believe that every young person who lives with or has ageing parents should read this once.
Having sat on the review for almost a month and thinking and rethinking about the novel, I don’t find a more apt and lyrical paragraph in the entire book like the one above…
Translated by Vasudha Dalmia as ‘The Music of Solitude’, Krishna Sobti’s ‘Samay Sargam’ is the story of Aranya and Ishan – neighbours in a Delhi complex but diametrically opposite to each other. Aranya is a feisty writer, living life on her own terms, vocal, impulsive and rebellious while Ishan is calm, disciplined, respect social norms and believes in the family institution despite having no one who calls on him.
The novel revolves around their daily lives and their little interactions. How each one is content in their own cocoon yet dependant on the other for emotional comfort. The beauty of the novel is that at no moment do you feel pity for these two for being alone or ‘deserted’. They are alone but they are definitely not lonely. They enjoy their space and solitude, they even need it to sail them through the last years of their lives.
To truly understand this, you need to see Aranya and Ishan in contrast to the elderly friends they visit regularly – the old widow, the former charismatic writer or the old man who was having an affair. Each saddened, bound by social norms and restricted by their children in contrast to these two highly functional emotional beings. It’s at that moment you decide how you want to grow old. Do you want to be like Aranya or Ishan, independent, happy or do you want to die worrying what the world thinks of you or what your family has reduced you to?
The sense of dignity in old age is what I admire about the novel and I believe that every young person who lives with or has ageing parents should read this once.
February 28, 2022
"No one is excluded from the pressure of existence.
Fire lives off the death of Earth
Wind, off the death of fire
Water, off the death of wind and
Earth is kept alive by the death of water"
This translated piece is an ode to the spirit of life and death, it celebrates and mourns the cycle of change in all it's shapes and forms.
Aranya, a fiery, independent, practical and assertive woman, and Ishaan, a dreamer, philosophical and conservative soul. The narration oscillates between the everyday existential conversations of this elderly dyad, in their journey of finding life's purpose in their own unique ways and enjoying the company of one another.
Situated in Delhi, this piece takes you on an intellectual journey that runs and bounces on all the random thoughts that our brain musters up as we make meaning of our lives. From the metamorphosis of cities and people, to the the youth and it's empowered rebuttal and the music of solitude to the darkness of isolation.
Although I loved the way this was threaded together, I also feel that the translation may not have done justice to the original piece. With a lack of punctuations, the flow of thought becomes very tough to follow and hence it took me months to get through this book.
This narration made me feel as if I was out on a stroll in a park with a close friend, pondering on life and it's many tough questions, all at once...
Fire lives off the death of Earth
Wind, off the death of fire
Water, off the death of wind and
Earth is kept alive by the death of water"
This translated piece is an ode to the spirit of life and death, it celebrates and mourns the cycle of change in all it's shapes and forms.
Aranya, a fiery, independent, practical and assertive woman, and Ishaan, a dreamer, philosophical and conservative soul. The narration oscillates between the everyday existential conversations of this elderly dyad, in their journey of finding life's purpose in their own unique ways and enjoying the company of one another.
Situated in Delhi, this piece takes you on an intellectual journey that runs and bounces on all the random thoughts that our brain musters up as we make meaning of our lives. From the metamorphosis of cities and people, to the the youth and it's empowered rebuttal and the music of solitude to the darkness of isolation.
Although I loved the way this was threaded together, I also feel that the translation may not have done justice to the original piece. With a lack of punctuations, the flow of thought becomes very tough to follow and hence it took me months to get through this book.
This narration made me feel as if I was out on a stroll in a park with a close friend, pondering on life and it's many tough questions, all at once...
December 13, 2019
It's a book about moving in this city of Delhi. The story is such a feel of having been written by seasons. You might even conclude for dinner time that climate change isn't real. But when reading, it would rain in November, you will find reality is stranger than fiction afterall. The book is written for a person who moves, be it on roads, parks, or just getting older. Loved it.
January 14, 2017
One of those books whose each and every word has a purpose for being there. Excellent !!
July 9, 2024
I discovered Krishna Sobti's 'The Music of Solitude' by accident. I fell in love with the cover (so beautiful, isn't it?) and the title was very beautiful and I couldn't resist it.
The story told in the book is simple. Aranya and Ishan live in nearby apartments. They are both retired, they are single and don't seem to have families. They are very different to each other. Aranya seems to be a free spirit, she is spontaneous, she likes enjoying life. Ishan leads a structured life, he seems to be spiritual. But their strange friendship is beautiful and we see it evolve through their eyes, mostly through conversations.
As you can see, there is not much of a plot in the story. But the book was very beautiful. I feel that an author's prose is beautiful in two ways. The first way is when it describes deep, profound thoughts and it makes you think. This is the kind of prose which you have to engage with deeply, and you can't appreciate it when you are mentally tired. The second kind of prose makes you feel like you are sitting in the garden and a gentle breeze is blowing and caressing you and brings you joy and you are able to smell the beautiful spring flowers. 'The Music of Solitude' is this second kind of book. It was a pleasure to read.
One of the things that the book depicts through multiple stories is how people in their old age live their lives, trying to stay independent and relevant, while their freedom gets restricted everyday, sometimes by their own family and grown-up kids. These stories were moving and poignant and made me think a lot. Reading them made me wonder whether my own dad felt like this – that his freedom was restricted and I was the reason for it and I was cramping his style. From my perspective, I never got in the way of my dad. I ensured that there was food on the table, there were always magazines and books and newspapers at hand that my dad wanted to read, the TV was always available when he wanted to watch the news or some other programme, and there were always treats for special festive occasions. I also encouraged my dad to enjoy his freedom and independence by never getting in his way – he went out for a walk or to the temple or to meet one of his friends whenever he wanted. Also whenever my dad was not well, I always ensured that he got the best medical treatment and I nursed him back to health. In a sense I was like a caregiver and nurse to my dad. But after reading this book and seeing things from the opposite perspective, I can't help wondering whether my dad felt cramped and restricted. Wish I could ask him now.
Sharing here some of my favourite parts from the book.
"Isn't there still that responsiveness which flutters into being when clothes brush against your body? It sparkles every now and then, and when it does so, dark valleys bask in the sun. The winds swing in its primeval song. And the body fills with unspoken, incomprehensible words. Is all of this an illusion?"
"Dusk declines and becomes night by the force of its own being. Night becomes old and renews itself as morning. Each moment is on the wings of change. At times the sharp edges of your inside cut into something, at other times they leave behind scars, and sometimes there come tears, filtered through drops of blood. We are always being transformed, chance and coincidence fastened to memory, season after season. The mind doesn't let go of what ceases to be; it fastens itself to old links in the chain. Then it returns, reviews them, and then, turns them around again."
I loved 'The Music of Solitude'. Hoping to read more books by Krishna Sobti now. Have you read this book? What do you think about it?
The story told in the book is simple. Aranya and Ishan live in nearby apartments. They are both retired, they are single and don't seem to have families. They are very different to each other. Aranya seems to be a free spirit, she is spontaneous, she likes enjoying life. Ishan leads a structured life, he seems to be spiritual. But their strange friendship is beautiful and we see it evolve through their eyes, mostly through conversations.
As you can see, there is not much of a plot in the story. But the book was very beautiful. I feel that an author's prose is beautiful in two ways. The first way is when it describes deep, profound thoughts and it makes you think. This is the kind of prose which you have to engage with deeply, and you can't appreciate it when you are mentally tired. The second kind of prose makes you feel like you are sitting in the garden and a gentle breeze is blowing and caressing you and brings you joy and you are able to smell the beautiful spring flowers. 'The Music of Solitude' is this second kind of book. It was a pleasure to read.
One of the things that the book depicts through multiple stories is how people in their old age live their lives, trying to stay independent and relevant, while their freedom gets restricted everyday, sometimes by their own family and grown-up kids. These stories were moving and poignant and made me think a lot. Reading them made me wonder whether my own dad felt like this – that his freedom was restricted and I was the reason for it and I was cramping his style. From my perspective, I never got in the way of my dad. I ensured that there was food on the table, there were always magazines and books and newspapers at hand that my dad wanted to read, the TV was always available when he wanted to watch the news or some other programme, and there were always treats for special festive occasions. I also encouraged my dad to enjoy his freedom and independence by never getting in his way – he went out for a walk or to the temple or to meet one of his friends whenever he wanted. Also whenever my dad was not well, I always ensured that he got the best medical treatment and I nursed him back to health. In a sense I was like a caregiver and nurse to my dad. But after reading this book and seeing things from the opposite perspective, I can't help wondering whether my dad felt cramped and restricted. Wish I could ask him now.
Sharing here some of my favourite parts from the book.
"Isn't there still that responsiveness which flutters into being when clothes brush against your body? It sparkles every now and then, and when it does so, dark valleys bask in the sun. The winds swing in its primeval song. And the body fills with unspoken, incomprehensible words. Is all of this an illusion?"
"Dusk declines and becomes night by the force of its own being. Night becomes old and renews itself as morning. Each moment is on the wings of change. At times the sharp edges of your inside cut into something, at other times they leave behind scars, and sometimes there come tears, filtered through drops of blood. We are always being transformed, chance and coincidence fastened to memory, season after season. The mind doesn't let go of what ceases to be; it fastens itself to old links in the chain. Then it returns, reviews them, and then, turns them around again."
I loved 'The Music of Solitude'. Hoping to read more books by Krishna Sobti now. Have you read this book? What do you think about it?
November 10, 2023
This was a very different kind of a read, a translation of Samay Sargam by Krishna Sobti. It’s a very character driven book with no definitive beginning and end and presents an account of the various day to day conversations between two neighbours, Aranya and Ishan, who are in the autumn of their lives. Both are solitary souls; Aranya out of choice and Ishan out of circumstances (as he has lost his family members). Both have very different dispositions and beliefs and still find comfort in each other’s company. I liked the part that despite of being polar opposites in how they perceived the world, where Aranya is portrayed as a strong willed, feminist and Ishan as a family oriented spiritual person, both of them allow each other to just be. They share with each other deep awareness of nature, little joys of everyday life, and agreements and disagreements in their philosophical views and styles of living, over cups of tea, occasional meals and frequent walks in a nearby garden. As there is no continuity in the story, it might not go well with everyone. But I liked it, more so because it made me think about old age and how it might feel. While the beauty of the solitude of living alone provides a very calming picture but then old age can be very different for different people as portrayed in the book. For some, it can be truly peaceful and calm while for others, very challenging and bitter. This book definitely makes you reflect on the meaning and transience of life and celebrates the spirit of true companionship. Even though the author describes the relationship between Aranya and Ishan as an autumnal romance, I feel it is too pure to be labelled.
“The odd thing about the pace of time: We were insiders till the time we were in the running, and stand outside,now that we have slowed down.”
“Each moment is on the wings of change.”
“Is disappearing into the limitless, into Shunyata, the destiny of mankind?”
“That which exists, wishes to be ever recognised. That which is conscious, wishes to know all there is to be known. It’s a bliss to remain forever fresh. Be content. Be.”
“Talking about the passage of time,one can say that rebirth happens more than once.”
“The odd thing about the pace of time: We were insiders till the time we were in the running, and stand outside,now that we have slowed down.”
“Each moment is on the wings of change.”
“Is disappearing into the limitless, into Shunyata, the destiny of mankind?”
“That which exists, wishes to be ever recognised. That which is conscious, wishes to know all there is to be known. It’s a bliss to remain forever fresh. Be content. Be.”
“Talking about the passage of time,one can say that rebirth happens more than once.”
March 28, 2024
This one just wasn't for me. It was too philosophical and rambling for me, and I couldn't drum up enough interest in the principal characters. After a few pages, I found myself speed-reading through this just to see if I would feel differently on delving deeper, but no such luck. I find explorations of solitude fascinating, but this seemed less about solitude and more about Hindu philosophy, which might have its place but wasn't what I expected when I read the dust jacket. Also, it felt very casteist ('Do say something. I am not in the reservations quota. I can understand what matters, even if the shastras are beyond me.' page 62). Ugh!
March 1, 2021
Grande Dame of Hindi literature, Krishna Sobti’s moving elegy about the subtle romance between two aging Delihites - Aranya ( a fiery secular feminist who is a Partition migrant from Lahore) and Ishan ( a calm spiritual Kashmiri Pandit) - who find themselves reminiscing about everything from lost youth to Hindu philosophy to death - is a beautiful and melancholic meditation on aging and aging gracefully. Five stars.
February 7, 2025
This book feels like a dream as it binds conversations between Ishan and Aranya into philosophical musings, comfortable confrontations and empty spaces. It draws on the the individuality of both of them and clashes them as waves on a beach. A mingling which even it colludes finds the need to stay, I don't know if as lovers or friends.
August 23, 2025
The Music of Solitude by Krishna Sobti was a complete title buy for me so I didn't know what to expect from it.
The book felt less like a novel and more like a still life painted in words. The Music of Solitude offers a tender, intimate portrayal of Aranya’s aging and aloneness. A woman whose days are whittled down to solitary rituals, stray conversations with her neighbor Ishan, and the watchful presence of a city that seems to breathe differently with her.
Sobti’s Delhi is not the brash, restless metropolis we often see; here it is a quieter being, holding pockets of silence, crumbling facades, and streets that seem to remember. She gives us fragments of life in moments of silence, glimpses of memory, the fading pulse of Delhi that was.
The prose moves with the same unhurried rhythm as Aranya’s life, where every small gesture, be it pouring tea, reading a letter, or recalling a face from decades past, becomes an echo of something larger. Sobti writes of solitude not as emptiness, but as a dense, textured space filled with memory, longing. She writes of the delicate dignity of growing old, about dignity in solitude, about the way age strips you to your bare essence, and how memory can be both a comfort and a slow ache at the same time.
Yet when the last page is turned, there is a sense of something left unsaid, a gap that refuses to be filled. It feels incomplete, as if the solitude she writes about cannot be fully contained in words. Perhaps this act of leaving behind is deliberate - this sense that life itself is never rounded off neatly.
Still, I found myself yearning for a little more, perhaps a deeper opening into Aranya’s inner world, or a sharper closing note to the symphony of her solitude.
The book felt less like a novel and more like a still life painted in words. The Music of Solitude offers a tender, intimate portrayal of Aranya’s aging and aloneness. A woman whose days are whittled down to solitary rituals, stray conversations with her neighbor Ishan, and the watchful presence of a city that seems to breathe differently with her.
Sobti’s Delhi is not the brash, restless metropolis we often see; here it is a quieter being, holding pockets of silence, crumbling facades, and streets that seem to remember. She gives us fragments of life in moments of silence, glimpses of memory, the fading pulse of Delhi that was.
The prose moves with the same unhurried rhythm as Aranya’s life, where every small gesture, be it pouring tea, reading a letter, or recalling a face from decades past, becomes an echo of something larger. Sobti writes of solitude not as emptiness, but as a dense, textured space filled with memory, longing. She writes of the delicate dignity of growing old, about dignity in solitude, about the way age strips you to your bare essence, and how memory can be both a comfort and a slow ache at the same time.
Yet when the last page is turned, there is a sense of something left unsaid, a gap that refuses to be filled. It feels incomplete, as if the solitude she writes about cannot be fully contained in words. Perhaps this act of leaving behind is deliberate - this sense that life itself is never rounded off neatly.
Still, I found myself yearning for a little more, perhaps a deeper opening into Aranya’s inner world, or a sharper closing note to the symphony of her solitude.
May 19, 2019
The Music of Solitude written by Krishna Sobti & translated into English by Vasudha Dalmia uncovers the life of Ishan and Aranya who are in the autumn of their lives with no trappings of family or other domestic compulsions to weigh on their solitary existence. However, as it happens, the two seek solace in a shared solitude that is as sweet as apposite for two people slightly haunted by thoughts of their impending death.
The book is written in a manner to provide you only snippets, brief recollections and glimpses that reveal the history of these characters without baring it all, which if I am honest, felt more like a tease than anything else. I found myself unable to appreciate the book and here’s why:
- I couldn’t distinguish between the voices of the two characters although Sobti makes it very clear that they have contrary beliefs and principles
- I was constantly going back to see which dialogue belonged to which character and this felt really frustrating
- As someone who is still in the youth of her life, I found it difficult to relate to the thoughts of both Aranya and Ishan who are always brooding over death, almost to the point of obsession. From ensuring that the shoes are not wet while taking a walk to eating right, everything they do is motivated by their will to keep death at bay instead of their will to live (I am not sure if I am able to articulate this properly but there’s a difference between the two)
- The narrative style left a lot to be desired
Now I know that themes like death or melancholy or probably anything that I don’t personally relate to presently can be rendered beautifully enough to earn both my admiration & interest. Unfortunately, the book failed to achieve either.
The book is written in a manner to provide you only snippets, brief recollections and glimpses that reveal the history of these characters without baring it all, which if I am honest, felt more like a tease than anything else. I found myself unable to appreciate the book and here’s why:
- I couldn’t distinguish between the voices of the two characters although Sobti makes it very clear that they have contrary beliefs and principles
- I was constantly going back to see which dialogue belonged to which character and this felt really frustrating
- As someone who is still in the youth of her life, I found it difficult to relate to the thoughts of both Aranya and Ishan who are always brooding over death, almost to the point of obsession. From ensuring that the shoes are not wet while taking a walk to eating right, everything they do is motivated by their will to keep death at bay instead of their will to live (I am not sure if I am able to articulate this properly but there’s a difference between the two)
- The narrative style left a lot to be desired
Now I know that themes like death or melancholy or probably anything that I don’t personally relate to presently can be rendered beautifully enough to earn both my admiration & interest. Unfortunately, the book failed to achieve either.
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