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Homebound
A Family. A Lockdown. A Journey.
For young Meher, living in Dharavi meant a life full of possibilities. Things were going well until the Indian government announced the world's biggest coronavirus lockdown. Soon, her parents are left jobless and stand to lose all - their home and their lives.
As Covid-19 cases in the Mumbai slum soar, Meher and her family realize they have no choice but to leave for their village in Rajasthan. With the ban on public movement, it becomes clear that they would have to walk the 900 kilometres, facing barbaric police officers, searing heat, wild beasts and indifferent deities.
A deeply moving story about family, survival and relentless hope, Homebound brings to the page the stark realities of those who have remained too long without a voice.
PRAISE FOR HOMEBOUND
'A powerful, accessible, heart-wrenching novel.' Nilanjana Roy
'A compelling reminder of what millions went through during those desperate months, when we were all being tested by fate.' Pritish Nandy
'A poignant letter to our dystopian present. An elegy for the faceless and the nameless. [Homebound] is a striking document of our times, a tour de force.' Hansal Mehta
For young Meher, living in Dharavi meant a life full of possibilities. Things were going well until the Indian government announced the world's biggest coronavirus lockdown. Soon, her parents are left jobless and stand to lose all - their home and their lives.
As Covid-19 cases in the Mumbai slum soar, Meher and her family realize they have no choice but to leave for their village in Rajasthan. With the ban on public movement, it becomes clear that they would have to walk the 900 kilometres, facing barbaric police officers, searing heat, wild beasts and indifferent deities.
A deeply moving story about family, survival and relentless hope, Homebound brings to the page the stark realities of those who have remained too long without a voice.
PRAISE FOR HOMEBOUND
'A powerful, accessible, heart-wrenching novel.' Nilanjana Roy
'A compelling reminder of what millions went through during those desperate months, when we were all being tested by fate.' Pritish Nandy
'A poignant letter to our dystopian present. An elegy for the faceless and the nameless. [Homebound] is a striking document of our times, a tour de force.' Hansal Mehta
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First published November 12, 2021
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Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews
January 26, 2022
This was really good, like really really good! Definitely much much better than I had expected. There won't be a proper review coming as it is one of the primary texts for a forthcoming commissioned essay on Indian social realist fiction. I will share the link once it is written and published.
(I received a finished copy from the publisher.)
(I received a finished copy from the publisher.)
November 29, 2021
Fifteen-year old Meher, her younger brother and her parents live in Mumbai’s infamous Dharavi slum, Meher studying with dreams of being a journalist. When Covid strikes in early 2020 and India goes into lockdown, Meher’s father realizes that the family’s only hope for survival is to walk back to their home in the village of Balhaar, Rajasthan, almost 900 km away.
Puja Changoiwala is a journalist, and she bases Homebound entirely on what actually happened to the millions of migrant workers who set out from big cities, homeward bound, in April 2020. The problems they faced, the bizarre and horrific obstacles that they had to surmount. What awaited them along the hundreds of kilometres of road, and when they got home. Changoiwala combines this with insights into the lives, even in normal times, of migrant labourers: what brings them to cities and how life is in villages, versus what it is in cities.
There were two things about this book that I thought could have been improved. For one, every now and then, Changoiwala slips into ‘attempted literary’ mode: she uses too many metaphors, too much forced imaginative language, in an attempt to make her book more ‘literary’. I personally didn’t like this; it took away from the raw spontaneity of the book otherwise. Besides which, the story itself is so heart-wrenching and so vivid, it doesn’t need fancy language to improve it. On the contrary.
The other thing: I got the impression that the author was trying to address too many peripheral issues at one time. Superstition, the sati practice, communalism: all of these (and more) are, of course, among India’s greatest banes, but in a novel which was already chockfull of all the horrors of the pandemic and the lockdown: was this really needed?
But, as a whole, a memorable book, a very good book. It shows the heartlessness of the haves, the desperation of the have nots, the yawning gap between the two, and all the many, many horrors that had been so in the public eye during the mass exodus of the migrant workers a year and a half ago, but have already been forgotten by a privileged and comfortable elite.
Puja Changoiwala is a journalist, and she bases Homebound entirely on what actually happened to the millions of migrant workers who set out from big cities, homeward bound, in April 2020. The problems they faced, the bizarre and horrific obstacles that they had to surmount. What awaited them along the hundreds of kilometres of road, and when they got home. Changoiwala combines this with insights into the lives, even in normal times, of migrant labourers: what brings them to cities and how life is in villages, versus what it is in cities.
There were two things about this book that I thought could have been improved. For one, every now and then, Changoiwala slips into ‘attempted literary’ mode: she uses too many metaphors, too much forced imaginative language, in an attempt to make her book more ‘literary’. I personally didn’t like this; it took away from the raw spontaneity of the book otherwise. Besides which, the story itself is so heart-wrenching and so vivid, it doesn’t need fancy language to improve it. On the contrary.
The other thing: I got the impression that the author was trying to address too many peripheral issues at one time. Superstition, the sati practice, communalism: all of these (and more) are, of course, among India’s greatest banes, but in a novel which was already chockfull of all the horrors of the pandemic and the lockdown: was this really needed?
But, as a whole, a memorable book, a very good book. It shows the heartlessness of the haves, the desperation of the have nots, the yawning gap between the two, and all the many, many horrors that had been so in the public eye during the mass exodus of the migrant workers a year and a half ago, but have already been forgotten by a privileged and comfortable elite.
December 20, 2021
There are times when we come across stories that make us realize how fortunate we are or how much better our circumstances are.
“Homebound” is the story of a migrant family and their journey towards home when the world came to a sudden standstill in the wake of the nationwide lockdown, announced in response to the COVID 19 pandemic. Ready to embark on the 900-kilometer walk, this story brings to you the ordeals of the family whose only wish was to reach home – a place where they thought they belonged. With violence, hardships, hunger, helplessness, insults being their constant companions, their journey back home felt more like a crime than a reward.
Honestly, while reading this book, there was a point after which I forgot that this was actually a piece of fiction because the emotions, the stories, the happenings felt too raw and real to be fictional. Since I was a constant consumer of news when all of this happened, I had some idea about the hardships and difficulties faced by migrant workers but the gravity of the situation somehow got lost in the cacophony of the pandemic at a large. However, this story brought it all out to the surface and I am overwhelmed with emotions.
The writing style is so simple yet impactful that it has a gripping effect on the reader. The story written in the form of letters made the story personal from the perspective of the protagonist of the story, Meher, and that for me was very thoughtful on the author’s part. A short and meaningful title along with an apt cover beautifully wrapped up the story. I am so grateful to the author for penning this piece of fiction.
Definitely, a recommended read from my side.
“Homebound” is the story of a migrant family and their journey towards home when the world came to a sudden standstill in the wake of the nationwide lockdown, announced in response to the COVID 19 pandemic. Ready to embark on the 900-kilometer walk, this story brings to you the ordeals of the family whose only wish was to reach home – a place where they thought they belonged. With violence, hardships, hunger, helplessness, insults being their constant companions, their journey back home felt more like a crime than a reward.
Honestly, while reading this book, there was a point after which I forgot that this was actually a piece of fiction because the emotions, the stories, the happenings felt too raw and real to be fictional. Since I was a constant consumer of news when all of this happened, I had some idea about the hardships and difficulties faced by migrant workers but the gravity of the situation somehow got lost in the cacophony of the pandemic at a large. However, this story brought it all out to the surface and I am overwhelmed with emotions.
The writing style is so simple yet impactful that it has a gripping effect on the reader. The story written in the form of letters made the story personal from the perspective of the protagonist of the story, Meher, and that for me was very thoughtful on the author’s part. A short and meaningful title along with an apt cover beautifully wrapped up the story. I am so grateful to the author for penning this piece of fiction.
Definitely, a recommended read from my side.
February 1, 2022
The book succeeds in making the reader empathetic to the lamentable crisis the migrants faced during the lockdown in 2020. The journey of their stark reality will always remain remembered, through the book!
August 22, 2022
An interesting read. Although it's fictional, the events are very much based on real events that happened during the COVID 19 lockdowns. The horrors of migrant workers walking home is painfully portrayed in this soul touching novel.
May 1, 2023
This is my first ever review of a book. I was quite sceptical about buying this but then bought it anyways for it was costing less that too for a hard cover.
During the lockdown when I was sitting at home enjoying not having to attend classes and with everyone around me safe and sound had not even a tiny teeny clue what was happening out there in India let alone the world. Through this book after 2 years of Corona first lockdown what had happened with the migrant workers has come into my realisations. The book from the beginning till the end had completely gripped my attention successfully and in the end it was like I was witnessing what was happening with my own eyes. Heart wrenching story of Meher and her family which everyone must read so the privileged can understand the pain of those migrant workers and make sure that they too are considered a part of this world just like you and me.
During the lockdown when I was sitting at home enjoying not having to attend classes and with everyone around me safe and sound had not even a tiny teeny clue what was happening out there in India let alone the world. Through this book after 2 years of Corona first lockdown what had happened with the migrant workers has come into my realisations. The book from the beginning till the end had completely gripped my attention successfully and in the end it was like I was witnessing what was happening with my own eyes. Heart wrenching story of Meher and her family which everyone must read so the privileged can understand the pain of those migrant workers and make sure that they too are considered a part of this world just like you and me.
February 19, 2023
A 5 star for me as the story is close to my heart, having experienced first hand the plight of the urban poor during the lockdown as soon as novel coronavirus spread in India in March 2000.
The author has used her journalistic experience and visits to the villages, interviews with the migrants to narrate the story of 3 crore migrants as they started walking home.
Based on facts the story is a fiction with a class 10 girl Meher, a resident of dharavi slum in Mumbai, writing a diary about their journey home to Rajasthan on foot.
This story should be read to prevent similar mistakes in the future. The chaos, poor working conditions, the brutality of the cops, insensitivity of the prosperous are all brought out in a nice story like way which is where the author won my 5th star.
The author has used her journalistic experience and visits to the villages, interviews with the migrants to narrate the story of 3 crore migrants as they started walking home.
Based on facts the story is a fiction with a class 10 girl Meher, a resident of dharavi slum in Mumbai, writing a diary about their journey home to Rajasthan on foot.
This story should be read to prevent similar mistakes in the future. The chaos, poor working conditions, the brutality of the cops, insensitivity of the prosperous are all brought out in a nice story like way which is where the author won my 5th star.
March 5, 2023
This book is not just about the exodus of the immigrants to their home town, it’s about oppression, attitudes, helplessness, it’s about our culture too as the grandmother and mother of Meher opine and a father’s Love and dreams for a daughter. The writing style stole my heart, the reminiscing one minute and in the now the next! I fell in love with Meher and so many other characters, that were so real, just like the book
September 4, 2022
Must read for every Indian
January 31, 2023
A bit of a predictable one. I couldn't find myself bound to it with that much enthusiasm till last. Liked the writing style for this one
June 28, 2023
Migrant workers have got a much needed voice through the book...
December 28, 2023
Tough but important read.
January 1, 2026
What an amazing and heart breaking book this is. To be read slowly I’d say and will I feel linger with me for a long long time.
March 27, 2023
On March 24, 2020, India went into Lockdown. Given what we knew then, a Lockdown was perhaps inevitable, but what took everyone by surprise was the lack of planning and the severity with which Lockdown was imposed. For the migrant workers who constitute the unorganised and often invisible workforce in urban India, the Lockdown proved catastrophic. Their earnings ceases, their expenses mounted and they encountered a brutal police force in their quest to survive. With all other options closed, they did the only thing they could do- they packed up their belongings and started the long march homewards.
The hot summer sun and the threat of the corona virus was the least of the things that worried them. They had to avoid police checkposts, dodge lathi charges, face tear gas attacks, be doused with beach and packed into milk trucks. Their allies were locals who helped them evade checkposts in exchange for money. Everytime they were caught and sent back, they found a way to get back on to the road. Many didn't make it home.
This is a story we cannot forget. Which we should not forget. Because the tragedy could have been avoided with better planning. Three years down, we have almost forgotten those days, but Puja Changoiwala's book will ensure we cannot forget. The book is a work of fiction, but it is based on facts that were reported in the press and details got from dozens of interviews.
My only grouse is with the voice. Mehar is 15- a thoughtful and mature 15, but still a 15. At times, the author's voice overshadows that of Mehar's. I enjoyed the literary flourishes, but they do not seem appropriate given the narrator. At times, the story digresses and comments on other social evils- it is important that they be highlighted too, but is it really necessary in a book of this kind?
Overall, a book I would recommend we read because we owe it to those who suffered to not forget what they went through.
The hot summer sun and the threat of the corona virus was the least of the things that worried them. They had to avoid police checkposts, dodge lathi charges, face tear gas attacks, be doused with beach and packed into milk trucks. Their allies were locals who helped them evade checkposts in exchange for money. Everytime they were caught and sent back, they found a way to get back on to the road. Many didn't make it home.
This is a story we cannot forget. Which we should not forget. Because the tragedy could have been avoided with better planning. Three years down, we have almost forgotten those days, but Puja Changoiwala's book will ensure we cannot forget. The book is a work of fiction, but it is based on facts that were reported in the press and details got from dozens of interviews.
My only grouse is with the voice. Mehar is 15- a thoughtful and mature 15, but still a 15. At times, the author's voice overshadows that of Mehar's. I enjoyed the literary flourishes, but they do not seem appropriate given the narrator. At times, the story digresses and comments on other social evils- it is important that they be highlighted too, but is it really necessary in a book of this kind?
Overall, a book I would recommend we read because we owe it to those who suffered to not forget what they went through.
Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews