Inga

by Poile Sengupta

If anyone could transform laughter to light, she did, Inga. Radiance upon radiance of laughter, chime upon bell chime of light sparkled and shone everywhere. It was as if the sky showered tiny star grains that scattered, glinting, on the hay heap we were cocooned in; they sparkled on the leaves of the jackfruit tree above and dusted my arms with gold. Who could resist such a dance of light...? I couldn’t, I never could. Almost never.
Rapa is born into a Tamil Brahmin family, full of dark secrets. She is brought up in Delhi where an ‘English’ education introduces her to literature that is both fascinating and foreign. Her summer holidays are spent in the confines of the family home in Kerala, where she has for companion her cousin Inga. But as the two girls grow up, their lives change through a tortuous, pain-filled process.
Forty years after her death, Rapa’s husband has her notes published, the story of her struggles against her family, her marriage and her final encounter with Inga.
A tragic tale of yearning and hope, of derision and rage, of miracles and dreams, of commitment and utter rejection.

Genres: Indian Literature, Coming Of Age

316 pages, Kindle Edition

First published October 1, 2014

About the author

POILE SENGUPTA



I am a novelist, poet, playwright and short fiction writer, for both children and adults.

I began writing for children when I was in college. In 1968, I began “A Letter to You”, a humour column for the children’s magazine, Children’s World, which ran for nearly three decades. I have regularly written for the children's magazine Target and columns for children in Deccan Herald, Bangalore, The Times of India, Bangalore, and Midday, Mumbai. My recent fiction for children includes "Role Call" and "Role Call Again", 2003, by Rupa and Co., "Vikram and Vetal", 2005, and "Vikramaditya’s Throne", 2007, from Puffin. My stories have also been included in several anthologies, among them the iconic "The Puffin Treasury of Modern Indian Stories". "Role Call" has been translated and published in Bhasa Indonesia and "Vikram and Vetal" in French.

I also have a book of six plays published by Routledge – "Women Centre Stage", 2010. My first play Mangalam won a special award at The Hindu-Madras Players playscripts competition in 1993. Keats was a Tuber was shortlisted and received a special mention at the 1996 British Council International New Playwriting Competition. Samara’s Song was one of three plays in the final shortlist of The Hindu Metroplus Playscripts Competition, 2008. In 1999-2000, I received a Senior Fellowship for Literature of the Department of Culture, Government of India, to write plays for children. A set of seven one Act plays for children – "Good Heavens!" – was published by Puffin in 2006.

My short story Ammulu was shortlisted for the 2012 Commonwealth short story prize. It has now been published in "The Best Asian Short Stories" by Kitaab.

My first novel for adults Inga was published in October 2014 and has received critical acclaim. The DNA Mumbai called it “Booker worthy”!

My picture book "Four" was published by Tulika Publishers in 2018.

I have been on the Governing Body of the National School of Drama, India, and several times on the jury of the Trinity College international playwriting competition for children. I have acted in several plays and in the award winning films "The Outhouse" and "Shaitan".

Reviews

[Ahtims · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of the best books that I read so far this year. This was a hidden gem which I found in the archives of a Facebook book group . Had never heard of the author of title.
The title fascinated me... and I was drawn into the South Indian Tamil Brahmin family and it's happenings.
Rapa is the girl narrating the story via journal and letters, and she gives us a good glimpse of how many skeletons a closet of a reputable upper care family can hold.
I read with nostalgia about the place, food habits, customs and traditions.
Many an instance I was taken back to my childhood and formative years.

This is an unusual and unconventional story chocful of wisdom and warning... and unusual, colourful people.
Each and every character, including Kutry Lakshmi the infant influences me

this is one book that I will definitely read again.

[Gorab · Rating 4 out of 5]

Rustic, nostalgic, literary references, with a handful of social stigmas.
The main plot is stitched along letter exchanges, journal entries, and some super innovative articles.

It was a bit difficult to grasp all the relationships in the joint family house "Komala Nivas".
You won't feel that difficulty if you know a bit of Tamil or Malayalam.

Sharing a few snippets which I enjoyed the most:
"I have never been able to think like you (a writer) do. Rice is something to eat, it cannot be eaten raw, it needs water and heat to cook it and if there is too much water, it gets sticky . . . etc. etc. etc. But writers dazzle me with what they can see – that each grain of rice is a morsel of life born from water, soil and sunlight. They bring the marvellous into the mundane. And they never use 'etc.'. It is such a lazy word."

Then there was a conversation comparing Darwin's theory and Dasavatara.

"The avatars of Maha Vishnu have come down to the earth in the form of a sea creature, the fish, then the amphibian tortoise, then the land animal, the boar, next a half man-half lion, the vertebrate. After that, a midget, perhaps prehistoric man, next the hunter with early hunting tools, then the administrator, followed by the agriculturist, and finally the philosopher-king. If you take away the religiosity, the progression is uncannily similar to Darwin’s thesis."

And then connecting the two:
"I am not understanding this rice, water etc. But if you go to see, rice is not rice. It is mud, it is plant, water, sun, rain, then fruit of plant with cover. After cover is taken out, it is cleaned and then it is put in sacks, then we buy it. The life of rice is much like Dasavatara only."

Spoiler Alert.
The ending baffled me! Why why why? Why did you do it Rapa?

Thanks Rebecca for recommending this jewel of a read.

[Kavitha Sivakumar · Rating 5 out of 5]

Simply Wow! Irresistible! The literal translation of Tamil into English in the conversations of certain characters put a smile on my face as I was reading in Tamil instead of in English. I really want to translate this book into Tamil :) which I am sure the author herself can do so. Certain conversations I find funny and strange, maybe they are the literal translation of Malayalam into English.. Rapa's tendency to assign names to the people is so hilarious. Very refreshing :)

I truly do not understand why the Malayalam authors and movies portray their men characters as horny always. That definitely put a negative and stereotypical spin to the story...

The usual melodrama retold refreshingly and with a twist at the end :)

[Bookworm · Rating 5 out of 5]

Such an intense novel that initially ignites small fires and later on turning into an inextinguishable blaze within you (if you can relate to at least one of the many horrendous incidents in the novel.) “Inga” by Poile Sengupta is basically the story of the close relationship between two Brahmin cousins, Inga and Rapa. But it is so much more than this. It is an in-depth study in women-centric fiction. “Inga” belongs to so many genres at once – coming-of-age, family story, feminism and a dash of mystery too.

The whole plot is in the form of letters (written by Inga to Rapa over the years), journal entries and stories by Rapa. Through the plot, the author cleverly provides an insight into the viciousness of the patriarchal system. Never have I read such a novel which stirred all kinds of negative emotions in me. I was enraged, exasperated, sad and helpless at the protagonist’s life. I could not be like Rapa who was docile and nonchalant to whatever came her way when she was a child. Rapa never minded the barbed comments from the people in Komala Nivas, her Brahmin household in Palakkad, Kerala, as long as she was in the company of her cousin, Inga. Rapa never felt affected by her parents’ lack of affection for her. Not a single person in the house had a good thing to say about her. It was always about her dark skin and how she would be ineffectual as a wife. Rapa and Inga become thick friends in spite of their differences. They are like the saying “opposites attract”.

Much of the narrative is in colloquial mix of Tamil Malayalam and English. And this is what adds to the charm and originality of the plot. The characters are so real that they ARE people you know. I could relate so much to this book as I have come across people who are like the characters in the book. Many of Rapa’s predicaments were mine too. And that is why this book is particularly relevant in these times when girls are encouraged to rebel against meaningless ‘applies to girls only’ patriarchal rules and customs.

There are a few hilarious scenes which are much needed to let off the steam building up on account of the scathing remarks to Rapa.

Like these for instance:

“My father charmed Mother Superior into believing that a brother of mine in Kerala, who was dying of a mysterious family curse, wanted to see his baby sister before he closed his eyes and was harvested by our Heavenly Father. I remember standing in the stuffy school parlour with its strange food smells, watching Mother Superior’s face. It was the face of the white race listening to an outlandish heathen tale; she looked disbelieving, horrified, concerned, anxious. My father hastened to assure her that the illness was not infectious in the least and that it affected only the third male offspring in every sixth generation. ‘The Sisters shall say a special rosary for your poor brave son,’ she said in her Irish burr”

and

“Folding the saris was like going to war without weapons... My mother’s six-yard length of sari was bad enough, but Great Aunt’s nine was as never-ending as my father’s showy morning worship of all his gods and goddesses.”

Then there are parts and passages which are enough to make a progressive woman's blood boil. More so if you have started questioning male supremacy and foolish patriarchal notions so deeply embedded in everyone’s minds that it has become normal. I almost feel that the author might have experienced most of the injustices suffered by Rapa.

“...her true function was to captivate a man as well placed as possible, and entice him into wedlock. To this end, she had to make men’s eyes turn towards her and rest there long enough for it to be interpreted as approval. When I thought deeper about this, I realized that all those who are born with the female apparatus have to parade themselves and use the arts of a prostitute no matter to which household they belonged. What is the difference between a woman who traps a man into marriage and another who uses the same wiles to entertain him for a night? Such thoughts would never trouble my father, of course, nor my mother neither. Never. She was virtue incarnate, wasn’t she?”

This made me laugh and fume at the same time. Some people have very weird notions of apparel. Rapa was never allowed to wear a salwar, the most modest piece of clothing.

“...if I could wear a salwar kameez, I would not have to worry about hips and the like. Unfortunately, my father was at home and he heard me. ‘That north Indian costume?’ he thundered. ‘You call it a dress? Will any girl from a decent family wear it? It shows everything, everything that a woman must hide. Have you seen the bottom thing spread out for drying? So vulgar it looks, like a woman with legs spread out. Karmam. Karmam. I have to close my eyes when I see it hanging in that Punjabi’s courtyard.”

Rapa rebels against her own name and that of Inga’s as well
“Inga is a sort of diminutive of her very proper, official name – Ranganayaki. My name has been formed with the first syllables of Rajalaksmi Parvathy. Goddesses! What a pompous set of names these are. I hate them.”

She talks contemptuously about “a freshly-bathed woman with turmeric marks on her face... the model of chastity, a courtyard with a lamp lit at the basil plant expressed a serene household within. Fiddlesticks!”

We still have these kind of notions in our society. A married woman is treated with derision if her thaali (mangalsutra) is not visible and if that red head-light, the conspicuous kumkumam, is not heaped generously on her forehead. She is supposed to cover her chest with a dupatta and if wearing a sari, has to take care that her bums are twice covered and thus, twice removed from reality. At least 10 safety pins on your sari, I think, are enough to ensure that your modesty is within safe limits – away from prying, roving eyes of “men who will be men”.

After reading this book, along with real life incidents, the surge of fury just keeps rising. I just wish I had the courage to defy, disobey, flout, challenge, oppose, resist when I was young. Winding up my thoughts on this book with this special something from the book itself. Depending on your mood, you can laugh (don't forget to show all your teeth while laughing by the way) or fume (make sure you turn red). Here goes

The Book of Decorum for Brahmin Women

1. You shall not go past your Elders without stopping to greet them. You shall touch your head to the ground before them wherever they may be standing.
2. You shall not greet your Husband with a smile or anything of a similar nature, in public. You shall always stand behind him, to his left, in silence.
3. You shall never, never address your Husband by his Name either in private or in public. His Name is Sacred and not for your use.
4. You shall never, never, never make any physical contact with your Husband either in public or in private. In the Private chamber, the Husband shall initiate physical intimacy.
5. You shall never, never, never display private emotion in public and seek sympathy from any Male, including your Husband.
6. You shall not give expression to any form of pain, especially during childbirth.
7. You shall not sneeze or cough in public.
8. You shall not laugh in public. In the privacy of the bedchamber, you are to laugh moderately in the presence of your Husband.
9. You shall not wear flowers loosely in your hair. Flower strings have to be fixed firmly to the hair plait.
10. You shall not have knowledge of matters more than your Husband.
11. You shall not discuss matters pertaining to your sex with anybody other than your mother or sister. In their absence, you shall bring up such matters with your sister-in-law. Provided she is married.
12. You shall, at all times, remain quiet, submissive and obedient. The mark of a true Brahmin woman is her ability to suffer in secret. Additional rules shall be imposed as and when they are found necessary. Women who faithfully observe these abovementioned regulations will be endowed with wealth, their cattle will increase and the coconuts will be tender. Such women will be blessed with male progeny and their Husbands shall rise and call them virtuous.

AMEN!

Rating: 4.5/5

[Subhadra · Rating 5 out of 5]

An exceptionally good read and an unexpectedly good find! I agree with one of the other reviewers who said that the book belongs to many genres and I would like to add that this dark, mysterious, and secretive novel is perhaps the first true Gothic novel by an Indian author. Poile Sengupta's style is equally evocative and provocative. She paints the story with words which smell of incense, sambhar, filter coffee, coconut, rain-soaked soil, green mangoes, sticky oil on brass lamps, and the faint pungency of Tulsi, among others. You can feel the Delhi heat, the humid mixture of body odour, talcum powder, and jasmine flowers in freshly oiled and washed hair in sari-clad women. You can hear the sound of temple bells, the grinding of rice in large copper vessels, the murmur of women, their whispers in dark corridors. You know there's a secret. You can feel it in your bones. It plays a deadly game of hide-and-go-seek of love, betrayal, of lies, and half-truths. There are times when you want to believe in the shadows and there are times when everything is as plain as daylight. The story wants to make you believe in the purity of emotions but there is always a seed of doubt that nothing is as it seems. Through all the sensory and emotional poignancy along with the chaos of their lives which seems to be in the habit of throwing everything helter skelter; there is a persistent and distinct voice. The voice begs, prays, beseeches, cries out in pain, gasps, exults, rejoices, echoes and relentlessly haunts the reader. A voice which utters only one word-- Inga! Inga! Inga!

[Tia Raina · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved this book. Her way of writing immerses you so thoroughly in her world.

[Rebecca · Rating 4 out of 5]

Having mixed feelings... nevertheless the book was engaging...

[Ram · Rating 5 out of 5]

Brilliant first novel by Poile Sengupta. Inga starts slowly like all novels do in a maze of characters, but explodes mesmerisingly in between to build up a beautiful climax. Poile is brilliant as well as brutal at times in her treatment of culture, men and tradition throughout the book - brilliant in the form of humour which is peppered through every second or third sentence and brutal in the condemnation of the orthodox traditions which forbids a girl from doing anything other than what the elders tell to do. There is an element of dark foreboding which permeates right through the book. The narration in the form of journal entries interspersed with letters from Inga and poems/ stories written by Rapa is very inventive. Her interplay with words is beautiful and the poem on page 57 is brilliant. There is Dickensian suspense, homage to greatest detective writer in the world Sir Arthur Conan Doyle and other literary greats, all subtly and beautifully done. While Rapa is seeking to be free, Inga provides her that balance to be rooted to the ground. Poile has controlled the pace and narrative of book to provide a smooth beautiful transition from playfulness to seriousness to an unexpected climax. Brilliant first novel worthy of any award.

[Sindhura Motaparthi · Rating 4 out of 5]

An interesting read. A story you can relate to someone you know. Not the killing part

[Srilekh Sridharan · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Book: Quite a different book and a different way of telling story. It’s not a continuous story or a novel, rather it is a collection of letters and journals from the two main characters Rapa and Inga. Narration is through the eyes of Rapa.

The Storyteller and the plot: Komala Nivas, a house in Kerala where it all begins, is more than just a house. The author has given life to this building. The story is about Rapa and her cousin Inga, born in a Tamil Brahmin family. The story starts from their childhood in the village house. The author has a knack of describing a typical Tamil Brahmin household. Even the conversation, though written in English reflects the way south Indians speak, i.e, a direct translation of Tamil to English. It sounds funny and unrelatable when you start, but then as the story progresses, one goes with it and relates to the language. Poile Sengupta also takes us from various phases of Rapa’s life and we also get to travel from Kerala to Delhi. All through the journey we also get to meet all the relatives of Rapa and Inga. Rapa’s parents, sister-in-law, brothers and aunts. Over the years Rapa and Inga communicate through letters and they are more that just friends or sisters. As the story progresses you do realise that Rapa is obsessed with Inga and keeps searching for her.
The author also gives us a peep at the various traditions and beliefs in a typical Tam-Brahm family.
Coming back to the story, the letter based relation of Rapa and Inga just grows stronger over the years and with the story, we get to see lots of family secrets being revealed.
The ending is totally unexpected.

Author’s touch: I love the way the author describing Tamilian, Malayali and
North Indian culture. I’m a south Indian so it was easy for me to grasp some of the traditions mentioned. But may be a non-south Indian will take some time to correlate and understand. I also like the way the author has given grey and black shades to the story.

Verdict: This book is definitely not for everybody. If you like a fast-paced novel, this is not for you. If you are the one who likes to explore various facets of people and culture and also like to explore deeper meaning of life, grab this book.

[Annapoorni · Rating 3 out of 5]

The Tam-Brahm references left me nostalgic of my childhood in Kerala. The Great Aunt Kuppai, could very well have been a relative of mine.
I have mixed feelings about the book itself. Rapa is sensitive, intelligent but also quite selfish. Is it just me or are there sexual undertones to her love for Inga?
Inga's 'magical' powers seem quite arbitrary. The novel doesn't really build on it. I understand that the powers need not be justified, but somehow there was something wanting there.

[Seema Ravi krishna · Rating 2 out of 5]

A book with all its prose and poetry should eventually drive home a point. And if i were to go by this virtue alone then, this book is a failure. If Rapa's journey from a protagonist to an antagonist deserved any empathy, it was truly lost with the macbeth ending which frankly overshadows all the other patriarchal evils satirically illustrated in the book.

One can relate to Rapa not standing up against her patriarchal upbringing during her growing up years. But born with a privilege to good education and access to literature should have outweighed the patriarchial upbringing and formed a well thinking, functioning, conscious adult. It seemed to have done just the opposite here. The book upholds the proverb An empty mind is a devil's workshop. Because what else can one account for Rapa's thoughts and action? With no bread to win, no household to run and no value for relationships (be it friendship, love or companionship) one is in peril but does any of it justify the price of another life?

Rapa the adult, is like a child who's toy when snatched would do anything to get it back, even if it meant for the toy to be broken and mangled. The rage in the final act isnt justified to a sane mind because it is laughable that one cannot handle rejection after such an upbringing and even with warped ideas of sexuality it is horrendous to assume that friendship is to own someone against their will and last but not the least, any fool half awake during the book would have guessed the grand revelation by Inga in the last scene.

[Divya · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you haven't read this book already- what are you waiting for? Inga is beautifully written- and revloves around the lives and struggles of Rapa, and Inga- both Tamil Brahmin women in the 60s- when life was a little slower (and more oppressive for the women in question).

Rapa lives in Delhi, keeps a journal and writes stories. Inga is the younger cousin left behind in the village. They share an interesting relationship- Rapa is fascinated by Inga's story- talking about her in her journal and writing stories about her. Inga also writes letters to Rapa, shedding some beautiful insight into this complex character and the oppresive world they occupied.

What I loved most about the book was what wasn't said. There is a certain elegance in Poile's writing that allows us to stretch our imaginations and build the characters in our minds when we fill in the blanks. And this made me feel very involved in the story as a result.

I cannot go on without giving too much away so I will conclude here by saying- read Inga. You won't put it down. You will then proceed to read it two to three more times to absorb the sheer beauty of the language woven by the author.

This is a book that will stay with you- and leave an indelible mark on your soul. It will make your 'list of books' that impacted or touched you.

[Jayashri Sridharan · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved the book, “Inga”. It had an almost ‘unputtdownable” quality about it because of the fine thread of suspense that runs right through the book. I took just 2 days to read through it, which is saying a lot since I always have a million other things to do!!
Inga draws on the author’s childhood and early days in a traditional tambram household, which brought back vivid memories of my own days spent in my grandparents’ house in Chennai, the long summer holidays spent eating raw mango slices thickly coated with salt and chilli powder, the taboos and the traditional dictatorship of my grandmother- no doing this, no doing that and so on and on…all so familiar!
Poile Sengupta also draws on her experiences as a bureaucrat’s wife in Delhi and the blend is a very realistic one with which I could immediately identify. The language is immensely appealing, peppered with Tamil words and the plot fast paced. The humour is one of the highlights of the book, I found myself chuckling several times. At other times the descriptions are so beautiful, they brought back memories of Gustave Flaubert. All in all a really good read!

[Krittika · Rating 5 out of 5]

Inga is a great read,I finished it in 2 days. The book is not a thriller, far from it, but there is a suspense which is maintained through the book, which makes you want to reach the end. The whole family at Komala Nivas,from Great Aunt Kuppai downwards,is a family which has its own politics,a strict adherence to customs,is very caste consciousness,and has fixed notions about the behaviour expected from the women of the family. The book is not written in the orthodox style of a book, instead draws from journal entries and letters between the protagonist Rapa and Inga, is the life of a girl who grows up amidst the politics of the family.The book is very realistic, and down to earth.It is an excellent read.

[Lekha Naidu · Rating 5 out of 5]

My third visitation and Inga is as intriguing, delightful and mouth wateringly detailed as it was the first time, if not more.
Poile Sengupta ingeniously weaves this complex tapestry of a southern Indian family surrounding that odd girl among the evens, with devices that make one sit up and jump with joy.
The book certainly makes one nostalgic and the innocence that sprouts every so often is heartbreakingly beautiful. But it does not just remain a thing of beauty, it does so much more. It talks to you... She talks to you... They talk to you...
I might just be blabbering, but one just has to read it and see how it talks to you.

[Nikhil Bagri · Rating 5 out of 5]

Reading this book took me all of two days!!

A fantastic story of a little girl, this book is very gripping. It touches the vast diaspora or rural India during the post independence era and politely reminds us how relationships and unnecessary customs precede what one would treat as really important in life.

The detail is lively and transports you quite literally to the happenings during the time. The author classically details various styles and english authors

Fantastic story and leaves you absorbed, smiling and perplexed at the same time

[Nitya Iyer · Rating 3 out of 5]

I struggled hard on how to rate this book. Some parts of it are absolutely 5-star writing. The tongue in cheek humor about Brahmaniac families and their impenetrable web of rules and regulations, the accurate descriptions of being caught between two worlds as a western-educated Indian.

But some parts are just weird. The almost magical hold Inga has over people, the hazy sexuality of Rapa. In some ways its reminiscent of The Color Purple, but with a heavy infusion of coconut oil.

[Sneha Varman · Rating 3 out of 5]

It was a drag at times. I skipped pages. However, I loved the light humor. Especially when the author explains "adakkam". Can totally relate to it! I laughed aloud :D The climax was unexpected. Overall it was OK. Wonderful attempt for a debut novel.

[ColeenAL · Rating 3 out of 5]

A well crafted story... (But the ending will change everything.....)

Every page brings in something new, sometimes soothing, sometimes something really sad...
It beautifully portrays the innermost thoughts a woman, through the journals, the diary entries of the protagonist Rapa, and the letters from her cousin Inga...
.
The novel also speaks about, how women are always oppressed and suppressed in a male dominated society, and how the stereotypical way of thinking crushes their dreams, and there remains only "Silence", and the "Screams" remain unheard..
But one the other hand it also portrays, some really supportive male characters, who really can be called as a blessing...
Along with it also talks about caste system and so many other issues in the society as well..

THE NARRATION IS FABULOUSLY BRILLIANT,
Because the plot goes on for years and the narrator Rapa, slowly grows up from a little girl to a teenager, adult and finally into a woman, and author wonderfully brings in those variations...

A very gripping storyline, also with lots and lots of book references within, which makes the book even more interesting !!
💜❤️