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Kalyana
Growing up in the Fiji Islands in the late 1960s, Kalyana Mani Seth is an impressionable, plump young girl suited to the meaning of her name: blissful, blessed, the auspicious one. Her mother educates Kalyana about her Indian heritage, vividly telling tales of mischievous Krishna and powerful Mother Kali, and recounting her grandparents’ migration to the tiny, British colony.
While the island nation celebrates its recently granted independence, new stories of the feminist revolution in America are carried over the waves of the Pacific to Kalyana’s ears: stories of women who live with men who are not their husbands, who burn their bras, who are free to do as they please. Strange as all this sounds, Kalyana hopes that she will be blessed with a husband who allows her a similar sense of liberty.
But nothing prepares her for the trauma of womanhood and the cultural ramifications of silence and shame, as her mother tells her there are some family stories that should never be told.
While the island nation celebrates its recently granted independence, new stories of the feminist revolution in America are carried over the waves of the Pacific to Kalyana’s ears: stories of women who live with men who are not their husbands, who burn their bras, who are free to do as they please. Strange as all this sounds, Kalyana hopes that she will be blessed with a husband who allows her a similar sense of liberty.
But nothing prepares her for the trauma of womanhood and the cultural ramifications of silence and shame, as her mother tells her there are some family stories that should never be told.
328 pages, Paperback
Published March 15, 2016
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About the author
Rajni Mala Khelawan
3 books9 followersRajni Mala Khelawan is an Indo-Fijian Canadian author. Her two published novels are The End of the Dark and Stormy Night (2008) and Kalyana (2016). Her first children's book is I am a Hindu (2024). Khelawan was a visiting writer at The University of the South Pacific, Fiji Islands in August 2011, and a Writer in Residence at Fiji National University in 2014. In addition, Khelawan was profiled on hit TV and radio shows such as Bollywood Boulevard, CBC Radio, Omni South Asian News, Asian Magazine TV, and NUTV. She completed her Master of Arts Degree at University of Toronto. Her third novel In the Shade of a Bougainvillea Hedge is looking for a home. Her academic research studied gender and ritual among Fijian Hindu women under the prestigious SSHRC grant. Currently, she lives in Toronto and is working on editing her fourth novel under the Canada Council for the Arts grant.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 40 reviews
November 23, 2016
This is the first book I've ever read that's set in Fiji, which feels like a massive oversight considering my parents lived in Fiji for four years before I was born, and most of their close friends are people that they met while living in Fiji. So basically, from the time I was born, Fiji has been this weird constant presence in my life.
So I think part of why I loved this so much was to do with that. Another part was how much it deals with the expat experience in the last third of the book. Having grown up in multiple countries (including Canada), having had my grandmother come and stay for a month a year, there was so much about Kalyana's experience in Canada that I related to.
But the most wonderful thing about this book for me? Was the discussion of female empowerment and the mother/daughter relationships. There were so many incredibly poignant moments and wonderful lines about the importance of women's education, and I absolutely loved it.
So I think part of why I loved this so much was to do with that. Another part was how much it deals with the expat experience in the last third of the book. Having grown up in multiple countries (including Canada), having had my grandmother come and stay for a month a year, there was so much about Kalyana's experience in Canada that I related to.
But the most wonderful thing about this book for me? Was the discussion of female empowerment and the mother/daughter relationships. There were so many incredibly poignant moments and wonderful lines about the importance of women's education, and I absolutely loved it.
May 1, 2022
3.5*
"For there were two kinds of people in this world: those who knew how to give and receive love honestly and courageously, and those who did not. To go through life without learning how to love was the greatest tragedy of all."
Kalyana is a 3rd generation Fijian-Indian and much of the story is about her life and her community. Prior to reading this book, I knew that Fiji has a huge Indian population and that the country is very corrupt. In Kalyana's story, we can see how the Indian community preserves their culture (story-telling, marrying only Indians, having their own schools...). It was a light and pleasant read, although the turning point of the book was somewhat predictable. The aspect I enjoyed the most of this story was the mother-daughter relationship and the different stages of their relationship. It was well-written. Part of the novel is also about immigration and the decision to let go or cling to tradition. This part was somewhat shallow, Canada was paradise and the author didn't delve much into the challenges she faced trying to adjust to a completely new environment. Perhaps the narrator was so adamant to leave Fiji that she simply overlooked whatever challenges she faced. All in all, am glad to have finally visited Fiji in my literary journey.
"For there were two kinds of people in this world: those who knew how to give and receive love honestly and courageously, and those who did not. To go through life without learning how to love was the greatest tragedy of all."
Kalyana is a 3rd generation Fijian-Indian and much of the story is about her life and her community. Prior to reading this book, I knew that Fiji has a huge Indian population and that the country is very corrupt. In Kalyana's story, we can see how the Indian community preserves their culture (story-telling, marrying only Indians, having their own schools...). It was a light and pleasant read, although the turning point of the book was somewhat predictable. The aspect I enjoyed the most of this story was the mother-daughter relationship and the different stages of their relationship. It was well-written. Part of the novel is also about immigration and the decision to let go or cling to tradition. This part was somewhat shallow, Canada was paradise and the author didn't delve much into the challenges she faced trying to adjust to a completely new environment. Perhaps the narrator was so adamant to leave Fiji that she simply overlooked whatever challenges she faced. All in all, am glad to have finally visited Fiji in my literary journey.
July 13, 2016
With Manjula’s words came a sudden realization that my mother had been right: Education was the key to a woman’s freedom. Knowledge opened doors, broadened minds, and attracted opportunities—especially for a woman.
Setelah membaca buku ini, saya bertanya tanya ini beneran fiksi kan? Ini fiksi kan? Karena ceritanya begitu menyentuh, humoris, sangat mengedukasi, dan seperti melihat kisah hidup penulisnya sendiri.
Yang menarik adalah buku ini berlatar belakang di Fiji, sebelum jaman kemerdekaannya hingga waktu skrg. Jika kalian melihat sejarah, pasti tahu bahwa Fiji merupakan salah satu negara yang terlambat merebut kebebasannya dari jajahan Inggris. Mereka baru mendapat kemerdekaan pada tahun 1970, dan sebagai informasi populasi di negara Fiji 49% penduduk adalah suku asli Fiji, 49% adalah Fiji-India, 2% adalah lain2.
For mankind he said, but this was hard to imagine. The American man—my mother didn’t remember his name—had traveled to the moon, and here we were, still fighting for independence from British rule.
Buku ini mengambil sudut pandang dari Kalyana, Fiji keturunan India. Banyak hal yang saya pelajari dari buku ini, ttg keindahan , geografis, politik, dan kehidupan di negara Fiji, ttg bagaimana kehidupan antara native Fijian and Fijian Indian yang tak pernah bisa hidup berdampingan, dan ttg org Fijian Indian yang ternyata masih sangat mengikuti tradisi leluhur India mereka, banyak sekali istilah bahasa india yang saya temukan dalam buku ini, dan beberapa kisah Rama, Shinta dan beberapa dewa dewi India lain.
Bagus pokoknya!!!wajib baca!
Karakter favorit saya dibuku ini adalah Manjula!!
Vinaka vaka levu, or thank you in Fijan
September 17, 2020
Kalyana
I was surprised to find out that I knew nothing about the Indo-Fijian population – in fact, I never knew there even was a substantial Indian population on Fiji. Kalyana is the story of an Indian family that seems to be about third generation on Fiji – born on Fiji but with no rights as Fijians nor as British nor as Indians. Their relatives were first brought to Fiji by the British (of course) more or less as slaves. When India gained its freedom after the Second World War and the British and left Fiji as a protectorate, the Indian population remained as a class seeing themselves as above native Fijians. This story begins when Kalyana is a small child in the 1960s. Women in the Indian community have few rights and can be beaten by husbands, but things are changing and girls can now go to school – still, being married is still paramount (Indo-Fijians girls do not have a last name – they only acquire a last name when they marry!) Kalyana’s mother wants a better life for her daughter, and often talks about women’s new rights although she has only a vague idea of what women’s rights are like in other countries.
I learned many interesting things about life on Fiji. But, the book also looks at much more than that. It tackles issues that are also totally relevant to our life here in the US – our own problems dealing with things like child abuse or child rape. I also loved the stories that Kalyana’s mother tells her, and I liked the way the author presents religious issues.
I was surprised to find out that I knew nothing about the Indo-Fijian population – in fact, I never knew there even was a substantial Indian population on Fiji. Kalyana is the story of an Indian family that seems to be about third generation on Fiji – born on Fiji but with no rights as Fijians nor as British nor as Indians. Their relatives were first brought to Fiji by the British (of course) more or less as slaves. When India gained its freedom after the Second World War and the British and left Fiji as a protectorate, the Indian population remained as a class seeing themselves as above native Fijians. This story begins when Kalyana is a small child in the 1960s. Women in the Indian community have few rights and can be beaten by husbands, but things are changing and girls can now go to school – still, being married is still paramount (Indo-Fijians girls do not have a last name – they only acquire a last name when they marry!) Kalyana’s mother wants a better life for her daughter, and often talks about women’s new rights although she has only a vague idea of what women’s rights are like in other countries.
I learned many interesting things about life on Fiji. But, the book also looks at much more than that. It tackles issues that are also totally relevant to our life here in the US – our own problems dealing with things like child abuse or child rape. I also loved the stories that Kalyana’s mother tells her, and I liked the way the author presents religious issues.
June 9, 2016
The story is told through Kalyana who is the narrator here. She starts from her life as a 5 year old in the 1970s right upto most recent times when her daughter is 11 years old. The book has very few characters. The main ones are Kalyana herself who narrates the story. Then it is her mother Sumitri who has accepted her fate as a woman should but has dreams and desires of her own which she would like to fulfill through her daughter. Manjula is Sumitri’s sister who lives with Kalyana’s family. She has a limp and so is unmarried.
The narration touches your heart. One can easily relate with the relationships between mother and daughter, brother and sister, father and daughter, even between two friends who are as close as sisters. I was also surprised by the mythological stories which Kalyana’s mother tells her. It makes you feel their Indianness. They are a people who belong nowhere because surely the Indians will look upon them as foreigners and the Fijians look upon them as Indians. It did feel like I am reading a ‘Sue Monk Kidd’ book.
The narration touches your heart. One can easily relate with the relationships between mother and daughter, brother and sister, father and daughter, even between two friends who are as close as sisters. I was also surprised by the mythological stories which Kalyana’s mother tells her. It makes you feel their Indianness. They are a people who belong nowhere because surely the Indians will look upon them as foreigners and the Fijians look upon them as Indians. It did feel like I am reading a ‘Sue Monk Kidd’ book.
December 7, 2017
This is an interesting and entertaining story of an Indo-Fijian girl growing up in the 1960s and 70s in Fiji. I know very little about Fiji except that it is a beautiful island in the South Pacific. I had no idea that it has such a large Indian population as a result of a large wave of immigration in the late 19th and early 20th centuries to work the sugar plantations.
Kalyana, the main character, is a 3rd generation Indian among a large, traditional Indian population. Kalyana lives what is probably a very average life among her family, classmates, and neighbors who are all Indian. But all is not perfect in this beautiful setting. The biggest lessons that Kalyana learns from her mother are tales about Hindu gods and goddesses and that females must shoulder burdens in life that may not be spoken of. She learns these lessons well but they don't always help her in times of trouble, and she must learn to make her own way through the hard parts of her life.
Kalyana, the main character, is a 3rd generation Indian among a large, traditional Indian population. Kalyana lives what is probably a very average life among her family, classmates, and neighbors who are all Indian. But all is not perfect in this beautiful setting. The biggest lessons that Kalyana learns from her mother are tales about Hindu gods and goddesses and that females must shoulder burdens in life that may not be spoken of. She learns these lessons well but they don't always help her in times of trouble, and she must learn to make her own way through the hard parts of her life.
March 22, 2016
Goodreads win
This was an interesting and pretty good read. I will admit to not knowing much about this culture. I learned some things while read this book. It was a quick read. I had times throughout the book that made it hard to set it down. I would definitely recommend this book to friends.
This was an interesting and pretty good read. I will admit to not knowing much about this culture. I learned some things while read this book. It was a quick read. I had times throughout the book that made it hard to set it down. I would definitely recommend this book to friends.
May 1, 2017
Please read all of my reviews at http://ultraviolentlit.blogspot.ca!
Kalyana is an impressionable young girl growing up in the Fiji Islands in the late 1960s. The recent political independence of the island nation brought with it the news of the feminist revolution in America – stories of independent women who burn their bras and scorn marriage. Kalyana’s mother and her sister Manjula read these stories with excitement for the future of women’s freedom.
Aunt Manjula walks with a visible limp, which prevents her from marriage – because she has no opportunity for real romance, she ravenously reads trashy novels in the bedroom that she shares with Kalyana. When she feels trapped at home, Manjula teaches herself to drive a car and becomes a spectacle in their conservative community. Manjula’s independence, although it was not her choice, becomes an inspiration for Kalyana – and she was easily my favourite character in the novel.
Kalyana is a quirky child who is as precocious as she is endearing. When she makes friends with a boy at school, she has no idea that it will result in a life-long friendship and eventually marriage. Kirtan always saw Kalyana as more than just a girl, and their marriage provides her with the freedom she imagined as a child. When the two immigrate to Canada, Kalyana leaves Fiji – and their former way of life – behind.
The move to Canada also severs Kalyana’s relationship with her mother, which was strained already. Kalyana is haunted by a childhood incident of sexual assault and the shameful silence that followed it. Her mother convinced her to keep quiet about the experience, and Kalyana has suffered ever since, blaming her for her own destroyed self-confidence – until she realizes that her mother may have been speaking from her own experiences. Kalyana’s trauma is part of a cycle of abuse, made more shameful by her time and place – but still a universal problem for women.
This novel is about female empowerment and the importance of education for girls and women. Kalyana’s mother weaves Indian mythology into their everyday lives, including the importance of Kalyana’s name, which means blessed and auspicious – although she does not always feel that way. Kalyana resents the fact that her mother didn’t prepare her for the modern world, but eventually she realizes that she cannot be free until she deals with the weight of the past.
Kalyana feels very much like a memoir, with its first-person narration and very personal, relatable issues. The political issues between the native Fijians and the Indian nationals living on the island were intriguing as well, and I knew very little about it beforehand. The disturbing content is authentic and believable, and it was fascinating to witness Kalyana’s growth into the woman she dreamed of being as a child in Fiji.
I received this book from Second Story Press and the author in exchange for an honest review.
Kalyana is an impressionable young girl growing up in the Fiji Islands in the late 1960s. The recent political independence of the island nation brought with it the news of the feminist revolution in America – stories of independent women who burn their bras and scorn marriage. Kalyana’s mother and her sister Manjula read these stories with excitement for the future of women’s freedom.
Aunt Manjula walks with a visible limp, which prevents her from marriage – because she has no opportunity for real romance, she ravenously reads trashy novels in the bedroom that she shares with Kalyana. When she feels trapped at home, Manjula teaches herself to drive a car and becomes a spectacle in their conservative community. Manjula’s independence, although it was not her choice, becomes an inspiration for Kalyana – and she was easily my favourite character in the novel.
Kalyana is a quirky child who is as precocious as she is endearing. When she makes friends with a boy at school, she has no idea that it will result in a life-long friendship and eventually marriage. Kirtan always saw Kalyana as more than just a girl, and their marriage provides her with the freedom she imagined as a child. When the two immigrate to Canada, Kalyana leaves Fiji – and their former way of life – behind.
The move to Canada also severs Kalyana’s relationship with her mother, which was strained already. Kalyana is haunted by a childhood incident of sexual assault and the shameful silence that followed it. Her mother convinced her to keep quiet about the experience, and Kalyana has suffered ever since, blaming her for her own destroyed self-confidence – until she realizes that her mother may have been speaking from her own experiences. Kalyana’s trauma is part of a cycle of abuse, made more shameful by her time and place – but still a universal problem for women.
This novel is about female empowerment and the importance of education for girls and women. Kalyana’s mother weaves Indian mythology into their everyday lives, including the importance of Kalyana’s name, which means blessed and auspicious – although she does not always feel that way. Kalyana resents the fact that her mother didn’t prepare her for the modern world, but eventually she realizes that she cannot be free until she deals with the weight of the past.
Kalyana feels very much like a memoir, with its first-person narration and very personal, relatable issues. The political issues between the native Fijians and the Indian nationals living on the island were intriguing as well, and I knew very little about it beforehand. The disturbing content is authentic and believable, and it was fascinating to witness Kalyana’s growth into the woman she dreamed of being as a child in Fiji.
I received this book from Second Story Press and the author in exchange for an honest review.
July 10, 2022
Rajni Mala Kwelawan is an Indo-Fijian author now living in Canada. She brings us a story about Kalyana, a girl raised in Fiji. The story begins in 1970 when Kalyana is five and her mother is telling her traditional Hindu stories of powerful goddesses. Aunt Manjula also shares their home, rejected by marriage suitors because of her limp. Manjula defies tradition and learns to drive, which takes her life in a different direction. Kalyana is a happy, possibly somewhat spoilt child, and enjoys her island life until a traumatic event steals her youthful innocence and ruins her relationship with her mother. During the 1980s tensions between ethnic Fijians and Indo-Fijians Kalyana, along with many other Indians, leaves Fiji for Canada. In 1987 there was a coup d’état when the Fijian military deposed the elected prime minister and declared itself a republic which would only be ruled by Indigenous Fijians. This book gives insight into life in Fiji, in particular the difficult life the Indian women lead, and also shares many traditional Hindu stories. Ultimately the women find a voice and a power. I enjoyed the book but found the audio narration by Saara Chaudry mildly irritating.
June 24, 2017
I came across this book quite by accident. I work at a library and we often times get free books so it was just laying on the table and I picked it up thinking it looked like a good read. It definitely was! I really enjoyed the story. Years ago, I got into a phase where I was reading a lot of novels where the setting was in India, and this was a very similar book only the setting was in Fiji. I have never read a book set in Fiju so it was cool to read about a different culture. The second half of the book takes place in Canada. It's the kind of book that really makes you think about mothers and daughters as well as the empowerment of women. So if you like those kinds of books you'll probably enjoy this one too.
March 6, 2025
2.5 *
I have only read one other book set in Fiji and that was Nilima Rao's historical fiction book A disappearance in Fiji. This one, beginning just before Fiji gained independence from the British, tells the story of Indo -Fijians and how the political developments in the country affected them through the tale of one single family.
Plot -
Kalyana, meaning 'auspicious' and 'all that is good', grows up hearing her mother tell stories from Indian mythology. Though her mother is very much a woman of her time, she also follows movements started by women in America and politics in Fiji. She urges her daughter to study because education is the only way women can gain freedom over their own lives. Kalyana hears how difficult it is for a woman to survive unless she's married and yet she sees her aunt Manjula strive to be herself and independent.
A traumatic event ends the innocence of her childhood and when her mother is unable to be the support she wants, their relationship develops a strain.
My thoughts -
While we get a good sense of life in Fiji and its environs, this is mainly about the complex relationship that mothers and daughters share and the pain women go through in their lives. Kalyana struggles to reconcile many of her mother's forward thinking ideas with her reaction to her daughter's trauma, the after effects of which reverberate through her later life. Her own dreams clash with her mother's expectations and yet there is an undeniable bond between them.
Kalyana's aunt Manjula is also a very interesting character who often does not toe the line she is expected to.
It seems like there is no in depth exploration of any of the themes though. The author has skimmed over many situations she could have gone into with more detail. Also, I felt there was a kind of dissociation between the characters in the later half of the book that did not make sense. Kalyana's immigration to Canada and her life there were also treated in a very simple way with none of the conflicts of such a move portrayed.
Not trying to be over critical but the details especially names in the mythological tales should have been verified as they are very well known and it jars to see them incorrectly mentioned.
I have only read one other book set in Fiji and that was Nilima Rao's historical fiction book A disappearance in Fiji. This one, beginning just before Fiji gained independence from the British, tells the story of Indo -Fijians and how the political developments in the country affected them through the tale of one single family.
Plot -
Kalyana, meaning 'auspicious' and 'all that is good', grows up hearing her mother tell stories from Indian mythology. Though her mother is very much a woman of her time, she also follows movements started by women in America and politics in Fiji. She urges her daughter to study because education is the only way women can gain freedom over their own lives. Kalyana hears how difficult it is for a woman to survive unless she's married and yet she sees her aunt Manjula strive to be herself and independent.
A traumatic event ends the innocence of her childhood and when her mother is unable to be the support she wants, their relationship develops a strain.
My thoughts -
While we get a good sense of life in Fiji and its environs, this is mainly about the complex relationship that mothers and daughters share and the pain women go through in their lives. Kalyana struggles to reconcile many of her mother's forward thinking ideas with her reaction to her daughter's trauma, the after effects of which reverberate through her later life. Her own dreams clash with her mother's expectations and yet there is an undeniable bond between them.
Kalyana's aunt Manjula is also a very interesting character who often does not toe the line she is expected to.
It seems like there is no in depth exploration of any of the themes though. The author has skimmed over many situations she could have gone into with more detail. Also, I felt there was a kind of dissociation between the characters in the later half of the book that did not make sense. Kalyana's immigration to Canada and her life there were also treated in a very simple way with none of the conflicts of such a move portrayed.
Not trying to be over critical but the details especially names in the mythological tales should have been verified as they are very well known and it jars to see them incorrectly mentioned.
March 25, 2021
2.5 stars
This was my read the world selection for Fiji.
This book follows the life of Kalyana, an Indo-Fijian girl growing up in Fiji in the late 1960’s through to adulthood and her migration to Canada. A life changing event occurs when Kalyana is about eleven years old and this story has the backdrop of the emergence of the women’s movement in the US and changing political landscape of Fiji.
Whilst this book had some interesting aspects to it, such as the history of Indo-Fijians and the glimpse into abuse and trauma, this book lacked focus for me and nothing was delved into with any depth. I’m not sure what the author wanted this book to be about - towards the end I thought perhaps mother/daughter relationships, but this was not overly apparent throughout the rest of the book.
Although the synopsis would have you believe it was about the women’s movement, I didn’t get this from the writing either. There were some aspects that could have been interesting, but fell far short such as the friendship between Kalyana’s mother and a (‘native’) Fijian woman, which at the time was unheard of because of the segregation between the races. Unfortunately this was never really explored and I was a little frustrated by the lack of context of how Indians and Fijians co-existed, how the segregation played out and what the implications and learnings from this friendship revealed.
The immigration experience in Canada was also another lost opportunity in my mind and was not touched on at all. Instead, Kalyana unbelievably found herself living next door to an Indian woman who became her best friend, which was just more of the same and added nothing to the story. This part of the book was particularly dull. Despite a few promising moments, overall this book was just not for me. ⭐️⭐️.5/5
This was my read the world selection for Fiji.
This book follows the life of Kalyana, an Indo-Fijian girl growing up in Fiji in the late 1960’s through to adulthood and her migration to Canada. A life changing event occurs when Kalyana is about eleven years old and this story has the backdrop of the emergence of the women’s movement in the US and changing political landscape of Fiji.
Whilst this book had some interesting aspects to it, such as the history of Indo-Fijians and the glimpse into abuse and trauma, this book lacked focus for me and nothing was delved into with any depth. I’m not sure what the author wanted this book to be about - towards the end I thought perhaps mother/daughter relationships, but this was not overly apparent throughout the rest of the book.
Although the synopsis would have you believe it was about the women’s movement, I didn’t get this from the writing either. There were some aspects that could have been interesting, but fell far short such as the friendship between Kalyana’s mother and a (‘native’) Fijian woman, which at the time was unheard of because of the segregation between the races. Unfortunately this was never really explored and I was a little frustrated by the lack of context of how Indians and Fijians co-existed, how the segregation played out and what the implications and learnings from this friendship revealed.
The immigration experience in Canada was also another lost opportunity in my mind and was not touched on at all. Instead, Kalyana unbelievably found herself living next door to an Indian woman who became her best friend, which was just more of the same and added nothing to the story. This part of the book was particularly dull. Despite a few promising moments, overall this book was just not for me. ⭐️⭐️.5/5
December 20, 2017
Enjoyable read.
Kalyana is an Indian-Fijian growing up in 1960´s Fiji. She had a blissful and beautiful life there. Hers was a traditional home where a woman´s role is to marry and serve her husband. Her mother, though, believed that education was the key for women. Kalyana, on the other hand, saw marriage as her key to get out of Fiji just like her auntie Manjula. While a young girl, her uncle sexually assaulted her and her mother wanted her to be quiet about the entire shameful situation. Kalyana was tormented but with help from a spiritual healer she recovered. Eventually she married her long time friend and moved to Canada where they had a baby girl. She loves her new life but she misses the sound of the ocean and the smell of the Fijian flowers.
I never knew that there were political coups in Fiji in the 1980's. It seems like it has always been a paradise. It´s because of the political instability that Kalyana and many others of Indian ancestry left Fiji for a peaceful life. I really didn´t consider that Fiji´s population included others who were not Fijian. When does an Indian-Fijian become a true Fijian?
I enjoyed the storytelling from Kalyana´s mother. She told the traditional stories of the Indian people and Hindi gods. In the good times, Kalyana had the four Indian spirit women in the room with her protecting her. On her mother´s deathbed, she asked her mother to continue telling her the stories. This is a good story of the trials and tribulation and the bond between mother and daughter.
Enjoyable.
Kalyana is an Indian-Fijian growing up in 1960´s Fiji. She had a blissful and beautiful life there. Hers was a traditional home where a woman´s role is to marry and serve her husband. Her mother, though, believed that education was the key for women. Kalyana, on the other hand, saw marriage as her key to get out of Fiji just like her auntie Manjula. While a young girl, her uncle sexually assaulted her and her mother wanted her to be quiet about the entire shameful situation. Kalyana was tormented but with help from a spiritual healer she recovered. Eventually she married her long time friend and moved to Canada where they had a baby girl. She loves her new life but she misses the sound of the ocean and the smell of the Fijian flowers.
I never knew that there were political coups in Fiji in the 1980's. It seems like it has always been a paradise. It´s because of the political instability that Kalyana and many others of Indian ancestry left Fiji for a peaceful life. I really didn´t consider that Fiji´s population included others who were not Fijian. When does an Indian-Fijian become a true Fijian?
I enjoyed the storytelling from Kalyana´s mother. She told the traditional stories of the Indian people and Hindi gods. In the good times, Kalyana had the four Indian spirit women in the room with her protecting her. On her mother´s deathbed, she asked her mother to continue telling her the stories. This is a good story of the trials and tribulation and the bond between mother and daughter.
Enjoyable.
August 29, 2017
Let me start by saying the beautiful cover of this book had me drawn in from the start, and the beginning pages of the detailed description of the Fiji Islands had me on vacation in my dreams. The story is about Kalyana, and begins when she is a very young girl, and follows her all the way into adulthood. We learn about her family, how Kalyana doesn’t really feel she fits in and goes into great description of each member of her family. The close relationship she has with her father, and the tight sisterhood amongst her mother and aunt.
The author teaches us about the politics and issues in Fiji in the 1960’s, and about the Fiji and Indian people who reside there. Kalyana suffers a great personal tragedy, that ultimately is life changing, for herself and her relationship with her mother.
I enjoyed reading the story, and enjoyed the way the story closes, with Kalyana moving away from Fiji to start new, finding a close female friend she can trust, marriage to her childhood friend, and a daughter of her own. Most importantly, coming to terms with happened to her as a child, and making amends with her mother.
The author teaches us about the politics and issues in Fiji in the 1960’s, and about the Fiji and Indian people who reside there. Kalyana suffers a great personal tragedy, that ultimately is life changing, for herself and her relationship with her mother.
I enjoyed reading the story, and enjoyed the way the story closes, with Kalyana moving away from Fiji to start new, finding a close female friend she can trust, marriage to her childhood friend, and a daughter of her own. Most importantly, coming to terms with happened to her as a child, and making amends with her mother.
January 4, 2019
Kalyana's life was definitely touched by many people.Some in bad ways but mostly good ones.Her family really loved her and in the long run she learned just how much.That is the way things happen though.We reflect on things and see things differently or learn another piece of the puzzle that was missing and suddenly understand.A good read in many ways but one of them definitely being able to see another culture's upbringing and way of life.No matter where we come from-we either like where we are or seek to escape.
September 2, 2019
Excellent read, especially when you're visiting Fiji!! Has everything set in a fictional story with well illustrated characters: Feminism, familial relationships, sexual abuse, island culture, immigration, depression and shame, religious influence, colonialism, internal political strife, body stuffs.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 17, 2016
The book transported me to the Fiji Islands and I felt like I was right there with the characters! Please see my full review on my blog Desi Lekh
http://indianfictionforyou.blogspot.c...
http://indianfictionforyou.blogspot.c...
December 14, 2022
Just wait for the end... So seamlessly it wove together. One of the most beautiful, haunting, and true endings I’ve ever felt. My tears flowed, relating to a woman who, while so different from me, shared a journey so many woman face. Wonderful, wonderful book.
October 22, 2016
Loved this book. Disturbing, yet somehow endearing. I learned a lot.
July 22, 2018
Excellent look at Indo-Fijian culture. It helped me to gain an understanding before our trip to Fiji.
August 16, 2022
Wonderful reading, Enjoyed till the end. Beautifully expressed!
September 24, 2025
Rajni Mala Khelawan’s ‘Kalyana’ is a coming-of-age tale following Kalyana Mani Seth, a bright, impressionable child growing up in Fiji during the late 1960s and 1970s. Kalyana’s early childhood is fairly uneventful. Her mother, Sumitri, fills her world with stories from Indian mythology, especially of Krishna and Vasuki and of Goddess Kali conquering demons. She talks of their ancestors shipped to the islands as indentured laborers and of how Indians and native Fijians have lived together. Sumitri’s sister, Manjula has a limp and stays with them. She reads a lot of romance novels and dreams of a prince falling in love with her. Kalyana lives in this cocooned world, happy with her family and her best friend, Kirtan, until something terrible happens, which becomes a turning point in her life.
I thought the way Khelawan situated Kalyana’s experiences within the contested space of Fiji was done exceptionally well. Indo-Fijians, descended from workers brought by the British, occupy a tenuous place. They’re no longer Indian and not accepted as indigenous Fijian, which leaves their identity unsettled. This in-between-ness is reflected in Kalyana’s own struggles, from her earliest friendships to the choices she faces as a woman. There’s always a palpable tension between cultural expectation and personal freedom in Kalyana’s personal life mirrored in the social milieu running throughout the novel.
And it’s not just Kalyana who embodies this. Her mother, Sumitri, stands for both tradition and change, passing down not only stories of rebellion but also silences of resigned acceptance. But my favourite character was Manjula who with her limp and strong defiance really stands out. While she waits to meet the man of her life, she channels her energy into learning to speak English and to drive. Her acts of rebellion, initially amuses the society and later bends them to accept her. Sadly, Manjula’s character fades after a turning point in the book and surfaces only occasionally. Although I understand that her character had almost arrived at the end of its arc, I still wish Khelawan had not written her out suddenly.
Another strong theme is Kalyana’s relationship with her mother. Once close, they become estranged after her mother conceals an assault on Kalyana. Her mother’s insistence on secrecy born from her own unspoken trauma reveals how cycles of shame are perpetuated, even by those who wish for better futures for their daughters. These moments perforate Kalyana’s relationship with her mother, which is made worse by her immigration to Canada later.
Kalyana often reads like a memoir and I particularly enjoyed knowing the history and community of a place we come across rarely in books.
I read this lovely book for the #readanewcountry challenge in September.
I thought the way Khelawan situated Kalyana’s experiences within the contested space of Fiji was done exceptionally well. Indo-Fijians, descended from workers brought by the British, occupy a tenuous place. They’re no longer Indian and not accepted as indigenous Fijian, which leaves their identity unsettled. This in-between-ness is reflected in Kalyana’s own struggles, from her earliest friendships to the choices she faces as a woman. There’s always a palpable tension between cultural expectation and personal freedom in Kalyana’s personal life mirrored in the social milieu running throughout the novel.
And it’s not just Kalyana who embodies this. Her mother, Sumitri, stands for both tradition and change, passing down not only stories of rebellion but also silences of resigned acceptance. But my favourite character was Manjula who with her limp and strong defiance really stands out. While she waits to meet the man of her life, she channels her energy into learning to speak English and to drive. Her acts of rebellion, initially amuses the society and later bends them to accept her. Sadly, Manjula’s character fades after a turning point in the book and surfaces only occasionally. Although I understand that her character had almost arrived at the end of its arc, I still wish Khelawan had not written her out suddenly.
Another strong theme is Kalyana’s relationship with her mother. Once close, they become estranged after her mother conceals an assault on Kalyana. Her mother’s insistence on secrecy born from her own unspoken trauma reveals how cycles of shame are perpetuated, even by those who wish for better futures for their daughters. These moments perforate Kalyana’s relationship with her mother, which is made worse by her immigration to Canada later.
Kalyana often reads like a memoir and I particularly enjoyed knowing the history and community of a place we come across rarely in books.
I read this lovely book for the #readanewcountry challenge in September.
December 24, 2017
Everyone in this world is granted one beginning and one ending, Kalyana. Life is made up of what is in between: the connections, the discoveries, the triumphs, and the losses. Some of these inspire us, some mold us, and some destroy us. But remember that no experience leaves our spirits untouched.
"Fiji - the way the world should be."
- Pope John Paul
This is a very female-centric book. It resonates on every page. Some may enjoy that, some may not. It just is what it is. This is possibly the first and only book I've read set in Fiji with an Indo-Fijian narrator, and while the story was generally interesting, I just couldn't bring myself to care about the woman telling it. Where the other characters were complex and made things happen, it seemed like Kalyana was just someone that things happened TO.
What I like about this book:
* I learned a thing or two about Fiji, like its history of political and ethnic tension leading to coups and martial law, and also about Indian culture. I will likely never get to experience a traditional Indian wedding, but it was a joy to read about.
* All the relationships were dynamic and, in spite of our cultural differences, very familiar. Mother and daughter, father and daughter, brother and sister, sister and sister, husband and wife, teacher and student, neighbors... It touched on them all.
* The author's portrayal of
What I didn't like about this book:
* Women's empowerment is obviously something I'm for, but this book laid it on THICK and not at all subtly.
* My eyes began glazing over in the middle and I rushed the ending. I saw everything coming anyway.
* I never did find out if
"Fiji - the way the world should be."
- Pope John Paul
This is a very female-centric book. It resonates on every page. Some may enjoy that, some may not. It just is what it is. This is possibly the first and only book I've read set in Fiji with an Indo-Fijian narrator, and while the story was generally interesting, I just couldn't bring myself to care about the woman telling it. Where the other characters were complex and made things happen, it seemed like Kalyana was just someone that things happened TO.
What I like about this book:
* I learned a thing or two about Fiji, like its history of political and ethnic tension leading to coups and martial law, and also about Indian culture. I will likely never get to experience a traditional Indian wedding, but it was a joy to read about.
* All the relationships were dynamic and, in spite of our cultural differences, very familiar. Mother and daughter, father and daughter, brother and sister, sister and sister, husband and wife, teacher and student, neighbors... It touched on them all.
* The author's portrayal of
What I didn't like about this book:
* Women's empowerment is obviously something I'm for, but this book laid it on THICK and not at all subtly.
* My eyes began glazing over in the middle and I rushed the ending. I saw everything coming anyway.
* I never did find out if
July 4, 2023
This was maybe not the most literary book but… it’s a very human book. I actually cried at the end. As a woman, as a daughter, this story resonated with me.
It’s the story of Kalyana, an Indian girl growing up on Fidji.
The story centers around Kalyana’s childhood trauma* and it’s effects on her life, all the way into adulthood. I liked how the story was interwoven with information about the political background of the Indian population in Fidji, Hindu culture, and a smooth ride through the technological advances of the 20th century.
I guess I could criticise that the identity conflict of her heritage wasn’t detailed enough, I could criticise that the plot lacked tension. But the book is about a girl finding her own way in life, dealing with trauma that so many women before and after her have shared. Kalyana’s mother Sumitri said it right: “[Women are] all bonded to each other in one way or another, Kalyana. We all help one another in different ways, even in ways we cannot see."
*[spoiler] content warning in this book for sexual child abuse.
[spoiler below]
At first, I thought Kalyana’s complacency to get married and lack of academic ambition weren’t exploiting the full feminist potential of the book, and I thought Sumitri might’ve been a more interesting character. But Kalyana is a character of change, and the ending of this story did these ambitions justice through a human, well-rounded characterisation: While Sumitri wanted a university education for Kalyana, she only enrols in an online university at the end of the book. Me congratulating a book on a well written ending is a true unicorn, but this ending fit Kalyana perfectly. The meeting with Manjula, the limping aunt who made her own life with her husband in Toronto, Kalyana’s return to Fidji, learning about how her mother attacked her revolting uncle, learning about her mother’s childhood abuse, her mother’s death. Returning to Canada with her creativity and imagination intact.
Also I loved Kalyana’s husband! What a sweetheart.
It’s the story of Kalyana, an Indian girl growing up on Fidji.
The story centers around Kalyana’s childhood trauma* and it’s effects on her life, all the way into adulthood. I liked how the story was interwoven with information about the political background of the Indian population in Fidji, Hindu culture, and a smooth ride through the technological advances of the 20th century.
I guess I could criticise that the identity conflict of her heritage wasn’t detailed enough, I could criticise that the plot lacked tension. But the book is about a girl finding her own way in life, dealing with trauma that so many women before and after her have shared. Kalyana’s mother Sumitri said it right: “[Women are] all bonded to each other in one way or another, Kalyana. We all help one another in different ways, even in ways we cannot see."
*[spoiler] content warning in this book for sexual child abuse.
[spoiler below]
At first, I thought Kalyana’s complacency to get married and lack of academic ambition weren’t exploiting the full feminist potential of the book, and I thought Sumitri might’ve been a more interesting character. But Kalyana is a character of change, and the ending of this story did these ambitions justice through a human, well-rounded characterisation: While Sumitri wanted a university education for Kalyana, she only enrols in an online university at the end of the book. Me congratulating a book on a well written ending is a true unicorn, but this ending fit Kalyana perfectly. The meeting with Manjula, the limping aunt who made her own life with her husband in Toronto, Kalyana’s return to Fidji, learning about how her mother attacked her revolting uncle, learning about her mother’s childhood abuse, her mother’s death. Returning to Canada with her creativity and imagination intact.
Also I loved Kalyana’s husband! What a sweetheart.
October 23, 2022
Why did you pick up this book to read in first place?
I received 4 review copies of books back to back including this one. This book I received from @OmanBookLoversClub as a review copy. I attracted towards this book for 3 reasons:
1. The description, historical fiction, which is my favourite .
2. Cover, so bright and beautiful.
3. Based on my culture, Indian lifestyle in other land.
Since you said, it's historical fiction, can you name the place where has it been set?
This story starts in Fiji during the 60s and moves to Canada (part 2) since the protagonist moves to Canada after marriage due to political disturbance in Fiji.
Can you mention the storyline, what is the story is all about?
The happenings of a woman's lifetime, in fact 3 women(Kalyana, the protagonist, her mother and Manjula her aunt) good as well as bad.
Will you recommend this book? Why?
Yes. Once you complete the book, certainly you will feel the pain the women went through in their life , and some of their pleasant moments, the bonding between brother and sister. You will understand the lifestyle of Indo-Fiji people during the 60s, political conditions such as forceful conversions of Hindus to Christianity, robbery, Hindus started moving out of their own country and so on.
Moreover, the behaviour of men towards women, the marriage ceremony of Hindus and many more.
The author’s writing style/storytelling is extraordinary, there is a proverb in Tamil(my native language), “slowly sliding a needle inside a banana” which means you will not realize the pain at the same time you are filled with pain.
Anyone could connect with the story because this kind of life style still exists in our society.
This book can be picked up for a book club discussion.
Any trigger warnings?
Yes. Beating, abusing women, child rape.
I received 4 review copies of books back to back including this one. This book I received from @OmanBookLoversClub as a review copy. I attracted towards this book for 3 reasons:
1. The description, historical fiction, which is my favourite .
2. Cover, so bright and beautiful.
3. Based on my culture, Indian lifestyle in other land.
Since you said, it's historical fiction, can you name the place where has it been set?
This story starts in Fiji during the 60s and moves to Canada (part 2) since the protagonist moves to Canada after marriage due to political disturbance in Fiji.
Can you mention the storyline, what is the story is all about?
The happenings of a woman's lifetime, in fact 3 women(Kalyana, the protagonist, her mother and Manjula her aunt) good as well as bad.
Will you recommend this book? Why?
Yes. Once you complete the book, certainly you will feel the pain the women went through in their life , and some of their pleasant moments, the bonding between brother and sister. You will understand the lifestyle of Indo-Fiji people during the 60s, political conditions such as forceful conversions of Hindus to Christianity, robbery, Hindus started moving out of their own country and so on.
Moreover, the behaviour of men towards women, the marriage ceremony of Hindus and many more.
The author’s writing style/storytelling is extraordinary, there is a proverb in Tamil(my native language), “slowly sliding a needle inside a banana” which means you will not realize the pain at the same time you are filled with pain.
Anyone could connect with the story because this kind of life style still exists in our society.
This book can be picked up for a book club discussion.
Any trigger warnings?
Yes. Beating, abusing women, child rape.
July 2, 2022
This book truly touched me. I have trouble writing reviews on books that are so heart wrenching and deep and moving.
I loved learning about the Indian experience in Fiji. I loved the relationship between Kalyana, her mother, and her auntie. I loved learning all about their traditions, foods, stories, holidays, and more. I loved how this book was written like a memoir, so I truly felt every emotion and experience as Kalyana went through them. I ached for Kalyana in her tragedies, and I rooted for her as she persisted through adversity.
This is a deep and moving story about life, relationships between women, strength, and resilience.
The author Rajni is so eloquent, descriptive and intentional in how she writes. I will definitely look for more from her in the future ♥️
Trigger warning: rape, abuse.
I loved learning about the Indian experience in Fiji. I loved the relationship between Kalyana, her mother, and her auntie. I loved learning all about their traditions, foods, stories, holidays, and more. I loved how this book was written like a memoir, so I truly felt every emotion and experience as Kalyana went through them. I ached for Kalyana in her tragedies, and I rooted for her as she persisted through adversity.
This is a deep and moving story about life, relationships between women, strength, and resilience.
The author Rajni is so eloquent, descriptive and intentional in how she writes. I will definitely look for more from her in the future ♥️
Trigger warning: rape, abuse.
March 24, 2021
Kalyana is a novel about a Fijian girl who grows up in the 1960s and 1970s, experiences Fijian independence and subsequent anti-Indian backlash ab moves to Canada. While I’m glad I read it, the Indo-Fijian political issues I was most interested in were in the final 1/3 of the book.
*
Content warning: this book contains sexual abuse. The author did a great job illustrating the grooming process and how that might look in an Indian origin family.
*
I didn’t love this one. I thought the author tried to fit in too much, from the characters early childhood through her migration and becoming a mother. But this is the first book I’ve read set in Fiji, and I seek out Indian diaspora stories from all over the world. I hope to see more stories from Fiji in the future.
*
Content warning: this book contains sexual abuse. The author did a great job illustrating the grooming process and how that might look in an Indian origin family.
*
I didn’t love this one. I thought the author tried to fit in too much, from the characters early childhood through her migration and becoming a mother. But this is the first book I’ve read set in Fiji, and I seek out Indian diaspora stories from all over the world. I hope to see more stories from Fiji in the future.
July 12, 2023
super cool history tidbits
the differences of feminism across time and space
resistance and change on an individual level
generational trauma and breaking cycles of pain
heartbreaking mother-daughter relationships
Simone de Beauvoir's point of womanhood centering men has never been more obvious
the whole case of the last names is kinda messed up ngl
heartbreaking and mending throughout kalyana's life
the differences of feminism across time and space
resistance and change on an individual level
generational trauma and breaking cycles of pain
heartbreaking mother-daughter relationships
Simone de Beauvoir's point of womanhood centering men has never been more obvious
the whole case of the last names is kinda messed up ngl
heartbreaking and mending throughout kalyana's life
February 24, 2023
"Nor were pain and suffering, loss and sacrifice, merely the lot of a woman, as my mother had told me that terrible afternoon. For there was a greater truth: every life, regardless of skin color, place of origin, birth rights, status, and yes, gender was entwined with pain and suffering. There was no escaping it. but if we tried to stand tall amidst the chaos and to contemplate, looking inward, we could perhaps learn the lessons and look beyond into a brighter future."
November 14, 2024
I thought this was a great book. I listened to the audiobook. I did reach a point where I had to stop and listen to something else because I was so horrified by what had happened, though I had thought it might be leading up to that for a while. I loved the characters, the words, the flow of the story.
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