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Harilal & Sons
It is the year 1899. In the northwestern corner of British India, the Chhappaniya famine stalks the desert region of Shekhavati. A despairing shopkeeper turns to his young son and says, ‘This land has nothing to offer us but sand dunes and khejra bushes.’ Soon after, twelve-year-old Harilal Tibrewal, recently married to eleven-year-old Parmeshwari, sets off, alone, for the densely populated plains of Bengal in eastern India—travelling on camelback and by bus, train and boat to arrive in Calcutta, two thousand kilometres away…
In his new novel, Sujit Saraf takes readers on an epic journey from Shekhavati in Rajasthan to the Calcutta of the early twentieth century, to Bogra in East Bengal, and to a village in Bihar in newly independent India. A sprawling, compulsively readable narrative, it follows the story of Harilal as he sets up Harilal & Sons, a shop selling jute, cotton, spices, rice, cigarettes and soap, that grows into a large enterprise. It is also the sweeping tale of his two wives and ever-burgeoning family of sons, daughters, grandchildren, great-grandchildren and great-great-grandchildren—the two strands of family and business inextricably fused because a Marwari’s life is defined by what he ‘deals in’. The novel ends in 1972, as eighty-five-year-old Hari lies dying in the great mansion that he built but never actually lived in. Surrounded by his vast family he wonders why he is still so attached to them. Why has he not reached the third stage in life, the stage of detachment, that his schoolmaster had said he would?
Spanning seven decades of an era that saw great tumult in India and Bangladesh, Harilal & Sons is a wonderfully evocative, powerful and capacious narrative—overflowing with a profusion of characters, events and places—contained within the singular life of one man who ‘dealt in jute and grain’.
In his new novel, Sujit Saraf takes readers on an epic journey from Shekhavati in Rajasthan to the Calcutta of the early twentieth century, to Bogra in East Bengal, and to a village in Bihar in newly independent India. A sprawling, compulsively readable narrative, it follows the story of Harilal as he sets up Harilal & Sons, a shop selling jute, cotton, spices, rice, cigarettes and soap, that grows into a large enterprise. It is also the sweeping tale of his two wives and ever-burgeoning family of sons, daughters, grandchildren, great-grandchildren and great-great-grandchildren—the two strands of family and business inextricably fused because a Marwari’s life is defined by what he ‘deals in’. The novel ends in 1972, as eighty-five-year-old Hari lies dying in the great mansion that he built but never actually lived in. Surrounded by his vast family he wonders why he is still so attached to them. Why has he not reached the third stage in life, the stage of detachment, that his schoolmaster had said he would?
Spanning seven decades of an era that saw great tumult in India and Bangladesh, Harilal & Sons is a wonderfully evocative, powerful and capacious narrative—overflowing with a profusion of characters, events and places—contained within the singular life of one man who ‘dealt in jute and grain’.
528 pages, Paperback
Published March 7, 2017
15 people are currently reading
309 people want to read
About the author
Sujit Saraf
7 books15 followersSujit Saraf received an engineering degree from IIT Delhi and a Ph.D. from Berkeley. He has conducted research for NASA, taught at IIT and worked as a space scientist in California. When not at his desk, he runs Naatak, an Indian theatre company in America for which he writes and directs plays and films.
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Displaying 1 - 24 of 24 reviews
July 13, 2018
Much to be learnt here, from a socio-cultural and historical perspective. Extremely well written book. A very pleasant surprise.
November 14, 2018
One of the best books I read this year! Review to follow soon.
May 28, 2017
There have been endless number of books written about Indian post-colonial history from the perspectives of the British and occasionally the Bengalis. Mostly the Marwari community has been obscured out from these accounts. They have merely been present and never played any major role in securing independence for the country. Little has been written about them and hence the non-Marwari people were unaware of their counterparts’ sufferings and perils during the colonial rule of India. Sujit Saraf’s novel introduced a whole new perspective of the India that was when the British ruled and the India that remained after the “Sahibs” left, partitioned and chaotic.
The book traces the journey of Harilal Tibrewal, a twelve year old boy from Shekhavati, who leaves the land of Chhapaniya famine to travel to Disavar, the fertile lands of Bengal. A young boy with a bundle of responsibilities, we see Hariya grow gradually into a man, making the necessary mistakes along the way. His unfortunate encounters in Calcutta push him to travel to a less populated and more serene Bogra where Harilal settles down and embraces the Grihasthya stage of life. His family grows in size and despite ups and downs the business swells and prospers. He reminds his sons, time and again, the traits of a Baniya. His whole life is spent in nurturing and worrying about his ever-growing family and his dearer-than-life venture ‘Harilal & Sons’. The riots, the price surges and declines during the war and increasing doom of the Musalmans’ attacks shape the lives of the Marwari business community residing in Bangladesh.
Although there are many characters, the book is primarily about Hari, who resembles the entire community that travelled from the barren lands of West to the bountiful East in search of good business opportunities since it was considered back then that there was no dearth of earning options in Bengal. What strikes remarkable is how Saraf doesn’t attempt to justify the lives and ways of the Marwaris. The tale is narrated as it is and the readers are left to judge the life of Harilal Tibrewal.
The numerous accusations that are laid against Marwaris for looting Bengal and extracting profit out of everything are mentioned quite a few times throughout the book. Neither Hari nor any of his family members fought or protested against the British oppression but his contribution in the most unexpected and simplest ways are one to behold. His miserly ways did not stop him from helping those in need during the most difficult of times. The fondness for him grows in us and by the time we reach the last page, a sense of having lived an entire life passes over us. Such is the beauty of the author’s narration.
Much research and work has gone into the creation of this saga and the realistic descriptions of Bengal, Bogra, Bihar and Shekhavati are mere examples of that. The historical accuracy of this novel inspires the desire to read more about the British Raj and the events that occured during the early twentieth century.
Apart from being a few pages too long, this book is a brilliant piece and deserves to be read and known by all. If colonial and post-colonial fiction interests you and the size of a book doesn’t daunt you then this is a novel that you wouldn’t want to miss.
The book traces the journey of Harilal Tibrewal, a twelve year old boy from Shekhavati, who leaves the land of Chhapaniya famine to travel to Disavar, the fertile lands of Bengal. A young boy with a bundle of responsibilities, we see Hariya grow gradually into a man, making the necessary mistakes along the way. His unfortunate encounters in Calcutta push him to travel to a less populated and more serene Bogra where Harilal settles down and embraces the Grihasthya stage of life. His family grows in size and despite ups and downs the business swells and prospers. He reminds his sons, time and again, the traits of a Baniya. His whole life is spent in nurturing and worrying about his ever-growing family and his dearer-than-life venture ‘Harilal & Sons’. The riots, the price surges and declines during the war and increasing doom of the Musalmans’ attacks shape the lives of the Marwari business community residing in Bangladesh.
Although there are many characters, the book is primarily about Hari, who resembles the entire community that travelled from the barren lands of West to the bountiful East in search of good business opportunities since it was considered back then that there was no dearth of earning options in Bengal. What strikes remarkable is how Saraf doesn’t attempt to justify the lives and ways of the Marwaris. The tale is narrated as it is and the readers are left to judge the life of Harilal Tibrewal.
The numerous accusations that are laid against Marwaris for looting Bengal and extracting profit out of everything are mentioned quite a few times throughout the book. Neither Hari nor any of his family members fought or protested against the British oppression but his contribution in the most unexpected and simplest ways are one to behold. His miserly ways did not stop him from helping those in need during the most difficult of times. The fondness for him grows in us and by the time we reach the last page, a sense of having lived an entire life passes over us. Such is the beauty of the author’s narration.
Much research and work has gone into the creation of this saga and the realistic descriptions of Bengal, Bogra, Bihar and Shekhavati are mere examples of that. The historical accuracy of this novel inspires the desire to read more about the British Raj and the events that occured during the early twentieth century.
Apart from being a few pages too long, this book is a brilliant piece and deserves to be read and known by all. If colonial and post-colonial fiction interests you and the size of a book doesn’t daunt you then this is a novel that you wouldn’t want to miss.
September 7, 2020
3.5/5 How did us Marwadis fan out to all over India and take over trade ? This was a story that needed to be told and who better to tell it than Sujit Saraf - a Marwadi himself.
The first half of the book was superb. From life in Shekhawati, then in “Kalkatta” and finally “settling” down in Bogra (East Bengal) were beautifully detailed and engrossing.
However after the first half, it felt that the author lost his grip and only marriages and kids kept happening for the next 20% or so. Also, while the book picks up pace again and details the family’s plight at partition, the other major historical events - Partition (1905) and re-unification of Bengal, Non co-operation movement, Civil disobedience movement and Quit India are mentioned only in passing or not at all. That felt a little strange !
Nonetheless, an excellent read especially considering the novelty value. I hope more such historical fiction is written.
The first half of the book was superb. From life in Shekhawati, then in “Kalkatta” and finally “settling” down in Bogra (East Bengal) were beautifully detailed and engrossing.
However after the first half, it felt that the author lost his grip and only marriages and kids kept happening for the next 20% or so. Also, while the book picks up pace again and details the family’s plight at partition, the other major historical events - Partition (1905) and re-unification of Bengal, Non co-operation movement, Civil disobedience movement and Quit India are mentioned only in passing or not at all. That felt a little strange !
Nonetheless, an excellent read especially considering the novelty value. I hope more such historical fiction is written.
January 30, 2018
Many Marwaris migrated out of Rajasthan in the past 100-150 years to build their fortunes in faraway land, carrying with them nothing but their faith in their ability to do a good trade and in their Lord almighty (mostly Ram Ji as he was the more reliable one). Many of them came to Kalkatta, which is what the city still is for a true-blue Marwari, which was then the capital of British India and a thriving market for all sorts of trade. That it was on the banks of Ganga and saw such abundance of natural resources (read water) that those in Rajasthan couldn’t even dream of, made the lure even stronger.
However, what prompted the Marwari to leave his desh and settle in a faraway land, and then work penny by penny to build a life for himself and his family? All the while worrying about whether he had done enough to provide for wives and livelihood for his sons, and husbands and dowry for his daughters. And of course whether or not he ad made enough contributions to the crooked Brahmins, for the Shastras said so and who know they just might be right.
That’s the story told by Sujit Saraf through Harilal & Sons.
And most of us Marwaris, have similar stories in our families. I have myself heard of how my Great-grandfather came from Bikaner to Kalkatta in the 1920s to build his own life. How he went around the market trading in cloth that e carried on his shoulders. And from that start, how he built more than a fair name for his firm as a reliable and respectable trading partner as well as for himself as a reformist in society. I have also heard stories of my grandfather and others migrating back to Bikaner during the world war, to avoid the risk of being bombed in Kalkatta.
Despite the abundance of Kalkatta,the heart yearns for the dry Rajasthan. And like Rampura for Harilal, so it was Bikaner for my grandfather. His last visit to Bikaner, just before my wedding, was nothing short of a rejuvenation for him. He was so much at peace and so much at home, than I have seen him elsewhere.
A book that provokes a lot of nostalgia even for a 4th generation non-Rajasthan-domiciles Marwari like me.
And being true to the Bania in the blood (or should I say grain), a book which gives far more value and entertainment that the money and time spent on it.
A profitable trade indeed.
However, what prompted the Marwari to leave his desh and settle in a faraway land, and then work penny by penny to build a life for himself and his family? All the while worrying about whether he had done enough to provide for wives and livelihood for his sons, and husbands and dowry for his daughters. And of course whether or not he ad made enough contributions to the crooked Brahmins, for the Shastras said so and who know they just might be right.
That’s the story told by Sujit Saraf through Harilal & Sons.
And most of us Marwaris, have similar stories in our families. I have myself heard of how my Great-grandfather came from Bikaner to Kalkatta in the 1920s to build his own life. How he went around the market trading in cloth that e carried on his shoulders. And from that start, how he built more than a fair name for his firm as a reliable and respectable trading partner as well as for himself as a reformist in society. I have also heard stories of my grandfather and others migrating back to Bikaner during the world war, to avoid the risk of being bombed in Kalkatta.
Despite the abundance of Kalkatta,the heart yearns for the dry Rajasthan. And like Rampura for Harilal, so it was Bikaner for my grandfather. His last visit to Bikaner, just before my wedding, was nothing short of a rejuvenation for him. He was so much at peace and so much at home, than I have seen him elsewhere.
A book that provokes a lot of nostalgia even for a 4th generation non-Rajasthan-domiciles Marwari like me.
And being true to the Bania in the blood (or should I say grain), a book which gives far more value and entertainment that the money and time spent on it.
A profitable trade indeed.
September 27, 2018
A true immigrant story spanning across 90 odd years. As I was reading the book, at some point it dawned on me that while the characters, references, outlook on life are all through the lens of a bania and his family, the underlying theme is that of a man who leaves his home in search of prosperity, a better life for himself and his family.
He is surrounded by people very different from himself in terms of language, food, lifestyle, and belief system, but he tries to walk the line between accepting his "customers" for who they are and holding on to this own customs.
I could not help but feel a small element of Citizen Kane thrown in the mix - sort of an homage to Rosebud.
Really enjoyed reading it, will have to get more of Sujit Saraf's books.
He is surrounded by people very different from himself in terms of language, food, lifestyle, and belief system, but he tries to walk the line between accepting his "customers" for who they are and holding on to this own customs.
I could not help but feel a small element of Citizen Kane thrown in the mix - sort of an homage to Rosebud.
Really enjoyed reading it, will have to get more of Sujit Saraf's books.
June 3, 2018
A book about community about life , about family and traditions and culture of one community , magnanimous
Marwaris the business man and the travellers
Marwaris the business man and the travellers
August 6, 2018
My first pick for the #discoveringindiareadathon and I was surprised at how beautiful this book turned out to be! 😍 #thebookishtalesreads
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This is the story of Harilal Tibrewal, a boy from Rampura, Shekhawati, Rajasthan who migrates to Kalkatta, to the fertile plains of the East to escape the Chappaniya famine which had plagued Shekhawati. Apart from Harilal's story, we learn a lot about the history of Marwaris in Bengal who migrated there some 100-150 years ago and made it their home, a side of Indian history which is often neglected as the Marwaris didn't contribute to the freedom struggle or didn't have a great history.
~
We travel with Hariya to Kalkatta, Bogra, Watsongunj and then finally to Rampura. There is a lot to be learnt from this book. This book presents a beautiful socio-cultural landscape of Pre Independence India. Hariya is the perfect 'Bania' who has migrated from his beloved Shekhawati but still yearns to go there.
~
We read about Harilal's family, but at its core, this book is about the enterprising Hariya. This book in intensely readable, it's a bit lengthy but it's worth your time! This book presents a beautiful picture of India with its cultural diversity 😍❤️ I urge you all to read this book. This is one my favourites from 2018!
~
This is the story of Harilal Tibrewal, a boy from Rampura, Shekhawati, Rajasthan who migrates to Kalkatta, to the fertile plains of the East to escape the Chappaniya famine which had plagued Shekhawati. Apart from Harilal's story, we learn a lot about the history of Marwaris in Bengal who migrated there some 100-150 years ago and made it their home, a side of Indian history which is often neglected as the Marwaris didn't contribute to the freedom struggle or didn't have a great history.
~
We travel with Hariya to Kalkatta, Bogra, Watsongunj and then finally to Rampura. There is a lot to be learnt from this book. This book presents a beautiful socio-cultural landscape of Pre Independence India. Hariya is the perfect 'Bania' who has migrated from his beloved Shekhawati but still yearns to go there.
~
We read about Harilal's family, but at its core, this book is about the enterprising Hariya. This book in intensely readable, it's a bit lengthy but it's worth your time! This book presents a beautiful picture of India with its cultural diversity 😍❤️ I urge you all to read this book. This is one my favourites from 2018!
May 12, 2017
Delving into the history of his own family, the author has traced the amazing migrations of young men from the Marwari community of Rajasthan. Stories like this shed light on the Indian perspective during the heyday of the British Raj.
Harilal's journey in search of a shop and business to call his own, is fuelled by the time honoured spirit of the Marwari business community. As a little child of barely twelve years, Hari sets forth with a young Calcutta based trader of his village, to explore the opportunities offered by the distant lands of 'disavar.' From the arid sand dunes of his native land to the green, river crossed land of Bengal, Hari rides in packed trains, lives among others like him. Life is work, sincerity and the urge to make profits. To buy cheap and sell dear.
As the nationalist movement gains momentum and India is partitioned amid vehement protests and terrible bloodshed, Hari the trader moves from place to place, accepting births, deaths of loved ones, loss of property and the consolidation of business and profits.
An eminently readworthy tribute to the community who even today wn and deftly manage most of the small business establishments all over India. They blend in and contribute to the local economy and society while retaining their unique social and cultural identity.
Well written and worth reading.
Harilal's journey in search of a shop and business to call his own, is fuelled by the time honoured spirit of the Marwari business community. As a little child of barely twelve years, Hari sets forth with a young Calcutta based trader of his village, to explore the opportunities offered by the distant lands of 'disavar.' From the arid sand dunes of his native land to the green, river crossed land of Bengal, Hari rides in packed trains, lives among others like him. Life is work, sincerity and the urge to make profits. To buy cheap and sell dear.
As the nationalist movement gains momentum and India is partitioned amid vehement protests and terrible bloodshed, Hari the trader moves from place to place, accepting births, deaths of loved ones, loss of property and the consolidation of business and profits.
An eminently readworthy tribute to the community who even today wn and deftly manage most of the small business establishments all over India. They blend in and contribute to the local economy and society while retaining their unique social and cultural identity.
Well written and worth reading.
July 25, 2018
A light read that walks the reader through the story of a family that emigrated from Rajasthan to Bengal, the story of the protagonist that suffers from shifting goal posts in pursuit of happiness. The author charts a story of his family with vivid language making it an easy read. Not a compulsive page turner but the simplicity of the language and the effortlessness of the narrative make it a pleasant read.
December 15, 2019
One and Only thing relatable was a journey of life.... how it goes and ends.... It became monotonous sporadically and lost its grip now and then...... But for sure it made me feel the journey through desert and Rampur followed by Bogra the place near river karatoya ...... The book has also created a lot of confusion as there were number of characters to be followed till the end..... Overall just a nice reading.....
October 14, 2018
Really long with way too many characters. You need to read in a stretch to remember. More for ppl who want to know of old style businesses
April 18, 2020
I bought “Harilal & Sons” by Sujit Saraf on a friend’s recommendation. The bulk of the book was initially daunting, but the blurbs were enticing - so I plunged in. I felt like I was reading a Victorian novel - and did not mind drowning.
This novel is a saga covering a very long period of time - 1899 to 1972. The protagonist is Harilal Tibrewal, a Marwari, modelled on Saraf’s grandfather, Hiralal Saraf. This man leaves the arid regions of Rajasthan and travels all the way to the fertile fields of Bengal at the age of 12; there he starts a family and a business.
Harilal knows well that business and family are inseparable in a Marwari’s life; he believes that a bania lives where his shop is and that “A contented man builds a large family”.
As Harilal’s family members multiply, his trade flourishes in various cities. Descriptions are very detailed, but graphic and engaging. I felt my interest and perception growing keener — as known facts and names created a comfortable sense of familiarity. The title itself is reminiscent of the names of shops not only in India, but in East Pakistan, as well, in the 1950s and 1960s for those of us who grew up in the Indian subcontinent.
Sujit Saraf’s portrayal of Harilal’s children’s and grand children’s different temperaments makes us wonder which parts of his work are factual, and which, fictional. This skilful blending of the two gives the book an added flavour. Saraf, an engineer and scientist by profession, also writes and directs plays and films; hence, his aptitude in settings, dialogue and characterisation, is understandable.
Saraf wrote about his forefathers but he did not really know them. From the “Authors Note”, we can assume that he enjoyed the research he did on his family. His most helpful source of information was his cousin, Chiranjiv Lal Saraf - who had recorded and interviewed with Hiralal Saraf. After travelling in different cities of Bangladesh and India for many years and talking with his relatives living in these places, Saraf was all set to write a novel about his ancestors.
Without seeming to make anything up or to exaggerate, he sketched the life of banias. The narration, despite being satirical, is not offensive. The authenticity of his descriptions is admirable and the fluidity of his style makes even the ordinary sound interesting. The religious and traditional beliefs of Marwaris have been depicted accurately: it was not advisable for them to use terms like “two thousand” as the proper term was “twenty two hundred”. They called gold the “yellow one” and silver the “white one”. Even children’s names had a lot of significance. Two of Harilal’s sons were named “Garib Das” and “Fakir Chand” to ward off the evil eye and to prevent the displeasure of the gods and of fate. Harilal is convinced that “A wise man loudly moans his losses but is indifferent to profit”. However, his frugality and caution are not conveyed through his genes to all his sons.
The narration stretches all the way from British rule in India, to India’s independence and its partition (into India and Pakistan), right to the birth of Bangladesh. We get a glimpse of the after-effects of partition from the Marwaris’ point of view: many Marwaris disappeared mysteriously and their houses, dubbed “enemy property”, were given to Muslims coming in to Kushtia from Bihar.
It’s like we get a panoramic view of the sub-continent; Rajasthan, Calcutta, Bogra, Rangpur, Bihar, Dhaka, Santahar, all come alive in the pages. The Bengali “bhodrolok”, the musalman nawabs, the cow-worshipping devout Hindus, the sahibs and memsahibs, all rally under one huge umbrella, so to speak. Saraf retains the pace of the narration, not allowing any of the threads linking the lives of Harilal’s multitudinous progeny to break. At no point does the story become tedious.
“Harilal & Sons” starts to branch off in separate directions, a few children take up the legal and medical professions and some go and settle abroad.
Just as the reader thinks the story will end - comes a new turn in the tale. Harilal starts building a “haveli” in Shekhavati. Once again, Saraf’s flair for minute detail comes to the fore - as Harilal instructs the “chiteri” and the masons working on the haveli; a myriad of frescoes appear on it (and in the reader’s eyes). Drawings and colours splash across the haveli’s walls.
After leading a full life which included the “Chappaniya” (a famine in his hometown Shekhavati), many rises and falls of prophets, seeing a multitude of births and many deaths, and severe riots, when his close associate, Chaman Lal, dies, he decides to return to his roots; he has begun to feel devoid of emotions and attachments. He also has apprehensions about the future of the world because “Women were no longer concerned about modesty, children no longer respected parents and the cow was being murdered wantonly”.
In the last stage of his life (Vanaprastha), just before dying, Harilal makes a gesture that many readers will think was an endearing one. It lends a touch of nobility to his death.
The creation of this 513-page, all-encompassing story centered around one man, cannot be seen as a small feat. I am glad I acted on my friend’s recommendation and I look forward to reading Sujit Saraf’s other books.
This novel is a saga covering a very long period of time - 1899 to 1972. The protagonist is Harilal Tibrewal, a Marwari, modelled on Saraf’s grandfather, Hiralal Saraf. This man leaves the arid regions of Rajasthan and travels all the way to the fertile fields of Bengal at the age of 12; there he starts a family and a business.
Harilal knows well that business and family are inseparable in a Marwari’s life; he believes that a bania lives where his shop is and that “A contented man builds a large family”.
As Harilal’s family members multiply, his trade flourishes in various cities. Descriptions are very detailed, but graphic and engaging. I felt my interest and perception growing keener — as known facts and names created a comfortable sense of familiarity. The title itself is reminiscent of the names of shops not only in India, but in East Pakistan, as well, in the 1950s and 1960s for those of us who grew up in the Indian subcontinent.
Sujit Saraf’s portrayal of Harilal’s children’s and grand children’s different temperaments makes us wonder which parts of his work are factual, and which, fictional. This skilful blending of the two gives the book an added flavour. Saraf, an engineer and scientist by profession, also writes and directs plays and films; hence, his aptitude in settings, dialogue and characterisation, is understandable.
Saraf wrote about his forefathers but he did not really know them. From the “Authors Note”, we can assume that he enjoyed the research he did on his family. His most helpful source of information was his cousin, Chiranjiv Lal Saraf - who had recorded and interviewed with Hiralal Saraf. After travelling in different cities of Bangladesh and India for many years and talking with his relatives living in these places, Saraf was all set to write a novel about his ancestors.
Without seeming to make anything up or to exaggerate, he sketched the life of banias. The narration, despite being satirical, is not offensive. The authenticity of his descriptions is admirable and the fluidity of his style makes even the ordinary sound interesting. The religious and traditional beliefs of Marwaris have been depicted accurately: it was not advisable for them to use terms like “two thousand” as the proper term was “twenty two hundred”. They called gold the “yellow one” and silver the “white one”. Even children’s names had a lot of significance. Two of Harilal’s sons were named “Garib Das” and “Fakir Chand” to ward off the evil eye and to prevent the displeasure of the gods and of fate. Harilal is convinced that “A wise man loudly moans his losses but is indifferent to profit”. However, his frugality and caution are not conveyed through his genes to all his sons.
The narration stretches all the way from British rule in India, to India’s independence and its partition (into India and Pakistan), right to the birth of Bangladesh. We get a glimpse of the after-effects of partition from the Marwaris’ point of view: many Marwaris disappeared mysteriously and their houses, dubbed “enemy property”, were given to Muslims coming in to Kushtia from Bihar.
It’s like we get a panoramic view of the sub-continent; Rajasthan, Calcutta, Bogra, Rangpur, Bihar, Dhaka, Santahar, all come alive in the pages. The Bengali “bhodrolok”, the musalman nawabs, the cow-worshipping devout Hindus, the sahibs and memsahibs, all rally under one huge umbrella, so to speak. Saraf retains the pace of the narration, not allowing any of the threads linking the lives of Harilal’s multitudinous progeny to break. At no point does the story become tedious.
“Harilal & Sons” starts to branch off in separate directions, a few children take up the legal and medical professions and some go and settle abroad.
Just as the reader thinks the story will end - comes a new turn in the tale. Harilal starts building a “haveli” in Shekhavati. Once again, Saraf’s flair for minute detail comes to the fore - as Harilal instructs the “chiteri” and the masons working on the haveli; a myriad of frescoes appear on it (and in the reader’s eyes). Drawings and colours splash across the haveli’s walls.
After leading a full life which included the “Chappaniya” (a famine in his hometown Shekhavati), many rises and falls of prophets, seeing a multitude of births and many deaths, and severe riots, when his close associate, Chaman Lal, dies, he decides to return to his roots; he has begun to feel devoid of emotions and attachments. He also has apprehensions about the future of the world because “Women were no longer concerned about modesty, children no longer respected parents and the cow was being murdered wantonly”.
In the last stage of his life (Vanaprastha), just before dying, Harilal makes a gesture that many readers will think was an endearing one. It lends a touch of nobility to his death.
The creation of this 513-page, all-encompassing story centered around one man, cannot be seen as a small feat. I am glad I acted on my friend’s recommendation and I look forward to reading Sujit Saraf’s other books.
August 4, 2021
A criminally underrated book that's written on a culture so widely popular, yet under-explored. The Marwari Culture emerged from the mass emigration of the community from various regions of Rajasthan, particularly Shekhawati in search of business opportunities. This book is one of the rare piece written on the region of Shekhawati and its people. Despite being a Fiction novel, it gets all the historical facts and events right, enough to elucidate on the historical development of the community that we see today.
Taking advantage of his creative liberty, the author has artfully developed the characters of the story to represent the various different personality traits found in the members of the community. Drawing on many prejudices, he sheds light on what could be the rationale behind those historical convictions. The unabashed point of view of Harilal reveals the mentality and the thought patterns that laid ground for so many convictions that formed the backbone of the culture back then.
The central theme of the story unfolds towards the end of the story giving a closure to the frenzy of emotions the story sets about. It also rationalizes the presence of the most important monuments build across the region of Shekhawati.
For someone like me, who belongs to the Marwari Community from Shekhawati, this account offered me explanations to a lot of activity that I've been seeing around since I was a kid. To the others not bearing such a personal connection, the sheer storytelling of the author will leave you awestruck and emotionally stimulated.
Harilal and Sons is an emotional journey of a Marwari boy turning into a Marwari Seth, while the history unfolds itself around his shop. From Rampura to Bogra, the family tree of Harilal blossoms into a verdant behemoth with branches across the world.
I would highly recommend this book to readers who love Indian Fiction and to those who want to know a little more about India as a society.
Take a bow, Sujit Saraf.
Taking advantage of his creative liberty, the author has artfully developed the characters of the story to represent the various different personality traits found in the members of the community. Drawing on many prejudices, he sheds light on what could be the rationale behind those historical convictions. The unabashed point of view of Harilal reveals the mentality and the thought patterns that laid ground for so many convictions that formed the backbone of the culture back then.
The central theme of the story unfolds towards the end of the story giving a closure to the frenzy of emotions the story sets about. It also rationalizes the presence of the most important monuments build across the region of Shekhawati.
For someone like me, who belongs to the Marwari Community from Shekhawati, this account offered me explanations to a lot of activity that I've been seeing around since I was a kid. To the others not bearing such a personal connection, the sheer storytelling of the author will leave you awestruck and emotionally stimulated.
Harilal and Sons is an emotional journey of a Marwari boy turning into a Marwari Seth, while the history unfolds itself around his shop. From Rampura to Bogra, the family tree of Harilal blossoms into a verdant behemoth with branches across the world.
I would highly recommend this book to readers who love Indian Fiction and to those who want to know a little more about India as a society.
Take a bow, Sujit Saraf.
December 29, 2021
One of the best books I read this year, although with some effort. It is a long one and dragging in parts, but the payoff is good.
This book was given to me by my cousin and is written by a family relative who happens to be my grandfather as family trees go. The story itself is my great-great grandfathers.
The story of a marwadi boy moving from West to the east to set up his business and family is a typical one for our family and it was riveting to read about the journey of this boy who left home when he was 12 and setup an empire by 50 in a faraway land.
The journey reads like a family saga written in a kind of poetry of the daily trifles of a Bania ife - marriage, births, rituals and of course business (buying cheap and selling dear). Interspersed between the trifles are events both joyous and dad which move the story forward and bring richness to this family and it's characters. The episode of buying the first car was humourous.
As the saga runs from the 1890s to the 1970s, the events around the world impact this family - from the famines to the world war 2, the freedom movement and partition, all events play a part in establishing this family as it is today.
The story does begin to drag a bit and you feel a deja vu of sorts. However, it all does impact the character development of Harilal from a young boy with wild dreams to a patriarch who becomes very much like the father he questioned so much.
I found the writing to lack emotion in certain parts and specific events , but then I also felt that is how Marwadi families are - they aren't overtly expressive in emotions of love but they do it subtly as did Harilal at various key stages of his life.
This book was given to me by my cousin and is written by a family relative who happens to be my grandfather as family trees go. The story itself is my great-great grandfathers.
The story of a marwadi boy moving from West to the east to set up his business and family is a typical one for our family and it was riveting to read about the journey of this boy who left home when he was 12 and setup an empire by 50 in a faraway land.
The journey reads like a family saga written in a kind of poetry of the daily trifles of a Bania ife - marriage, births, rituals and of course business (buying cheap and selling dear). Interspersed between the trifles are events both joyous and dad which move the story forward and bring richness to this family and it's characters. The episode of buying the first car was humourous.
As the saga runs from the 1890s to the 1970s, the events around the world impact this family - from the famines to the world war 2, the freedom movement and partition, all events play a part in establishing this family as it is today.
The story does begin to drag a bit and you feel a deja vu of sorts. However, it all does impact the character development of Harilal from a young boy with wild dreams to a patriarch who becomes very much like the father he questioned so much.
I found the writing to lack emotion in certain parts and specific events , but then I also felt that is how Marwadi families are - they aren't overtly expressive in emotions of love but they do it subtly as did Harilal at various key stages of his life.
February 26, 2023
It took me about 15 odd days to finish reading the book but that is too little a time when the story chronicles the life of the protagonist from age of 9 to 80,
I witneseed him evolving from a child to an old man. All the phases of life are curated by sujit sharaf in such articulate way.
I could feel and live harilal's life even more as the story is written in first person.
Surely there was so much to absorb and i felt necessary to give it time. I intentionally read it slow.
and while i do not do it often i made so many notes for this novel. And prepared a pedigree chart in my note pad because i felt it necessary as i wanted to understand and feel all the charcaters and the timelines.
This is a beautiful book, Though i felt anticipatory grief fromthe beginning as it was known to me that the novel will have a sad ending.
Loved it to the core.
I witneseed him evolving from a child to an old man. All the phases of life are curated by sujit sharaf in such articulate way.
I could feel and live harilal's life even more as the story is written in first person.
Surely there was so much to absorb and i felt necessary to give it time. I intentionally read it slow.
and while i do not do it often i made so many notes for this novel. And prepared a pedigree chart in my note pad because i felt it necessary as i wanted to understand and feel all the charcaters and the timelines.
This is a beautiful book, Though i felt anticipatory grief fromthe beginning as it was known to me that the novel will have a sad ending.
Loved it to the core.
Read
November 4, 2021Harilal & sons came into my bookshelf many years after I had read the peacock throne by Sujit Saraf.
While the peacock throne was contemporary (almost two decades ago) harilal and sone spans across a century and atleast a couple of generations and bring out the essence of the enterprising spirit of the thrifty marwari or baniya community that we know them as.
The story telling is straightforward and handled with sensitivity of a patriarch who values were defined in accordance with the times. The changing political landscape and the status of women over the decades in finely interwoven into a part fiction part biography of the authors grandfather. Great read if you love historical fiction as a genre.
While the peacock throne was contemporary (almost two decades ago) harilal and sone spans across a century and atleast a couple of generations and bring out the essence of the enterprising spirit of the thrifty marwari or baniya community that we know them as.
The story telling is straightforward and handled with sensitivity of a patriarch who values were defined in accordance with the times. The changing political landscape and the status of women over the decades in finely interwoven into a part fiction part biography of the authors grandfather. Great read if you love historical fiction as a genre.
January 22, 2018
Shades of The Good Earth, Indian style.
During British times, many a Marwari family travelled the long road from the dunes and droughts of Rajasthan (in particular the super dry Marwar region) to Calcutta and other cities of Bengal and settled successful businesses; as Bengalis were usually not known for business savvy.
This book traces the family saga of such a family of traders; sweeping across generations from 1899 to 1972; from the perspective of the patriarch Harilal Tibrewala.
Am definitely picking his other books now.
During British times, many a Marwari family travelled the long road from the dunes and droughts of Rajasthan (in particular the super dry Marwar region) to Calcutta and other cities of Bengal and settled successful businesses; as Bengalis were usually not known for business savvy.
This book traces the family saga of such a family of traders; sweeping across generations from 1899 to 1972; from the perspective of the patriarch Harilal Tibrewala.
Am definitely picking his other books now.
August 5, 2018
A semi-fictional depiction of a self made Marwari man as Raamji gives and takes across his generations, his conservative mindset clashing with the changing world around him and documentary of an India, specifically Bengal from pre Independence to when Bangladesh is created. This is good Indian literature with insight into a common man's perspective to life in that era with minimal political bearings. There is very little material out there on Marwaris as a community and this book does some justice in that regard from Shekhawati to Kalkatta.
May 6, 2018
Being a Marwari, whose Grandfather left Rajasthan for Calcutta and prospered, reading Harilal and Sons felt almost like reading the history of my own family. It was relatable beyond imagintion. The book does justice to the marwari community for having portrayed their passion for business and their interesting lives in such a detailed manner.
January 29, 2018
awesome book on the migration of marwadis from Rajasthan to Bengal, bihar and Assam in early 20th century.
must read for all marwadi banias, how easy the life is for us now and how they coped and the business and family values they followed
must read for all marwadi banias, how easy the life is for us now and how they coped and the business and family values they followed
August 29, 2021
A sweeping novel that puts into perspective the Marwari community's history within the broader context of Indian sub continent history. What I especially loved about it was how Saraf remains truthful to the time, people and context without being judgemental.
May 10, 2020
Very well written. I can read it again.
October 6, 2021
Indeed a must-read and a lucky that I chanced upon it. I must say here that it's unfortunate that lesser books by famous authors are easily accessed, while gems such as this one are chance discoveries.
I especially liked the beginning and the end, and the authenticity - the places, language, and recreating the period. The only drawback - if I may call it that - is the excessive dwelling on the extremely complex family and drama of children, grandchildren, and grand grandchildren, when the author is so well-informed of the background, culture, and the history of the period - which is the draw for target readers.
I realize that characters propel the story, and here the title itself makes this abundantly clear, but the author could have easily spent more on the introspection and journey of the protagonist Hari (which is what makes the ending really beautiful). Also, diversifying more on the historical events of the time, locations, and surrounding areas.
Still, minor grouses apart, this is an excellent read for anyone who wants to get completely immersed in the pre and post-independence era, minus the gore and forced sentimentality (oh look at the ordeals we've been through) that make me skip so many books set in this period.
I especially liked the beginning and the end, and the authenticity - the places, language, and recreating the period. The only drawback - if I may call it that - is the excessive dwelling on the extremely complex family and drama of children, grandchildren, and grand grandchildren, when the author is so well-informed of the background, culture, and the history of the period - which is the draw for target readers.
I realize that characters propel the story, and here the title itself makes this abundantly clear, but the author could have easily spent more on the introspection and journey of the protagonist Hari (which is what makes the ending really beautiful). Also, diversifying more on the historical events of the time, locations, and surrounding areas.
Still, minor grouses apart, this is an excellent read for anyone who wants to get completely immersed in the pre and post-independence era, minus the gore and forced sentimentality (oh look at the ordeals we've been through) that make me skip so many books set in this period.
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