The Last Color

by Vikas Khanna

It's Holi, 2012, the Hindu festival of spring, and back in Varanasi after twenty years, a young advocate is celebrating a nation-wide Supreme Court order against an age-old tradition of social injustice meted out to the destitute widows of India - to whom even the simple joys of color were denied.

It was in this city that, twenty years ago, Choti, a sassy, tight-rope walker befriends an old widow, Noor. As a member of the ashram, she lives a life of complete abstinence, but her young friend's innocent exuberance and joy of life fills her with renewed hope.

The two form an unlikely bond, with Noor looking out for Choti, inspiring her to 'fly high' by seeking an education and fighting for her rights with dignity. Choti listens enraptured by the memories her friend shares: of playing Holi dressed as Radha, the consort of Lord Krishna, and flinging great bursts of her favorite pink-colored gulal into the sky. Choti promises her that they will play the next Holi together.

But then, one night, another friend of Choti's, Anarkali, is murdered by the heinous police chief and his goons. Being the only witness to her murder, Choti is imprisoned on the eve of Holi. Everything falls apart in the ensuing chaos.

Will Choti be able to keep her promise of playing Holi with Noor?

Pitting the smoke rising from the funeral pyres of Manikarnika Ghat, against the joyous color-bursts of Holi celebrations, Vikas Khanna's marvellously layered story of the survival of a delicate friendship, is brilliantly told and poignantly life-affirming.

Genres: Indian Literature

224 pages, Hardcover

Published May 18, 2018

Reviews

[Vidhya Thakkar · Rating 5 out of 5]

Firstly, I loved the title and the cover of the book, and yes the blurb tells many things about what the story could be. The story revolves around Choti, Chintu, Anarkali, Rekha and Noor. The backdrop of Varanasi is Fascinating.  The plot of the story is super interesting with lots of twists. The writing style of the author is captivating. One will easily connect with the book from the very first page. The narration of the story is crisp and engaging. This book is a page-turner book with the elements of Suspense, revenge, pity, hate, Love, friendship and Justice. The pace and the flow of the story is smooth and easy. The language used by the author is simple and easy. The story has its own depth.

The characters that the author made amazing. Each of them had their own importance in the story. I loved Choti's and Rekha's Character the most, and Noor's character was just mind-blowing. Each of the characters had their own personality and added charm to the story. Choti's character, her maturity, the way of thinking and her bubbly nature touched my heart. The Story as proceeds becomes more interesting. The climax of the story is awesome. 

This book is a gem, with the strong plot, wonderful characters and crisp narration. Each one of you must read this book.

[Sarmistha · Rating 5 out of 5]

Amid the silent prayers on the ghat,
She felt her soul illuminated by a thousand earthen lamps.
At last, the little one eclipsed the evil
Brought the bright shades of liberation for the white canvas.

The story is set in City of Ghats, Varanasi a small girl child was rescued from a garbage bin grew up with her best friend Chintu in the 'Nameless house with Pink Walls'.Her friend Anarkali teaches her the ropes of trade. Choti dreams of soaring high, the uniform clad school children excites her heart.A beautiful friendship blossoms between the high spirited tight rope walker and the calm old widow Noor. As the story moves forward, the reader come across the corrupt police official Raja whose name is quite an analogy to his character.He turns the little girl's world upside down with his drastic actions.Does the little one bounces back or ends up among the many nameless shrouded corpses cremated daily on the ghat? A reader would surely love to find out.

With an engaging narration, rich language and snippets of poetry, the author skillfully projected the alluring tapestry of love, friendship,kindness, companionship, hate and jealousy.He brought alive the hideous narrow alleys, the bustling ghats of Tulsi and Manikarnika and delicious delicacies of the pious city with his magical words.The rapid altering scenario of the story,the ever changing equation among the characters and the high running emotions kept me glued to the book.

What really caught my eye is the way, Vikas Khanna portrayed the gender discrimination,the
immaterialistic lifestyle of underprivileged,exploitation of the weak, deprivation of the widows by the society and the rustic mentality of the patriarchal society.The fight for a fistful of color is a crucial lesson for all the upcoming generations
Choti,the main protagonist moved my heart.Her deep understanding of life,maturity at a tender age,strong willpower,sense of righteousness, resilience and her desire to dream against all odds make her an unforgettable character.Deep inside,one can feel her helplessness at the state of affairs, living under a constant fear and yet amid all this her heart still oozed with kindness,love and care for her friends.
Noor was abandoned at the ashram by her close relatives.Her only crime,she survived her husband who took all her colors, dreams and desire with himself on the pyre. Choti's friendship brought alive the long dead little desires of her heart.She reveled in the short spells of happiness, the little one brought in her life.Their friendship can't be phrased in words. Both of them had a deep influence on each other which changed their lives for better.
Anarkali embodies the fate of many unfortunate individuals who are deserted by their loved ones and oppressed by the society.Their persistent struggle for survival ends only at deathbed.Despite all her bitter experience of life,she was more humane than anyone.

The pace is slow.The story takes its own sweet time to grow on you.The climax left me thoughtful.The suffocating domination by the Powerful failed to throttle the decade long fight of the Iron willed individuals against the shackles of evil which crippled lakhs of lives.The relentless efforts bore fruit with the epic judgement which gave the oppressed individuals their right of bondage free life and returned the long lost colors to their lives.
I want to congratulate the debut fiction author for the amazing novel.He nailed it with his master storytelling.I would recommend the book to anyone who loves to read something very realistic.

[Sac · Rating 5 out of 5]

I went into this one blind. I had no idea of what the plot was going to be... I didn't even read the blurb!

There are very few books in your life that touch you to the core! And for me this was one of those books. From the very first chapter I was hooked. I didn't notice anything about the book.... One of the first things I usually notice about a book is the author's writing style, I didn't even notice that!

I was so gripped into this world of "Varanasi" that nothing else mattered. I started this book after midnight and stayed up till the dawn to finish. The characters are all so marvelous and lively. I could easily visualize the story unfolding. I am perplexed at how someone can capture the essence of India in this way.

Being an Indian, it is always hard for me to explain it's culture and life in general to others. Though the author has only written about one city of India, the impact that he wanted to create with this story was very well delivered. The issue the author narrated and the background that he created around the characters, it hits that sweet spot, the appropriate depth needed.. there's something satisfactory about it. He doesn't leave any questions and provides all the answers.

Each chapter in the book has a powerful theme and the story is perfectly structured around that theme. How can someone so adequately narrate the feeling of hopes, dreams, sorrow, reality, humanity, courage and loyalty in just about 250 pages is what baffles me. I felt everything from frustration to sadness to fear of life, death and humanity. But most of all I felt that need, the drive to set things right. It sparks inside you that little lamp to leave the world a better place then it was before. To help someone. To make an impact.

Also the meaning of that title! The Last ColorThe color of AshThe way it makes you thing about life is something else entirely.

This book resonated somewhere deep inside me. It brings that energy to you. I literally can't put my feelings into words. I loved it! Also the author is a Michelin star chef and someone who's personality I admire. That was also one of the reasons that it surprised me so much. I'll probably cherish this book my entire life as the gem I accidentally stumbled upon!

[Anukriti Malik · Rating 4 out of 5]

Vikas Khanna’s debut fiction novel The Last Color is a heartwarming tale of love , promises and breaking taboos of the Indian society. The novel is already being adapted in a motion picture which is commendable but in the battle of book vs movie , will the movie lead?

The story revolves around the life of Chooti , a tight rope walker and Noor , an old widow. The main highlight of the plot is Varanasi and the plight of widows in India. The synopsis gives out a lot about the background and the main reason why I picked up the book was the plot. I have always been interested in reading books that are women oriented and written by a male author and not to forget , who doesn’t like Vikas Khanna? I won’t say I had high expectations from a debut author (this is his first fictional book) but the book actually impressed me.

The writing style of the author is plain lucid yet impactful and connectable. The vivid descriptions of Varanasi transport you to the scenario and make you live in the story. I actually felt my heart racing at some points. I felt comfortable with both the characters , specially Noor. The author has played fair with both the characters and I can’t wait for the movie.

My only issue with the book is the pace of the story. The first half seems dragged and it might make you lose interest in the book but as the story progresses , the pace increases and you can’t keep the book down.

The book also includes some behind the scenes clipping from the movie that will make you connect with the scenario and story better.

A heartwarming tale. Recommended.

[Priyanshi Bhardwaj · Rating 4 out of 5]

When I first read about the book, I was really interested in the story and the whole vibe of it. The blurb was full of different characters and I was expecting a story full of heart moving characters, fighting for their desires. A story about an unlikely bond which will only turn into the most intense one, full of unconditional love and sacrifice.

The book did not, in any way, disappoint me of my expectations, it was much more than that. This was a story about the life of a widow, who was denied each and everything in life. A transgender, who survived by begging on the streets, and an orphan, who fought for her life and her friends.

The Last Color helped me live among these brilliant personalities, and I honestly learned so much about their lives because this life that they represent, is not a fiction but a reality.

Choti, the star of the book, is such a brave character. She is an orphan, who survives by putting out a show by walking on the rope and begging on the streets with Anarkali, her best friend. Choti meets Noor, a widow and forms a very strong bond with her. Together they talk about life, and death and their dreams and desires.

"The last color is the color of ash. Ash is the color of every soul on its way to nirvana, the color of every flame after it burns, the color of the oldest, wisest eyes."

But life is not as easy in Varanasi as it seems. If there is good, there ought to be evil. The police officer, Raj, of Varanasi is the villain of the story who becomes like a wall between choti and her dreams and not only that, he represents a character who is too proud, a misogynist and hungry for more power. He is reckless and crude.

In my opinion, he represents our society, that is ready to shackle whoever that dares to dream. Be it Noor, the widow, Choti, the Orphan or Anarkali, the transgender.

We get to know each of the characters in the story with so much depth, and understand their struggles and their resilience as well.

Varanasi is described in such a complete manner! Where there are colours and lights and celebrations, there is also death and grief and darkness.

The author’s efforts and time and hardwork into this book are overflowing from every part of the story.

I would really urge everyone to read this book!
It was heartbreaking yet it was a beautiful. I honestly did not expect Vikas Khanna to write as amazingly as he cooks! And now I am a fan for all the more reasons!



"I was given a review copy by the publisher in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and contents are my own".


[Vanshika Gaur · Rating 5 out of 5]

There are few books that automatically seek your deepest attention. THE LAST COLOR by VIKAS KHANNA is one of them. The story revolves around the oldest living city, Varanasi. The background and setting is so vividly described that anyone's age long desire of visiting Banaras can be satisfied from any part of the world. The use of auditory and visual imagery by the author helps you blend with the scenes and you'll very easily discover yourself to be an active participant of the storyline. The story sets out to find justice for the widows of Varanasi who have not a fleck of colour in their life to the day they "legally" fill their lives with the hues of Holi. It's a tale of hope, transformation, friendship, promise, dedication, love, resilience and all the pure emotions one can think of. It's a narrative of only heroines and no heros who have been rejected by the society as a whole. They never lose hope and work with all their strength to earn themselves a living, a happy living. The little girl, CHOTI was exposed to the cruel world in no time after she was born. Without the patronage of an elder, in a tender age, she gets to understand the meaning of life. For money, she doesn't beg until compelled by fate but bleeds her leg as a tight-rope walking girl, for the people to watch her TAMASHA and in her business she becomes a free bird with zero worries of the days to come. Her vivacious nature and her adulthood in childhood makes me fall in love with her. She is the one who promises her best friend, her Ma, Noor, who is a widow, that she'll definitely color her in Pink on the day of Holi. Read out the book to know how she manages to keep her promise. Noor's character cannot be put into words. She is an ode. I hope the book had never ended. I want to read more of it. The book is a perfect example of rich literature immersed in culture. What a beauty the knitted words hold! I've already fallen in love with the author. I know I've not done justice to the book by this trivial review but I would ask everyone around to give it a read.

[Bewitchingly Paranoid · Rating 3 out of 5]

A Michelin Star awardee and a celebrated chef, Vikas Khanna made his debut with his first fictional book and a feature film, could this be any more amazing! To start with, I have always loved reading anything and everything related to widows of Vanarasi. I liked the concept of Meera Nair’s movie, “Water”, that talked about the unimaginable issues faced by widows during the 19th century in India. Similarly, not same but the concept of various problems and restrictions faced by widows have been taken up by Vikas Khanna and I couldn’t stop myself from picking up the book instantly.

The book focuses on important social issues, abandoning of a girl child and various numbers of restrictions faced by the widows, they are always left at Varanasi despite their age, under terrible conditions. This book has clearly taken care of those aspects in a very simple, beautiful story like manner making you picture the entire book. Luckily, the movie is being made and I simply cannot wait to watch. Several events turn Choti’s world upside down who is the protagonist, but she is a born fighter and the involvement of Noor makes the entire book all the more interesting and I shall say, Noor, fills the missing gap turning the book all the more graceful.

The writing style is very simple and to the point, this part made me a little thoughtful. The book seemed very straightforward which kinda made the fictional part disappear in between at a few instances, there are few writing areas that require a little bit of polishing. Another con about the book, in the beginning, it is slow but as you reach the midsection, the pace increases and creates a rather interesting story. Since the plotline is very interesting and thoughtful, the ‘con’ doesn’t really bother much. I loved this book and to be honest, it reconnected me with a lot of forgotten memories. A recommended book and a book to be collected.

[Megha Malik · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Last Color (the color of ash) is such a gem and deserve the time to really appreciate the author Chef Vikas Khanna. This is one of my favorite book of all times. The writing style of the writer was easy yet compelling having so depth in the words. I felt this book was particularly strong to skillfully project the alluring tapestry of love, friendship, kindness and companionship. I actually felt my heart racing at some points. For some of the readers the pace was very slow but for me Chef never failed to portray the beauty of the story not even in a single page.
The plot revolves around the Ghats of Varanasi with three empowering women characters like Choti (an abandoned girl child), Noor (an old widow living her life on this hollow society’s norms) and Anarkali (a transgender whose existence has been neglected by each and every one) fighting to live freely in the vicious web of gender discrimination, the materialistic lifestyle of underprivileged, exploitation of the weak in a rustic mentality and a patriarchal society. Choti the protagonist individually shared divine bond with both the ladies. But no story is complete without any cruel identity and here he was Raja (a brutal and misogynist Police officer) who would do any inhuman thing just to prove his masculinity and destroy the world of these three ladies but Choti being the youngest and mature in such a tender age who always support both of her friends against such corrupt system.
“ Noor, we will play Holi together the next year” Choti said beaming.
But will they be able to succeed? Will Choti be ever able to fly? Or will she be able to live a life she always dreamt?

[Chittajit Mitra · Rating 4 out of 5]

Rating- 4.5/5

The story is set in Varanasi & revolves around Choti, a girl who was abandoned in garbage as a baby & saved by a woman in yellow saree. She grew up together with other orphans in the “Nameless House with Pink Walls” where all most of them begged on the streets wearing costumes & make up to resemble different gods. But Choti always wanted to fly & performed her tight rope routine while her friend Chintu gathered money from the crowd. As the story moves forward we meet two friends of Choti, Anarkali, a Hijra who also begs for survival & Noor a white saree clad widow who is forced to live a life devoid of any color. The antagonist of the story is Raja, a corrupt police inspector who gets sadistic pleasure in torturing all the beggars in his area & also extorted money from them. Then one night Choti witnessed her friend Anarkali being murdered by the police inspector & his henchmen. One thing leads to another and she gets beaten up & imprisoned on the eve of Holi for reporting the crime. Will she ever escape from the clutches of the evil inspector & bring justice to her friend, also would she be able to play Holi with her friend Noor as promised? Would she ever fly? Get the book here to immerse yourself into the City of the Dead & a story which will stay with you forever

Read the full review on Just Another Bookaholic

[Abantika(hiltonjenkin) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Follow my blog for more posts: hjbookblog
In his debut novel The Last Color, Vikas Khanna weaves a compelling story. Set in Varanasi, the story explores the aspirations and desires of people that thrive irrespective of their gender, class, age, social and marital status.

It explores the life on road and an unlikely bond of friendship between Choti, a tight rope walker and Noor, an old widow.

The story warms your heart and breaks it at the same time. It makes you feel both empowered and helpless. And finally makes you wonder how something as basic as color that we take for granted can be withheld from a whole community.

Descriptions in the book are vivid and the story is told in an intriguing way. But the plot is sluggish and it took me quite some time to get into the book and finish reading it.

[Ciea]

I would have sued Goodreads if they didn’t have this book in records. After hunting for it - for around 20 minutes - here it is.

[Laiba · Rating 2 out of 5]

The Last Color by Vikas khanna is centered around the widows of Varanasi not being allowed to play holi, and I really loved this storyline but sadly the story was predictable. We meet Choti and follow her journey into the past where we get to know how she was born and brought up. The book started very well but then it just went downhill for me,Khanna was trying so hard to sound mature that it became really hard for me to continue reading, and the story was moving at such a slow pace too. I really think that with more fine tuning this book could have been amazing but sadly that is not the case at the moment.

[Juhi Bansal · Rating 5 out of 5]

A beautiful story of undying determination, courage, friendship, broken tabboos, dreams fulfilled and dreams unfullfilled. A story every women can relate to. At no point does this become depressing or boring. An absolute page turner!
Vikas Khanna - looking forward to more such books!!

[Ekta Kubba · Rating 4 out of 5]

Varanasi is the ancient cultural hub. It is the city for all. It shelters everyone- widows, transgender, orphans, thieves, poor as well as rich, and above all it shelters or rather is administered by the people who make Society in a conservative sense. The society is not made by the oppressed. It is made by them who tend to oppress others. It is a sad reality. And Vikas Khanna has portrayed this reality in a very well manner. Before laying my hands on this book, Vikas Khanna was known to me as a Michelin star chef only. But now I am his fan for his fiction also. Varanasi has always been a point of interest for me. Background of the book interested me. It was the Holi celebrated with flowers, by the widows of Vrindavan in 2013. The novel is loosely based on that event. The oppression of widows by some among themselves; the oppression of orphans and transgender by people in general and a policeman Raj in particular has been portrayed successfully. Story is full of emotions and drama. But it also represents the beauty of some unnamed relationships. I liked everything in this book, except some editing issues. There are a number of grammatical mistakes in the text. Story line and emotional portrayal is very good. Now waiting for the movie, staring Neena Gupta.
4.5/5

[John Trident · Rating 4 out of 5]

The last color

It's very rare we come across books that take our breath away. Because the stories we read teaches us about many things in life which lingers on our minds, as sweet memories forever.
One such book is 'The last color'. Set in the 1980s in the auspicious city of Varanasi, also referred to as the 'City of dead', 'City of the gods' - as legend says it is the city of Lord Shiva (a god of trinity in Hindu) himself.

Cover is beautiful. It has been designed pretty well. Title is apt & justifies the story accordingly. The book is a bittersweet journey of orphans & it also portrays how they're sadly perceived by the world. One on hand, we've the poor underprivileged people. On the other, the widows of the society who are abandoned by everyone including their own family. A starking similarity has been shown between them on the account that society neglects them on a whole. While poor people are neglected by many because of they lack money & fame. And our society ignores widows because it considers them to be taboos. They're restricted from the privileges of mankind. They aren't allowed to wear colorful clothes - hence, they lead & live a colorless life. They are also abolished from interacting with anyone & so they lead a life of isolation, devoid of any joy, let alone get any additional benefits. It also talks about the plight of our society, the poverty in which people submerge themselves.

The book talks about true friendship, love, freedom, peace, joy, happiness, sadness, pain, kindness, hatred, evil, malice, greed, jealousy, right, wrong, truth, lies, justice, deceit, death, murder, revenge & all forms of sin which lead a man to the path of destruction. The weak are always exploited, deprived of all facilities, led astray by anyone, taken advantage by many.

The story is set in the city of ghats, Varanasi & revolves around Choti - a girl who was abandoned in a hapless garbage as a baby & saved by a woman in yellow saree. She grew up together with other orphans in orphanage, 'Nameless House with Pink Walls' where she befriended many of them, met good people making bonds which will linger for quite a lifetime. The children met their needs basically thriving & surviving on alms, mostly they begged on the streets wearing costumes & prepping themselves up to resemble different gods & goddesses of Hindu religion. However, Choti had different plans for her life. She always wanted to fly & performed her tight-rope & rope-climbing routine which was taught by her friend Anarkali. Whilst her friend Chintu gathered money from the crowd. Chintu & she grew up together since childhood & forged an independent inseparable bond. As the story proceeds, we realise that Anarkali - is a Hijra(Eunuch) who like others lives on begging for survival & Noor - white saree draped widow who is unhappy as a consequence of being forced to live a life devoid of any color. The antagonist of the story is Raja, a police inspector who's corrupted to the core & malice is what defines him as he derives sadistic pleasure in torturing people, especially the poor people, beggars in his jurisprudence jurisdiction area & extorts money via them from unspeakably unethical ways. Then a strange event happened which turned Choti's life upside down as one night she witnessed her friend Anarkali was being murdered by the police inspector & his henchmen, hooligans. Things turn ugly & the chain of events lead her imprisoned, also getting beaten up because she tried to report them, all this taking place on the special occasion of Holi where everyone was engrossed in celebrations. Will she be able to escape from the clutches of the evil & bring true justice to her friend? Also as the blurb says, would she be able to play Holi with her friend Noor as promised? Will she ever fly like she dreamt ? Grab the book to learn more about what exactly happened.

The story makes us realise the importance of color in our lives. As we realise the very essence of them because without them our lives not only become colorless but also meaningless. We take things for granted until we lose them one day. The story will stay with the readers eternally. The only thing I disliked is the blurb gives away the story entirely. Also, the book is slowpaced accompanied by the monotonous narration makes it a bit difficult to finish sometimes. Language is simple, lucid & has a smooth flow to it.

[Pavitra (For The Love of Fictional Worlds) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Also Posted on For The Love of Fictional Worlds

Disclaimer: A Physical Copy of the book was provided via Bloomsbury India in exchange for an honest review. The Thoughts, opinions & feelings expressed in the review are therefore, my own.

Actual Rating 3.5 Stars

The Last Color is the debut novel of Vikas Khanna and already has been made into a movie; so definitely the expectations from this one was quite high for me – even though I am not a fan of Mr. Khanna personally – nothing against him; I am just not a fan of cooking :P 

The premise of the plot is quite different of course – with the brilliant back roads of Varanasi & with the main character being a Widow of Varanasi; the book expecting to tackle more social issues and taboos of Indian Society – I wanted this book to be freaking amazing & exhilarating!! 

,b>The Last Color tackles so many social issues – the abandonment of the girl child, the restrictions imposed on widows in our society & not to mention the way widows of some families are left behind to fend for themselves in Varanasi despite their age or health! 

The story though takes it pace quite slow; and for someone who likes her plotlines to move a bit more smoothly when called for (& Last Color definitely called for it!). The writing is quite simplistic; and yet at times dragged down the story a bit (could use a bit of polishing!). But it is a different concept; a concept that was given its due by the author, which I definitely respect!  

But I do believe this is a book that will be better enjoyed as a movie – a cinematic concept of the plot; that can be brought beautifully to the big screen!  



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[The Blue Ink Readers · Rating 4 out of 5]

🅱🅾🅾🅺 🆁🅴🆅🅸🅴🆆 - The Last Color by Vikas Khanna.



#Preads ⭐ 4/5

"The last color is the color of ash," Noor said. "Ash is the color of every soul on its way to Nirvana....At the end, everyone becomes equal, everyone becomes identical...nothing can divide this color."

Pg116



What may appear as just a color to one, may bring life to another.



‘The Last Color’ by Vikas Khanna is a story that celebrates the Supreme Court’s order against the age-old tradition of social injustice inflicted on the destitute widows of India.



The novel is set in the Ghats of Varanasi and shares the story of three empowering characters – Choti, an abandoned young girl; Noor, the socially outcast widow; and Anarkali, the eunuch who challenges the power politics. To their opposite stands Inspector Raja, who brings to fore the issues of power, politics and patriarchy and how each of them contributes in crushing the dreams of marginalized people.



The novel takes us on a journey through the narrow-lanes of Varansi, which houses hundreds and thousands of widows clad in white sarees, shunned from life, color and any sense of individuality after their husbands’ death.The book is a social outcry against all the wrongs Indian widows have to go through for the sake of keeping up with the traditions, especially a life that is devoid of colors and individual identity. The other themes covered also include the exploitation of the weak and gender discrimination.



While Noor was the lead protagonist of the story, I really loved Choti’s character and her strong relationship with all her friends. Choti’s journey from earning her bread by walking on a tightrope, living on a tree, painting a widow’s nails, facing torture led by police are all small bravery accounts of her courageous little self.



Khanna’s writing is as delicious and flavorful as his food. Every thought he has put forward is pregnant with emotions. While my heart warmed as well as shattered at the ending of the novel, I really adored the realistic touch he put his debut fiction.

[Caroline D’cruz · Rating 1 out of 5]

I usually do not post about books i DNF. They either silently get kicked off my tbr or go into the list of books I DNF’ed. But I just wouldn’t stop myself from writing my thoughts on why I had to dnf this book.

This book was such an anticipated read for me that it left me shocked and disappointed that I had to shut the book and call it quits.

The Last Color is a book written by world renowned Michelin star chef Vicky Khanna. The book is Khanna debut fictional story, highlighting the plight & struggles of Widows in India. The topic of the book was nothing new or unheard of, as the premise of the book was good, it was the writing and the pace of the book that was a great put off.

It shocks me to see something so amature and unpolished come out from someone so renowned. I would sense the authors struggle with the language in each of its paragraphs. I think, having this book written in his own language and later having it translated into English, the author would have published a more fine quality book rather then something so mediocre.
For me Indian books have an Indian-ish ring to its writing, but this was far from just that ring. I’m also not a fan of authors translating Hindi words to english and then adding them to a sentence where they just do not belong or fit in with the rest of the sentence. A preferred glossary at the end of the book or page would work wonders. The pace of the book was slow and inconsistent and the characters added more confusion to the book leaving me puzzled.

However, we do get to see glimpses of the chef in Vicky Khanna with the mention of mouthwatering dishes like masala Chai or Varanasi Aloo in the first chapter and I’m sure there must have been mentions of more such mouthwatering dishes throughout the rest of the book.
However, this book was later made into a motion picture and I think I will stick with watching the movie.

Although, these are just my thoughts on this book, I do not discourage anyone from seeking out this book. What wasn’t for me, can be your next favourite.

[Gayatri Saikia | per_fictionist · Rating 5 out of 5]

There are books that require whole of your attention, consuming a considerable amount of time, engrossing your mind and soul. This is one such masterpiece.

To say that I'm in love with the book will be a downright understatement.

I'm enticed by Vikas Khanna's mastery in the language. This book breaks your heart and then works to mend it. The flow of words, the description of places,pictures,events are a treat.

The story revolves around three very different women Choti, Noor and Anarkali who are abandoned by the society but goes on to find peace in their inner selves and within each other.

Choti is our main protagonist who learns the definition of life when she is thrown into the merciless society at the tender age of one. Undeterred by all the hardships she faces she leads her unmaterialistic-happy life along with her friend Anarkali.

Anarkali, is an eunuch who is betrayed by her parents due to her gender begs along the streets of Varanasi,to fend for herself. Their relationship is so beautifully potrayed that you would crave for more of their conversations.

The third protagonist is Noor,a widow who is dumped by her family and the society after the death of her husband into an Ashram. Following the early Hindu tradition, her head is shaved and her life is devoid of any worldly pleasures along with other restrictions.

The three women carry the story with so much grace that you wouldn't be able to put the book down. In the fight from freedom the shackles of restriction that tie them finally accept their defeat at the hands of these three strong women.

Definite to fill you up with a bucket full of emotions,this is a must read for people of all age group.

Recommended to one and all.

[Pooja Nandi · Rating 4 out of 5]

"Amid the silent prayers on the ghat,
She felt her soul illuminated by a thousand earthen lamps.
At last, the little one eclipsed the evil
Brought the bright shades of liberation for the white canvas."

The story is set in the "City of the Ghats" as they call it Varanasi. Amidst the holy chaos of the city, the story revolves around the lives of Choti, Chintu, Anarkali, Noor and Rekha. The plot of the story talks about the sufferings of the widows at Varanasi. The outcasted elements of the society, who are even denied the simplest things in life. The beautiful cover and the intriguing fact that its a debut novel of Chef Vikas Khanna compelled me to give this book a shot. I totally hoped that the Chef who knew flavours like the back of his hand, how justified will be the emotions of life. But while going through the read I must say, I could almost feel the potent combination of dust, sandalwood and rose-scented incense, the vibrations of the chants and slokas, the warming mist of Ganga, the death crackle of burning pyres up close as though I was right there.

There are little editing errors in the book. But that's a minor thing.

Overall, I would surely recommend this one. I am affirmed that even if you might not have had the chance to visit Varanasi, you will definitely feel the later if you read this one. This book gives out quite a soulful essence of humanity and real-time feelings you can't get away with.

I give this one 4.5 stars.

[Sanika Shetye · Rating 5 out of 5]

🍂“𝙏𝙝𝙚 ‘𝙡𝙖𝙨𝙩’ 𝙘𝙤𝙡𝙤𝙧 𝙞𝙨 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙘𝙤𝙡𝙤𝙧 𝙤𝙛 𝙖𝙨𝙝,” 𝙉𝙤𝙤𝙧 𝙨𝙖𝙞𝙙. “𝘼𝙨𝙝 𝙞𝙨 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙘𝙤𝙡𝙤𝙧 𝙤𝙛 𝙚𝙫𝙚𝙧𝙮 𝙨𝙤𝙪𝙡 𝙤𝙣 𝙞𝙩𝙨 𝙬𝙖𝙮 𝙩𝙤 𝙉𝙞𝙧𝙫𝙖𝙣𝙖, 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙘𝙤𝙡𝙤𝙧 𝙤𝙛 𝙚𝙫𝙚𝙧𝙮 𝙛𝙡𝙖𝙢𝙚 𝙖𝙛𝙩𝙚𝙧 𝙞𝙩 𝙗𝙪𝙧𝙣𝙨, 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙘𝙤𝙡𝙤𝙧 𝙤𝙛 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙤𝙡𝙙𝙚𝙨𝙩 𝙬𝙞𝙨𝙚𝙨𝙩 𝙚𝙮𝙚𝙨. 𝘼𝙩 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙚𝙣𝙙, 𝙚𝙫𝙚𝙧𝙮𝙤𝙣𝙚 𝙗𝙚𝙘𝙤𝙢𝙚𝙨 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙨𝙖𝙢𝙚, 𝙚𝙫𝙚𝙧𝙮𝙤𝙣𝙚 𝙗𝙚𝙘𝙤𝙢𝙚𝙨 𝙚𝙦𝙪𝙖𝙡, 𝙚𝙫𝙚𝙧𝙮𝙤𝙣𝙚 𝙗𝙚𝙘𝙤𝙢𝙚𝙨 𝙞𝙙𝙚𝙣𝙩𝙞𝙘𝙖𝙡, 𝙚𝙫𝙚𝙧𝙮𝙤𝙣𝙚 𝙗𝙚𝙘𝙤𝙢𝙚𝙨 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙘𝙤𝙡𝙤𝙧 𝙤𝙛 𝙖𝙨𝙝.
𝚆𝚎 𝚛𝚊𝚛𝚎𝚕𝚢 𝚌𝚘𝚖𝚎 𝚊𝚌𝚛𝚘𝚜𝚜 𝚋𝚘𝚘𝚔𝚜 𝚝𝚑𝚊𝚝 𝚝𝚊𝚔𝚎 𝚘𝚞𝚛 𝚍𝚎𝚎𝚙𝚎𝚜𝚝 𝚊𝚝𝚝𝚎𝚗𝚝𝚒𝚘𝚗 𝚊𝚗𝚍 𝚕𝚎𝚊𝚟𝚎 𝚏𝚘𝚘𝚝𝚙𝚛𝚒𝚗𝚝𝚜 𝚋𝚎𝚑𝚒𝚗𝚍 𝚒𝚗 𝚘𝚞𝚛 𝚖𝚒𝚗𝚍. 𝙾𝚗𝚎 𝚜𝚞𝚌𝚑 𝚋𝚘𝚘𝚔 𝚒𝚜 '𝚃𝚑𝚎 𝚕𝚊𝚜𝚝 𝚌𝚘𝚕𝚘𝚛' 𝚏𝚘𝚛 𝚖𝚎. 𝚂𝚝𝚊𝚛𝚝𝚎𝚍 𝚛𝚎𝚊𝚍𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝚝𝚑𝚒𝚜 𝚋𝚘𝚘𝚔 𝚘𝚞𝚝 𝚘𝚏 𝚌𝚞𝚛𝚒𝚘𝚜𝚒𝚝𝚢 𝚋𝚞𝚝 𝚎𝚗𝚍𝚎𝚍 𝚑𝚊𝚟𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝚜𝚘𝚏𝚝 𝚌𝚘𝚛𝚗𝚎𝚛 𝚏𝚘𝚛 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚋𝚘𝚘𝚔. 𝚃𝚑𝚎 𝚜𝚝𝚘𝚛𝚢 𝚒𝚜 𝚜𝚒𝚖𝚙𝚕𝚎 𝚋𝚞𝚝 𝚟𝚎𝚛𝚢 𝚑𝚎𝚊𝚛𝚝 𝚝𝚘𝚞𝚌𝚑𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝚊𝚗𝚍 𝚜𝚘𝚖𝚎𝚝𝚒𝚖𝚎𝚜 𝚑𝚎𝚊𝚛𝚝 𝚋𝚛𝚎𝚊𝚔𝚒𝚗𝚐. 𝚂𝚎𝚝 𝚒𝚗 𝚅𝚊𝚛𝚊𝚗𝚊𝚜𝚒, 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚜𝚝𝚘𝚛𝚢 𝚜𝚙𝚎𝚊𝚔𝚜 𝚊𝚋𝚘𝚞𝚝 𝚕𝚒𝚏𝚎 𝚊𝚗𝚍 𝚍𝚎𝚜𝚒𝚛𝚎𝚜 𝚘𝚏 𝚎𝚟𝚎𝚛𝚢 𝚙𝚎𝚛𝚜𝚘𝚗 𝚒𝚛𝚛𝚎𝚜𝚙𝚎𝚌𝚝𝚒𝚟𝚎 𝚘𝚏 𝚊𝚐𝚎, 𝚌𝚘𝚕𝚘𝚛, 𝚐𝚎𝚗𝚍𝚎𝚛 𝚊𝚗𝚍 𝚌𝚕𝚊𝚜𝚜.
𝚃𝚑𝚎 𝚜𝚝𝚘𝚛𝚢 𝚛𝚎𝚟𝚘𝚕𝚟𝚎𝚜 𝚊𝚛𝚘𝚞𝚗𝚍 𝚊 𝚐𝚒𝚛𝚕 𝚗𝚊𝚖𝚎𝚍 𝙲𝚑𝚘𝚝𝚒 𝚊𝚗𝚍 𝚊 𝚠𝚒𝚍𝚘𝚠 𝙽𝚘𝚘𝚛 𝚊𝚗𝚍 𝚝𝚑𝚎𝚒𝚛 𝚒𝚗𝚗𝚘𝚌𝚎𝚗𝚝 𝚋𝚘𝚗𝚍 𝚘𝚏 𝚏𝚛𝚒𝚎𝚗𝚍𝚜𝚑𝚒𝚙. 𝚃𝚑𝚒𝚜 𝚖𝚊𝚜𝚝𝚎𝚛𝚙𝚒𝚎𝚌𝚎 𝚊𝚕𝚜𝚘 𝚎𝚡𝚙𝚎𝚌𝚝𝚜 𝚝𝚘 𝚝𝚊𝚌𝚔𝚕𝚎 𝚜𝚘𝚌𝚒𝚊𝚕 𝚒𝚜𝚜𝚞𝚎𝚜 𝚊𝚗𝚍 𝚝𝚊𝚋𝚘𝚘𝚜 𝚘𝚏 𝚜𝚘𝚌𝚒𝚎𝚝𝚢.

[Simran Munot · Rating 5 out of 5]

It’s about the unlikely friendship between Noor, a widow who has faced a lot of hardships, and Chhoti, a young flower seller with big dreams, set in the beautiful but harsh city of Varanasi.

Noor’s strength despite everything she's been through and Chhoti's hope and determination are both heartbreaking and inspiring. Their bond is the heart of the story, and it shows how love and friendship can break down even the toughest barriers.

The book also tackles some heavy issues like the treatment of widows and the rigid social norms, but it does so with a lot of empathy and hope. By the end, I was so emotionally invested in their lives that I couldn’t help but cry. It’s a beautiful story about resilience, love, and the possibility of change!

[Banaja Prakashini · Rating 4 out of 5]

The characters are the greatest treasure.The story is touching, the reader is definitely going to shed a tear of two, when Noor gets her holi.
I have always been the kind of reader who is after the plot than anything else, but this book changed that, I ended up admiring each and every character in this book.
Noor, Choti, Anarkali, Rani, these were the real gems of the book.
Each character had a story, a story intriguing enough to write a book about each one of them.
Though the plot was somewhat predictable, I fell for the characters.
Full Review- https://www.banajaprakashini.in/the-l...

[Shivani · Rating 5 out of 5]

I finished The Last Color yesterday, around 5 in the morning, and it left me speechless. I’m still processing the deep emotional impact this book has had on me. The bond between Chhoti and Noor is so beautifully crafted—it reminded me of Laila and Mariam from A Thousand Splendid Suns. Both pairs share a friendship rooted in love, resilience, and an unspoken understanding that transcends societal boundaries. Noor and Chhoti’s relationship, in particular, is a testament to the power of human connection to heal and break free from societal constraints.

This book has easily become my favorite of 2024

[Amita Gupta · Rating 4 out of 5]

I somehow enjoyed the book and revisited the stint of my stay in Varanasi. The morning fog, mantras and the overall view and story of each ghat...Though all the ghats were on the same bank of Ganga but each was really distinct in its own way.. I was 12 years when I last visited or stayed for 5 months.. the narration was deep at several points and showed the love, friendship you might even get it from strangers.. It touched me through the way choti and Noor were content despite of the adversity and lack of basics...Must give a try..

[Dixita · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of my favourite book of 2018. A rare book I found that had such a wonderful mixture of emotions. There is Indian culture inside the book highlighting Varansi, I am in love with the beauty of little quotes added by the author. Till now I knew Vikas Khanna as a chef but Now I amhappy to say that is an author too.
This book gave me goosebumps, I will watch the movie too. Trailer was just heartbreaking and heart touching

[Ashutosh Jhureley · Rating 3 out of 5]

Started on a slow pace and was bit confusing, but later on it was gripping and the story started emerging. Hlaf way through, you can't leave it. A good read and was able to relate as I been the Varanasi few times.

I could visualise the characters as Vikas wanted to portray. Touches upon lot of issues, still prevalent and a lot needs to be done about. Gives you goose bumps from time to time.

Overall a good read.

[Tarini · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is quite an emotional read. From covering the friendship between Choti, Chintu and Anarkali to Noor becoming a motherly figure to Choti. From being an innocent child to becoming a lawyer to fight for the rights for widows to celebrate Holi, The Last Color perfectly sums up how Choti has come a long way to pay her tribute to Noor. I highly recommend, and watch the movie as well. Definitely not going to disappoint.

P.s: This book makes me want to visit Varanasi and celebrate Holi. 🤭

[Khyati · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a story of three women – Chhoti, Noor and Anarkali.

Chhoti; the main protagonist was one year when she was abandoned, since then she is leading an unapologetic and unmaterialistic life. Undeterred by the hardships of life, she is determined to “fly” away. Chhoti is an accomplished tight-rope walker and pairs up with Chintu for tamasha on the ghats of Varanasi.

Noor is a widow living a mundane life in an asharam. Deprived of touching any color her only consort is a Tagore book gifted by her grandfather 🧡📚

Anarkali is a eunuch who was discarded by her family and lives by begging on the streets of Varanasi. Anarkali finds humor in every situation and teaches Chhoti “the art of begging”.

Honestly, I went in blind but it paid off really well. The city’s geography and lifestyle is beautifully described, it’ll make you want to visit the city (do visit Varanasi once in your life).

Each character has a certain grace and carefully placed arc eventually forming a strong story. Oppression of orphans and transgender community is so well defined; it is one of those books capturing the beauty and ugliness of a city in one frame.

I fell in love with the relationship Chhoti develops with Noor – an 11 year old conversing about life and moksha with a 60 year old is surreal. Her simple yet bang on logics won my heart. Also, the character of Anarkali vehemently teaches Chhoti the categories of tourists and how to approach them, it was fun to read their camaraderie.

It’s a story of survival, liberation, hope and friendship penned by a chef turned author. Do give it a try!

[Jaya Verma · Rating 5 out of 5]

Varanasi's long road

Wonderful. Even God's would rejoice to see the transformation of Varanasi, it's under belly & the condition of the widows abandoned there