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My Father's Garden
SHORTLISTED FOR THE JCB PRIZE FOR LITERATURE 2019
Spanning half a life, My Father’s Garden tells the story of a young doctor—the unnamed narrator—as he negotiates love and sexuality, his need for companionship, and the burdens of memory and familial expectation.
The opening section, ‘Lover’, finds him studying medicine in Jamshedpur. At college, he discovers an all-consuming passion for Samir, a junior, who possesses his body, mind and heart. Yet, on their last morning together, when he asks Samir to kiss him goodbye, his lover tells him, ‘A kiss is only for someone special.’
In ‘Friend’, the young doctor, escaping heartbreak, finds relief in Pakur where he strikes up an unusual friendship with Bada Babu, the head clerk of the hospital where he is posted. In Bada Babu’s house, they indulge a shared love for drink, delicious food and convivial company. But when government bulldozers arrive to tear down the neighbourhood, and Bada Babu’s house, the young doctor uncovers a sordid tale of apathy and exploitation—and a side to his new friend that leaves him disillusioned.
And in ‘Father’, unable, ultimately, to flee the pain, the young doctor takes refuge in his parents’ home in Ghatsila. As he heals, he reflects on his father—once a vital man who had phenomenal success at work and in Adivasi politics, then an equally precipitous downfall—and wonders if his obsessive gardening has anything to do with the choices his son has made.
Written with deep empathy and searing emotional intensity, and in the clear, unaffected prose that is the hallmark of Hansda Sowvendra Shekhar’s style, My Father’s Garden marks a major talent of Indian fiction writing at the top of his form.
Spanning half a life, My Father’s Garden tells the story of a young doctor—the unnamed narrator—as he negotiates love and sexuality, his need for companionship, and the burdens of memory and familial expectation.
The opening section, ‘Lover’, finds him studying medicine in Jamshedpur. At college, he discovers an all-consuming passion for Samir, a junior, who possesses his body, mind and heart. Yet, on their last morning together, when he asks Samir to kiss him goodbye, his lover tells him, ‘A kiss is only for someone special.’
In ‘Friend’, the young doctor, escaping heartbreak, finds relief in Pakur where he strikes up an unusual friendship with Bada Babu, the head clerk of the hospital where he is posted. In Bada Babu’s house, they indulge a shared love for drink, delicious food and convivial company. But when government bulldozers arrive to tear down the neighbourhood, and Bada Babu’s house, the young doctor uncovers a sordid tale of apathy and exploitation—and a side to his new friend that leaves him disillusioned.
And in ‘Father’, unable, ultimately, to flee the pain, the young doctor takes refuge in his parents’ home in Ghatsila. As he heals, he reflects on his father—once a vital man who had phenomenal success at work and in Adivasi politics, then an equally precipitous downfall—and wonders if his obsessive gardening has anything to do with the choices his son has made.
Written with deep empathy and searing emotional intensity, and in the clear, unaffected prose that is the hallmark of Hansda Sowvendra Shekhar’s style, My Father’s Garden marks a major talent of Indian fiction writing at the top of his form.
200 pages, Hardcover
Published December 20, 2018
15 people are currently reading
1142 people want to read
About the author
Hansda Sowvendra Shekhar
11 books293 followersHansda Sowvendra Shekhar is the author of six books:
1. The Mysterious Ailment Of Rupi Baskey (a novel, published in 2014 by Aleph Book Company),
2. The Adivasi Will Not Dance (a collection of short stories, published in 2015 by Speaking Tiger),
3. Jwala Kumar and the Gift of Fire: Adventures in Champakbagh (a novel for children aged 9 years and above, with illustrations by Krishna Bala Shenoi, published in 2018 by Talking Cub, the children’s imprint of Speaking Tiger),
4. My Father's Garden (a novel, published in 2018 by Speaking Tiger),
5. Who’s There? (a book for children aged 5-6 years, with illustrations by Anupama Ajinkya Apte, published in 2020 by Duckbill, an imprint of Penguin Random House India), and
6. Sumi Budhi and Sugi (a book for Level 3 readers, with illustrations by Joanna Mendes, published in 2020 by Pratham Books),
translator of one:
1. I Named My Sister Silence (novel by Manoj Rupda, translated from Hindi, published in 2023 by Eka, an imprint of Westland Books),
and a number of other fiction and non-fiction works and Santali to English and Hindi to English translations.
More writings by Hansda Sowvendra Shekhar may be found here: http://independent.academia.edu/Hansd... .
1. The Mysterious Ailment Of Rupi Baskey (a novel, published in 2014 by Aleph Book Company),
2. The Adivasi Will Not Dance (a collection of short stories, published in 2015 by Speaking Tiger),
3. Jwala Kumar and the Gift of Fire: Adventures in Champakbagh (a novel for children aged 9 years and above, with illustrations by Krishna Bala Shenoi, published in 2018 by Talking Cub, the children’s imprint of Speaking Tiger),
4. My Father's Garden (a novel, published in 2018 by Speaking Tiger),
5. Who’s There? (a book for children aged 5-6 years, with illustrations by Anupama Ajinkya Apte, published in 2020 by Duckbill, an imprint of Penguin Random House India), and
6. Sumi Budhi and Sugi (a book for Level 3 readers, with illustrations by Joanna Mendes, published in 2020 by Pratham Books),
translator of one:
1. I Named My Sister Silence (novel by Manoj Rupda, translated from Hindi, published in 2023 by Eka, an imprint of Westland Books),
and a number of other fiction and non-fiction works and Santali to English and Hindi to English translations.
More writings by Hansda Sowvendra Shekhar may be found here: http://independent.academia.edu/Hansd... .
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June 9, 2023
3.5/5
"আমার বাবার বাগান" তিন পর্বে বিভক্ত (প্রেমিক, বন্ধু, বাবা।) প্রতিটি পর্বেই অনামা কথকের নিঃসঙ্গতা ও (প্রেমিক, বন্ধু, বাবা)র সাথে সংযোগ স্থাপনের ব্যর্থ (?) চেষ্টা নিয়ে রচিত। প্রথম পর্ব কথকের যৌনজীবন নিয়ে লেখা যা রীতিমতো বিস্ফোরক! (যৌনতার এতো সাবলীল ও সরাসরি বর্ণনা মুরাকামি ছাড়া অন্য কারো লেখায় পেয়েছি বলে মনে পড়ে না।) দ্বিতীয় ও তৃতীয় পর্ব রাজনীতি, শ্রেণিদ্বন্দ্ব, বর্ণভেদকে উপজীব্য করে লেখা।"প্রেমিক" ও "বন্ধু" আলাদাভাবে চার তারকা পাওয়ার যোগ্য। তবে পৃথক তিন পর্ব নিয়ে পুরো কাহিনিটা একত্রে কী দাঁড়ালো সেটা নিয়ে আমি নিশ্চিত না। লেখকের গদ্য ঝরঝরে ও ভণিতাহীন। তার অন্য বইগুলো পড়ার ইচ্ছা রইলো।
"আমার বাবার বাগান" তিন পর্বে বিভক্ত (প্রেমিক, বন্ধু, বাবা।) প্রতিটি পর্বেই অনামা কথকের নিঃসঙ্গতা ও (প্রেমিক, বন্ধু, বাবা)র সাথে সংযোগ স্থাপনের ব্যর্থ (?) চেষ্টা নিয়ে রচিত। প্রথম পর্ব কথকের যৌনজীবন নিয়ে লেখা যা রীতিমতো বিস্ফোরক! (যৌনতার এতো সাবলীল ও সরাসরি বর্ণনা মুরাকামি ছাড়া অন্য কারো লেখায় পেয়েছি বলে মনে পড়ে না।) দ্বিতীয় ও তৃতীয় পর্ব রাজনীতি, শ্রেণিদ্বন্দ্ব, বর্ণভেদকে উপজীব্য করে লেখা।"প্রেমিক" ও "বন্ধু" আলাদাভাবে চার তারকা পাওয়ার যোগ্য। তবে পৃথক তিন পর্ব নিয়ে পুরো কাহিনিটা একত্রে কী দাঁড়ালো সেটা নিয়ে আমি নিশ্চিত না। লেখকের গদ্য ঝরঝরে ও ভণিতাহীন। তার অন্য বইগুলো পড়ার ইচ্ছা রইলো।
October 29, 2019
My Father’s Garden by Hansda Sowvendra Shekhar is his fourth published work. For his debut novel, The Mysterious Ailment of Rupi Baskey, Shekhar won the prestigious Sahitya Academy Yuva Puraskar for 2015. It was also nominated for International Dublin Literary Award. He has twice been shortlisted for Hindu Literary Prize. My Father’s Garden has also been shortlisted for 2019 JCB prize for literature.
By profession, Hansda is a medical doctor employed with the government of Jharkhand. The government of Jharkhand banned his book The Adivasi Will Not Dance upon publication and he was also suspended from his job temporarily.
This novel, in three parts, is written from the perspective of a young Santhali Indian man who is a doctor too. In the first part ‘Lover’ we are acquainted with a young man studying medicine who discovers his obsession for a junior, Samir. The passion consumes him entirely though he does realise it is one-sided and he is being taken advantage of. But does that matter to the aching heart?
In the second part ‘Friend’, the narrator narrates his association with Bada Babu, the head clerk of the hospital where he is posted at in Pakur. His friendship with Bada Babu is jolted when he discovers the truth behind his popularity and ability to provide things nobody else can.
In the third part ‘Father’, the narrator reflects upon his relationship with his father; the once remarkable political achievements he made and how he abandoned his political interests mid-life.
This novel is my first of Shekhar’s books and I found his writing style fresh and original. In the last few years that I have taken to reading contemporary Indian writers writing in English, the voice of Shekhar stands distinct. Written in the first person, the novel astonishes you with its directness and honesty. There is no writer I can compare his writing with though at some places his directness reminded me of the likes of Manto and Premchand.
From the stark portrayal of an obsessed lover to that of a young doctor trying to find companionship while away from home, the author surprises you with his matter of fact, quite impervious, voice. Being a first-person narrative, the reader has no clue of how the various situations, the narrator finds himself in, affects him emotionally. But this restrain in the voice is quite beautifully balanced by the sensory experience a reader goes through while reading the work.
The novel, which does bring to fore the tribulations of being a Santhali in India even in the present times, does not use the position to focus on or to exploit the apparent socio-political struggle of the community towards an objective. But instead, in an unpretentious manner, it observes the suffering while choosing to focus on the roots which connect the narrator and his father with the community and the place they belong to.
After reading this book, I realised what I have missed in not reading him earlier. Definitely going to pick his other works too. He is a writer I would recommend if you like Manto.
By profession, Hansda is a medical doctor employed with the government of Jharkhand. The government of Jharkhand banned his book The Adivasi Will Not Dance upon publication and he was also suspended from his job temporarily.
This novel, in three parts, is written from the perspective of a young Santhali Indian man who is a doctor too. In the first part ‘Lover’ we are acquainted with a young man studying medicine who discovers his obsession for a junior, Samir. The passion consumes him entirely though he does realise it is one-sided and he is being taken advantage of. But does that matter to the aching heart?
In the second part ‘Friend’, the narrator narrates his association with Bada Babu, the head clerk of the hospital where he is posted at in Pakur. His friendship with Bada Babu is jolted when he discovers the truth behind his popularity and ability to provide things nobody else can.
In the third part ‘Father’, the narrator reflects upon his relationship with his father; the once remarkable political achievements he made and how he abandoned his political interests mid-life.
This novel is my first of Shekhar’s books and I found his writing style fresh and original. In the last few years that I have taken to reading contemporary Indian writers writing in English, the voice of Shekhar stands distinct. Written in the first person, the novel astonishes you with its directness and honesty. There is no writer I can compare his writing with though at some places his directness reminded me of the likes of Manto and Premchand.
From the stark portrayal of an obsessed lover to that of a young doctor trying to find companionship while away from home, the author surprises you with his matter of fact, quite impervious, voice. Being a first-person narrative, the reader has no clue of how the various situations, the narrator finds himself in, affects him emotionally. But this restrain in the voice is quite beautifully balanced by the sensory experience a reader goes through while reading the work.
The novel, which does bring to fore the tribulations of being a Santhali in India even in the present times, does not use the position to focus on or to exploit the apparent socio-political struggle of the community towards an objective. But instead, in an unpretentious manner, it observes the suffering while choosing to focus on the roots which connect the narrator and his father with the community and the place they belong to.
After reading this book, I realised what I have missed in not reading him earlier. Definitely going to pick his other works too. He is a writer I would recommend if you like Manto.
July 31, 2021
I bought this book after seeing it on several lists of queer contemporary fiction by Indian authors. The unnamed protagonist shares many similarities with the author- both are young doctors who grew up in Ghatshila and later worked as medical officers in the employ of the government of Jharkhand. However, the author published the book as fiction, not memoir. The story is divided into three sections, "Lover", "Friend", and "Father" and each tells of a pivotal relationship the protagonist had with these three different men. The lover is a fellow med school student who is very receptive to sex and furtive semi-dating, but is engaged to a woman living in another city. The friend is a head clerk of the hospital, and a "guy who knows a guy" for anything anyone in his neighborhood needs to get done, from purchasing property to registering to vote. The protagonist's father was a rising political hopeful in the Hindu India Party, a rare Santhal candidate during the years before Jharkhand was granted statehood. Through all of these various stories, the protagonist's loneliness and yearning for connection are a constant thread. The prose is clear, emotionally honest, and full of detail. Occasional lines of dialogue are not in English, and there were a lot of terms I wasn't familiar with, but that didn't take away from my reading pleasure. I want to read more from this author.
August 8, 2020
Lately, I had heard a lot about Hansda Sowvendra Shekhar. All his books had won/were nominated for awards, and he is regarded as one of the finest modern Indian authors. So, when I spotted this book at Rachna Books a few months ago, I had a look at it. The plot looked intriguing, so I thought of giving it a shot.
The novel is divided into 3 sections: Lover, Friend, and Father. It chronicles the life of a young doctor as he navigates college and work life while battling his sexuality, his craving for a friend, and the burdens of familial expectation.
As I read the first few pages, I was astonished by the level of profanity (including Hindi slang, entire sentences in Hindi) used by the author and the explicit details of sex. It was a bit disturbing. Some commercial fiction authors receive a lot of flak for including sensual scenes in their books, but this was a stark reminder that even literary fiction writers don't shy away from doing the same. However, as I progressed, I was impressed by how the author has portrayed the confused emotions of the protagonist. I could feel for him.
The next section explores the strange friendship that develops between the protagonist and his staff Bada Babu. I liked how the author has sketched the character of Bada Babu, an influential man who takes advantage of gullible people in his locality. One scene, in particular, touched my heart—the locality demolition scene with a woman. I won't mention more as it might act as a spoiler. I don't have much idea about politics and generally don't like to read about it in books, but I liked how the author has subtly embedded it in this section.
The last section is about the protagonist's father. I liked the backstory of his grandfather and his father and how politics spoils his father's promising career. However, I feel that there was just too much narration and an apparent lack of scenes between the father and the protagonist that could have developed their relationship better.
Throughout the story, I could hardly see any development in the protagonist's personality or life. It's almost as if we are back to square one at the end—a confused, vulnerable man—which didn't give me the satisfaction I expected.
The writing is lucid and has a great flow to it, but I expected a bit more flourish and wordplay from a seasoned literary writer. The descriptions are well done, though.
Overall, I liked the book, but it did fall a bit short of my lofty expectations.
3.8 stars from my side.
The novel is divided into 3 sections: Lover, Friend, and Father. It chronicles the life of a young doctor as he navigates college and work life while battling his sexuality, his craving for a friend, and the burdens of familial expectation.
As I read the first few pages, I was astonished by the level of profanity (including Hindi slang, entire sentences in Hindi) used by the author and the explicit details of sex. It was a bit disturbing. Some commercial fiction authors receive a lot of flak for including sensual scenes in their books, but this was a stark reminder that even literary fiction writers don't shy away from doing the same. However, as I progressed, I was impressed by how the author has portrayed the confused emotions of the protagonist. I could feel for him.
The next section explores the strange friendship that develops between the protagonist and his staff Bada Babu. I liked how the author has sketched the character of Bada Babu, an influential man who takes advantage of gullible people in his locality. One scene, in particular, touched my heart—the locality demolition scene with a woman. I won't mention more as it might act as a spoiler. I don't have much idea about politics and generally don't like to read about it in books, but I liked how the author has subtly embedded it in this section.
The last section is about the protagonist's father. I liked the backstory of his grandfather and his father and how politics spoils his father's promising career. However, I feel that there was just too much narration and an apparent lack of scenes between the father and the protagonist that could have developed their relationship better.
Throughout the story, I could hardly see any development in the protagonist's personality or life. It's almost as if we are back to square one at the end—a confused, vulnerable man—which didn't give me the satisfaction I expected.
The writing is lucid and has a great flow to it, but I expected a bit more flourish and wordplay from a seasoned literary writer. The descriptions are well done, though.
Overall, I liked the book, but it did fall a bit short of my lofty expectations.
3.8 stars from my side.
September 21, 2020
2.5 stars
Disappointed
Disappointed
January 5, 2019
This is a book that is not going to be easily cast into regular structures of ‘novel’ ‘short story collection’ or ‘part memoir’: suffice to say it is each one of these and all of it together! Made up of three parts/segments titled ‘Lover’, ‘Friend’ and ‘Father’, Hansda’s latest book is written in a first person narrative. The three segments are placed in a chronological journey but make the reader look at each part as short memoirs with the narrator as the common thread.
‘Lover’ looks at the narrator’s life as a medical student caught in the throes of illicit desire bursting with part betrayals and all doomed to stop. There is angst and wonder throbbing throughout the section with quite a few mention of actor Salman Khan. ‘Friend’ follows him as he negotiates life on his own after his posting at a small hospital and where he learns that there is always more than what meets the eye. The last section ‘Father’ is partly about laying down the socio political and cultural backdrop of the Adivasis and their demand for Jharkhand brought to us through the life and times of the narrator’s grand father and his father and then filled in with just the right amount of heartache that so characterizes the distance and affection between children and parents in the Indian family set up, or rather, fathers and sons. Each section has another common element besides the narrator: the class and caste divides and the discrimination that is attached to people at the lower social order, something that Hansda writes with élan and constant questioning.
I am going to tag this as a must read book for 2019.
*I received a review copy of this book from Speaking Tiger. All opinions are my own
‘Lover’ looks at the narrator’s life as a medical student caught in the throes of illicit desire bursting with part betrayals and all doomed to stop. There is angst and wonder throbbing throughout the section with quite a few mention of actor Salman Khan. ‘Friend’ follows him as he negotiates life on his own after his posting at a small hospital and where he learns that there is always more than what meets the eye. The last section ‘Father’ is partly about laying down the socio political and cultural backdrop of the Adivasis and their demand for Jharkhand brought to us through the life and times of the narrator’s grand father and his father and then filled in with just the right amount of heartache that so characterizes the distance and affection between children and parents in the Indian family set up, or rather, fathers and sons. Each section has another common element besides the narrator: the class and caste divides and the discrimination that is attached to people at the lower social order, something that Hansda writes with élan and constant questioning.
I am going to tag this as a must read book for 2019.
*I received a review copy of this book from Speaking Tiger. All opinions are my own
September 13, 2019
"I once read somewhere that the single minded persuit of one's course over a lifetime can only be justified if one engages in two enterprises- building a garden, or raising a child. I now understand that my father's garden is truly his child. And this child gives him the happiness and peace mind that nothing else could ever give him"
-My father's garden, Hansda Sowvendra Shekhar.
~
What a beautiful book this was!! I love Hansda Sowvendra Shekhar's writing and I am so glad for this book. Read on to know my thoughts about it.
My father's garden is the story of an unnamed doctor, which is divided in three parts, Lover, Friend and Father. Each part is interconnected with each other and I loved it as a whole.
~
'Lover' looks at the narrator's life where he explores his sexuality, a life of desire and betrayal and the painful dealing of angst and his inner turmoils and the want to be accepted in a soceity.
'Friend' is about the time when the narrator gets posted in a small town hospital and comes face to face with the harsh realities of life and learns that life is always more than what we bargain for.
'Father' is about the narrator's father and it's more about the politics, the adivasis and their need for a separate state of Jharkhand. It offers a nice insight into the insider politics and how people change with the weather.
~
I adored this book. The writing is raw, evocative and haunting. It sharply explores the Santhal's lives, the caste and cultural divides, the socio economic and the socio cultural backgrounds. It gives us much food for thought. This has proudly entered my list of must reads and favorites of 2019. Don't miss it.
5⭐
-My father's garden, Hansda Sowvendra Shekhar.
~
What a beautiful book this was!! I love Hansda Sowvendra Shekhar's writing and I am so glad for this book. Read on to know my thoughts about it.
My father's garden is the story of an unnamed doctor, which is divided in three parts, Lover, Friend and Father. Each part is interconnected with each other and I loved it as a whole.
~
'Lover' looks at the narrator's life where he explores his sexuality, a life of desire and betrayal and the painful dealing of angst and his inner turmoils and the want to be accepted in a soceity.
'Friend' is about the time when the narrator gets posted in a small town hospital and comes face to face with the harsh realities of life and learns that life is always more than what we bargain for.
'Father' is about the narrator's father and it's more about the politics, the adivasis and their need for a separate state of Jharkhand. It offers a nice insight into the insider politics and how people change with the weather.
~
I adored this book. The writing is raw, evocative and haunting. It sharply explores the Santhal's lives, the caste and cultural divides, the socio economic and the socio cultural backgrounds. It gives us much food for thought. This has proudly entered my list of must reads and favorites of 2019. Don't miss it.
5⭐
June 6, 2021
We all have a life outside, different from what we are back at home, a shade or two or maybe ten off the one that we let our parents see, don't we? But what if that secret life is our true existence, kept hidden from the very people who created us, because they won't accept it.
The unnamed narrator here is a young doctor, not of his own choice; he wanted to study law. He belongs to the Santhal community, again not out of choice of course; he was born into it. Who he will love and give his heart to, the most intimate of his choices, is also not his to make: given the societal norms.
The book is divided into three parts, named: Lover, Friend, and Father. Each part in itself lacks nothing. However, there seems to be a sort of disconnect among the three. The only common thing about them is the narrator and the discrimination he faces, be it for his sexuality or caste.
This is my second book by the author, the first being The Adivasi Will Not Dance. Although the two cannot be compared, I am a bit sad to say I liked his other work more.
Sexuality is not the only issue discussed here, it does not take the limelight away from the plight of the Adivasis that the author brings to attention.
The language used is raw, vivid, and unflinchingly honest. Hansda Sowvendra Shekhar will break down the fragile decorative walls put up by society and show you the muck that lies behind. He'll then remove that muck and hold your hand through the fragrant garden of roses that flurishes, hidden from all.
The unnamed narrator here is a young doctor, not of his own choice; he wanted to study law. He belongs to the Santhal community, again not out of choice of course; he was born into it. Who he will love and give his heart to, the most intimate of his choices, is also not his to make: given the societal norms.
The book is divided into three parts, named: Lover, Friend, and Father. Each part in itself lacks nothing. However, there seems to be a sort of disconnect among the three. The only common thing about them is the narrator and the discrimination he faces, be it for his sexuality or caste.
This is my second book by the author, the first being The Adivasi Will Not Dance. Although the two cannot be compared, I am a bit sad to say I liked his other work more.
Sexuality is not the only issue discussed here, it does not take the limelight away from the plight of the Adivasis that the author brings to attention.
The language used is raw, vivid, and unflinchingly honest. Hansda Sowvendra Shekhar will break down the fragile decorative walls put up by society and show you the muck that lies behind. He'll then remove that muck and hold your hand through the fragrant garden of roses that flurishes, hidden from all.
January 15, 2022
2.5 stars
June 25, 2022
"I now understand that my father's garden is truly his child. And this child gives him the happiness and peace mind that nothing else could ever give him."
RATING: 3.75/5
Divided into three distinct sections, this is a tender exploration of the life of a young man as he attempts to navigate his way through various turmoils. All three sections stand on their own but there are frequent areas of overlap and they follow a loose chronology. 'Lover' places the young narrator at a local medical college where he goes through a string of vacuous relationships, conducted in secret. After that, 'Friend' is an account of the narrator's posting in a small-town hospital where he forms an unprecedented friendship only to have it end in complete disillusionment. The final section, 'Father', is a window into the narrator's father's past and looks at the socio-political history of the tribal community to which both of them belong.
Shekhar's writing is raw and evocative. His unadorned prose explores the interstices of desire, sexuality and masculinity. There is more than a hint of the memoir depicted in the father-son relationship. He sheds a light on class and caste divides the sociocultural and socioeconomic realities of Santhal life. My only issue was with the structure. The three sections were a bit too unconnected. It was almost like I was reading three different stories. Still, a really wonderful read.
RATING: 3.75/5
Divided into three distinct sections, this is a tender exploration of the life of a young man as he attempts to navigate his way through various turmoils. All three sections stand on their own but there are frequent areas of overlap and they follow a loose chronology. 'Lover' places the young narrator at a local medical college where he goes through a string of vacuous relationships, conducted in secret. After that, 'Friend' is an account of the narrator's posting in a small-town hospital where he forms an unprecedented friendship only to have it end in complete disillusionment. The final section, 'Father', is a window into the narrator's father's past and looks at the socio-political history of the tribal community to which both of them belong.
Shekhar's writing is raw and evocative. His unadorned prose explores the interstices of desire, sexuality and masculinity. There is more than a hint of the memoir depicted in the father-son relationship. He sheds a light on class and caste divides the sociocultural and socioeconomic realities of Santhal life. My only issue was with the structure. The three sections were a bit too unconnected. It was almost like I was reading three different stories. Still, a really wonderful read.
June 28, 2021
✨HIS FATHER'S GARDEN by Hansda Sowvendra Shekhar ✨ follows a few essential years in the life of a young, unnamed doctor, studying and residing in Jharkhand, struggling with his sexuality, morality, and the expectations that have been handed down to him by his family - mainly his father.
In the first section of the book, titled 'Lovers', our narrator comes to terms with his sexuality and the shame associated with it. His partners are hiding behind a similar facade, often resulting in relationships that are half-baked and sexual in nature, eventually turning bitter and brutal. When it comes to matters of heart, our young narrator hasn't breathed freely for a single day in his life.
The second section, titled 'Friends' is not as intimate, but a shrewd view of a landscape marred with betrayals and exploitation. Through the narrator's good-natured heart, we see how development, politics and greed continues to take advantage of the innocent residents, who are forced to put their trust on the exploiting party, mainly because of their contacts and superior social status.
The final section, titled 'Father' is an emotionally driven narrative of a son's observations of a father, who has been washed away by the tides of time. The narrator tells us about the circumstances that led to his father's current obsession with his garden, that is as gorgeous and well-maintained as it comes. Now, a shell of a person, the narrator's father was once a well-connected and powerful local politician who could move things around based on his patience and vision.
While Shekhar creates these people, he expertly weaves a landscape to support his characters. Though a fictional account, the book excels in its authenticity about the States' culture, politics and traditions. The scenic descriptions are lush and the characters are well-crafted and placed.
Shekhar resonates with me for two major reasons-the force of his emotions towards his land and the ability to be brutal without giving people an opportunity to point fingers at his stories.
A gem that stands tall among other eminent authors in Indian literary society.
In the first section of the book, titled 'Lovers', our narrator comes to terms with his sexuality and the shame associated with it. His partners are hiding behind a similar facade, often resulting in relationships that are half-baked and sexual in nature, eventually turning bitter and brutal. When it comes to matters of heart, our young narrator hasn't breathed freely for a single day in his life.
The second section, titled 'Friends' is not as intimate, but a shrewd view of a landscape marred with betrayals and exploitation. Through the narrator's good-natured heart, we see how development, politics and greed continues to take advantage of the innocent residents, who are forced to put their trust on the exploiting party, mainly because of their contacts and superior social status.
The final section, titled 'Father' is an emotionally driven narrative of a son's observations of a father, who has been washed away by the tides of time. The narrator tells us about the circumstances that led to his father's current obsession with his garden, that is as gorgeous and well-maintained as it comes. Now, a shell of a person, the narrator's father was once a well-connected and powerful local politician who could move things around based on his patience and vision.
While Shekhar creates these people, he expertly weaves a landscape to support his characters. Though a fictional account, the book excels in its authenticity about the States' culture, politics and traditions. The scenic descriptions are lush and the characters are well-crafted and placed.
Shekhar resonates with me for two major reasons-the force of his emotions towards his land and the ability to be brutal without giving people an opportunity to point fingers at his stories.
A gem that stands tall among other eminent authors in Indian literary society.
February 26, 2019
a wonderful take on desire, alienation and masculinity.
October 10, 2023
Rep: Indian cast & setting, Santhali gay mc
CWs: attempted suicide
CWs: attempted suicide
February 4, 2024
Rating - 4 stars
NPS - 9 (Promoter)
But he had risen from the ashes for his son; it was an opportunity to flex some political muscle that still remained. Perhaps in securing my future, he was also trying to tell himself that he wasn’t finished yet. Or so I hoped. I loved my father, I would let him shape my life. Because I knew that in a deep, fundamental way, I would never be the son he wanted.
A very interesting and short read about a gay Santhal man navigating the world and exploring the relationship with his father.
He talks about how there has always been a gap between him and his parents, and how he has not come out to them yet. All this while he is still moving on from a dramatic breakup with a man who might be bisexual.
A short read that gets the emotions out, the author never fails to surprise.
NPS - 9 (Promoter)
But he had risen from the ashes for his son; it was an opportunity to flex some political muscle that still remained. Perhaps in securing my future, he was also trying to tell himself that he wasn’t finished yet. Or so I hoped. I loved my father, I would let him shape my life. Because I knew that in a deep, fundamental way, I would never be the son he wanted.
A very interesting and short read about a gay Santhal man navigating the world and exploring the relationship with his father.
He talks about how there has always been a gap between him and his parents, and how he has not come out to them yet. All this while he is still moving on from a dramatic breakup with a man who might be bisexual.
A short read that gets the emotions out, the author never fails to surprise.
March 16, 2020
Title : My Father's Garden
Author : Hansda Sowvendra Shekhar
Picking up a book by an Indian Author has always been an interesting experience for me. Some of them being right down as cringefest and some being a real good experience, my take on Indian literature has always been mix and match of varied times. My Father's Garden by Hansda Sowendra Shekhar has had rave reviews across with being shortlisted for The JCB Prize, here is my quick take on this book that does not take much of your time to finish.
The book is divided into three stories - Lover, Friend and Father and shows us the experience of a Young doctor as he wades through three interesting aspects of his life. Giving a short just on what each is about, Lover describes his life as a medical student where he falls in love with one of his junior. With passions running high, his life as a student has been adventurous to an extent until his lover moves ahead in life leaving him on the brink. When we start reading the second part titled Friend we see our narrator has moved to a village where he strikes a cordial friendship with the village head clerk Bada Babu. He gets to see how people who seem different on the outside can turn out to be some of the most exploiting ones when it comes to their self interest. With the third tale Father, the narrator talks of his father who was once pretty influential as a politician but ultimately was shunned to a corner and has now taken up gardening to go ahead with his life.
Not revealing much on the story, the book did start on a high note for me. I had huge expectation with this one but as the story kept moving ahead, the expectations started falling flat. The narration though quite realistic, was quite predictable. There wasn't any element of surprise or any additional takeaways from the book for me which I kept expecting till the last page of the book
When it comes to writing, the words are beautifully woven and deserves the praise that it has been receiving. It could be due to the timing while I read the book that I did not like it much but maybe the predictability that might have put me off the book.
Author : Hansda Sowvendra Shekhar
Picking up a book by an Indian Author has always been an interesting experience for me. Some of them being right down as cringefest and some being a real good experience, my take on Indian literature has always been mix and match of varied times. My Father's Garden by Hansda Sowendra Shekhar has had rave reviews across with being shortlisted for The JCB Prize, here is my quick take on this book that does not take much of your time to finish.
The book is divided into three stories - Lover, Friend and Father and shows us the experience of a Young doctor as he wades through three interesting aspects of his life. Giving a short just on what each is about, Lover describes his life as a medical student where he falls in love with one of his junior. With passions running high, his life as a student has been adventurous to an extent until his lover moves ahead in life leaving him on the brink. When we start reading the second part titled Friend we see our narrator has moved to a village where he strikes a cordial friendship with the village head clerk Bada Babu. He gets to see how people who seem different on the outside can turn out to be some of the most exploiting ones when it comes to their self interest. With the third tale Father, the narrator talks of his father who was once pretty influential as a politician but ultimately was shunned to a corner and has now taken up gardening to go ahead with his life.
Not revealing much on the story, the book did start on a high note for me. I had huge expectation with this one but as the story kept moving ahead, the expectations started falling flat. The narration though quite realistic, was quite predictable. There wasn't any element of surprise or any additional takeaways from the book for me which I kept expecting till the last page of the book
When it comes to writing, the words are beautifully woven and deserves the praise that it has been receiving. It could be due to the timing while I read the book that I did not like it much but maybe the predictability that might have put me off the book.
October 28, 2019
My Father’s Garden by Hansda Sowvendra Shekhar.
I had no expectations from this at all. I saw some people reading it and enjoying it so I too borrowed it from the library without even reading what it was about. So the whole book is divided into three parts: Lover, Friend and Father.
Admittance: I didn’t like this book. There was nothing this short book. Nothing at all. The first part was ok and readable, the second part was flat boring and senseless and the third part doesn’t even feel like I’m read a book…it was more like a newspaper article about some long forgotten political leader.
I just didn’t get the point why the author decided to write in 1st person when clearly he was not interested in telling the narrator’s story. It would have been better if the whole book was in 3rd person narration. The presence of author was so obvious that the narrator almost vanished from the story.
I don’t have problem with reading politically heavy book. But things should be on very personal level with the narrator. He should appear human at least but here, he was more like an alien looking at us critically.
And now the things I did like even though there wasn’t much: the first part, as I said was much better when compared to the rest of the parts. The ending of the book was really good. It left humane.
I had no expectations from this at all. I saw some people reading it and enjoying it so I too borrowed it from the library without even reading what it was about. So the whole book is divided into three parts: Lover, Friend and Father.
Admittance: I didn’t like this book. There was nothing this short book. Nothing at all. The first part was ok and readable, the second part was flat boring and senseless and the third part doesn’t even feel like I’m read a book…it was more like a newspaper article about some long forgotten political leader.
I just didn’t get the point why the author decided to write in 1st person when clearly he was not interested in telling the narrator’s story. It would have been better if the whole book was in 3rd person narration. The presence of author was so obvious that the narrator almost vanished from the story.
I don’t have problem with reading politically heavy book. But things should be on very personal level with the narrator. He should appear human at least but here, he was more like an alien looking at us critically.
And now the things I did like even though there wasn’t much: the first part, as I said was much better when compared to the rest of the parts. The ending of the book was really good. It left humane.
May 21, 2019
My Father's Garden is raw, unprecedented and haunting. It sternly explores the cultural divides, caste discriminations and political-economic background of the Advasis. But it does not stop at just that. The story is classified into three parts : Lover, Friend and Father, each facet playing an equally important role in shaping the life of the narrator. The author refrain from pulling any punches as he shows us the world from a different angle through the eyes of the narrator. He struggles deep inside, hiding his sexualities, gorging on self doubt as he keeps yearning for the lover who'd never love him back, relating to a friend who has conflicting shades to his character, and finding it mere impossible to express his true feelings in front of his parents. One can only imagine the atrocities of living a life the society doesn't permit.
January 21, 2021
"..my father's garden is his true child. And this child gives him the happiness and peace of mind that nothing else could ever give him."
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My Father's Garden, by Hansda Sowvendra Shekhar, is a fine Indian Fiction shortlisted for the JCB Prize. This has three sections in which the narrator talks of his life phases. This book explores politics, caste discrimination and sexuality. I love this cover so much
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My Father's Garden, by Hansda Sowvendra Shekhar, is a fine Indian Fiction shortlisted for the JCB Prize. This has three sections in which the narrator talks of his life phases. This book explores politics, caste discrimination and sexuality. I love this cover so much
December 16, 2025
I remember reading 'The Adivasi Will Not Dance' and being utterly moved by Shekhar's stories. It spoke with an urgency of the worrying Indian social milieu that went unheard, or rather unpublished in contemporary Indian writing in English. When this book was out I was desperate to get my hands on it. It had already made into the award shortlists that year. Its late but I am glad to have read this breathlessly scintillating book in less than a day amidst boring chores. I read this at night when the day seemed to have withdrawn and I was left to my devices. I was immersed in Shekhar's words. His language politics is telling. We follow a young boy who's joined a medical college in Jharkhand. He knows he is attracted to men and is desperate to do anything to have one successful attempt at being in love and being loved. Divided into three parts, we follow him through love, a failed friendship and the last one on his father; a prominent political figure in the state affairs of Jharkhand who represented the interests of the tribal communities in the village. The author deliberately destabilises the English language throughout his writing. I am sure there is a lot written among the academics on his linguistic politics. He doesn't create a seamless Indian writing in English that his 'washed', 'cleaned' for the so-called 'pure' tongue. Shekhar studs his writing with abuses, descriptors and sentences without any translation. His sentences are short and they hit on the right note. It is clear from the outset that he does not write for the so-called high-brow audience with their sanitised notions of language and plot. Here, the rawness emerges both through the themes and Shekhar's writing. And I loved that about this book. The last chapter was particularly poignant and the most enduring. The author takes the reader not just through genealogy of the protagonist's family but the history of Jharkhand's creation and tribal politics in India as well. I hope we are all blessed with more such writing.
April 2, 2021
Written in first person point of view, My father's garden can both be a delight and a not-so-gentle tale of a young man obsessed with his lover, going through the motion of days with a disciplined rote installed by the job rather than the passion to perform. At times crude but always honest, the narrating voice breaks, shakes and retreats many a times during the course of the book. It is perhaps semi biographical in nature, with the author himself being a doctor.
Hansda's words cut through the chaos and delivers a honest voice to a generation that's slowly awakening to their own sexuality and do not hesitate to talk about it their safe spaces. It is perhaps the relationship with his father - the quietness, the remarkable resilience that we see in parental figures, stands out.
Hansda's words cut through the chaos and delivers a honest voice to a generation that's slowly awakening to their own sexuality and do not hesitate to talk about it their safe spaces. It is perhaps the relationship with his father - the quietness, the remarkable resilience that we see in parental figures, stands out.
December 21, 2022
My Father’s Garden tells the story of a Santhali gay man with passion. The writer explains the rich Adivasi culture and explores politics, caste, and sexuality.
April 9, 2020
When I’d started Bookstagram in 2019, I’d vowed to read more Indian authors and reading all books from the JCB Prize Shortlist of 2019 seemed like the perfect idea to get that mission going. My first read from the 2019 Shortlist, The Far Field (also the 2019 winner of the JCB Prize), is one of the best books I read last year and would probably figure into my personal top 10 books of all time. So I picked up the shortlisted My Father’s Garden by Hansda Sowvendra Shekhar with even more enthusiasm, expecting this one to be nearly as good as The Far Field.
This book is difficult for me to describe. The jacket of the book says that this is the story of an unnamed medical student from Jharkhand, divided into three sections - Lover, Friend and Heartbreak. What it actually felt like was three short stories put together, with one section having nothing to do with the other. The only connect being that they are all episodes from the same young guy’s life, the first about him studying medicine in Jamshedpur struggling with being gay and falling in love with closeted men, the second episode about him working at a Government hospital in Pakur, witnessing the demolition of an illegal society and the third episode been about his father, a retired, low-key politician completely consumed by his garden.
Though extremely well written, (the book starts with a gay love-making scene and even I found it extremely *steamy*) the book is too disjointed and fractured for my taste. There is no beginning, no middle and no end and the story barely has a plot. It just felt like a collection of short stories falsely marketed as a whole novel and I was the victim of that false marketing.
I really, really wanted to love this book but the only thing I ended up loving about it was that it was so short, I finished it in a day and the print so large, I felt like I was reading a children’s book.
My rating - 2.5/5
This book is difficult for me to describe. The jacket of the book says that this is the story of an unnamed medical student from Jharkhand, divided into three sections - Lover, Friend and Heartbreak. What it actually felt like was three short stories put together, with one section having nothing to do with the other. The only connect being that they are all episodes from the same young guy’s life, the first about him studying medicine in Jamshedpur struggling with being gay and falling in love with closeted men, the second episode about him working at a Government hospital in Pakur, witnessing the demolition of an illegal society and the third episode been about his father, a retired, low-key politician completely consumed by his garden.
Though extremely well written, (the book starts with a gay love-making scene and even I found it extremely *steamy*) the book is too disjointed and fractured for my taste. There is no beginning, no middle and no end and the story barely has a plot. It just felt like a collection of short stories falsely marketed as a whole novel and I was the victim of that false marketing.
I really, really wanted to love this book but the only thing I ended up loving about it was that it was so short, I finished it in a day and the print so large, I felt like I was reading a children’s book.
My rating - 2.5/5
February 15, 2019
This book starts with a scintillating, graphic scene, but then is full of surprises and reflections of a life hitherto unknown, and beautifully portraying the quandaries of those who don’t fit the conventional boxes. Do they deserve to love openly, be loved and have a life as rich as their father’s garden? I loved this book and give it a star less because it ended too soon for me. But I am at peace having read it.
January 9, 2022
My father’s garden by Hansda Sowvendra Shekhar
My third novel by the same author. What I appreciate about Hansda’s writing is his innate connection with the Santhal tribe in Jharkhand .
This remains the common theme in this books. How santhal tribes need recognition and how their exploitation is done in the name of Adivasis in every sphere - be it political or personal.
This book is divided into three parts: Lover, friend and father. The lover section traces the young doctors relationship as a gay man in a time where it’s ridiculed. The gentle cadence and the ruminations is seen. A foray into hopelessness even. The graphic descriptions are another common theme in his books.
Cutting glass by teeth is only the beginning.
The friend section focuses on friends made in high places for laughter and debauchery.
Amidst all this is the dark creeping abyss of self gain and business. A common story of misplaced innocence and worthiness for the nauseous landowners.
I liked how this book touched on so many parts - first plight of gay men in India , especially santhal tribes - it’s quiet and unmoving gaze which you can’t walk away from.
Lastly and my favourite part truly contributing to the title too - Garden
They say hobbies define us . Keep our sanctity during those pressurising times of work and personal life. It is true for his dad too.
A slice of life of the political journey rising exponentially and also dipping in and out of his father’s past. A well rounded story.
A verdant shadowy garden laden with flowers and fruits bejewelled in the dazzling sun comes to those in rescue.
The beads of sweat of a person embolden the new saplings peeking their heads watching the cerulean sky
The companions have arrived - the occasional bird and
Finally the young doctor ..
Maybe there’ll finally peace in all hearts attributed to the leaves gentle shadow land protection.
My third novel by the same author. What I appreciate about Hansda’s writing is his innate connection with the Santhal tribe in Jharkhand .
This remains the common theme in this books. How santhal tribes need recognition and how their exploitation is done in the name of Adivasis in every sphere - be it political or personal.
This book is divided into three parts: Lover, friend and father. The lover section traces the young doctors relationship as a gay man in a time where it’s ridiculed. The gentle cadence and the ruminations is seen. A foray into hopelessness even. The graphic descriptions are another common theme in his books.
Cutting glass by teeth is only the beginning.
The friend section focuses on friends made in high places for laughter and debauchery.
Amidst all this is the dark creeping abyss of self gain and business. A common story of misplaced innocence and worthiness for the nauseous landowners.
I liked how this book touched on so many parts - first plight of gay men in India , especially santhal tribes - it’s quiet and unmoving gaze which you can’t walk away from.
Lastly and my favourite part truly contributing to the title too - Garden
They say hobbies define us . Keep our sanctity during those pressurising times of work and personal life. It is true for his dad too.
A slice of life of the political journey rising exponentially and also dipping in and out of his father’s past. A well rounded story.
A verdant shadowy garden laden with flowers and fruits bejewelled in the dazzling sun comes to those in rescue.
The beads of sweat of a person embolden the new saplings peeking their heads watching the cerulean sky
The companions have arrived - the occasional bird and
Finally the young doctor ..
Maybe there’ll finally peace in all hearts attributed to the leaves gentle shadow land protection.
June 24, 2020
I was listening to Hansda's talk about the book and he described this book as a quickie. I agree, this book is indeed a quickie and usually it's very difficult to just give out 5/5 to a quickie. But I actually enjoyed reading this book. The craft behind the write-up of this book was very on point and very beautiful even.
The first part is called lover, and it was what it was. Hansda brought out such a genuine description of south asian queer love, in odd cities--hostel floors covered in newspapers, lungis, bike rides through the night, crass sex, chakna, alcohol and the sweet agony of partners declining kiss and blatantly saying "a kiss is for someone special". That right there is the peak of queer love that originates in the shadows of shame, more importantly one's father's shame.
The second part is called friend and I liked the simplicity, the ease with which complicated situations are explained, the ease and commonality of the struggles of the poor and how someone is not what they seemingly appear to be. The simplicity is what grabbed my attention, made it even more poignant.
The third was is my favorite, about father. Fathers are after all, awkward and strange people and the garden is a beautiful place. I like visiting gardens, I like it even more when I talk to the caretaker of those gardens.
On a completely side note, I remembered something. When I was a child, I asked my father how to
tell if someone is human. My father told me that someone is human if they like at least one of the following three things:-
1. Gardens
2. Music
3. Children
The first part is called lover, and it was what it was. Hansda brought out such a genuine description of south asian queer love, in odd cities--hostel floors covered in newspapers, lungis, bike rides through the night, crass sex, chakna, alcohol and the sweet agony of partners declining kiss and blatantly saying "a kiss is for someone special". That right there is the peak of queer love that originates in the shadows of shame, more importantly one's father's shame.
The second part is called friend and I liked the simplicity, the ease with which complicated situations are explained, the ease and commonality of the struggles of the poor and how someone is not what they seemingly appear to be. The simplicity is what grabbed my attention, made it even more poignant.
The third was is my favorite, about father. Fathers are after all, awkward and strange people and the garden is a beautiful place. I like visiting gardens, I like it even more when I talk to the caretaker of those gardens.
On a completely side note, I remembered something. When I was a child, I asked my father how to
tell if someone is human. My father told me that someone is human if they like at least one of the following three things:-
1. Gardens
2. Music
3. Children
September 21, 2021
Shortlisted for JCB prize for literature in 2019, the book has been garnering attention since then and rightfully so. There is so few books written on the LGBTQ community in scheduled castes in India, the added discrimination faced by the individuals already burdened with the prevailing caste system in rural and even urban areas of the country.
My fathers garden is a three part story which begins with the authors narration of his life as a medical student in college and his discovery of love, sex and heartbreak as his all consuming love feels unrequited and even misunderstood in the end. “I sought and found love, and love, of sorts found me.”
The second part begins with author’s disillusionment from his past life and then running away to a small village to ease his aching heart but is painfully jolted to the present when a friend from his hospital , Baba Babu’s ease going and charitable nature is exposed for what it truly is.
The third part and my favourite starts with him coming back home even more broken and still in love as before and the relationship with his father and the why’s and how’s are answered. Why the narrator is running away from his family, his home? Why his fathers wishes are the milestones of his life and why his father’s garden is such an important part of his life.
Truthfully I have never read something so stark , there were no fictitious lines which blurs the story from reality, this seemed like it was happening. The truth always hits harder and the author handled serious topics like homosexuality, politics, casteism with suave , he has been living in this country he knows the reality better than anyone could and he writes with knowledge. Definitely going to pick up his other works looking for the same truth.
My fathers garden is a three part story which begins with the authors narration of his life as a medical student in college and his discovery of love, sex and heartbreak as his all consuming love feels unrequited and even misunderstood in the end. “I sought and found love, and love, of sorts found me.”
The second part begins with author’s disillusionment from his past life and then running away to a small village to ease his aching heart but is painfully jolted to the present when a friend from his hospital , Baba Babu’s ease going and charitable nature is exposed for what it truly is.
The third part and my favourite starts with him coming back home even more broken and still in love as before and the relationship with his father and the why’s and how’s are answered. Why the narrator is running away from his family, his home? Why his fathers wishes are the milestones of his life and why his father’s garden is such an important part of his life.
Truthfully I have never read something so stark , there were no fictitious lines which blurs the story from reality, this seemed like it was happening. The truth always hits harder and the author handled serious topics like homosexuality, politics, casteism with suave , he has been living in this country he knows the reality better than anyone could and he writes with knowledge. Definitely going to pick up his other works looking for the same truth.
December 25, 2022
My Father's Garden written by Hansda Sowvendra Sekhar is a really short book which consist three different section of the narrator's life -
1st "Lover"
2nd "Friend"
3rd "Father"
Where each section shows up reality not only of narrator's life but also put a great effect on the reader's.
My Father's Garden begins with the section "Lover" which shows how the narrator (who is an unnamed doctor) deals with his lovers, his own emotions and also relationship with his friends. We readers find that he is a gay which brings up lots of boundaries in his daily life and confession. But also this section ends with utter disappointment but we accept the way it ends is reality.
The second section of the book called "friend" tells us alot about the area of Bihar and Jharkhand, their culture, politics around, people and their way of life. Also, this section holds up a grievous incident which actually took place in Pakur (Jharkhand) where lots of local people were targeted.
The last section "Father" talks about the narrator's prior generation - his grandfather's life and struggle for a position to hold up land and voice for Dalits in India. The way the adivasi women were exploited is evident and the struggle with the untouchable rule became an issue. The narrator saw his father emotionally broken , betrayed by people and politics which cause his father suffer from depression. It's really saddening to see when own people betrays us , where the narrator's father himself is a victim. But to get out of this situation he created his own garden. The garden here is not merely a garden but more a symbol of failure and recovery.
.
The novel is short, to the point and loyally written. The language is too raw and vivid. Really a very fast pase book and also each of the section in this book deals with a totally different topic which got no relevance with each other. But I left , author could have used some better language and made the plot bit way more descriptive. All the endings were too abrupt and left me in a situation to think what could have happened the next. But in short, I enjoyed reading this book.
🌟🌟🌟 stars.
1st "Lover"
2nd "Friend"
3rd "Father"
Where each section shows up reality not only of narrator's life but also put a great effect on the reader's.
My Father's Garden begins with the section "Lover" which shows how the narrator (who is an unnamed doctor) deals with his lovers, his own emotions and also relationship with his friends. We readers find that he is a gay which brings up lots of boundaries in his daily life and confession. But also this section ends with utter disappointment but we accept the way it ends is reality.
The second section of the book called "friend" tells us alot about the area of Bihar and Jharkhand, their culture, politics around, people and their way of life. Also, this section holds up a grievous incident which actually took place in Pakur (Jharkhand) where lots of local people were targeted.
The last section "Father" talks about the narrator's prior generation - his grandfather's life and struggle for a position to hold up land and voice for Dalits in India. The way the adivasi women were exploited is evident and the struggle with the untouchable rule became an issue. The narrator saw his father emotionally broken , betrayed by people and politics which cause his father suffer from depression. It's really saddening to see when own people betrays us , where the narrator's father himself is a victim. But to get out of this situation he created his own garden. The garden here is not merely a garden but more a symbol of failure and recovery.
.
The novel is short, to the point and loyally written. The language is too raw and vivid. Really a very fast pase book and also each of the section in this book deals with a totally different topic which got no relevance with each other. But I left , author could have used some better language and made the plot bit way more descriptive. All the endings were too abrupt and left me in a situation to think what could have happened the next. But in short, I enjoyed reading this book.
🌟🌟🌟 stars.
December 29, 2019
This book is a beautiful and painful reflection of the country today. The undercurrents of discrimination, and divide that bite and cut deep into the being of thousands of people.
The same undercurrent that guides politics, vote banks and exploitation of every kind.
Creating chaos to last decades and block any kind of unification or acceptance.
Insightful of the society in Jharkhand, specially of the Adivasis, the book leaves you with a heavy sigh.
Narrated by a unnamed young doctor, who is trying to bear the burden of his identity, his father's image and history, while he navigates his sexual orientation.
Hansda Sowvendra Shekhar's writing brings forth beautiful plots which are both deeply political and emotional. After all, the both are forever intertwined.
The same undercurrent that guides politics, vote banks and exploitation of every kind.
Creating chaos to last decades and block any kind of unification or acceptance.
Insightful of the society in Jharkhand, specially of the Adivasis, the book leaves you with a heavy sigh.
Narrated by a unnamed young doctor, who is trying to bear the burden of his identity, his father's image and history, while he navigates his sexual orientation.
Hansda Sowvendra Shekhar's writing brings forth beautiful plots which are both deeply political and emotional. After all, the both are forever intertwined.
September 17, 2021
****4.0****
HIS FATHER'S GARDEN by Hansda Sowvendra Shekhar follows an unnamed narrator and his life at certain points. The story is divided into 3 parts.
"Lovers", our narrator is a young man pursuing his studies in medical science. He comes to term with his sexuality, resulting in some half baked relationships, some heartbreaks etc.
"Friends", our narrator is a govt doctor posted in a small village who comes face to face with the politics, greed and helplessness of poor.
"Father", here our narrator observes his father and how he is seeing his father slowly fade away.
A short , meaningful book. A honest voice with heavy matters portraited which do not fall into the orthodox-conventional norms. Well written and audacious.
Happy Reading!!!
HIS FATHER'S GARDEN by Hansda Sowvendra Shekhar follows an unnamed narrator and his life at certain points. The story is divided into 3 parts.
"Lovers", our narrator is a young man pursuing his studies in medical science. He comes to term with his sexuality, resulting in some half baked relationships, some heartbreaks etc.
"Friends", our narrator is a govt doctor posted in a small village who comes face to face with the politics, greed and helplessness of poor.
"Father", here our narrator observes his father and how he is seeing his father slowly fade away.
A short , meaningful book. A honest voice with heavy matters portraited which do not fall into the orthodox-conventional norms. Well written and audacious.
Happy Reading!!!
March 19, 2024
It was a pleasure reading ‘My Father’s Garden’. The book is divided into three parts — Lover, Friend and Father.
I felt ‘Lover’ was mostly about forbidden love, the kind of love that has to remain a secret because it doesn’t adhere to the prevailing norms and customs of the society. Also the craving for true love that is so rare and exploiting someone for personal gains.
In ‘Friends’ what starts with a doctor working in a remote location soon highlights the flaws of the system and the foul play of Bureaucrats. The one who suffer the most are always the poor, who are robbed of their basic needs.
In ‘Father’ the doctor takes refuge in his parents’ home in Ghatsila to escape heartache. In the process of that he reflects on his father’s life and the life of Adivasis in general. It involves the Adivasi politics and the kind of discrimination they face in various stages of life.
I felt ‘Lover’ was mostly about forbidden love, the kind of love that has to remain a secret because it doesn’t adhere to the prevailing norms and customs of the society. Also the craving for true love that is so rare and exploiting someone for personal gains.
In ‘Friends’ what starts with a doctor working in a remote location soon highlights the flaws of the system and the foul play of Bureaucrats. The one who suffer the most are always the poor, who are robbed of their basic needs.
In ‘Father’ the doctor takes refuge in his parents’ home in Ghatsila to escape heartache. In the process of that he reflects on his father’s life and the life of Adivasis in general. It involves the Adivasi politics and the kind of discrimination they face in various stages of life.
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