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MOOM
In a Marwari family in Calcutta, the last woman dies. But even after her death, Savitri remains in the house, invisible yet constantly audible. Gradually, the inmates begin to rely on Savitri’s voice to have their lives managed.
One day, Savitri falls silent. Soon afterwards, Moom, a young girl of 11 or 12 mysteriously appears in Agarwal House. And her arrival reveals several secrets.
One day, Savitri falls silent. Soon afterwards, Moom, a young girl of 11 or 12 mysteriously appears in Agarwal House. And her arrival reveals several secrets.
216 pages, Hardcover
Published January 31, 2020
5 people are currently reading
313 people want to read
About the author
Bani Basu
87 books113 followersBani Basu is a Bengali Indian author, essayist, critic and poet. She was educated at the well-known Scottish Church College and at the University of Calcutta.
She began her career as a novelist with the publication of Janmabhoomi Matribhoomi. A prolific writer, her novels have been regularly published in Desh, the premier literary journal of Bengal. Her major works include Swet Patharer Thaala (The Marble Salver), Ekushe Paa (twenty One Steps), Maitreya Jataka (published as The Birth of the Maitreya by Stree), Gandharvi, Pancham Purush (The Fifth Man, or Fifth Generation?) and Ashtam Garbha (The Eighth Pregnancy). She was awarded the Tarashankar Award for Antarghaat (Treason), and the Ananda Purashkar for Maitreya Jataka. She is also the recipient of the Sushila Devi Birla Award and the Sahitya Setu Puraskar. She translates extensively into Bangla and writes essays, short stories and poetry.
Bani Basu has been conferred upon Sahitya Academy Award 2010, one of India's highest literary awards, for her contribution to Bengali literature.
She began her career as a novelist with the publication of Janmabhoomi Matribhoomi. A prolific writer, her novels have been regularly published in Desh, the premier literary journal of Bengal. Her major works include Swet Patharer Thaala (The Marble Salver), Ekushe Paa (twenty One Steps), Maitreya Jataka (published as The Birth of the Maitreya by Stree), Gandharvi, Pancham Purush (The Fifth Man, or Fifth Generation?) and Ashtam Garbha (The Eighth Pregnancy). She was awarded the Tarashankar Award for Antarghaat (Treason), and the Ananda Purashkar for Maitreya Jataka. She is also the recipient of the Sushila Devi Birla Award and the Sahitya Setu Puraskar. She translates extensively into Bangla and writes essays, short stories and poetry.
Bani Basu has been conferred upon Sahitya Academy Award 2010, one of India's highest literary awards, for her contribution to Bengali literature.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 49 reviews
March 11, 2020
"Moom" has become one of my favourites of 2020. I loved it very much. It was a fresh, original and a splendid story layered with wit. Read on to know my thoughts about it.
It's the story of the Agrawal family of Kolkata, who have migrated from Jodhpur, Rajasthan. There is a belief in their house, Ladki, dushman (Girl, enemy). They believe a girl drains the family of their wealth because of the dahej (dowry) offered in her marriage. In this house, Savitri, the bahu, also the last living woman, dies. She had always served everyone in the house without complaining, wholeheartedly, so her spirit remains in the house, in the form of her voice. She makes sure the house is functioning well in her absence. She reprimands the servants, who were cheekily helping themselves to the wealth of the family, she looks after her father in law, who was very fond of her. Gradually, everyone gets accustomed to her voice and are heavily dependent on her more than ever to help them run the house.
~
Things take a turn when suddenly Savitri's voice becomes inaudible and a young girl, Moom, on the cusp of teenage, enters their house mysteriously. Moom is a vivacious, chirpy girl who gets attached to Hridaynarayan, fondly calling him Dadaji. She opens him up and he finds himself thinking about a lot of things from the past and a lot of secrets are revealed about the house and his family.
Nobody knows how Moom found her way to the house, she lived as she pleased, ordering people around and having her way with Hridaynarayan.
~
Through this brilliantly written book, Basu shed light on the plight of women and their position in a family. The story is beautifully layered and you find yourself gasping every now and then. The end was wonderful and something I never fathomed. I was thinking about all sorts of scenarios and plausible explanations in my head, but I was taken by surprise. I loved loved loved how witty and satirical the writing was. The translation was done tastefully by Arunava Sinha (as if I had a doubt about his translation prowess)
~
Also, very early to say, but I think this might be a possible contender for the JCB prize.
4.5⭐
It's the story of the Agrawal family of Kolkata, who have migrated from Jodhpur, Rajasthan. There is a belief in their house, Ladki, dushman (Girl, enemy). They believe a girl drains the family of their wealth because of the dahej (dowry) offered in her marriage. In this house, Savitri, the bahu, also the last living woman, dies. She had always served everyone in the house without complaining, wholeheartedly, so her spirit remains in the house, in the form of her voice. She makes sure the house is functioning well in her absence. She reprimands the servants, who were cheekily helping themselves to the wealth of the family, she looks after her father in law, who was very fond of her. Gradually, everyone gets accustomed to her voice and are heavily dependent on her more than ever to help them run the house.
~
Things take a turn when suddenly Savitri's voice becomes inaudible and a young girl, Moom, on the cusp of teenage, enters their house mysteriously. Moom is a vivacious, chirpy girl who gets attached to Hridaynarayan, fondly calling him Dadaji. She opens him up and he finds himself thinking about a lot of things from the past and a lot of secrets are revealed about the house and his family.
Nobody knows how Moom found her way to the house, she lived as she pleased, ordering people around and having her way with Hridaynarayan.
~
Through this brilliantly written book, Basu shed light on the plight of women and their position in a family. The story is beautifully layered and you find yourself gasping every now and then. The end was wonderful and something I never fathomed. I was thinking about all sorts of scenarios and plausible explanations in my head, but I was taken by surprise. I loved loved loved how witty and satirical the writing was. The translation was done tastefully by Arunava Sinha (as if I had a doubt about his translation prowess)
~
Also, very early to say, but I think this might be a possible contender for the JCB prize.
4.5⭐
January 21, 2021
Bani Basu's Moom, translated by Arunava Sinha is deceptively written with one intent: beguiling readers into reading a narrative that looks like it is firmly set within the domestic confines of a Marwari family that has been living in Calcutta. It is easy to go with the flow: the inner workings of the household, the cast of characters and the interplay of relationships with the main focus being on the male characters inhabiting the house: the head of the family, his son and two male household staff.
The real story lies underneath in the actual absence of the women and the girls in the story. They are there in passing, they are talked about, you even see them but you don't see them or know their stories because 'ladki dushman'. What happens to a household when the women are invisible? Ergo, what happens to a society without the women, women who are not seen or heard or given importance to when they are alive? It is how these tracks are flagged with the most subtle plot points almost deluding readers into a lull of supernatural elements that adds a mysterious tone.
This is one book that will pull you in with the story and narrative, all the while taking you on a path that you have only a sense of but briefly. The translation adds to the mood of the writing teasing readers with the original language text in bits and parts when the mood is light and frothy. This is a must read and deserves all the love it's been getting from readers!
The real story lies underneath in the actual absence of the women and the girls in the story. They are there in passing, they are talked about, you even see them but you don't see them or know their stories because 'ladki dushman'. What happens to a household when the women are invisible? Ergo, what happens to a society without the women, women who are not seen or heard or given importance to when they are alive? It is how these tracks are flagged with the most subtle plot points almost deluding readers into a lull of supernatural elements that adds a mysterious tone.
This is one book that will pull you in with the story and narrative, all the while taking you on a path that you have only a sense of but briefly. The translation adds to the mood of the writing teasing readers with the original language text in bits and parts when the mood is light and frothy. This is a must read and deserves all the love it's been getting from readers!
May 16, 2021
"Ae ladki, what are you doing here? Don't you have a rasoi to look after?"
"Bahu, bahu, bahu. Enough of this bahu! Where is the dowry that we agreed upon?"
"One more ladki? No, please bhagwaan no! Ladki means dowry, which means I'll have to mortgage my home!"
"Ladki dushman"
These may not be exact lines from the book, with the exception of "Ladki Dushman", but these are representative of society's reactions.
On first sight, Moom seems like an easy simple read with a touch of subtle surrealism. However I pondered on it for a whole day before realising that it meant so much more. Moom talks about female infanticide, dowry, child marriage, status of women in rural and urban households, male dominance and relationships between spouses and in-laws.
It's unmistakable how modern societies all over the world, and the ones in caste divided India treat women. As of 2020, there are only 23% female CEOs all over the world, and this is when more than half of the population, 51.1% to be exact, is female. In India, the ratio is even worse, a whopping, yes let's hear it, 3.7% CEOs are females!
Women are expected to look after the "rasoi" (= kitchen), "bachhe" (= children), "saas aur sasur" (= in-laws), and obviously "pati" (= husband). Women are responsible for laundry and cleaning, managing groceries and servants. Women are supposed to leave behind their "parent's house" and move into the brand new "in-law's house". Women are supposed to change their surnames to reflect that their possession has changed. Women are supposed to wear markers and jewellery to make it abundantly clear that they're married. Women are not supposed to have personal thoughts and wishes of visiting parents, extended family, or anyone is general. Women are not supposed to give opinions until asked for it. Women are not supposed to raise their voices. Women are not supposed to behave abnormally (bold, forward, outgoing, and the likes). Women are not supposed to aspire towards big ambitions in careers.
And most importantly, women are not supposed to give birth to ladki (= females), because "Ladki Dushman".
In my mind, Moom did a brilliant job of talking about the miseries of women without the reader even realising it. It keeps the sufferings in the background, giving glimpses and flashbacks at appropriate moments. It calls the orthodox society a pigsty without ever saying it. Such is the subtlety of a woman talking about pain of her own kind.
Backed by an excellent translation and smooth narration, this is easily one of my favorites so far.
Mombatti se pighli, thandi hoke jami moom
"Bahu, bahu, bahu. Enough of this bahu! Where is the dowry that we agreed upon?"
"One more ladki? No, please bhagwaan no! Ladki means dowry, which means I'll have to mortgage my home!"
"Ladki dushman"
These may not be exact lines from the book, with the exception of "Ladki Dushman", but these are representative of society's reactions.
On first sight, Moom seems like an easy simple read with a touch of subtle surrealism. However I pondered on it for a whole day before realising that it meant so much more. Moom talks about female infanticide, dowry, child marriage, status of women in rural and urban households, male dominance and relationships between spouses and in-laws.
It's unmistakable how modern societies all over the world, and the ones in caste divided India treat women. As of 2020, there are only 23% female CEOs all over the world, and this is when more than half of the population, 51.1% to be exact, is female. In India, the ratio is even worse, a whopping, yes let's hear it, 3.7% CEOs are females!
Women are expected to look after the "rasoi" (= kitchen), "bachhe" (= children), "saas aur sasur" (= in-laws), and obviously "pati" (= husband). Women are responsible for laundry and cleaning, managing groceries and servants. Women are supposed to leave behind their "parent's house" and move into the brand new "in-law's house". Women are supposed to change their surnames to reflect that their possession has changed. Women are supposed to wear markers and jewellery to make it abundantly clear that they're married. Women are not supposed to have personal thoughts and wishes of visiting parents, extended family, or anyone is general. Women are not supposed to give opinions until asked for it. Women are not supposed to raise their voices. Women are not supposed to behave abnormally (bold, forward, outgoing, and the likes). Women are not supposed to aspire towards big ambitions in careers.
And most importantly, women are not supposed to give birth to ladki (= females), because "Ladki Dushman".
In my mind, Moom did a brilliant job of talking about the miseries of women without the reader even realising it. It keeps the sufferings in the background, giving glimpses and flashbacks at appropriate moments. It calls the orthodox society a pigsty without ever saying it. Such is the subtlety of a woman talking about pain of her own kind.
Backed by an excellent translation and smooth narration, this is easily one of my favorites so far.
Mombatti se pighli, thandi hoke jami moom
March 17, 2020
Moom starts off slow giving the background of the Agarwals , a Marwari family settled in Calcutta. Originally from Jodhpur, search for better opportunities got them to Calcutta. Here a girl child born is considered to be a curse- 'ladki dushman' is constantly used in the book. Her dowry and expenses after marriage tends to drain the family wealth.
The story focusses on the daily events in Hridayanarayan's haveli, with his 2 servants - the loyal Misir and cunning Shyamlal, his son Jagdish and 'bahubeti' Savitri. Savitri goes about managing the house without any complains whatsoever. However, she has some secrets which noone knows of. Her death brings about an instability to the house but her spirit or voice continues to stay guiding the household. Eventually with the arrival of Moom , a young 12-13 year old girls diminishes her voice and brings happiness to the household.
Who is Moom? What made her search for the Agarwals? What is her intention?
That forms the rest of the story. I would not be able to write more about the book without revealing the climax. The story proceeds like any other, a normal household going about its routine but the end stumped me so hard! The author poses very important question on the role of women, their voices drowned out and the vices out there. She brings out the hypocrisy of people who preach and follow different things!
The story focusses on the daily events in Hridayanarayan's haveli, with his 2 servants - the loyal Misir and cunning Shyamlal, his son Jagdish and 'bahubeti' Savitri. Savitri goes about managing the house without any complains whatsoever. However, she has some secrets which noone knows of. Her death brings about an instability to the house but her spirit or voice continues to stay guiding the household. Eventually with the arrival of Moom , a young 12-13 year old girls diminishes her voice and brings happiness to the household.
Who is Moom? What made her search for the Agarwals? What is her intention?
That forms the rest of the story. I would not be able to write more about the book without revealing the climax. The story proceeds like any other, a normal household going about its routine but the end stumped me so hard! The author poses very important question on the role of women, their voices drowned out and the vices out there. She brings out the hypocrisy of people who preach and follow different things!
July 2, 2020
I found ‘Moom’ quite by accident when I took a desperate trial Kindle Unlimited subscription to escape my nephew’s request to get him a data science book, which cost a whopping Rs 2,000. (!) But the same book was free on Kindle Unlimited. It seemed a relatively sane choice to make.
But the Indian catalog of Kindle Unlimited, I discovered, is awful. Mainly books like ‘How He Swept My Kisses Away’ or some such thing that I might never read even with a knife at my throat. Still, I found this little gem.
‘Moom’ initially seemed like a quirky comedy of manners with its laconic descriptions of life in a haveli in Kolkata. An old man and his son, and a motley bunch of servants in a creaky old mansion. Sounds fun. But it hides a serious indictment of society and the terrible dowry system under this seemingly fun exterior. It’s feminist. It’s scathing. It’s moving. And still fun to read.
My only quibble is: Why isn’t there a glossary? So many of the Bengali terms I couldn’t understand. I am all for local flavor, but non-Indians might find this really difficult to read.
But the Indian catalog of Kindle Unlimited, I discovered, is awful. Mainly books like ‘How He Swept My Kisses Away’ or some such thing that I might never read even with a knife at my throat. Still, I found this little gem.
‘Moom’ initially seemed like a quirky comedy of manners with its laconic descriptions of life in a haveli in Kolkata. An old man and his son, and a motley bunch of servants in a creaky old mansion. Sounds fun. But it hides a serious indictment of society and the terrible dowry system under this seemingly fun exterior. It’s feminist. It’s scathing. It’s moving. And still fun to read.
My only quibble is: Why isn’t there a glossary? So many of the Bengali terms I couldn’t understand. I am all for local flavor, but non-Indians might find this really difficult to read.
August 8, 2021
In the Agrawal family of Calcutta, originally from Jaipur, Rajasthan, Ladkis (girls) are considered a burden. Whenever there is a baby to be born, everyone sends their prayers to the Almighty to bless them with a boy, what is the reason?
Girls get married, and the family has to bear the burden of her dowry, she is an investment her father never intended to make in the first place and neither does he have any say in it. Hence, the God appeasing pujas and prasads. Maybe God can somehow manipulate this game of permutation and combination, that is the sperm meeting the egg and the result being an XX or XY.
After several sudden deaths, when the story is being told, the Agrawal family has narrowed down to Hridaynarayan, the patriarch; Jagdish, his only son and heir; Savitri, Jagdish’s wife; Shyamlal, and Misir, the servants.
The guess is that the Gods had heard the pleas and taken away Savitri too, now there were no more women, nor would the bloodline continue. With this backdrop, Bani Basu weaves an intriguing tale that sheds light on one of many dark aspects of Indian society.
FYI for my non-Indian friends, Prenatal Sex Determination is illegal in our country, for the simple reason that certain parents do not want a child if their sex chromosome turns out to be XX.
Girls get married, and the family has to bear the burden of her dowry, she is an investment her father never intended to make in the first place and neither does he have any say in it. Hence, the God appeasing pujas and prasads. Maybe God can somehow manipulate this game of permutation and combination, that is the sperm meeting the egg and the result being an XX or XY.
After several sudden deaths, when the story is being told, the Agrawal family has narrowed down to Hridaynarayan, the patriarch; Jagdish, his only son and heir; Savitri, Jagdish’s wife; Shyamlal, and Misir, the servants.
The guess is that the Gods had heard the pleas and taken away Savitri too, now there were no more women, nor would the bloodline continue. With this backdrop, Bani Basu weaves an intriguing tale that sheds light on one of many dark aspects of Indian society.
FYI for my non-Indian friends, Prenatal Sex Determination is illegal in our country, for the simple reason that certain parents do not want a child if their sex chromosome turns out to be XX.
August 19, 2020
Moom (rhymes with 'roam); as in Moombatti (a wax candle)
I have read this book slowly. Taking in chapters, ruminating over the emotions and feelings that emanated in me while reading it. Wondering about each character, being confused over things and events unexplained. There's so much hidden in the prose of this story apart from that which is evident. The fact that the titular character - Moom - an eleven year old girl - does not appear in two-thirds of the book was something that confounded me to the core. It is a hint to the gut-punch that the story has in store for its readers. And it is not the twist but the way it is served that takes your breath away.
Bani Basu's writing is so wholesome. There are places where she has brought out the passive and grey discrimination that even men face due to patriarchy. And she does it so brilliantly. While she wrote a story focused on the plight women face in society, she amazed me in the way she crafted her male characters; evoking sympathy for the pallbearers of those harboring the hypocrisy. Even in the end, I was left wondering, whether what happened was more out of pure despise or due to the events that transpired in the past.
The story flows like a vivacious stream; calm and gentle at places, at times lazy, and then taking cataclysmal turns painting images that would make you take your eyes away. The translation is so good. Although, I find myself very unqualified to comment upon it. You see, I haven't read a lot of translations. That said I would love to explore why Arunava Sinha chose to keep certain words as is but translated other complementary words into English. It would be interesting to know why a translator does that.
I have read this book slowly. Taking in chapters, ruminating over the emotions and feelings that emanated in me while reading it. Wondering about each character, being confused over things and events unexplained. There's so much hidden in the prose of this story apart from that which is evident. The fact that the titular character - Moom - an eleven year old girl - does not appear in two-thirds of the book was something that confounded me to the core. It is a hint to the gut-punch that the story has in store for its readers. And it is not the twist but the way it is served that takes your breath away.
Bani Basu's writing is so wholesome. There are places where she has brought out the passive and grey discrimination that even men face due to patriarchy. And she does it so brilliantly. While she wrote a story focused on the plight women face in society, she amazed me in the way she crafted her male characters; evoking sympathy for the pallbearers of those harboring the hypocrisy. Even in the end, I was left wondering, whether what happened was more out of pure despise or due to the events that transpired in the past.
The story flows like a vivacious stream; calm and gentle at places, at times lazy, and then taking cataclysmal turns painting images that would make you take your eyes away. The translation is so good. Although, I find myself very unqualified to comment upon it. You see, I haven't read a lot of translations. That said I would love to explore why Arunava Sinha chose to keep certain words as is but translated other complementary words into English. It would be interesting to know why a translator does that.
May 6, 2020
'Ladki Dushman'. That's how this story starts. The Agarwals, originally from the Kharak village in Jaipur and currently residing in Calcutta, bleat about their lost fortune all the time. This fortune that has been amassed through proficient tactics that these Marwaris have possessed since time immemorial was poured into the marriages of their daughters, to rich families that stink of money but lack morality and kindness. As a result, the men in the family are now women-hating, because 'ladki' takes all their precious money away.
As Savitri, the last woman in the family dies, the men start hearing her voice, a presence that is dominating and imposing. Over the course of time, a young girl named Moom enters this household that is now in disarray. She enchants these men through her innocent chatters and stubborn cravings to a point where their lives become meaningless and incomplete without her.
'Moom' depicts a traditional Marwari household, known for its stringent ideals, miserly ways, and a family where women have their roles predetermined. Basu not only delves into the secrets this family holds but gives us a clear picturization of each male member of the family, their quirks and beliefs and their upbringing as a lover of patriarchy. The women are equally to blame, as they go about showing other women their place and reminding them of their status in the family every now and then.
'Moom', in its entirety, brings us a story that will keep you guessing until the very end. The author builds a bewildering environment without letting go of the family drama. The prose evokes all kinds of emotions to the point where we feel helpless as the events unfold (more strongly because I am a woman and these prejudices still hold true). With a limited amount of words, Bani Basu weaves a story that has layers of hypocrisy laid out smoothly, a world that doesn't understand and appreciate women, reducing them to mere objects of need.
As Savitri, the last woman in the family dies, the men start hearing her voice, a presence that is dominating and imposing. Over the course of time, a young girl named Moom enters this household that is now in disarray. She enchants these men through her innocent chatters and stubborn cravings to a point where their lives become meaningless and incomplete without her.
'Moom' depicts a traditional Marwari household, known for its stringent ideals, miserly ways, and a family where women have their roles predetermined. Basu not only delves into the secrets this family holds but gives us a clear picturization of each male member of the family, their quirks and beliefs and their upbringing as a lover of patriarchy. The women are equally to blame, as they go about showing other women their place and reminding them of their status in the family every now and then.
'Moom', in its entirety, brings us a story that will keep you guessing until the very end. The author builds a bewildering environment without letting go of the family drama. The prose evokes all kinds of emotions to the point where we feel helpless as the events unfold (more strongly because I am a woman and these prejudices still hold true). With a limited amount of words, Bani Basu weaves a story that has layers of hypocrisy laid out smoothly, a world that doesn't understand and appreciate women, reducing them to mere objects of need.
March 9, 2020
4⭐️
Another translated book that goes directly to my list of favourites✨
Moom is the story of a Marwari family living in Calcutta, India. Hridaynarayan nearing the age of 80, his son and daughter in law Savitri, and a couple of house helpers live in a big house and lead their mundane individual lives.
Savitri was the last woman in the family and after her untimely death, she lingers back as a voice in the house, startling them at first but navigating the members through the day, sometimes engaging herself in deep conversations with her father in law and even scaring away some guests or servants. They again become dependent on her for small chores that only the woman of the family are known to carry.
Her voice suddenly falls mum and a young girl Moom mysteriously appears in the house and slowly becomes a part of the family. What follows is a beautifully layered story of secrets within a family that reveal themselves at perfect time.
Bani Basu has so cleverly encapsulated the position of women in the society, the plight of a mother after losing a child and how daughters were (and sometimes still are) considered as a burden or bad luck to the family.
I loved the ending, loved the wit and satire in the story, that translates so wonderfully in mere 200 pages.
Thank you so much @bee.books for sending a copy! It was truly a thought provoking read.
Another translated book that goes directly to my list of favourites✨
Moom is the story of a Marwari family living in Calcutta, India. Hridaynarayan nearing the age of 80, his son and daughter in law Savitri, and a couple of house helpers live in a big house and lead their mundane individual lives.
Savitri was the last woman in the family and after her untimely death, she lingers back as a voice in the house, startling them at first but navigating the members through the day, sometimes engaging herself in deep conversations with her father in law and even scaring away some guests or servants. They again become dependent on her for small chores that only the woman of the family are known to carry.
Her voice suddenly falls mum and a young girl Moom mysteriously appears in the house and slowly becomes a part of the family. What follows is a beautifully layered story of secrets within a family that reveal themselves at perfect time.
Bani Basu has so cleverly encapsulated the position of women in the society, the plight of a mother after losing a child and how daughters were (and sometimes still are) considered as a burden or bad luck to the family.
I loved the ending, loved the wit and satire in the story, that translates so wonderfully in mere 200 pages.
Thank you so much @bee.books for sending a copy! It was truly a thought provoking read.
June 23, 2020
I get why Moom has such rave reviews. It is easily one of my stellar reads of the year. A part family saga, almost thriller, Moom had me hooked since the very beginning.
______
Moom begins with the Agrawal Haveli where the octagenarian Hridaynarayan, a widower, lives with his son Jagdish and Jagdish's wife Savitri along with a couple of servants. While Jagdish tends to the family business, Savitri is a stellar housewife; she looks after the family with devotion and diligence, catering to their every need without them having to say it.
______
Savitri dies, just like that. With the last of the many women from the Agrawal Haveli gone, Jagdish and Hridaynarayan soon realise how they were dependent on Savitri for everything. Hridaynarayan greatly misses his "bahubeti", until one day he hears her voice. And soon they start relying on Savitri's voice to keep the household in order, until the arrival of a girl from Ajmer, Moom.
______
I have a special place in my heart for books that take me out of slumps. I couldn't put it down! Moom is a story of not just the Agrawals but a satire of many families in India who continue to see their girls as nothing but burdens. The book shapes like a thriller towards the end and keeps the reader guessing. A few qualms aside, I highly recommend Moom. So grateful to @bee.books for sending a copy as the giveaway gift.
4.5 ⭐
______
Moom begins with the Agrawal Haveli where the octagenarian Hridaynarayan, a widower, lives with his son Jagdish and Jagdish's wife Savitri along with a couple of servants. While Jagdish tends to the family business, Savitri is a stellar housewife; she looks after the family with devotion and diligence, catering to their every need without them having to say it.
______
Savitri dies, just like that. With the last of the many women from the Agrawal Haveli gone, Jagdish and Hridaynarayan soon realise how they were dependent on Savitri for everything. Hridaynarayan greatly misses his "bahubeti", until one day he hears her voice. And soon they start relying on Savitri's voice to keep the household in order, until the arrival of a girl from Ajmer, Moom.
______
I have a special place in my heart for books that take me out of slumps. I couldn't put it down! Moom is a story of not just the Agrawals but a satire of many families in India who continue to see their girls as nothing but burdens. The book shapes like a thriller towards the end and keeps the reader guessing. A few qualms aside, I highly recommend Moom. So grateful to @bee.books for sending a copy as the giveaway gift.
4.5 ⭐
December 10, 2020
This book! *sighs* I couldn't comprehend if it's just one such book or an embodiment of emotions buried deep inside. Lemme sigh more. Gosh, Why was I made to read this? Ramji, Kishenji, Durga Maayi, Lachchmi Maayi is that you who made Srijita recommend it to me, ever since she set her eyes on it?
Nearing the end of my first year of reading, this one turned me dumbstruck. While I remained drowned inside the pages, my hair loosened all by itself from its bun and brushed over my back. My earring tripled over the floor. My shoulders even pained for being a figurine for hours. I couldn't gather my consciousness to mind it. I'm writing this review out the next minute, I comprehended it's complete, still haven't fetched my earring. *sighs* Beware, this book is too compelling, to stay in your heart like a ghost.
I was stupefied just as Hridaynath Narayanan remained at the climax, gratefully not inside a bowl, but inside this book. Thank god, I am not Hridaynath, and much better that I'm not his son Jagdish, the foolish. Or so, how he is referred to.
Wait a second. If you wonder, I'm blabbering or I've turned mad. Then, give your hands on this astounding book, and you'll find yourself in the same asylum as me, right now. Perhaps, I need to move to the next 'kamra' for you to accommodate some space, at least on the floor of this enormous 'haveli'. That's how it works. The ones, who have passed through it, move on to the next room and still keep ghosting around the mansion. Never to leave it!
I'm still too small to think of 'Dahej'. But, to all the daughters out there! Be a responsible Beti, and never allow your Bapu to mortgage his business, his mansion for your wedding. Else, you'd turn into a 'Daughter Dushman', until he's alive. Or possibly haunt him, forever in dreams and reality. Even if he wants to change, he would have no luck.
Fathers are such a sweet creation in this Cosmos. Perhaps, that's why Gods are worshipped as stone idols in temples. Everyone, Ramji, Kishenji, Shioji, A..lll!
Maybe the light from that beautiful Luni called 'Bapu', is not visible 24/7. Nevertheless, the very same Light of that Luni becomes the Moombatti of your life when it's filled with darkness. *sobs*
Thank you, @Srijita. You are right. This book has to be read, not just once. IDK when again, but we gotta read together.
My Rating: 5⭐
Nearing the end of my first year of reading, this one turned me dumbstruck. While I remained drowned inside the pages, my hair loosened all by itself from its bun and brushed over my back. My earring tripled over the floor. My shoulders even pained for being a figurine for hours. I couldn't gather my consciousness to mind it. I'm writing this review out the next minute, I comprehended it's complete, still haven't fetched my earring. *sighs* Beware, this book is too compelling, to stay in your heart like a ghost.
I was stupefied just as Hridaynath Narayanan remained at the climax, gratefully not inside a bowl, but inside this book. Thank god, I am not Hridaynath, and much better that I'm not his son Jagdish, the foolish. Or so, how he is referred to.
Wait a second. If you wonder, I'm blabbering or I've turned mad. Then, give your hands on this astounding book, and you'll find yourself in the same asylum as me, right now. Perhaps, I need to move to the next 'kamra' for you to accommodate some space, at least on the floor of this enormous 'haveli'. That's how it works. The ones, who have passed through it, move on to the next room and still keep ghosting around the mansion. Never to leave it!
I'm still too small to think of 'Dahej'. But, to all the daughters out there! Be a responsible Beti, and never allow your Bapu to mortgage his business, his mansion for your wedding. Else, you'd turn into a 'Daughter Dushman', until he's alive. Or possibly haunt him, forever in dreams and reality. Even if he wants to change, he would have no luck.
Fathers are such a sweet creation in this Cosmos. Perhaps, that's why Gods are worshipped as stone idols in temples. Everyone, Ramji, Kishenji, Shioji, A..lll!
Maybe the light from that beautiful Luni called 'Bapu', is not visible 24/7. Nevertheless, the very same Light of that Luni becomes the Moombatti of your life when it's filled with darkness. *sobs*
Thank you, @Srijita. You are right. This book has to be read, not just once. IDK when again, but we gotta read together.
My Rating: 5⭐
February 16, 2021
Oh my god, this book was like a love - you fall into slowly at first and then stumble head over heels into!
To understand a society at any given point of time, the good and the otherwise - that challenge/shake your beliefs or perceptions - to show why things are the way they are - Literature of that given time is the true mirror!
To understand a society at any given point of time, the good and the otherwise - that challenge/shake your beliefs or perceptions - to show why things are the way they are - Literature of that given time is the true mirror!
April 20, 2023
ব্ইটার ভিতর থেকে এবং আগরওয়াল পরিবারের মধ্যে থেকে বেরিয়ে আসতে অনেক সময় লাগবে।
October 29, 2024
A good eerie story with a fantastic twist. It highlights strong themes like female infanticide, domestic violence, child marriage, oppression of the working class etc. Easy to read through, a quick read.
May 21, 2022
MOOM BY Bani Basu translated by Arunava Sinha
Moom is a witty, realistic, partly supernatural yet eye opening novel set initially in Rajasthan & then moves on to take place in Kolkata & is about a Marwari family migrating from their agricultural village in Rajasthan to the bustling cities of Kolkata in search of business expansion & settling their family roots here.
Our main protagonist - Hridayanarayan is a hardworking, shrewd & successful businessman who builds his empire out of nothing & his son Jagdish is the only son amongst the many daughters, Hridayanarayan sired. The focus of this entire novel is the plight of women in this patriachal community & why male offsprings are prefered over female offsprings in the family. Dowry is the economic ticket to purchasing a good son-in-law for daughters but the aftermath of regular demands unfulfilled towards the daughter's in-laws is also highlighted here.
On the other hand, the sad confusion which any migrating family's next generation faces in retaining their original identity with their roots yet being at par with the local culture which they are forced to absorb is very well reflected in the charachter portrayal & choices of the son of the family - Jagdish.
Although, daughter-in-laws are expected to be ideal wives & vessels for venting out the frustruations of the in-laws, husband etc, the position of a woman in such a constricted society is humourously depicted through the eyes of the servants of the house.
A touch of supernatural element pervades the story when the daughter-in-law of the family is found dead, half drowned in the water storage one fine day & with all the women in the family already either passed away or busy with their own respective families in different parts of the country- the Agrawal household is left with four old men- our protagonist - Hridaynarayan, his son Jagdish, the family servant Misir & Jagdish's personal servant - Shymlal.
The house is in chaos as none could handle things well till a supernatural voice of the daughter-in-law starts supervising all the four men, out of a sense of duty- Shyamlal leaves the house after he is caught red handed stealing jewellery & money, Misir is instructed with the household chores, Hridaynarayan & Jagdish are never left alone while in the house and are guided by the dead daughter-in-law's voice.
Word spreads in the neighbourhood about the Agrawal household haunting & gradually only three old men are the only living breathing members of this huge house accompanied by a host of ghosts of the departed women of the family & poltergeist activities are very common in this house - till the arrival of a young girl surprisingly. The story takes a complete twist & this young girl from Ajmer is the key to turning things around yet the eeriness of the story from here on is undeniable.
Overall an unputdownable book, the humor, danger, chaos & reality depicted through this story was a kaleidoscope of cultural traditions yet the suffocation which could pursue if tradition & modern day life try to step on each others toes
is like the blaring sun on the hot desert sands in this story. Altogether a thorougly enjoyable read!!!
Moom is a witty, realistic, partly supernatural yet eye opening novel set initially in Rajasthan & then moves on to take place in Kolkata & is about a Marwari family migrating from their agricultural village in Rajasthan to the bustling cities of Kolkata in search of business expansion & settling their family roots here.
Our main protagonist - Hridayanarayan is a hardworking, shrewd & successful businessman who builds his empire out of nothing & his son Jagdish is the only son amongst the many daughters, Hridayanarayan sired. The focus of this entire novel is the plight of women in this patriachal community & why male offsprings are prefered over female offsprings in the family. Dowry is the economic ticket to purchasing a good son-in-law for daughters but the aftermath of regular demands unfulfilled towards the daughter's in-laws is also highlighted here.
On the other hand, the sad confusion which any migrating family's next generation faces in retaining their original identity with their roots yet being at par with the local culture which they are forced to absorb is very well reflected in the charachter portrayal & choices of the son of the family - Jagdish.
Although, daughter-in-laws are expected to be ideal wives & vessels for venting out the frustruations of the in-laws, husband etc, the position of a woman in such a constricted society is humourously depicted through the eyes of the servants of the house.
A touch of supernatural element pervades the story when the daughter-in-law of the family is found dead, half drowned in the water storage one fine day & with all the women in the family already either passed away or busy with their own respective families in different parts of the country- the Agrawal household is left with four old men- our protagonist - Hridaynarayan, his son Jagdish, the family servant Misir & Jagdish's personal servant - Shymlal.
The house is in chaos as none could handle things well till a supernatural voice of the daughter-in-law starts supervising all the four men, out of a sense of duty- Shyamlal leaves the house after he is caught red handed stealing jewellery & money, Misir is instructed with the household chores, Hridaynarayan & Jagdish are never left alone while in the house and are guided by the dead daughter-in-law's voice.
Word spreads in the neighbourhood about the Agrawal household haunting & gradually only three old men are the only living breathing members of this huge house accompanied by a host of ghosts of the departed women of the family & poltergeist activities are very common in this house - till the arrival of a young girl surprisingly. The story takes a complete twist & this young girl from Ajmer is the key to turning things around yet the eeriness of the story from here on is undeniable.
Overall an unputdownable book, the humor, danger, chaos & reality depicted through this story was a kaleidoscope of cultural traditions yet the suffocation which could pursue if tradition & modern day life try to step on each others toes
is like the blaring sun on the hot desert sands in this story. Altogether a thorougly enjoyable read!!!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 27, 2021
Once a while, I stumble upon books which keep me haunted for days after I’ve finished reading it. I am well accustomed to works of Bani Basu, but this book ‘Moom’ has stupefied me. Bizarre and surprising, this book is a slap to patriarchy.
Eeriness prevails throughout the book. There’s this strange silence, this gaping vacuum in the way the story unfolds…its almost like a prelude to the climax. The book is like a flight of stairs that leads you up and up, until you reach the top and then Boom. You’re being pushed from the heights because the climax is here and everything makes sense, and now you have to wrap your heads around everything that has happened in rush.
You suddenly feel as if this is fiction and this bizarreness isn’t too true and you try to heave a sigh of relief. But then a coldness rises up your spine as you realize nothing in the book is actually based upon a false backdrop! You realize that Bani Basu’s story might have ghosts and some spooky hallucinations, but whatever happened in the book happens across houses in India and is so prevalent that we forget to talk about it!
‘Moom’ is a book that metaphorically tries to choke the patriarchy and misogyny that is present in the foundations of our society like a silent demon. It tries to shake the ladder that male supremacists have built for themselves which has made women suffer for generations at stretch. Families writhing under the weight of marrying their daughter’s off with heavy dowry, are also surprisingly eager to scrunch the family of their daughters-in-law for more dowry in return! Families calling their daughters ‘lakshmi’ and then turning menacing and hateful towards the daughters born to their own children by labelling them as ‘ladki dushman’! What cruelty and vicious sickness is this: this narrow and suffocating way of looking at the women in the house?
Read ‘Moom’ and you’ll understand. A Marwari family in Calcutta loses their daughter in law Savitri, without whom the house would be stagnant of action. The ‘bahu’ of the house stays on as a silent ghost, as only a voice that gives directions to the remaining male members of the house how to go about their lives. Then a small teenage girl arrives from the hometown of Savitri and seeks shelter in the haveli. In a situation of mystery and stillness, the girl changes the house—but in what way? And who is this girl after all. What is her attachment to this male-only remnant of a house in distant Calcutta?
‘Moom’ tries to take you within the plight faced by the women in the household. Instead of trivialising feminine or male sentiments, it shows in naked ferocity all there is to be shown about women suppression and masculine domination. It gives room to haunting scandals, embarrassing secrets and things left unsaid. But we need to know, don’t we? We need to know how torture is inflicted upon women in the house and how some men remain unknowingly privy to it. When nothing works out, out comes the supernatural element to aid the author to convey what she wants to. Bani Basu has written a wonder.
Eeriness prevails throughout the book. There’s this strange silence, this gaping vacuum in the way the story unfolds…its almost like a prelude to the climax. The book is like a flight of stairs that leads you up and up, until you reach the top and then Boom. You’re being pushed from the heights because the climax is here and everything makes sense, and now you have to wrap your heads around everything that has happened in rush.
You suddenly feel as if this is fiction and this bizarreness isn’t too true and you try to heave a sigh of relief. But then a coldness rises up your spine as you realize nothing in the book is actually based upon a false backdrop! You realize that Bani Basu’s story might have ghosts and some spooky hallucinations, but whatever happened in the book happens across houses in India and is so prevalent that we forget to talk about it!
‘Moom’ is a book that metaphorically tries to choke the patriarchy and misogyny that is present in the foundations of our society like a silent demon. It tries to shake the ladder that male supremacists have built for themselves which has made women suffer for generations at stretch. Families writhing under the weight of marrying their daughter’s off with heavy dowry, are also surprisingly eager to scrunch the family of their daughters-in-law for more dowry in return! Families calling their daughters ‘lakshmi’ and then turning menacing and hateful towards the daughters born to their own children by labelling them as ‘ladki dushman’! What cruelty and vicious sickness is this: this narrow and suffocating way of looking at the women in the house?
Read ‘Moom’ and you’ll understand. A Marwari family in Calcutta loses their daughter in law Savitri, without whom the house would be stagnant of action. The ‘bahu’ of the house stays on as a silent ghost, as only a voice that gives directions to the remaining male members of the house how to go about their lives. Then a small teenage girl arrives from the hometown of Savitri and seeks shelter in the haveli. In a situation of mystery and stillness, the girl changes the house—but in what way? And who is this girl after all. What is her attachment to this male-only remnant of a house in distant Calcutta?
‘Moom’ tries to take you within the plight faced by the women in the household. Instead of trivialising feminine or male sentiments, it shows in naked ferocity all there is to be shown about women suppression and masculine domination. It gives room to haunting scandals, embarrassing secrets and things left unsaid. But we need to know, don’t we? We need to know how torture is inflicted upon women in the house and how some men remain unknowingly privy to it. When nothing works out, out comes the supernatural element to aid the author to convey what she wants to. Bani Basu has written a wonder.
September 27, 2021
Moom (মোম)
Honestly said it is a different story among all read till now. I read two books of this writer before and quite familiar with her writing style. Like she first explained about the characters and purpose of the plot and then started the main theme. Most important she keeps suspense through the whole story and reveals at last page.
Here it is similar as always . For this style I finish to know the truth.
Well this is a story of a marwari family came from rajasthan to kolkata for business purpose and live there. The main theme is based on the place of female in a family. It is reflected by one word "ladki dusman" means "female is enemy" . The story starts with the death of the only female of the family savitri who is the daughter in law of the head Hridaynarayan Agarwal. And everything changes with a second. But one thing happened that the spirit of bahuji (Savitri) never leave that house and still concern about her father in law and husband. And everyone said the agarwal house as a ghost house.
One day a small girl came to the haveli from ajmer and the story turns into suspense. She helps Hridaynarayan to memories the past and he regret about his karma.
And in the end everyone died for their fate and previous karma. The truth reveals.
Honestly said it is a different story among all read till now. I read two books of this writer before and quite familiar with her writing style. Like she first explained about the characters and purpose of the plot and then started the main theme. Most important she keeps suspense through the whole story and reveals at last page.
Here it is similar as always . For this style I finish to know the truth.
Well this is a story of a marwari family came from rajasthan to kolkata for business purpose and live there. The main theme is based on the place of female in a family. It is reflected by one word "ladki dusman" means "female is enemy" . The story starts with the death of the only female of the family savitri who is the daughter in law of the head Hridaynarayan Agarwal. And everything changes with a second. But one thing happened that the spirit of bahuji (Savitri) never leave that house and still concern about her father in law and husband. And everyone said the agarwal house as a ghost house.
One day a small girl came to the haveli from ajmer and the story turns into suspense. She helps Hridaynarayan to memories the past and he regret about his karma.
And in the end everyone died for their fate and previous karma. The truth reveals.
July 8, 2020
⭐⭐⭐.5 stars. I'm quite torn about writing this review and the rating as well. Ever since I finished the book, I have been trying to process it. On the one hand, the story is powerful and leaves an impact. But the writing/ translation felt a little disjointed to me. The story seemed to suddenly jump from one perspective to another and I needed some time to catch up to that. I also felt that some events/discussion of events happened too suddenly or not enough time was spent on going into more details which may have been necessary in some cases.
That being said, this story leaves you thinking about the role of women in society and the household, the grief of a mother on losing a child and on how women, even today, are considered a burden in some societies. This is a short read and despite the issues i found with the writing/translation, I definitely recommend it.
That being said, this story leaves you thinking about the role of women in society and the household, the grief of a mother on losing a child and on how women, even today, are considered a burden in some societies. This is a short read and despite the issues i found with the writing/translation, I definitely recommend it.
August 30, 2020
A marwari family settled in Calcutta is haunted by the spirit of the last lady- Savithri of the family. Everyone, the father Hridayanarayanan, his son and savithri's husband Jagdish and their servant Misir and Shyamlal gets used to her instructions which were loud but not scary.
But when a mysterious girl Moom, of 11 or 12 years arrives there the Bahu's sound is no more heard. From a very innocent girl, Moom develops herself as the master of the house. But who is she ?
The story was very slow at first but turns very interesting after few 2-3 chapters and then ends with a great realisation. There is no better way to convey a message than telling it through a story.
But when a mysterious girl Moom, of 11 or 12 years arrives there the Bahu's sound is no more heard. From a very innocent girl, Moom develops herself as the master of the house. But who is she ?
The story was very slow at first but turns very interesting after few 2-3 chapters and then ends with a great realisation. There is no better way to convey a message than telling it through a story.
July 4, 2020
3.5 stars
February 28, 2021
What a beautiful and thought provoking read😃
August 29, 2020
It began with friction, a sharp rasping sound followed by the luminescence of fire birthed from chemicals igniting on the tip of a match. The soiree of light bounding across the walls as the charcoal coloured wick of a pearl like candle was lit. The flame swayed haphazardly at first then ebbed into a standstill, an occasional flicker as the story begins to take shape.
Moom, a book with the most curious narrative casts before the reader's eyes, the life of the Agrawal family. It begins in steps, each step portraying a unique take on the family from the perspective of each of the family members. Though it takes its time to set the stage, the real beginning is with the death of the bahu(daughter in law) and the last woman in the family. With the men unable to do anything on their own, the Bahu returns in her own way and helps them settle into their Bahuless lives.
The titular character, Moom doesn't show up for nearly two thirds of the book but her presence changes the direction the book was resonating in. Bani Basu and the translator Arunava Sinha have composed sentences that welded together to paragraphs that beautifully brought the plight and position of every woman in an Indian household.
I have the pleasure to read the book with @every.turn.a.story and @deepthi.m__. During one of our discussions Sakshi said the story was absolutely Indian. I agree. It was. It was to a point that us Indians reading the book should feel ashamed we ever gave way for our actions of the past to be recorded in this manner. The story subtly brings out the rearing heads of patriarchy and the aversion towards the birth of a girl child.
The writing is wholesome, alternating between breezes and storms, captivating and stunning us with the words and their direction. The incorporation of magical realism and introduction of its elements was done with great finesse and demanding heavily to invoke the imagination of the reader.
Overall, the book was brilliant, short and powerful! The ending the book offered was unexpected and shook my mind when the reality of it dawned on to me. It's a book I would definitely recommend to anyone intent of exploring India!
Moom, a book with the most curious narrative casts before the reader's eyes, the life of the Agrawal family. It begins in steps, each step portraying a unique take on the family from the perspective of each of the family members. Though it takes its time to set the stage, the real beginning is with the death of the bahu(daughter in law) and the last woman in the family. With the men unable to do anything on their own, the Bahu returns in her own way and helps them settle into their Bahuless lives.
The titular character, Moom doesn't show up for nearly two thirds of the book but her presence changes the direction the book was resonating in. Bani Basu and the translator Arunava Sinha have composed sentences that welded together to paragraphs that beautifully brought the plight and position of every woman in an Indian household.
I have the pleasure to read the book with @every.turn.a.story and @deepthi.m__. During one of our discussions Sakshi said the story was absolutely Indian. I agree. It was. It was to a point that us Indians reading the book should feel ashamed we ever gave way for our actions of the past to be recorded in this manner. The story subtly brings out the rearing heads of patriarchy and the aversion towards the birth of a girl child.
The writing is wholesome, alternating between breezes and storms, captivating and stunning us with the words and their direction. The incorporation of magical realism and introduction of its elements was done with great finesse and demanding heavily to invoke the imagination of the reader.
Overall, the book was brilliant, short and powerful! The ending the book offered was unexpected and shook my mind when the reality of it dawned on to me. It's a book I would definitely recommend to anyone intent of exploring India!
September 29, 2020
I read this book back in August and for the most part Moom was an exciting wholesome journey for me. The book starts out in familiar settings, of a joint family with a neglected bahu (daughter in law). Bad luck strikes and she passes away leaving behind her spirit who continues to reside in the house and at the same time somehow still manages to send her instructions to those left behind.
Though this doesn't sound as a very solid plot, when 'Moom' a lost young girl appears in the story, you are left figuring out how the pieces are going to come together. By this time you are used to haunting spirit, shouting and bossing around the inhabitants. You are also slowly warming up to the relationship that this little girl strikes up with the father in law.
With each chapter you learn a bit more of the family tree, the absent members and their tales. The tales are murky, dark and touches on the patriarchal society that sadly we live in. These topics took me by surprise and at the same time sent a chill down my spine with the ease with which they merged with the flow of the story.
The looming eerieness lasts till the last page and never once can you see the curve ball coming at you.
Simple, quirky and fast paced, Moom delivers it all. The translation is seamless and you never feel that you aren't reading the original text.
Though this doesn't sound as a very solid plot, when 'Moom' a lost young girl appears in the story, you are left figuring out how the pieces are going to come together. By this time you are used to haunting spirit, shouting and bossing around the inhabitants. You are also slowly warming up to the relationship that this little girl strikes up with the father in law.
With each chapter you learn a bit more of the family tree, the absent members and their tales. The tales are murky, dark and touches on the patriarchal society that sadly we live in. These topics took me by surprise and at the same time sent a chill down my spine with the ease with which they merged with the flow of the story.
The looming eerieness lasts till the last page and never once can you see the curve ball coming at you.
Simple, quirky and fast paced, Moom delivers it all. The translation is seamless and you never feel that you aren't reading the original text.
April 17, 2024
The last dozen pages of this book left me in shock and shaking with rage. 100% recommended
January 29, 2021
I think this is going to be my one of favourite read in 2021. I am a bengali but I am ashamed to say that this is my first book by Bani Basu. I wish I could read this in bengali but I didn't find the copy. This has been translated in english by Arunava Sinha beautifully.
🐈
Moom is a tale of a marwari family migrated from Rajasthan and settled in Calcutta. Things go wrong when Savitri, the last woman in the family dies. But even after death her spirit remains in the house and her voice becomes audible. Savitri expresses her grief to her father in law Hridaynarayan about how they badly they treated her when she was alive.
After few months Savitri becomes silent when a 11/12 year old girl named Moom arrives in the house mysteriously. Slowly Hridaynarayan becomes fond of her and they form a relationship of "dadaji and munni".
🐈
The story gives you a vivid image of how women were treated in their in law's house after marriage, women's place in the society. Where giving birth to girl child is equal to bad luck. The conversations between the characters are so heart warming. I don't usually come across such fresh, original plot. I was taken by surprise by the ending. I think this is one of the best ending I ever come across.
There are few bengali words in the translation which I think would be difficult to understand for non bengalis and non indians.
Highly recommended.
My rate: 4.5
🐈
Moom is a tale of a marwari family migrated from Rajasthan and settled in Calcutta. Things go wrong when Savitri, the last woman in the family dies. But even after death her spirit remains in the house and her voice becomes audible. Savitri expresses her grief to her father in law Hridaynarayan about how they badly they treated her when she was alive.
After few months Savitri becomes silent when a 11/12 year old girl named Moom arrives in the house mysteriously. Slowly Hridaynarayan becomes fond of her and they form a relationship of "dadaji and munni".
🐈
The story gives you a vivid image of how women were treated in their in law's house after marriage, women's place in the society. Where giving birth to girl child is equal to bad luck. The conversations between the characters are so heart warming. I don't usually come across such fresh, original plot. I was taken by surprise by the ending. I think this is one of the best ending I ever come across.
There are few bengali words in the translation which I think would be difficult to understand for non bengalis and non indians.
Highly recommended.
My rate: 4.5
September 14, 2020
"My sasu, her sasu, her sasu, they’re all the same, Bapuji, they all behaved the same way, the way all of you made them behave, your village, your community. All of you behaved the way your society, your religion, forced you to behave, and you forced the rest. None of you tried anything different."
Yet another female, Indian author, yet another translation that took me so pleasantly by surprise. Moom, written by Bani Basu and translated to English by Arunava Sinha, is the story of a Marwari family that is nothing out of the ordinary. And there is nothing more painful to me than to accept the fact that what's portrayed in the book, is not all that far from many realities - that it is not out of ordinary. In India and in many other places in the world, it is very much ordinary that a woman be considered the bane of your existence, a mere burden the family needs to get rid of, an enemy to the very people who gave birth to her because she's more a property than a person - someone who is to be sold off for some price, if not for the right price, when time comes.
"I had no arms or legs or face even when I was alive, Bapuji, did I? Did I have a heart, for that matter?" says Savitri, as the book progresses; I found this statement to be so incapacitating and yet so powerful. A woman finally being able to speak, though only after her death - when she has no form, no rules to conform to, nothing to lose; to express how she was made to feel - barely a human being, let alone her own person with a heart, with emotions, with desires, free will, her own problems. What more could be a clearer statement on how blind men can be to what's happening around them, how insensitive to the very person who helps them build the life they live, the life that they are so proud of - no matter who they are, so inconsiderate of the needs (let's not stretch so much as to say wishes) of a woman.
Moom, straightforward and effortless does not fail to fascinate you with the way it brings home its points. It is nothing we've never heard of before and yet it is the need of the hour. To make women seen, not only in the eyes of their family and of the society, but of their own. Us women need to look inwards and find ourselves worthy of life - no matter who we are, how we look or what we do. We need to be there for ourselves and for our kind, lifting each other up, because it is only together we can even dream to begin to change the world we live in today.
Four stars. Read the book. It's a small one but packed with a punch.
Yet another female, Indian author, yet another translation that took me so pleasantly by surprise. Moom, written by Bani Basu and translated to English by Arunava Sinha, is the story of a Marwari family that is nothing out of the ordinary. And there is nothing more painful to me than to accept the fact that what's portrayed in the book, is not all that far from many realities - that it is not out of ordinary. In India and in many other places in the world, it is very much ordinary that a woman be considered the bane of your existence, a mere burden the family needs to get rid of, an enemy to the very people who gave birth to her because she's more a property than a person - someone who is to be sold off for some price, if not for the right price, when time comes.
"I had no arms or legs or face even when I was alive, Bapuji, did I? Did I have a heart, for that matter?" says Savitri, as the book progresses; I found this statement to be so incapacitating and yet so powerful. A woman finally being able to speak, though only after her death - when she has no form, no rules to conform to, nothing to lose; to express how she was made to feel - barely a human being, let alone her own person with a heart, with emotions, with desires, free will, her own problems. What more could be a clearer statement on how blind men can be to what's happening around them, how insensitive to the very person who helps them build the life they live, the life that they are so proud of - no matter who they are, so inconsiderate of the needs (let's not stretch so much as to say wishes) of a woman.
Moom, straightforward and effortless does not fail to fascinate you with the way it brings home its points. It is nothing we've never heard of before and yet it is the need of the hour. To make women seen, not only in the eyes of their family and of the society, but of their own. Us women need to look inwards and find ourselves worthy of life - no matter who we are, how we look or what we do. We need to be there for ourselves and for our kind, lifting each other up, because it is only together we can even dream to begin to change the world we live in today.
Four stars. Read the book. It's a small one but packed with a punch.
January 28, 2024
⭐️⭐️⭐️💫
Moom is a novella length story written by Bani Banu( and translated by Arunava Sinha) about a Marwari family who moved to Kolkata decades ago for business. The family is headed by Hridyanarayan Agarwal; who lives with his son Jagadish, daughter in law Savitri, and two servants.
From the get-go; it’s a highly patriarchal society with just first page mentioning centuries old grudge against girl child - ‘ladki dushman’.
And why so?
Because daughters are a nuisance to manage - especially with the cost of dowry and them being a constant source of wealth drain.
And daughter-in-laws- are equally worse. After all, they are the one responsible for both of girl child in first place.
But apart from that, have they done anything wrong?
On the contrary- they are the ones managing household, the daily chores of cooking, cleaning and other seemingly menial tasks.
So much so that when the uneducated, ghunghat-clad daughter in law Savitri dies- the household nearly crumbles.
Bani Basu’s book is a quick page turner and a griping read where you are left boggled most of the time about the trajectory of the plot. And then at 75%, the story starts unravelling with introduction with this ‘Moom’ and as you start settling in the last 10 pages- throw you off with an amazing (well,at least for me) twist.
The story is a satire on plight of women in society and families. The plot and main (and side) characters are layered with shades of darkest greys.
She subtly (& brilliantly) comments that the burden of this women discrimination likes not with male gender but also the females in society, who might have faced similar trials but are hell bent on taking the legacy forward and inflict the pain on others.
I read in one of the other reviews that the actual story unfolds while the women in the story are invisible - but echoes of their stories are in foreground.
This made me think of our families and society at large; isn’t what our mothers (especially if they are homemaker) do is largely unsaid. Their voices are unheard but echoes strongly in us and our work?
Moom is a novella length story written by Bani Banu( and translated by Arunava Sinha) about a Marwari family who moved to Kolkata decades ago for business. The family is headed by Hridyanarayan Agarwal; who lives with his son Jagadish, daughter in law Savitri, and two servants.
From the get-go; it’s a highly patriarchal society with just first page mentioning centuries old grudge against girl child - ‘ladki dushman’.
And why so?
Because daughters are a nuisance to manage - especially with the cost of dowry and them being a constant source of wealth drain.
And daughter-in-laws- are equally worse. After all, they are the one responsible for both of girl child in first place.
But apart from that, have they done anything wrong?
On the contrary- they are the ones managing household, the daily chores of cooking, cleaning and other seemingly menial tasks.
So much so that when the uneducated, ghunghat-clad daughter in law Savitri dies- the household nearly crumbles.
Bani Basu’s book is a quick page turner and a griping read where you are left boggled most of the time about the trajectory of the plot. And then at 75%, the story starts unravelling with introduction with this ‘Moom’ and as you start settling in the last 10 pages- throw you off with an amazing (well,at least for me) twist.
The story is a satire on plight of women in society and families. The plot and main (and side) characters are layered with shades of darkest greys.
She subtly (& brilliantly) comments that the burden of this women discrimination likes not with male gender but also the females in society, who might have faced similar trials but are hell bent on taking the legacy forward and inflict the pain on others.
I read in one of the other reviews that the actual story unfolds while the women in the story are invisible - but echoes of their stories are in foreground.
This made me think of our families and society at large; isn’t what our mothers (especially if they are homemaker) do is largely unsaid. Their voices are unheard but echoes strongly in us and our work?
July 28, 2021
// Moom by @bani.basu.3705
Translated by @arunavasinha
Moom begins with girls being addressed as enemies. Because even today, certain families in our country consider daughters as an unnecessary and an expensive burden. Why spend so much on daughters who eventually leave their homes, taking with them a sizeable dowry? Getting them educated makes no sense for they aren't going to look after their parents. It's the sons who are precious. So they get the best food, clothes, education and also life. The life of a male child, if weighed and compared with that of a girl's, is always worth more. Moom, originally written in Bengali by Bani Basu and later translated into English by Arunava Sinha, is one that sends chills down the spine. The story haunts one long after they're done reading it.
A Marwari family in Calcutta has it all. They're rich, live in a grand house where men make the rules and the womenfolk follow unquestionably. There are the in-laws, their son and his wife along with the servants, living comfortably until the women of the house die. Basu writes about the men in a rather sympathetic manner, left behind without any women to look after them. The mother-in-law, as long as she lived ruled the house with an iron fist. The daughter-in-law lived with a broken heart after losing her daughter as a child. The house was maintained as a home because of her well oiled duties. Bani Basu adds a supernatural touch to it where the presence of the dead daughter-in-law lingers long after she's gone. Right when I thought there's nothing more to the story is when Moom enters. Moom, like 'mombatti' (candle), a young girl turns up at the house out of nowhere becoming a much needed company to the father-in-law. Who is this girl, really and what's her story? It's surprising how Moom, who plays such a pivotal role in the story turns up in the latter part of the story. Basu, with her stunning narration makes one empathetic towards the characters even when they didn't deserve it. Needless to say, Sinha's translation was perfect, retaining the very essence of the book.
I highly recommend this.
Translated by @arunavasinha
Moom begins with girls being addressed as enemies. Because even today, certain families in our country consider daughters as an unnecessary and an expensive burden. Why spend so much on daughters who eventually leave their homes, taking with them a sizeable dowry? Getting them educated makes no sense for they aren't going to look after their parents. It's the sons who are precious. So they get the best food, clothes, education and also life. The life of a male child, if weighed and compared with that of a girl's, is always worth more. Moom, originally written in Bengali by Bani Basu and later translated into English by Arunava Sinha, is one that sends chills down the spine. The story haunts one long after they're done reading it.
A Marwari family in Calcutta has it all. They're rich, live in a grand house where men make the rules and the womenfolk follow unquestionably. There are the in-laws, their son and his wife along with the servants, living comfortably until the women of the house die. Basu writes about the men in a rather sympathetic manner, left behind without any women to look after them. The mother-in-law, as long as she lived ruled the house with an iron fist. The daughter-in-law lived with a broken heart after losing her daughter as a child. The house was maintained as a home because of her well oiled duties. Bani Basu adds a supernatural touch to it where the presence of the dead daughter-in-law lingers long after she's gone. Right when I thought there's nothing more to the story is when Moom enters. Moom, like 'mombatti' (candle), a young girl turns up at the house out of nowhere becoming a much needed company to the father-in-law. Who is this girl, really and what's her story? It's surprising how Moom, who plays such a pivotal role in the story turns up in the latter part of the story. Basu, with her stunning narration makes one empathetic towards the characters even when they didn't deserve it. Needless to say, Sinha's translation was perfect, retaining the very essence of the book.
I highly recommend this.
August 18, 2020
Ladki Dushman!
Originally written in Bengali by Bani Basu, Moom is a family saga that tells us a lot about our society. The story starts with the background of the Aggarwal family being settled in Calcutta for better livelihood opportunities. The family being a patriarch believes that Girls are their enemies because they drain out all the money of the family in the form of dowry. Hridyanarayan, the octogenarian also the head of the family, wishes no more girls in the family. And sadly the wish gets granted.
On the other hand, we get to see Savitri, the daughter in law of the house, wife of Jagdish, works hard for the family. After her sudden demise, the house is at the chaos. She comes back only as an unseen voice who gives instructions to everyone to keep the house at best. And then one day, Moom, a teenage girl appears in the house. Who is she? How does she know the dark secrets of the family?
My love for Bengali literature is not a secret anymore. Written in a satirical manner, the book is an excellent account of plights faced by the women in our society, be it dowry system or the torture faced by one's in-laws.
The book contains a lot of vocabulary from Marwari Community. The book will keep you hooked till the end only to become food for your thoughts.
Ratings : 4.5/5 stars
Moom slid into the list of my favourites just like I slide into my Crush's DM !
Originally written in Bengali by Bani Basu, Moom is a family saga that tells us a lot about our society. The story starts with the background of the Aggarwal family being settled in Calcutta for better livelihood opportunities. The family being a patriarch believes that Girls are their enemies because they drain out all the money of the family in the form of dowry. Hridyanarayan, the octogenarian also the head of the family, wishes no more girls in the family. And sadly the wish gets granted.
On the other hand, we get to see Savitri, the daughter in law of the house, wife of Jagdish, works hard for the family. After her sudden demise, the house is at the chaos. She comes back only as an unseen voice who gives instructions to everyone to keep the house at best. And then one day, Moom, a teenage girl appears in the house. Who is she? How does she know the dark secrets of the family?
My love for Bengali literature is not a secret anymore. Written in a satirical manner, the book is an excellent account of plights faced by the women in our society, be it dowry system or the torture faced by one's in-laws.
The book contains a lot of vocabulary from Marwari Community. The book will keep you hooked till the end only to become food for your thoughts.
Ratings : 4.5/5 stars
Moom slid into the list of my favourites just like I slide into my Crush's DM !
January 14, 2023
Original, mysterious and dark this book is a blistering attack on misogyny, abuse and the treatment of young girls and women in India.
A Marwari family in Calcutta pray to no longer be blighted by girls and over the years their wish comes true. As the last woman in the household dies , two old men (a man and son) , and their servant(s) are left to fend for themselves - tortured by the ghostly instructions and demands of the last woman to die, the son’s wife. This situation is followed by the arrival of a mysterious young girl who has travelled across India to find them, but seems to be unable to explain why or her significance to the family. Through the mens’ new pattern of life they begin to understand , at last ,the consequences of their actions, prayers, and decisions.
The family is full of secrets and the ending is a shocking reveal. It forces readers to reevaluate all the characters and ultimately makes the story one that stays with you for some time.
A 3.5, I have rounded up !
A Marwari family in Calcutta pray to no longer be blighted by girls and over the years their wish comes true. As the last woman in the household dies , two old men (a man and son) , and their servant(s) are left to fend for themselves - tortured by the ghostly instructions and demands of the last woman to die, the son’s wife. This situation is followed by the arrival of a mysterious young girl who has travelled across India to find them, but seems to be unable to explain why or her significance to the family. Through the mens’ new pattern of life they begin to understand , at last ,the consequences of their actions, prayers, and decisions.
The family is full of secrets and the ending is a shocking reveal. It forces readers to reevaluate all the characters and ultimately makes the story one that stays with you for some time.
A 3.5, I have rounded up !
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
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