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The Blind Matriarch
The blind matriarch, Matangi-Ma, lives on the topmost floor of an old house with many stories. From her eyrie, she hovers unseeingly over the lives of her family. Her long-time companion Lali is her emissary to the world. Her three children are by turn overprotective and dismissive of her. Her grandchildren are coming to terms with old secrets and growing pains. Life goes on this way until one day the world comes to a standstill—and they all begin to look inward.
This assured novel records the different registers in the complex inner life of an extended family. Like the nation itself, the strict hierarchy of the joint-family home can be dysfunctional, and yet it is this home that often provides unexpected relief and succour to the vulnerable within its walls.
As certainties dissolve, endings lead to new beginnings. Structured with the warp of memory and the weft of conjoined lives, the narrative follows middle India, even as it records the struggles for individual growth, with successive generations trying to break out of the stranglehold of the all-encompassing Indian family.
Ebbing and flowing like the waves of a pandemic, the novel is a clear-eyed chronicle of the tragedies of India’s encounter with the Coronavirus, the cynicism and despair that accompanied it, and the resilience and strength of the human spirit.
This assured novel records the different registers in the complex inner life of an extended family. Like the nation itself, the strict hierarchy of the joint-family home can be dysfunctional, and yet it is this home that often provides unexpected relief and succour to the vulnerable within its walls.
As certainties dissolve, endings lead to new beginnings. Structured with the warp of memory and the weft of conjoined lives, the narrative follows middle India, even as it records the struggles for individual growth, with successive generations trying to break out of the stranglehold of the all-encompassing Indian family.
Ebbing and flowing like the waves of a pandemic, the novel is a clear-eyed chronicle of the tragedies of India’s encounter with the Coronavirus, the cynicism and despair that accompanied it, and the resilience and strength of the human spirit.
- GenresFiction
208 pages, Hardcover
First published September 1, 2021
7 people are currently reading
319 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 21 of 21 reviews
October 22, 2021
What happens when one person holds the reins of the family? How do they go about with their lives without her?
The impermanence of living is so beautifully knotted into the pandemic situation and a family member's connections with each other. Namita Gokhale brings out Matangi-Ma as a stoic lady who despite her blindness has opened her other avenues to feel and experience the world around her.
The Blind Matriarch is not only an engrossing read but also has simplicity at its core bringing the loose ends into a good wrap for the family to move ahead in absence of the other.
Especially commendable is the cover design which was embroidered by Lavanya and then put on the book cover. These are kantha stitches, look closely into the cover. The cover has a huge part in the story too! Good job of the cover, Ahlawat Gunjan.
Highly recommended read for all!
The impermanence of living is so beautifully knotted into the pandemic situation and a family member's connections with each other. Namita Gokhale brings out Matangi-Ma as a stoic lady who despite her blindness has opened her other avenues to feel and experience the world around her.
The Blind Matriarch is not only an engrossing read but also has simplicity at its core bringing the loose ends into a good wrap for the family to move ahead in absence of the other.
Especially commendable is the cover design which was embroidered by Lavanya and then put on the book cover. These are kantha stitches, look closely into the cover. The cover has a huge part in the story too! Good job of the cover, Ahlawat Gunjan.
Highly recommended read for all!
February 13, 2022
The Blind Matriarch by Namita Gokhale delves into the complexities of Joint Family and how it binds and influences the people living under the same roof. It also throws light on how one person can be influential in keeping everything from falling apart in a joint family. In the book, Matangi Ma aka The Blind Matriarch is the person who the entire family looks up to and who despite being blind and old is the thread that weaves the family together.
Focusing on the story of the book The Blind Matriarch as lovingly called by her family lives on the topmost floor of an old house with her caregiver Lali, who has been her longest companion. Her three children with their families live in the same house on three different floors. Her children are very overprotective as well as dismissive of her. The children are living their independent lives however, Matangi Ma, has ways of knowing everything about their lives. With her sight gone, her other senses have elevated her to perceive things around her. She is blessed to get love from her grandchildren as well who adore her for her kind heart. As her grandchildren grow they begin to discover and come to terms with the family secrets. Everything is going at its sweet little pace until one day the world is forced to come to a standstill and they have no other choice but to look inwardly and rediscover themselves. The story also revolves around the lockdown days of the Coronavirus outbreak and how the lockdown and the pandemic impacted the human spirit and how the people of this family are trying to cope with this sudden standstill in their best possible ways. It also focuses on the impact this pandemic created in people's lives that will have an ever-lasting mark on their hearts.
Going by the blurb of the book I had immense expectations from it, however, sadly it did not stand up to it. Firstly, the book did not delve into the immense build-up around so many characters despite promising on that and having huge potential to do so. I was looking forwards to the background story of Matangi Ma but did not get that as well. The jumps from events and characters were so abrupt that it made the entire reading experience extremely disruptive. The subject matter of the book required more patient retelling of the characters' lives. Times when neutral families are the new way of living, the storyline attracted me towards it, however, it did not stand up to my expectation because of too many loose ends. I wish the book could have delved more into character build-up which would have made this an interesting read. Keeping in mind the matter on which the book is supposed to revolve, the book lacked emotion which made reading it monotonous and blatantly flat.
As I mentioned I expected a lot from this book and it filled no such expectation so one lesson learned strongly and that is never to judge a book by its cover.
Focusing on the story of the book The Blind Matriarch as lovingly called by her family lives on the topmost floor of an old house with her caregiver Lali, who has been her longest companion. Her three children with their families live in the same house on three different floors. Her children are very overprotective as well as dismissive of her. The children are living their independent lives however, Matangi Ma, has ways of knowing everything about their lives. With her sight gone, her other senses have elevated her to perceive things around her. She is blessed to get love from her grandchildren as well who adore her for her kind heart. As her grandchildren grow they begin to discover and come to terms with the family secrets. Everything is going at its sweet little pace until one day the world is forced to come to a standstill and they have no other choice but to look inwardly and rediscover themselves. The story also revolves around the lockdown days of the Coronavirus outbreak and how the lockdown and the pandemic impacted the human spirit and how the people of this family are trying to cope with this sudden standstill in their best possible ways. It also focuses on the impact this pandemic created in people's lives that will have an ever-lasting mark on their hearts.
Going by the blurb of the book I had immense expectations from it, however, sadly it did not stand up to it. Firstly, the book did not delve into the immense build-up around so many characters despite promising on that and having huge potential to do so. I was looking forwards to the background story of Matangi Ma but did not get that as well. The jumps from events and characters were so abrupt that it made the entire reading experience extremely disruptive. The subject matter of the book required more patient retelling of the characters' lives. Times when neutral families are the new way of living, the storyline attracted me towards it, however, it did not stand up to my expectation because of too many loose ends. I wish the book could have delved more into character build-up which would have made this an interesting read. Keeping in mind the matter on which the book is supposed to revolve, the book lacked emotion which made reading it monotonous and blatantly flat.
As I mentioned I expected a lot from this book and it filled no such expectation so one lesson learned strongly and that is never to judge a book by its cover.
April 10, 2022
How does an extended family react to Lockdown? How do people cope with being cooped up at home? How do people worry about themselves and of other people? How do people attempt to come to terms with what is going on in the world?
C-100 is where three generations of a family live together, each unit on a separate floor, but connected by ties of food, and visits. There are also two housekeepers, one of whom ended up harbouring her Muslim nephew with an agnostic nickname for the entire period where India shut down. Each of them could be someone we know, or ourselves. Familiar, but unique. Each copes in different ways. Each grows in different ways.
The story ends when lockdown ends. The story could be the story of each of us. The epilogue is one year later; during the second wave. When there is no draconian lockdown, only losses and near losses. The family doesn't come through. Yet, the family remains. Fractured. Like the nation.
If there is one book that defines the lockdown, it is this. And the fledging barbet that they nurse for a week only makes the book more mysterious and more real.
C-100 is where three generations of a family live together, each unit on a separate floor, but connected by ties of food, and visits. There are also two housekeepers, one of whom ended up harbouring her Muslim nephew with an agnostic nickname for the entire period where India shut down. Each of them could be someone we know, or ourselves. Familiar, but unique. Each copes in different ways. Each grows in different ways.
The story ends when lockdown ends. The story could be the story of each of us. The epilogue is one year later; during the second wave. When there is no draconian lockdown, only losses and near losses. The family doesn't come through. Yet, the family remains. Fractured. Like the nation.
If there is one book that defines the lockdown, it is this. And the fledging barbet that they nurse for a week only makes the book more mysterious and more real.
December 21, 2021
Such a simple, lovely story of a family, set against the backdrop of the Covid 19 pandemic. I really enjoyed the prose and it was so refreshing to read something so uninhibitedly desi! My only complaint is that I really wanted to know more about all the family members from their points of view- the book left me wanting more.
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June 15, 2025Matangi-Ma, the blind matriach of a dysfunctional yet dynamic family, hovers over the lives and consciousness of all her family members who reside below her. As the COVID-19 pandemic forces all of them together in a standstill, past secrets and inner reflections force out aspects of themselves they didn't know they will encounter- including Matangi-Ma herself. The novel is a deep, soulful insight on the workings of Indian joint families, their hierarchies and complexities by making a strong female character the focal point of and ever evolving yet stunned world of the pandemic.
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The most attractive aspect of the book is Namita Gokhale's soft-spoken narration with equally strong tenors that echo Matangi-Ma's compound personality and sundry life experiences. She is a woman who knows she has been wronged in her life, and she is also a woman who has learnt from her experiences and applies the knowledge in her parenting as well- a trait so uncommon in so many Indian female characters I have read & watched, especially those old. Her family members are equally varied and complex: an adopted grandson, a single daughter striving to eradicate social disparity, a son & daughter in law both selfish from one view but understandable in the other among other interesting & engaging characters. Her keen interest in daily soap operas subtly reflects the story's drama too: yet, hardly in any soap opera do we get to see and understand the other side of a supposedly antagonist character. But one of the key things that got me hooked is that the plot began without even informing the readers that it had begun. It wasn't until a few chapters later, when I was still feeling like I was just getting into the story and was getting to know the characters that I realised actually, the real tale had already developed- indicating a master storytelling, for the ultimate goal is to hook the reader to a point where they don't know they are actually reading. The Blind Matriarch is for anyone looking to get into a perfect contemporary piece of art & fiction, and those with strong Indian females as lead are always my favourite.
.
The most attractive aspect of the book is Namita Gokhale's soft-spoken narration with equally strong tenors that echo Matangi-Ma's compound personality and sundry life experiences. She is a woman who knows she has been wronged in her life, and she is also a woman who has learnt from her experiences and applies the knowledge in her parenting as well- a trait so uncommon in so many Indian female characters I have read & watched, especially those old. Her family members are equally varied and complex: an adopted grandson, a single daughter striving to eradicate social disparity, a son & daughter in law both selfish from one view but understandable in the other among other interesting & engaging characters. Her keen interest in daily soap operas subtly reflects the story's drama too: yet, hardly in any soap opera do we get to see and understand the other side of a supposedly antagonist character. But one of the key things that got me hooked is that the plot began without even informing the readers that it had begun. It wasn't until a few chapters later, when I was still feeling like I was just getting into the story and was getting to know the characters that I realised actually, the real tale had already developed- indicating a master storytelling, for the ultimate goal is to hook the reader to a point where they don't know they are actually reading. The Blind Matriarch is for anyone looking to get into a perfect contemporary piece of art & fiction, and those with strong Indian females as lead are always my favourite.
January 17, 2023
The plot is largely driven by the characters and their complex yet subtle dynamics with one another with the pandemic in the backdrop acting as an accelerate for these characters to look inward and re-evaluate their life. Going character wise, the Blind Matriarch is the reigning matriarch of the house, holding everyone together with wisdom and calm demeanor. Even as she is all giving, there is a deep seated resentment in her, which occasionally rears it's head when she is feeling desolate. Her blindness wounds her deeply and has lent her a diverse set of abilities, this protection mechanism against her abusive husband. Moving on to the eldest son, Surya, a charismatic fellow, struggling to leave behind a mark on this world, through his writing, always in an ideological dilemma. The adopted son the same, digging through the internet and the like, seeking to decipher his roots. And the growth thus, of him finally accepting his reality and learning to embrace it. Then we have the ever reliable, the ever pragmatic Shanta, the daughter, running her NGO and finding her purpose by providing for all. The pandemic took it's toll on her, as it had on everyone, at last making her question the reality she built up, the loneliness therein, the lack of achievement as well, the sacrifices she had made on the way, her love language being only food rather than a deep comforting conversation or so in like. At last, we have the youngest son and his wife, and the invisible wall they tread around, wary of the others and unwilling to mingle with the others. How, Satish could have inherited his father's violent tendencies and how Ritika let her demons overtake her. With time, they learnt to grow, to find a kinship in the hardship that had blanketed all. Wrapping up this review cum summary-- The book has a tone of wistfulness near the end, with a lack closure for a lot of characters, we never get to see what resulted from the months of forced introspection or for them to gradually over come their obstacles. This did lend a realistic tone to the narrative because it is seldom that we find closure in real life and growth is hardly a linear process. Overall, the book tried to explore the dynamics between these characters and did flesh the same out in a subtle manner, maybe the pace could have been adjusted a little to leave room to explore further multitudes, as has been the running theme in the book along with luck as a whole, of the characters which would have let us in turn empathize with them more than we already do.
June 15, 2023
It's a COVID time story and I didn't like it for many reasons. Again I fell for the title.😕
Gokhale explores the complex dynamics of a traditional Indian family through the perspective of an elderly matriarch who has lost her sight and relies on her intuition to make sense of the world around her. The novel delves into the themes of power, gender, family, tradition, and identity, offering a nuanced portrayal of a cultural clash between the old and new.
One of the strengths of this book is the vivid and evocative language that Gokhale uses to depict the sensory world of her characters, making the reader feel immersed in the story. The plot is also well-crafted, with multiple layers of conflict and tension that keep the reader engaged and invested in the characters' fates.
However, the novel's slow-paced and introspective style a bit challenging, as it requires a certain level of patience to fully appreciate the depth of its characters and themes. Additionally, the novel's portrayal of some of the female characters as submissive to patriarchal authority. Only when lockdown persists the story is changed.
The Blind Matriarch could be a lot better and engaging but the way Gokhale has narrated Matangi-Ma's past with few snippets, it remains unclear. Apart from this I felt that there are many loose ends in this book , lacks emotional expressions and I could not connect with it.
Readers who are looking for a fast-paced and action-driven plot may find this book less appealing.
Gokhale explores the complex dynamics of a traditional Indian family through the perspective of an elderly matriarch who has lost her sight and relies on her intuition to make sense of the world around her. The novel delves into the themes of power, gender, family, tradition, and identity, offering a nuanced portrayal of a cultural clash between the old and new.
One of the strengths of this book is the vivid and evocative language that Gokhale uses to depict the sensory world of her characters, making the reader feel immersed in the story. The plot is also well-crafted, with multiple layers of conflict and tension that keep the reader engaged and invested in the characters' fates.
However, the novel's slow-paced and introspective style a bit challenging, as it requires a certain level of patience to fully appreciate the depth of its characters and themes. Additionally, the novel's portrayal of some of the female characters as submissive to patriarchal authority. Only when lockdown persists the story is changed.
The Blind Matriarch could be a lot better and engaging but the way Gokhale has narrated Matangi-Ma's past with few snippets, it remains unclear. Apart from this I felt that there are many loose ends in this book , lacks emotional expressions and I could not connect with it.
Readers who are looking for a fast-paced and action-driven plot may find this book less appealing.
October 25, 2022
All of us will have suffered a different experience of the Covid 19 pandemic, depending on our personal circumstances and where we live. The Blind Matriarch narrates a year in the household of an extended Indian family during the first wave of Covid. We follow the impact that the pandemic has on the different members of the family, living together on different floors of house C100 in a wealthy suburb of Delhi.
On the top floor of the house lives the elderly blind widow Matangi-Ma, with her children and grandchildren occupying the floors below. Matangi is omnipresent throughout the book as the frail anchor of the family. When she is not listening to the birds outside her window, the depressing news of the pandemic, or talking to her children and grandchildren, she reflects back on her life with an abusive husband.
This poignant and enjoyable novel is a record of how a country and a particular family react to the extended lockdowns, and the story of how it reshapes their relationships as they have both the time and need to contemplate their lives, their histories, and their hopes for the future. It invites the reader to think about their own experience of the pandemic, and how it may have changed their particular approach to life, to consolidating their relationships - not only with family and friends, but also with their experiences of the past.
On the top floor of the house lives the elderly blind widow Matangi-Ma, with her children and grandchildren occupying the floors below. Matangi is omnipresent throughout the book as the frail anchor of the family. When she is not listening to the birds outside her window, the depressing news of the pandemic, or talking to her children and grandchildren, she reflects back on her life with an abusive husband.
This poignant and enjoyable novel is a record of how a country and a particular family react to the extended lockdowns, and the story of how it reshapes their relationships as they have both the time and need to contemplate their lives, their histories, and their hopes for the future. It invites the reader to think about their own experience of the pandemic, and how it may have changed their particular approach to life, to consolidating their relationships - not only with family and friends, but also with their experiences of the past.
January 5, 2022
I failed to read the blurb carefully when I picked up this book, so I didn't realize it was set in the 2020 lockdown. Had that fully sunk in, perhaps I would have chosen differently. This has to be the most timely fiction I have ever read. The story takes us through the dynamics of the joint family life in India as the first wave hits, and the impact of the ensuing lockdown. It felt like reading something delicate, barely held together by the head of the family, Matangi Ma. In almost every chapter, I felt myself reminiscing on my own childhood and familial surroundings - the expectations, the hopes and the let-downs.
The title however had caused me to expect a greater insight into the life and times of the matriarch of the family, which turned out to not be the case. The joint family dynamics also felt as if they'd been given a superficial treatment, despite the complex characters that were left as mere hints. Much of the story was left for the epilogue, but there was an honesty and sadness in its telling that still occupies my mind.
The title however had caused me to expect a greater insight into the life and times of the matriarch of the family, which turned out to not be the case. The joint family dynamics also felt as if they'd been given a superficial treatment, despite the complex characters that were left as mere hints. Much of the story was left for the epilogue, but there was an honesty and sadness in its telling that still occupies my mind.
November 17, 2025
The Blind Matriarch has a premise that feels rich with emotional possibility: aging, grief, family legacies, and the quiet unraveling of relationships across generations. I went into it expecting a deeply felt, cohesive story about a family navigating loss and time. But while the themes are strong, the execution didn’t land for me. The narrative felt scattered, jumping between perspectives without giving me enough time to connect to any one voice. The emotional depth I hoped for stayed on the surface, and the pacing struggled to hold my attention.
That said, there were moments, beautifully worded reflections on memory, mortality, and the weight of tradition, that reminded me why I picked it up in the first place. Those lines lingered. I just wish the rest of the story carried the same impact.
Not a bad book by any means, just one that didn’t quite resonate with me the way I hoped.
Still worth trying if you enjoy multi-generational stories with gentle philosophical undertones.
My rating: 2/5
That said, there were moments, beautifully worded reflections on memory, mortality, and the weight of tradition, that reminded me why I picked it up in the first place. Those lines lingered. I just wish the rest of the story carried the same impact.
Not a bad book by any means, just one that didn’t quite resonate with me the way I hoped.
Still worth trying if you enjoy multi-generational stories with gentle philosophical undertones.
My rating: 2/5
December 13, 2022
The Blind Matriarch. This book heartbreakingly captures what we, as a society, went through when the pandemic hit us. It’ll make you pause at multiple places, make you look up, close your eyes and go back in time. You’ll smile with the Matangi Ma and her family, and you’ll weep with them, thinking about those days, about what you lost, what you learned.
A beautiful story with relatable characters, relatable emotions, relatable memories.
March 10, 2023
The book started well but I was expecting it to be revolving around the central character. But it did not. I find the story has too many characters and that is why it lacks depth. Also the story jumps from one character/event to another. Covid and lockdown is just a setting for their life but not enough captured to show the impact and daily struggle. Also, all characters seems to be super nice - seems unreal.
March 2, 2023
Set in the pandemic a good story in a modern Indian joint family setting. The author is an avid reader (needless to say that about Namita Gokhale) and that’s evident in poetry and story quotes throughout the book, which ads to the storyline.
Those who’ve watched old Doordarshan dramas would know this, but this is a story meant to be adapted for those. 3.5 stars
Those who’ve watched old Doordarshan dramas would know this, but this is a story meant to be adapted for those. 3.5 stars
January 4, 2022
Ending too hasty
While the writer has taken great pains to outline the matriarch and the household she has ended it very abruptly and in great haste. She does not take the time to bring a closure
While the writer has taken great pains to outline the matriarch and the household she has ended it very abruptly and in great haste. She does not take the time to bring a closure
June 7, 2022
How much i loved this book (and i am not a particular fan of her other books). This is set during the pandemic, with locust attacks, communal violence and all 2020-21 events as the backdrop. It is a reassuring, feel good and most importantly, beautifully written book.
September 4, 2025
A simple story that reloves around a family living in C100 during the covid times. A Blind mother who is holding the fort of her family of three grown adult children and what they go together as a family and as well as an individual. A pleasant read.
January 25, 2022
A brilliant, moving story that studies the joint family as the microcosm for the nation during the pandemic. Made me cry so bad. Anyone who regrets it will come out wiser and kinder.
March 12, 2022
3.75// more depth could've been given to the characters, more of matangi-ma's backstory but overall a really nice read
January 15, 2024
This book was a four star right till the epilogue when things got maudlin and it lost a star.
Very short but sweet book about a family during the lockdown.
Very short but sweet book about a family during the lockdown.
November 27, 2025
the first book I've read based on COVID-19. took me back.
May 25, 2025
Namita Gokhale has this shocking ability to send you back in time, she describes the painful incidents that India went through during the first and the second wave of Covid-19 with utter brilliance. The book tells the story of a joint family residing in East Delhi, the head of the family is a blind woman, Matangi Ma. Through the trials of this family Namita Gokhale gives us the perspective of a middle-class family battling the pandemic. The story is beautifully structured leaving the reader at the edge of their seats. I found myself back in those anxiety ridden days full of the fear of the unknown, I could relate to the meltdowns that the characters experienced, the feeling that you’re stuck in a lift that doesn’t seem to be moving. I have laughed and sobbed while reading this book, its so real at its core that you can’t help but relate to it. I am so fond of this book.
Would definitely recommend.
Would definitely recommend.
Displaying 1 - 21 of 21 reviews