The colour of dawn

by Janaki Murali

The Colour of Dawn is about a woman's struggle to bury a past that crowds into her present. It is about an unfulfilled love that turns vindictive. It deals with the dark, morbid obsession of a man who waits twenty-five years to take his revenge and a young couple, trying to bridge the chasm, who are caught in the vortex of his vengeance.
The novel is an exploration of a hot and sultry cauldron of cultures awaiting the rain, after a series of nuclear blasts raised tensions between two rival countries. It is about a time when Mumbai was still Bombay and living was governed by the 8.17 and 9.13 suburban trains. It is above all, about a numbing fear that grows out of an oppressive love and flares up every time a voice from the past echoes, "I will destroy everything that is yours, Sita . . .You will rue the day said no to me.
With a powerful blend of irony, drama and pathos Janaki Murali delineates the universal nature of fear and its effect on human lives and destinies and leaves you wondering whether love can be so crippling!

198 pages, Paperback

First published February 7, 2002

About the author

Insomniac, journalist, author, mom, from Bengaluru, India. The best ideas flow after several mugs of filter coffee.

Janaki Murali comments on social issues, rejoice in fiction, revel in fantasy and loves to tell a tale - articles, blogs, short stories, novels & children's fantasies.

Her books include, The Colour of Dawn; the first part to Following the Light Home - Lakshmi's Story; Gulu Naami and The Power of the Triad; and Mica in Someplace Else.

Janaki loves music, reading new fiction, the movies, theatre and travel. When sh's not doing any of this, you'll find her befriending stray cats.
web links:
Amazon:
http://www.amazon.com/Janaki-Murali/e...
Facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/authorjanaki...
https://twitter.com/janakimurali

Reviews

[Jaideep Khanduja · Rating 4 out of 5]

http://pebbleinthestillwaters.blogspo...

Book Review: The Colour of DAWN: Story of A Woman Passing Through Various Shades of Love Hate and Fear

he Colour of DAWN by Janaki Murali is a good fiction story well stringed and smoothly driven through various passages of the life of a woman who gets to undergo different colors of love, hate and fear. It is the story of Sita, the main character around whom the story revolves and evolves. A fear that engulfs her at one moment of time in her life stays with her for twenty five years and she is never able to detach it from her heart and soul even after best of her efforts.

One shade of love that Sita passes through in her early life generate fear, deep rooted, in her. And that fear forces her to reject the marriage proposal with her cousin Kunjan. Another shade of love provides her ample space in her life and that is why she agrees to the proposal of Sami, Dr. Sami. One thought of first love made her shiver of fear, whenever it sparked in her mind, or life. Another love brought a smile on her face and in her life. After marrying to Sami she gets blessed with a lovely daugther Sanjna. The story takes us through two sets of generations. In first set of generation we meet Kunjan, his mother Saras Athai, his brother, Sita, Sita's mother, Sita's father and so on. And in another set of generation we see Sita, Sami, Kunjan and Visalam as parents and Sanjna (daughter of Sita and Sami), Rajan (son of Kunjan and Visalam). The story of The Colour of DAWN by Janaki Murali promises to deliver a lot in terms of emotional turbulence.

There are many angels of the story that brings in quite thought provoking questions. Is love meant to give or snatch? Is is possible to have real love with someone that creates a lifelong fear in one's life. Is love meant to go beyond madness that its failure brings in criminal thoughts in one's mind. The author has handled such disturbing moments in such a brilliant and crisp manner that the reader stays hooked to the magnetism of the story of The Colour of DAWN by Janaki Murali.

Another angle is added in the pages of lives of Sita and Kunjan when their respective children marry with an out of religion counterparts. Sita's daughter Sanjna marries Saif, who belongs to Pakistan. And Rajan (son of Kunjan) marries an American girl Janet. Circumstances play a major role in The Colour of DAWN in such a way the life takes a 360 degrees turn in Kunjan's life. The more he forced and imposed himself on others, the more he lost in his life. Probably even with everything in his life, he was always a loner and loser.

Overall The Colour of DAWN by Janaki Murali is an interesting read to see various aspects of a woman and her swinging between love and fear.

[Hemanth Gorur · Rating 4 out of 5]

After a long time, a fiction novel that finally kept me awake at night, wanting to know what's next. The narrative touches some deep emotions, with its strong portrayal of the main characters and the beautifully interleaved narrative style. Great read!

[Deepali Roy · Rating 4 out of 5]

thank u so much goodreads for making me the winner of this amusing book n i would also lyk 2 thank 2 the author janaki murali for sending me over a free copy of this book

this whole anecdote gives a glorious fragrance of a typical south indian culture which is a very simple, poignant story of a girl sita who lives her lyf with constant fear from the day when she heard his words "I will destroy everything that is your's sita.you will remember.someday,you will.you will rue the day you said no to me."lyf seemed 2 b very easy 4 sita even after loosing appa bcoz she was having saras athai,her 2 caring cousins who were alwz thr 2 safeguard her from all the problems of the world...but it was the only dark night dat changed everything when she balked one of her cousin who fell in love wid her n moved out of their lyf by listening her heart...
n then her cousin kunjan became a psycho,belligerent man n wanted 2 avenge himself as he cudn't accept the rebutal..he waited 25 years n then the retaliation took place in the form of grotesque acid attack...

overall plot was nice but i think the ending cud hv been much better...though i njoyed the whole journey..this story depicts a terrible picture of one sided love n how love can turn in2 a caricature of obsession n abhorrence overnight....

[Bookspective · Rating 4 out of 5]

Firstly, Thank you Janaki and Goodreads for the book.

This is a story of the idiocy of the human emotion. This is a story of love, of an obsession, of harboring a grudge when instead a person should be working on making happy memories. A grudge, that can destroy a person and his loved ones. In the end, this is a story of families who will stand by each other, especially through hard times.

The book traces the life of Sita. The narration runs back and forth through time, between Sita’s childhood and the present days, to an older and married Sita. Raised by a widowed father, Sita has a pleasant childhood. Her aunt, Saras Athai showers her with motherly tenderness. But Saras Athai’s older son Kunjan has other motives. He is obsessed in loving her. And when Sita turns him down, Kunjan is deeply affected. Will he ever stop loving Sita or will his obsession harm her and also hurt him in its wake……

A good book to curl up with.

[Venkataragavan · Rating 3 out of 5]

I acquired this novel as a winner of the Goodreads giveaways. Yes, I liked this book but wouldn't term the intensity to immense. The first part of the book had me teetering on the edge aching to find out what transpired in the past between Kunjan and Sita, but after a prolonged wait, my patience ended. I was no more eager to find out the past, and breezed through that part with lesser than expected emotions. Towards the later part after the recounting of Kunjan's attack, my interest perked up. Suddenly, all the emotions underwent by Sita and Saras Athai and the rest of the cast played in front of my eyes as a well-enacted movie. I was able to visually imagine the entire story from that point. The acid attack on Sanjna was described aptly, without any under or over play. It was just the right quantity of words in a perfect blend. I felt that the curtains on the book could have been closed with a little flourish, considering there wasn't any.

[Finitha Jose · Rating 4 out of 5]

There is something in the title that takes you to the classical past and that had me hooked here. In spite of the less developed plot, the story clearly echoes the ghostly paradise of 'Wuthering Heights'. And Kunjan, the modern day Heathcliff, is far more clear headed in his possessive love; "I will destroy everything that is yours, Sita . . . You will rue the day you said no to me." A threat that even engulfs the next generation.
Sita, like any other girl of our generation, faces the same fate: the aftereffects of an unreciprocated love which sends many through acid attacks or much worse, a life sentenced to spend in fear. The message is clear; 'If you can't be mine, then you should not be anyone else's'.

To know the summary, please visit:
http://finithajose.blogspot.in/2014/0...

[Prerna Kashyap · Rating 2 out of 5]

**I won this book via firstreads**
Rating: 1.5/5 stars!
The first word that came to my mind once I finished this book was 'pointless'. The entire setting of the story, the turn of events and even most of the characters seemed pretty pointless. The book is basically about how a man's love first turns into obsession and then to cruelty. The story had a lot of potential for a psychological thriller but sadly it just comes across as bland….and pointless. There was zero character development, wishy washy characters and no real closure. Dialogue was mostly non existent throughout the book and this made the writing style seem strangely juvenile. The half hearted references to the Indo-Pakistani rivalry, rampant racist culture and conservative mentalities-which popped up unannounced and unneeded-also seemed rather purposeless.

I'd give it a pass.

[David Lim · Rating 4 out of 5]

won this book through goodreads giveaway.
a drama filled book that clearly depicts how obsession and revenge can destroy ones life. I really enjoyed the book. It kept me turning the page till the very end and would recommend this book to others.

[Vennela Indrakanti · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is the story which revolves around Sita and her family.It has fragrance of some south Indian Culture/Food habits etc. Well first part of book will keep on edge regarding an incident that happened in past in Sita's life and suspense ends later. Overall it's a good read.

[Suresh Kumar · Rating 4 out of 5]

when did it all begin?
who knows and who can tell.
.
.
.
.
.
.
when will it all end?
who knows and who can tell.

[ROHIT RAWAT · Rating 3 out of 5]

I got this book as a result of goodreads giveaway. I liked the book and would totally recommend it to my friends. The story was good and meaningful.

[Swati Pawar · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very nicely expressed..