Desi Reads

Growing up in the 80's and 90's, I loved to read The Babysitter's Club series by Ann M. Martin and Sweet Valley Twins by Francine Pascal.  They were fun fiction books for tween and teens but I couldn't completely relate to the characters because I came from a different background and my life at home was very different than that portrayed in these books.  My parents were immigrants from India and Pakistan.  They were still adjusting to the new environment, new language, and new culture.  My childhood was always a combination of American and "Desi" (Indian-Pakistani) culture. Although we celebrated Thanksgiving and Christmas, the holiday menus were filled with a fusion of two different cuisines.  Turkey as well as Tandoori Chicken (juicy, tender oven-baked chicken with aromatic Indian spices) were on the menu along with mashed potatoes and spicy zeera aaloo (seasoned potatoes with roasted cumin seeds).  On special occasions I went to school with henna designs on my hands, which was really hard to explain to students as well as teachers in a small suburb outside of Houston, Texas.

Recently, I was fortunate to have discovered a whole new world of books written by Indian and Pakistani authors, some of whom actually grew up in the United States or Canada.  The combination of cultures described in these stories is very relatable and familiar to me.  Reading these books somehow became something I was able to experience with my other senses.  I could smell the aroma of sizzling onions and curry leaves as dinner is being made in the story.  I could almost hear the soft lullabies that grandmothers sing to their grandchildren in their native tongues.  There was a familiarity about the culture and the food because those were things I had grown up with.  The family dynamics, importance of loyalty and cultural norms were ideas that I could completely identify with. I felt like the characters in the books could be old friends or family members.  It was a feeling of "home" that I found in these books that I had never experienced before.

Thank goodness for the people in our libraries who order these wonderfully rich and meaningful books that tell a side of the immigrant experience!  It takes true strength to leave everything you know and move to a different country where the culture and language are unknown and totally different.  This is what the previous generations have done in order to procure a better life for their future and their children's future.  I began to devour these books written by authors that reside in the United States or Canada who come from a South-Asian background.  In these stories, the children of immigrants have had to forge their own identity in this new environment, sometimes taking and sometimes rejecting aspects of one culture or the other.   These authors were taking it upon themselves to explore the cultural shift that many of them had also gone through, again making their stories a reflection of my and many others' experiences.

My absolute favorite author is Shobhan Bantwal.  Her books are so vibrant and full of emotion and Indian culture.  She was born and raised in India and arrived in the US after an arranged marriage.  She has written a handful of books that are completely addictive!  The Forbidden Daughter touches upon the negative societal norms of having a daughter.  The Sari Shop Widow is another beautifully written story of a brave young woman is who is widowed at the age of just twenty-seven.  Most of Bantwal's books take place in New Jersey, which is quite fitting considering our state has one of the largest South Asian populations in the United States. Her books reflect the culture of Indian Americans which I had never been exposed to before. I devoured all her stories in hours (forgoing sleep) and have recommended them to many friends and family members because not only do they reflect Indian culture but they are beautifully written stories with memorable characters.

Thrity Umrigar is another author who has dealt with issues that are predominant in Indian culture.  Her portrayal of the reality of class disparities in India is quite eye-opening.  She writes powerful and thought provoking stories that, at times, are quite intense.  The Space Between Us is an emotional and deep story of a domestic servant in an upper class home who is determined to create a better life for her orphaned granddaughter. Events occur that reflect the power of wealth, the influence of the caste system, effects of domestic abuse and the loneliness of the characters.  The two main characters have similar issues but are unable to bridge the gap created by society and culture.  It made me realize that a lot of the issues that are seen in today's families have been influenced by generations of past ideologies that are slow to change even in the mindsets of today. 

A first time novelist, Fatima Mirza, caught my eye on a morning talk show.  Her book, A Place For Us, sounded like an interesting and relatable book. The story takes place in California, involving an Indian-American Muslim family at the wedding celebration of the eldest daughter.  It is a story about faith, love, identity, culture, and family expectations. Although the story portrays a particular family, the issues that are raised are identifiable by all different types of families.  It is a reflection of what an American family is in today's world and the struggles that we have all come face to face with in life and society.

Other fun yet meaningful books from the same genre that I have thoroughly enjoyed are: The Hindi Bindi Club by Monica Pradhan, Lipstick in Afghanistan by Roberta Gately, The Unlikely Adventures of the Shergill Sisters by Balli Kaur Jaswal, and Ayesha At Last by Uzma Jalaluddin.  These stories describe a certain upbringing, a life filled with expectations that are then challenged by the younger generation.  There is a saying that I have displayed in my home, "Do not raise your children the way your parents raised you.  They were born for a different time."  This is the wisdom that echoes throughout all the stories.  However, the conflicts that exist between the different generations make for really entertaining and meaningful storylines where the protagonists in these stories are quite vibrant and strong. The characters reflect a certain cultural upbringing that still exists today, yet shows them solving their own problems and leading with strength.  I hope you enjoy my selections as much as I do!

- By Kaneeze, Hightstown Branch