THE HINDU: METRO PLUS CHENNAI
Chennai, October 8, 2012
All in the family
Zara Khan
Sheila Kumar’s book Kith And Kin
narrates the saga of a once-powerful blue-blooded clan.
“Kith And Kin is not based on
any family — no family has that many dysfunctional people” — a very succinct
description of Sheila Kumar’s new book by the author herself.
The cosy Cha Bar at Oxford Book
Store was witness to the launch of her anthology of short stories recently.
Noted author and playwright Shreekumar Varma did the honours, while journalist
and former dean of studies, Asian College of Journalism, Bindu Bhaskar engaged
the author in a conversation about the book, the stories, the characters and,
of course, her inspiration.
Departing from the tried-and-tested
formula of protagonists, antagonists, heroes, heroines and villains, Sheila
narrates the saga of a once-powerful blue-blooded clan through the eyes of its
various members.
A “non-resident mallu” and an
Army wife whose “heart belongs to Chennai”, her inspiration for the Melekats
came from her knowledge of the various matriarchal Nair clans of Malabar.
Melekat Ammini Amma, the matriarch and erstwhile ‘White Rose’ of the town, and
the ancestral home of the Melekats, Mon Repos, are literally the twin bulwarks
on which each story hinges. Straying spouses, lonely uncles, manic-depressive
mothers-in-law, aimless young men, groom-hunting young women — all make an
appearance in 19 tranche de vie stories.
“The Melekats were just clamouring
to be written about,” smiles the author in between book signings. “With
apologies to Tolkein, I wanted a ring to bind them all.”
It took her seven months to write,
longer to find a publisher. “I refused to change the format of the saga to a
novel instead of short stories,” she explained.
A poignant tale
Of all the stories, ‘On The Bench’
seemed to be a clear favourite, closely followed by ‘Colours’. The former
narrates the poignant tale of an “intensely lonely” old man while the latter
recounts the several attempts of a young girl embarking on her search for a
suitable boy. Every story has a different lead character, giving the reader a
fresh new perspective of the complexities of the dynamics within the family.
It is, however, interesting to note
that despite Melekat Ammini Amma being the proverbial anchor of the saga — even
making an appearance in a few narratives — there is not a single story from her
perspective.
We get plenty of insight into her
character though — a fabled beauty, a brave matriarch, an able manager of
finances, egos and lives, and, as her brother rather uncharitably puts it, an
ice queen.
The characters speak English, with a
smattering of Malayalam words thrown in. A glossary at the end of every story
takes care of the translation, while one at the beginning of the book describes
each character that meanders through “in direct relation to Ammini Amma”.
Penning the chronicles of a clan
spanning four generations is not easy, but Sheila accomplishes the task with
aplomb.
From reminiscing about the good old
days to facing the dilemma of selling off their heritage piece by piece, the
family goes through it all.
Spoiler alert —while the very same
characters who introduce us to the Melekats bring us to the last chapter, a
twist at the end makes for a startling climax. “The family had been
disintegrating for too long, it was time for them to read the writing on the
wall, time to let go,” she explains.
A narrative of change
Sometimes witty, sometimes poignant,
sometimes funny, sometimes downright maudlin, Kith And Kin is not just
the saga of a family — it is a narrative of change. Change in tradition, in
lives, in culture, in society, in people and in the way they think, but not in
the way they feel.
Kith And Kin
-Sheila Kumar, (Rupa Publishers, Rs. 250) is on sale at leading bookstores
in the city.
MILLENIUM POST
Kith and Kin-Chronicles of A Clan |
Slices of lives served with a Malabar twist
6 October 2012, Poulomi Banerjee
Author: Sheila Kumar
Publisher: Rupa
Price: Rs 250
Kith and Kin–Chronicles of A Clan by Sheila Kumar
begins with a call from Suvarna to her childhood friend, and possible love,
Sumant, with an offer to buy her old family home Mon Repos. Sumant rejects, a
rejection that goes deeper than that of the house. Yet, the next few pages are
a testimony to the deep bond between them and the attraction that is
smouldering just beneath the surface of their friendship. Suvarna is Sumant’s
muse, but his live-in partner, at least at the time of that call, is Sindhu,
Suvarna’s cousin. The next few chapters, present a slice of the lives of other members
of Suvarna’s family, the Melekats of Kerela… her aunts, uncles, cousins and a
few of the next generation. What remains constant is Mon Repos, the house in
south Malabar, that lives on in the memories of each member of the family,
whichever part of the world they might be living in at present, Ammini Amma,
the family matriarch who haunts the memories of her family even when she is no
more and the Melekat consciousness that binds the members, even as they laugh
at each others’ eccentricities, a slight [at times even unconscious or
apologetic] feeling of superiority because of their lineage. Each chapter can
be read as a stand-alone short story, with a neat twist at the end that reveals
the characters in a light often unsuspected by those around them. Together, the
stories are a commentary on the urban Indian and his/her shifting moods and
realities.
Your choice of subject is very interesting... How did the Melekat clan happen to you? Is any part of it autobiographical [or do the characters resemble anyone you know]?
Actually, that’s just what took place: the Melekats literally happened to me. All these years as a journalist/features writer/book editor/travel hack, I had no book inside me. One fine day, these people walked in and set up shop inside my head! Their stories just had to be written. And so they were written. Is any part of Kith and Kin autobiographical? Only in the broadest sweep. I will quote Zadie Smith here: it is not autobiographical but it has the intensity of the personal.
Tell us about your relationship with Kerela.
It’s complicated. I’ve been a military brat and an army wife and so, visits home were restricted to that one month in the year. All the while, though, my sense of belonging was and is, a taut strong rope, binding me to Kerala. I didn’t realise just how strong that knot was till I wrote my first book and it was set in the heartland. This has caused many mouths to drop in sheer surprise, that I can tell you!
The structure of the book is such that each of the chapters can be an individual short story, or read together to form a cohesive whole...
Kith and Kin was written with a clear idea in mind: these were going to be standalone slice-of-life stories, all 19 of them, but I was going to link every character, make them belong, in one way or the other, to this clan I called the Melekats. [There’s a play on the word; mele in Malayalam means `up` or `on high` and this lot consider themselves superior to others]. So, you will find Melekat men and women walking in and out of each other’s stories, some quietly, discreetly, others with much insouciance, even braggadocio.
Each of the stories have a very interesting twist at the end... why so? Do you think life is such and did you draw inspiration from any author for that [I was often reminded of Somerset Maugham while reading your stories...]
The Maugham connect has been made earlier, too, and while I’m duly flattered, I’m no fan of Somerset Maugham, to be honest. I was with The Times of India for over a decade, did a lot of writing in those years. As someone who has interacted with people from all walks of life for so many years, given voice to their stories, I know that we are not always what we seem. Kith and Kin just unspools that reel. Basically, life throws all sorts of things at us. Some of us deal with the situation du jour in an innately graceful and competent manner; some of us drown in the debris. Yet others, like Schultz’s Charlie Brown, run away from it all!
Everyone in India seems to be writing a book now. What is the publishing scenario like and how easy or difficult is it to get a book published. Does the plethora of books being released affect the quality of writing being dished out?
I will have to say that yes, the breaching of the floodgates in publishing is affecting the quality of writing. Then again, every book does seem to have a reader. One thing I firmly believe is that, in the long run, only good writing will stay the course. The rest will fall by the wayside…some moments in the sun and then, oblivion. Where quality publishing is concerned, well the doors have opened wide but it is still a by-invitation-only event.
You have been a journalist and an adperson. Has that helped shape you as an author in any way? As a writer, where do you draw your inspiration from?
Adwoman, journalist, features writer, book editor, army wife… it has been many hats through the years. At some level, I’m sure that has shaped my work, just as it has my life. I am an instinctive writer. I write and watch what I write take a definitive shape of its own. Nine times out of 10, I’m happy with that shape.
Have you started work on your next book... what will it be about?
The Melekats clamoured to be written about. Now there’s a quiet peace inside my head and for the moment, I am so enjoying that!
Your choice of subject is very interesting... How did the Melekat clan happen to you? Is any part of it autobiographical [or do the characters resemble anyone you know]?
Actually, that’s just what took place: the Melekats literally happened to me. All these years as a journalist/features writer/book editor/travel hack, I had no book inside me. One fine day, these people walked in and set up shop inside my head! Their stories just had to be written. And so they were written. Is any part of Kith and Kin autobiographical? Only in the broadest sweep. I will quote Zadie Smith here: it is not autobiographical but it has the intensity of the personal.
Tell us about your relationship with Kerela.
It’s complicated. I’ve been a military brat and an army wife and so, visits home were restricted to that one month in the year. All the while, though, my sense of belonging was and is, a taut strong rope, binding me to Kerala. I didn’t realise just how strong that knot was till I wrote my first book and it was set in the heartland. This has caused many mouths to drop in sheer surprise, that I can tell you!
The structure of the book is such that each of the chapters can be an individual short story, or read together to form a cohesive whole...
Kith and Kin was written with a clear idea in mind: these were going to be standalone slice-of-life stories, all 19 of them, but I was going to link every character, make them belong, in one way or the other, to this clan I called the Melekats. [There’s a play on the word; mele in Malayalam means `up` or `on high` and this lot consider themselves superior to others]. So, you will find Melekat men and women walking in and out of each other’s stories, some quietly, discreetly, others with much insouciance, even braggadocio.
Each of the stories have a very interesting twist at the end... why so? Do you think life is such and did you draw inspiration from any author for that [I was often reminded of Somerset Maugham while reading your stories...]
The Maugham connect has been made earlier, too, and while I’m duly flattered, I’m no fan of Somerset Maugham, to be honest. I was with The Times of India for over a decade, did a lot of writing in those years. As someone who has interacted with people from all walks of life for so many years, given voice to their stories, I know that we are not always what we seem. Kith and Kin just unspools that reel. Basically, life throws all sorts of things at us. Some of us deal with the situation du jour in an innately graceful and competent manner; some of us drown in the debris. Yet others, like Schultz’s Charlie Brown, run away from it all!
Everyone in India seems to be writing a book now. What is the publishing scenario like and how easy or difficult is it to get a book published. Does the plethora of books being released affect the quality of writing being dished out?
I will have to say that yes, the breaching of the floodgates in publishing is affecting the quality of writing. Then again, every book does seem to have a reader. One thing I firmly believe is that, in the long run, only good writing will stay the course. The rest will fall by the wayside…some moments in the sun and then, oblivion. Where quality publishing is concerned, well the doors have opened wide but it is still a by-invitation-only event.
You have been a journalist and an adperson. Has that helped shape you as an author in any way? As a writer, where do you draw your inspiration from?
Adwoman, journalist, features writer, book editor, army wife… it has been many hats through the years. At some level, I’m sure that has shaped my work, just as it has my life. I am an instinctive writer. I write and watch what I write take a definitive shape of its own. Nine times out of 10, I’m happy with that shape.
Have you started work on your next book... what will it be about?
The Melekats clamoured to be written about. Now there’s a quiet peace inside my head and for the moment, I am so enjoying that!
THE HINDU: METRO PLUS, BANGALORE
BANGALORE, July
30, 2012
A web of tales
NEHA
MUJUMDAR
Warp
and weft: Sheila preferred the short story format for the flexibility
Kith
And Kin is published by Rupa Publications.
Sheila Kumar’s book tells the story of a family from multiple perspectives.
Her book Kith and Kin begins in a house in south Malabar, but Sheila
Kumar hasn’t spent all her life in Kerala; her father was in the Army, and so
she has lived all over the country. So while Mon Repos – the ancestral home in
Kerala – is a very real presence through the 19 short stories in the book, its
characters are scattered across the country. Kith And Kin (Rupa Publications, Rs.
250) a collection of short stories set in the fictional Melekat family, was
released by writer Anita Nair at The Oxford Bookstore recently in the city.
The nomadic nature of
her early years helped her as a writer, Sheila said. She spent “almost no time”
in Kerala growing up, but visited the State once or twice a year as research
for the book. “I’m one of those non-resident ‘mallus’,” she laughed.
The book, written over
seven months in 2009, has short episodes that usually follow a single member of
the large Melekat family (the volume of characters is large enough to warrant a
reference sheet at the start of the book). She initially had just disparate
stories, but decided to introduce a common thread – and that was how the
concept of the Melekat clan arose.
The family is headed by
matriarch Ammini Amma; the rest of the characters are “literally, in
relationship to her.” Some of these include her daughter Padmini, a
long-suffering wife nicknamed ‘Poor Padmini’, and the matriarch’s Norman
Mailer-quoting granddaughter Suvarna. A particularly stirring character is
Ammini Amma’s aging, lonely brother Raman, for whom a courtyard bench is the
last symbol of certainty. Raman is alone in the “indignities of old age” –
incontinence, forgetfulness, insecurity.
At least three stories
in the book have similar themes, Sheila said, attributing this to Kerala’s
large greying population. “There is always the attendant geriatric depression
and loneliness. And in the Melekat family the elders aren’t short of money;
it’s the other problems,” she explained.
The early stories are
marked by a hypnotic chain of characters; someone mentioned in passing in the
first story is the second story’s narrator, and so on. This web-weaving must
have taken some planning. “Not really. People wander through the stories – that
was a bit deliberate,” said Sheila, explaining that she didn’t necessarily plan
the family tree and each character’s movements. Given the interconnected nature
of the setting and characters, why short stories, and not a novel? “I felt they
had a point to make, they made it, and moved on. They needed to be told in a
diffused manner, without one central narrator.”
The characters in Kith And Kin, on the whole,are English speakers, but the
book is itself peppered with Malayalam words, with some stories even carrying a
glossary for words such as ‘naasham’. Sheila explained that she refused to
italicise the words within the text, and that done carefully, a glossary
needn’t be intrusive.
THE NEW INDIAN EXPRESS: SUNDAY EXPRESS
Clan of familiar family stories
By Indu K Mallah
26th August 2012
This book defies pigeon-holing into any genre. Short story?
Vignettes? Family saga? It has the under-pinnings of the last —
particularly in the way the large family of Ammini Amma, the matriarch of the
Melakkat family is listed by name and relationship to her. Some of the
characters do meet and interact in a few chapters.
The main setting of these ‘chronicles of a clan’, is
Mon Repos, the family house of a matriarchal old Nair family in Malabar. Right
from chapter one, which opens with a telecon between Suvarna, the
grand-daughter in the Melakkat family, and her child-hood friend Sumant, Mon
Repos looms large in the back-ground.
Ammini Amma is a dignified, regal woman who reigns supreme
over her home and her large family and their descendants. The book spans
the whole gamut of human experience from the exuberant youth, through the ups
and downs of middle age to the bleak isolation of old age.
In one of the chronicles, a grand-daughter of the
family, a wannabe journalist and film-maker in search of the perfect script
muses that the stories of the sprawling Melakkat family, are “meat enough for
at least three movies full of melodrama and tragedy.”
Each story is peopled with vivid characters. The setting and
the language are apt. The casual mention of Ayn Rand’s, The Thorn-birds
and Pink Floyd in stories about young people, are crisp and interesting. The
local colour, both literally and figuratively, brings the settings alive.
The lush Kerala country-side is vividly evoked, with mention of hibiscus,
allamanda, mango and papaya trees, ‘and nendrepazhams steamed over
coal-fires.’
There are a couple of stories, including a ghost-story set in the Nilgiris,
aptly named The Lightness of Being. The local colour is very familiar —
the Sleeping Beauty range of hills, the eucalyptus and acacia trees, the
hydrangeas and ‘the baby’s breath — all find mention.
The stories dealing with Ammini Amma’s aged brothers
are poignant. The last story Closure is sombre. The descriptions of Mon Repos,
now dilapidated and crumbling, the neglected grounds evoke regret. A minor
detail adds to the poignancy. Suvarna is wearing red, the colour Sumant loves
to see her in, as expressed in the first chronicle. The wheel turns full
circle.
“Kith and Kin pretty much wrote
itself”
“I would choose fiction over non-fiction, any day; you get
to play kingmaker and queenmaker, infuse all sorts of joy and misery into your
characters’ lives and have them deal with it,” says writer Sheila Kumar. So it
comes as no surprise then that Kumar, a journalist and book-editor based in
Bangalore, was able to quite easily string together a myriad of stories — 19 —
for her debut collection, Kith and Kin.
These short stories, written over seven months, tell the
tale of the Melakats, a clan that originates from an aristocratic family in
northern Kerala. Nothing specific spurred Kumar to pen down the book, she
reveals. “Kith and Kin wasn’t inspired by anything in particular. I just wrote
a set of stories about how people cope with all that life throws at them. And
then I thought it would be more interesting if they were linked to each other.
And thus was born the Melakat clan,” she says, adding, “Having been a feature
writer for over two decades, I have done my fair bit of factual reportage and
enjoyed doing most of those stories, too. But Kith and Kin pretty much wrote itself.
And the process was most enjoyable.”
Despite being originally from Kerala, Kumar admits that a
fair amount of research was required because, as the author puts it, “I am a
non-resident Keralite and much about my home state still remains a mystery to me.”
Though, having said that, she adds, “The cultural traits, cuisine details, even
the attitudes, have all been sourced through intense observation. For a while,
I totally joined the (famous) staring population of Mallus! So it was
on-the-ground research, as it were.”
DECCAN CHRONICLE, BANGALORE
