India is a land of ancient civilization, culture and literary heritage. Due to the British presence in India for over two centuries, English literature also received a big boost. Over the years, the country has produced a large number of renowned novelists and writers. Some of them have won international literary awards like the Booker Prize and Pulitzer Awards. A few of the great Indian novels that make the finest Christmas gifts are listed below:
The God of Small Things by Arundhati Roy
This most important novel by Arundhati has won national and international acclaim. It bagged the 1997 Booker Prize. The gripping tale is set in the traditional society of the Southern Indian state of Kerala. Two key characters are the young Rahel and Esthepa. They recollect the common and uncommon experiences of their childhood. They are part of a rather dysfunctional family. The writer captures various human emotions like love, betrayal and family ties in a highly literary and absorbing style. Roy also includes her oblique commentary on the political and social scenario of India and boldly deals with issues of caste, creed and class discrimination. The plot is quite engaging and your loved one is going to love the book for its grip factor.
Shadow Lines by Amitav Ghosh
This novel was written by the popular and well-known writer Amitav Ghosh. He is a Padma Shree Award winner for his literary contributions. The novel ‘Shadow Lines’ is a gripping and innovative story about the boundaries that restrict our memories and imagination.
The narrator of the tale is shown as attempting to juggle around with events and memories from the past and present to find vital answers to life. The style of narration is thus not linear. Various historical events like the Indian freedom struggle, the Second World War, and the Partition of India are regularly referred to. The book richly deserved the highest Indian literary award, the Sahitya Akademi Award in 1989.
Fasting, Feasting: by Anita Desai
Anta Desai is a well-established Indian writer in English. Her novel ‘Fasting, Feasting’ was among the shortlisted works for the 1999 Booker Prize. The novel depicts the intricacies of the patriarchal system of family that is deep-rooted in India.
The story is set in a small Indian town and presents the life of an old and grey-haired spinster called Uma, whose life is totally controlled by her parents, especially her father. The story is typical of many girls in traditional families who are overburdened with family responsibilities. They sacrifice their personal dreams and aspirations. The author treats the conflicting issues of family principles, cultural values and individual ambitions very sensitively. It has a speech that isn’t confusing.
A Suitable Boy by Vikram Seth
This is a mammoth novel by Vikram Seth and published in 1993. It won the 1994 Commonwealth Writer’s Prize. Running to nearly one thousand and four hundred pages, ‘A Suitable Boy’ is one of the longest Indian novels brought out so far. The basic story is about a mother who is on the lookout for a suitable boy to marry her daughter Lata. It is set in the post-independent India. The novel is a heady mix of love, romance, family ties and political events. It has characters that one can imagine well and also has an amazing ending. This book is definitely going to leave your loved one smiling from ear to ear.
Train to Pakistan by Khushwant Singh
This is a historical novel that revolves around the momentous events that linked with the partition of India and formation of Pakistan in 1947. It is the story of the people of a village that lies on the border between the two countries. Singh uses his great skills of storytelling and character development to great effect to create a gripping novel. In the midst of all the conflict, unrest and violence, the writer appeals to the readers to adopt a more humanitarian view of life. He tries to present an objective and non-partisan stand in treating such sensitive social and political course of events.
The Immortals by Amit Chaudhary
This novel by a well-known contemporary Indian writer Amit Chaudhary is set in Bombay (now called Mumbai) in the 1970s and 1980s. It depicts the fortunes of two families who are associated with music. Since the writer himself is a talented musician, he succeeds in presenting the story in a very convincing and authentic manner.
The main characters Shyam Lal, whose father is a singer. He teaches music to earn a living and look after the family. The way different characters view music and its relevance in life are well brought out by the author. Anyone who is fond of music will enjoy this novel thoroughly. It has characters that you can identify with and the book has been edited thoroughly.
The White Tiger:By Aravind Adiga
The author Aravind Adiga published this novel in 2008 as his maiden venture in the field of fiction and took the literary scene by storm. It went on to win the Booker prize. The story has a curious setting. The main character Balram Halwai, narrates his life to Wen Jiabao the Chinese Prime Minister! The story narrates how the protagonist, born to a poor rickshaw puller, becomes a chauffeur in Delhi. He moves to Bangalore after committing a crime and then becomes a successful businessman. The fast and gripping narrative will keep the readers hooked to the book till they finish reading it.
The Mountain Shadow: by Gregory David Roberts
This is a modern novel that is set during the “The Emergency” declared in the early 1970s by the then Indian Prime Minister Mrs. Indira Gandhi. The control of the narrative style and metaphorical language used by the author are exquisite. The impact of the general political turmoil and curtailment of freedom of expression in the lives of the four key characters is brought out very well by the writer
A Fine Balance by Rohinton Mistry:
This is a modern novel that is set during the “The Emergency” declared in the early 1970s by the then Indian Prime Minister Mrs. Indira Gandhi. The control of the narrative style and metaphorical language used by the author are exquisite. The impact of the general political turmoil and curtailment of freedom of expression in the lives of the four key characters is brought out very well by the writer.
Midnight’s Children by Salman Rushdie
This is an acclaimed Indian novel by Rushdie that fetched him the Man Booker prize. The story is set in the backdrop of the partition of India. He uses the fine framework of enchanting realism to unfold the tale of a boy born at midnight of August 14/15, at the exact moment that the country becomes free from the long era of British Raj. It is the story of people and a nation and makes it a great work of modern Indian fiction.
2 States: The Story of My Marriage by Chetan Bhagat
This is an acclaimed Indian novel by Rushdie that fetched him the Man Booker prize. The story is set in the backdrop of the partition of India. He uses the fine framework of enchanting realism to unfold the tale of a boy born at midnight of August 14/15, at the exact moment that the country becomes free from the long era of British Raj. It is the story of people and a nation and makes it a great work of modern Indian fiction.
Saraswati Park by Anjali Joseph:
The central plot of the best-selling novel by Chetan Bhagat has two well educated MBA graduates who decide to get married. The big hurdle is that the students are from two totally different cultural background and their parents strongly oppose the match. The contemporary novel brings out the clash between generations in a tense and yet entertaining manner. 2 States is an enjoyable read, offering a perceptive account of ‘generation clash’ in contemporary India.
Those Pricey Thakur Girls by Anuja Chauhan:
This is a novel that lends itself to a lighter session of reading. It is packed with a lot of humour and lighter moments. The tale is set in a swanky part of Delhi, the capital of India. It present is a hilarious and delightful ways the odd and quixotic behaviour of a retired judge of the Supreme Court of India and his five pretty but spoilt daughters
Q&A by Vikas Swarup:
This novel, written by an Indian diplomat, presents the rags-to-riches story of a young waiter who goes on to win the biggest Quiz Show in history and become very rich. But it that is not all. Soon the hero lands himself in prison on the charge of cheating. The novel won a nomination to the Commonwealth Writers’ Prize. It was adapted into a very popular and Oscar award-winning movie ‘The Slumdog Millionaire’. Anyone who has heard of or seen the film will love to get the book as a Christmas gift.
Twilight in Delhi by Ahmed Ali:
This is in a sense a historical novel published in 1940. The novel presents the Delhi of the 1910s with special reference to the life of the Muslims living in the old sector of Delhi at that time. The novel also traces the declining years of the Mughal emperors and their era and the growing impact of the British rule on the Indians in general and the Muslims of Delhi in particular.
This novel, written by an Indian diplomat, presents the rags-to-riches story of a young waiter who goes on to win the biggest Quiz Show in history and become very rich. But it that is not all. Soon the hero lands himself in prison on the charge of cheating. The novel won a nomination to the Commonwealth Writers’ Prize. It was adapted into a very popular and Oscar award-winning movie ‘The Slumdog Millionaire’. Anyone who has heard of or seen the film will love to get the book as a Christmas gift.
The Palace of Illusions by Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni:
This is an award-winning novel authored by Chitra Banerjee. The book adapts the Hindu epic Mahabharata and presents it in an innovative form from the point of view of Draupadi’s (Panchaali’s). The writer provides a lot of modern twist to the traditional story. She creates a world that is magical and packed with some history and some myths. It presents the central character of Draupadi as a woman struggling in a powerful and uncompromising patriarchal society.
A Himalayan Love Story: By Namita Gokhale
The novel is a deep study of the life of the protagonist Parvati. She is young and, beautiful but cannot find true love. She was orphaned when she was a teenager and is adopted by an uncle who is a headmaster. But her marriage is not a happy change for her. It is a new prison. The other key character is Mukul Nainwal, who as a young man loved Paravati. The novelist brings out the emotions of unrequited love and the tragic ironies of life in a very delicate and sensitive manner to make the novel a tender one to read and enjoy. It will be a good choice as a gift to a dear one.
Cutting For Stone by Abraham Verghese
This 2009 novel is by a successful physician and medical professor of Indian origin, who works in America. The key characters are a pair of twins, Marion and Shiva, whose parents are of mixed origin – an Indian nun and a British surgeon. The twins soon become orphaned as the mom dies and the dad disappears. The tale is set in Ethiopia and New York. It brings out in a clinical fashion the family relationships, betrayal and the medical world. The book has already sold over a million copies and makes for racy reading.
Ibis Trilogy – by Amitava Ghosh:
The Ibis trilogy by reputed Indian writer Amitav Ghoshis a great set of three historical novels. The setting of the novels is in the first half of the 19th century. It touches upon the infamous opium trade that was carried on between India and China, by the East India Company and the equally shocking trafficking of cheap labour to Mauritius.
The name of the series is derived from the name of the ship Ibis, where most of the key characters meet initially. The ship sets off from Calcutta carrying indentured laborers and convicted criminals. The destination is Mauritius, but on the way, the ship is struck by a storm as well as a mutiny. The novels cover a lot of intense struggles and involve a wide range of characters of different nationalities and cultural backgrounds. The trilogy makes great reading with its racy narrative style and a fine blend of fiction and history.
Indian novels, as indicated by the selection given above, present a wonderful depiction of the rich and varied cultural heritage and social ethos of the fascinating Indian sub-continent. These are excellent novels to choose from as gifts at the festive season of Christmas. They would provide hours of absorbing and enriching reading experience. The book has a completely different style and language and I am sure it will make the recipient smiling from ear to ear.
Small Days and Nights by Tishani Doshi
This book begins with “Return is never the experience you hope for”. It has the story of Grace, a young woman who was coming back to Madras after her mother’s death where she found that she has inherited a pink beach house down the coast. She also has a sister with Down’s syndrome. It is a wonderful story about a family, which follows Grace as she slips between Madras, Kodaikanal and Paramankeni. It completely tells us about her needs, wants and urges. This is one of the best books that you can get for your loved ones during this time as a gift if they love to read so much. It states how everything is changing with her surroundings as she tries to reconcile desire with duty.
Boats on Land by Janice Pariat
The opening lines of each story of this debut collection will take the full notice of your loved one. It parachutes the reader straight just like a succession of quick slaps across the face. Theauthor drops us between the tea bushes around the hill station of Shillong which are plump and there is quite cold and damp. In the reaches of India’s north-eastern areas, we get to know about politics and culture. It begins with the days of British rule and stretches up to a modern-day marital affair. All of the 15 stories are written in a seamless manner.
The White Tiger by Aravind Adiga
This book is a Man Booker prize 2008 winner. The book was released in 2008.
When this book came it upset many middle-class Indians but is also hit their bookshelves like a sledgehammer. This amazing book made winning him the Booker prize. This book was written from the perspective of Balram, the son of a rickshaw puller and this wonderful book is a series of letters that have been written by him feverishly, but never sends. Through his sharp-eyed and witty descriptions, the author has just not highlighted the brutal injustices and corruption of Indian society but even slaps them.This is one of the best books that you can get for your loved ones during this time as a gift if they love to read so much.
The Far Field by Madhuri Vijay
Bangalore is considered as the sibling of Delhi, Mumbai and Kolkata. In this book we find Shalini, a 24-year-old girl who was numbed by the virtues of her privileged life in the Garden City. Since her mother’s death who died three years before, she has lived in limbo and was unable to commit to anything in her life.
Vijay’s beautiful debut talks about a single woman traipsing the length of India alone in search of the unknown. It leaps back and forth while shining a light on a politically fractious region from the perspective of a civilian.
Following Fish by Samanth Subramanian
It is the only non-fiction novel. It is a string which covers stories from Bengal to Gujarat and it combines together nine stories gathered along the Indian coast. It is an amazing read and it will for sure delight your loved one. It is even written in a completely different style and language which makes it more special than others.
Sacred Games by Vikram Chandra
It was published in 2006 and the novel is now a wildly popular series on Netflix.
It has an engaging plot and even an amazing ending. It has now become a super hit on the Netflix and people are eagerly waiting for a fresh season.
‘A Fine Balance’ by Rohinton Mistry
This amazing book was shortlisted for the 1996 Booker Prize. It is a beautifully written novel.
It is about sharing a cramped apartment and facing an uncertain future in the middle of India’s political turmoil. It is an amazing read and is a must have for every book reader.
‘The Lives of Others’ by Neel Mukherjee
This book had been Shortlisted for the Booker Prize and the Costa Novel Award in 2014. Neel Mukherjee’s second novel is all set in the 1960s.It covers the beautiful areas of Kolkata. It has an amazing plot as well as a very good ending. It is a must read. It is a powerful story of the chasm between the haves and have-nots.
‘The Great Indian Novel’ by Shashi Tharoor
This wonderful book was first published in 1989 and has a big generational title. In Sanskrit the word Maha means great and the word Bharata means India. The author uses The Mahabharata as a framework for this novel about the major Indian political events that took place in the 20th century. This novel is written and expressed wonderfully and covers the events that took place from the British colonial rule through to “the struggle for freedom and the triumphs and disappointments of Independence”. It will fill the mind of the reader with the Indian spirit of freedom and is a perfect gift as it delights the reader completely.
