<div>North Malabar in Kerala offers a veritable cornucopia of tales, which are curiously unending and, often, unwinding. This lush landscape that completes the upper torso of the God's Own Country has provided vernacular fiction with countless plots, most of which are unnerving and enigmatic. In local fiction, several writers have tried to tap this pool, and many have found immense success at that. But in English, not many have tried to write fiction around this geography. On the cue, <em>Monsoons In Malabar</em>, debut novel from Kannur-based academic P.V. Jayaraj is a laudable effort. Jayaraj's self-published work is a short novel. That said, its canvas is interestingly wide and encompasses a string of stories that unravel the social dynamics of a complex society in the 1970s and afterward. </div><div> </div><div>Jayaraj's narrative is simple and aptly lacks festoons. He treats the prose with certain dedicated misery. Even while letting the protagonist of the novel, Ravi Shanker, to roam around the densely populated and chaotically labyrinthine alleys of memories, the author exhibits a commendable restraint in such a way that the reader is not infested with even the slightest sense of disarray. But the lackadaisically edited prose jars the rhythm at times. That's the bane of most of the self-published works in India. And this glitch points to the fact that self-published authors have a lot of catching up to do in terms of assimilating global best practises in, say, editing and similar key areas. </div><div> </div><div>Despite that, Jayaraj manages to capture the nuances of the milieu somewhat clearly. Also, there is a neatly set undertone of suspense. For instance, the novel starts with a car journey Shanker undertakes from Bangalore to North Malabar's Kalloor using a road that cuts through a thick patch of forests. "The eerie gloom" of the forest can "unnerve even the grittiest". Surely, the reader is alarmed of an impending turmoil of sorts. On his journey, Shanker lets his mind swim through the wavy waters of his past where we meet a series of characters -- interesting, disturbing, angst-inviting. Through Shanker's stream-of-consciousness tour, Jayaraj tries to penetrate the deeper layers of a society that is customised to the varied needs of patriarchy. The communities that he documents in the novel are case studies of societies in transition. </div><div> </div><div>Jayaraj has an eye for history, though it is slightly myopic. With certain success, he tries to elevate the narrative to the level of a social commentary by devoting several chunks of the novel for discussions on the caste system in North Malabar. From the "highly sanguinary" Thangals to effeminate-by-circumstances Nair men to aggressive migrant Christians, Jayaraj's narrative tries to map some of the key socio-religious dramatis personae of the time. And he does some justice to it, even though haste and incomplete research forces some of his superlative motives to die prematurely. </div><div> </div><div>The characters are well articulated. And they are exposed easily. Shanker's interaction with others, especially with his parents, friends and above all Unnielayachan, a prominent element that defines Shanker's past and present, are all captured without much hassle. The world that Jayaraj builds is inspired by the literature in vogue. But he blends the obvious with the unexpected effortlessly to create a seemingly surreal experience. How much has he succeeded in this endeavour is left to the reader's own good judgement. </div><div> </div><div>To be frank, the novel's wide canvas demands a much roomy narrative that could hold several plots and subplots. For instance, there are several characters who appear to have had a lot of stories to tell. Again, there are several instances such as how English education has influenced lives in North Malabar that could have been given a much more detailed discussion. Maybe, Jayaraj can address them in a voluminous sequel. And one also hopes he would also shed his inhibitions and write more beautiful sex. </div><div> </div><div>The book is recommended to those who are interested in the history and geography of North Kerala and, of course, to all those that love the monsoons, the thriving torrential force that connects many a slices of lives in the southern state. </div><div> </div><div>businessworldbooks (at) gmail (dot) com</div>
