Manju Kapur's fifth novel –
following her highly acclaimed works such as Difficult Daughters (1998) and The
Immigrant (2009) – explores the tumultous relationships
once again set in the thriving, upper-middle-class colonies of Delhi in the
mid-90s. The story thrives against the backdrop of the initial surge of foreign
investment in India
The only glitch is this: it is a married woman
having a romantic adventure with her husband's boss. Cheesy as it may seem, the
book sets itself apart by diving straight into the troubled waters yet without
taking any sides, revealing once again the mark of a true family writer.
Extramarital affair breaks a solid marriage
Shagun, the green-eyed beautiful wife of Raman, falls in love with
his charismatic, handsome boss Ashok Khanna, who has never been in love before
and is determined to possess the woman he now loves. It does not matter to him
how but he goes about conquering Shagun's mind, body and soul like a seasoned,
persuasive marketer. He represents everything that a woman of today
would find difficult to resist.
The pace of the story gains momentum as their affair begins to
become more fiery, daring and passionate. Shagun has no regrets about lying to
her husband or to her own mother. The extent of her selfishness and ability to
be cruel is visible in the choices she makes. For example, she leaves her kids
with her mother to go off for weekend trysts with her new found lover. Yet she
convinces herself all the time that she is a devoted mother to her
children. In fact, she goes to all lengths to brainwash her children against
their own father, knowing that this would be of use to her to negotiate her
terms of divorce when it is finally time.
Although the book never tips into preaching morals, it’s precisely
at such critical, emotion-packed moments that the story skirts closest to the
society's traditional norms and conventions. Manju Kapur
demonstrates her intrinsic level of detailing with tiny social observations
such as how Shagun's mother does her best to coax her to remain faithful to her
husband and in retaliation, Shagun threatens to completely stop confiding in
her mother if this is how she is going to take sides.
Meanwhile, Raman, who is a
sincere, hard working man and a thoroughly devoted husband, struggles
to understand what is going wrong in his relationship with Shagun. He
adores her but he is puzzled when nothing he says or does seems to please his
beautiful wife. But finally when he discovers the truth, the devastation he
experiences is just a tip of a massive legal iceberg.
Indian Law and Tangled Lives
Their lives are catapulted and crushed by the ever slow, grinding
wheels of the rigid legal system in India India
While the parents are embroiled in a legal battle for custody of
the children, they do everything they can to make the children feel worse.
Their son is a replica of Shagun - selfish, cruel and indifferent to anything
but his own satisfaction and their daughter is a miniature of Raman, who is
very loving, understanding and generous. The children find their own ways to tackle the crisis because they are confused and feel divided loyalties swarm around them, throwing them into tough, emotionally disturbing situations with their parents. And for any child, having to choose between parents is the toughest and most emotionally devastating thing to contend with.
How In-laws in India treat a woman who cannot conceive
As a parallel story, the plot swerves to capture the troubles of
Ishita, who is the daughter of Raman's mother's dear friend and neighbor.
Reflecting the dismal marriage scenario that prevails in most middle class
Indian families, Ishita's problems begin when she is unable to conceive. Her
mother-in-law and sisters-in-law who doted on her and acted as though they were
all dear friends changed overnight when they realize that Ishita is medically
pronounced as unable to have children.
Without being judgmental or preachy, Manju Kapur conveys the
typical middle class mentality of Indian families, particularly in tackling
situations like this. The well-knit story reveals the layers of dirt that are
hidden behind the 'happy family' syndrome among middle class families. An
example: Ishita's mother-in-law holds detailed discussions with the doctor
to dig deep into understanding the medical cause of this condition. Everyone's
curiosity is satiated when the doctor clarifies that it is Ishita's fault and
that this happened because she had contracted an illness in childhood that had
damaged her system.
In Ishita's story, there is nothing shocking but what is clearly
absent is her in laws lack of sympathy or understanding to the girl who could
have been seen as their daughter instead of their daughter-in-law. And thus,
Ishita's husband who had proclaimed never ending love to her becomes the
obedient son to his parents. The coldness, the cruel indifference and finally
the rejection of a wife solely because she cannot bear a child is portrayed in
a heart rending way.
Perhaps the author conveys with these instances that even domestic
pets are treated better than a daughter in law in some Indian families. A
divorced, socially isolated Ishita finds the courage to volunteer and teach
underprivileged children. She loves children and they love her back. Gradually,
she finds hope and in the process, her own lost sense of individuality. But her
parents, particularly her mother, is actively back in a match making mode. That
is when her mother and Raman's mother decide to do everything they can to bring
their divorced offspring to notice each other as suitable prospects for
marriage.
'Custody' redefines the changing parenting scenario in middle class Indian homes
The novel’s portrayal of Ishita is refreshingly free of the cliches that are associated with the 'wicked stepmother' syndrome. Despite Manju Kapur's careful neutral tone, what stands out as
stark reality is the loneliness and sheer emptiness that Raman, Shagun and
Ishita undergo.
Do they represent an emerging group of young, successful,
educated Indians who can choose the direction of their destiny so easily no
matter what the underlying moral implications are like? Or is it reaching a
point where expecting morality and fidelity in a marriage is like chasing an
illusion?
Manju Kapur's 'Custody' demands a sensitive reading and it offers readers
with many important aspects of understanding how marital life in India is fast
disintegrating and being shaped by extra marital
affairs, materialistic pursuits, and so on. It also offers valuable insights
into the vulnerability of children of broken marriages and new 'happily
divorced and remarried' statuses of Indian couples.
This is not merely a story. It
is a battlefield of sorts that tears your heart and soul apart because of it's
masterful narrative and honesty. Read it but be ready to cry.
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Comments
I salute Manju for well executed reality