Nectar in a Sieve : Kamala Markandaya

                                               Image Credit: Penguin Books India

Nectar in a Sieve was lying on my TBR shelf for so long now. I picked it up reluctantly. And I confess, I was pleasantly surprised. Nectar in a Sieve did not turn out to be the boring saga of Indian poverty that I expected it to be. Kamala Markandaya has crafted a beautiful book here - wise and understanding, she does not give poverty a halo but rather a quiet dignity and grace that makes Nectar in a Sieve so readable.

First published in 1954, Nectar in a Sieve draws upon a young India, still fresh from Independence, and struggling to carve its way in the world. And that is precisely what we see through the life of Rukhmani - from the beginning of her marriage to Nathan (lol, I kept reading this in my mind as N-ethan, as in the Western name), the children she gives birth to, and the constant struggle with Nature and being poor tenants on another's land. Critics have compared the suffering here to Thomas Hardy's own despair-laden characters, and I agree to a certain extent. Rukhmani leads a harsh life but it is not a despairing life. Hardy's preoccupation with suffering was consistent with his view of the world as being a melancholy war against Father Time and the consequences of failing to conquer it. But Kamala Markandaya infuses in Rukhmani a quiet spirit - she has the strength to bear life's burdens, and still summon in herself the will to live. Her daughter, Ira, is unlike Rukhmani in a lot of ways - while Rukhmani has Nathan's abiding love - Ira is abandoned by her husband for failing to bear a child. Ira smoulders like coal before a fire - to me, she remained an enigmatic figure, fierce loyal and brave to the point she turns to prostitution in order to earn money during a low period in the family. Together, these women are the strength of the family - even as Rukhmani's first two sons desert her, and Nathan becomes frail with age, it is they who prove to be stronger.

There is more to Nectar in a Sieve than just the concept of suffering and poverty - Rukhmani and Nathan carve a wonderful marriage but even that is not without its holes. Nathan fathers children with Kunti, a neighbor, but that emotional blow is taken by Rukhmani with what some may say is resignation but what to me is quiet courage :

"It is as you say a long time ago," I said wearily. "That she is evil and powerful I know myself. Let it rest."

And then there is the weird Kenny - the Western voice of the novel, a doctor in Rukhmani's village, who tells her "'you must cry out if you want help. It is no use whatsoever to suffer in silence. Who will succour the drowning man if he does not clamour for his life?'" There is much to discuss in this multi-faceted classic and a long essay paper might do the trick more than a blog post. But do read it. Classic it truly is.

Verdict : Need I say again? Classic.


Rating : 5/5