The Age of Shiva: A Novel Book

Modern India provides the backdrop for Meera Sawhney's story, which she recounts to her beloved son Ashvin in a compelling, haunted, and unforgettable voice. In The Age of Shiva, Manil Suri guides the reader from the India of 1955, only a few years post-partition, through 1980. Along the way we glean some insight into Indian politics (including the major influences of Nehru and Indira Ghandi on historical events), the Hindu-Muslim conflict, and the rise of Hindu nationalism. But most of all, we experience Meera's life as she lives and perceives it, from the impetuous, foolish mistake she makes, at age 17, when she marries Dev Arora, her sister Roopa's one-time beau, to her existential despair when Ashvin leaves her Bombay apartment to attend boarding school in faraway Sanawar.Along the way, we meet all sorts of characters, including Paji, Meera's meddlesome yet visionary father, who glimpses the future possibilities for his daughters if only they would acquiesce in seriously pursuing their education; Dev, Meera's increasingly alcoholic husband who refuses to relinquish his dream of becoming a famous singer; Arya, Dev's lecherous elder brother whose right-wing Hindu nationalist involvements threaten to engulf Ashvin; and Zaida, Meera's Muslim friend and neighbor who takes charge when Meera hits the nadir of her life.Read More