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Literary
masterpiece: an Indian
THE VICAR OF WAKEFIELD
Lyrical, mystical,
philosophical, hilarious,
grotesque, compelling
Chastening reminder
of moral vitality
and India's freedom
struggle
Subliminal lament
to honourable intentions
long forgotten by
political heirs
In
this intimate portrait
of a Brahmin family
during the last years
of British colonial
rule of India, we
follow the lives of
Cambridge educated
Sir Saraswati Chandra
Ranbakshi and his
three children: the
willful, daring Maneka;
her docile sister
Sita; and the middle
sibling, their brother
Yogendra. Running
through it all, is
Sir Saraswati’s
battle to resolve
affection for Britain
with his belief in
the ideals of the
Mahatma.
As the children grow
up, their father balances
the requirements of
state maharaja with
those of viceroy.
Meantime, Sita waits
patiently for life;
Maneka, betrayed by
her lover, becomes
mistress of the eerie
Nadir Palace and falls
under suspicion of
murder; Yogendra tumbles
into love with a lower
caste girl. The latter
event determines the
family’s future:
Sir Saraswati supports
the young couple,
seeing their union
as a metaphor for
a united India. As
the writer sets out
the ideals of India
sixty years ago, he
offers a dignified
reproach to its politicians
today.
His book is a final
adieu to the ‘great
Indian Raj novel’,
as well as an homage
to traditions that
gave meaning to people’s
lives. We will not
see the like again.
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