British novelist Sunjeev Sahota's recent novel, China Room, follows the intertwined stories of the brides of three brothers in Punjab in 1929 and a young man from England who travels to their now deserted farmland in 1999. Traversing through the fabric of time, segregation and empire, the tale explores a family’s trauma and one man’s attempts at breaking free from addiction and racism and his consequent search for home. In conversation with journalist and broadcaster Georgina Godwin, Sahota explores the lives of these prisoners of circumstance and their pursuit of freedom. This was 84 of 2021
“China Room” begins with a gripping and terrifying situation. In the year 1929 three young women are married to three brothers on a farm in rural Punjab that's overseen by strict matriarch Mai. But newly married teenage Mehar (who has been given this name by her new family) doesn't even know which man is her husband. Conjugal visits take place in total darkness and she's not allowed to interact with the men during the day when she and her sisters-in-law must conceal themselves under veils and perform gruelling chores. She attempts to figure out his identity and becomes embroiled in a dangerous situation. Interspersed with her tale is the story of her great grandson who recounts a time in 1999 when he traveled to this family farm while trying to overcome his drug addiction and escape racism in England. It's so touching how details he encounters such a flecks of paint on a wall or a crumbling disused structure have such a potent meaning when we also see them in this earlier story. It builds narrative tension as well as poignancy as we gradually learn the truth about Mehar's struggle to achieve independence and what she desires. The novel beautifully builds a bridge across time connecting two family members from very different generations whose only physical connection resides in a faded photography.
Triangle is the form of architecture. Meher touch Kho Kho. Book taught Sunjeev how to write it. In 2016, ten thousand words were written, and then set it aside. Started writing another novel in 2018, topple ganga became a version. Then started connecting both the novel. Both were connected by the ideas of freedom, and both find a connection.
The way Sahota writes about this alienated young man's experiences does make an interesting commentary on issues to do with national identity and the limitations that women face. Though the farm feels quite isolated in 1929, the larger world intrudes when independence fighters arrive looking for recruits. A character named Suraj wryly comments “It's just another idea... That it's better to be oppressed by your own than by the British. It won't change anything for us.” This sadly rings true because although Mehar is horrifically oppressed, the narrator's aunt is also trapped in a marriage where she can't be with the man she truly loves. Equally, though the town is on the brink of the 21st century it is still ruled by gossip that perniciously tries to limit the freedom of a female doctor who the narrator befriends and falls for. This raises meaningful questions about how much progress has really occurred in society – especially when the narrator's father suffered horrific racist violence which prompts the narrator to wonder where he really belongs.
Sahota's style of writing is beautiful and impactful. So many lines of dialogue or description have a resonant meaning. This novel feels like a personal reckoning with the past but also conveys larger universal ideas about levels of power and our connection with history.
Sunjeev was inspired by his great grandmother marrying into family of four brothers on the same day, and still having the room , which is used as the storage room. There are parallels between Sunjeev and the unknown narrator as well. It's semi Fictional.
Paying attention, is the hope for the contented life.
Sunjeev Shota got meaning - reading and writing, when he read Salman Rushdie's novel Mid Night's Children, followed by God of small things.
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