Spoiler Alert Book review ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ In search of Heer by Manjul Bajaj. Set in 16th century Punjab, undivided India, it’s a progressive, modern retelling of the timeless tragic love story of Heer and Ranjha.
Heer Syal is a strong, assertive, empathetic warrior woman who challenges the restraints on women. Ranjha is a serene, gentle, humorous flute player, who renounces the ways of the world. It’s a feminist narrative that continually questions the trials and tribulations of women, the power and diktat of some men, the ethics of piety, and the value of social constructs. I especially loved the fact that Manjul Bajaj’s characters redefined stereotypical gender roles and the strong female characters supported each other, rather than submitting to patriarchy. It’s a story of love and longing, of sexual freedom and identity, of the constraints of class and gender, of abuse and exploitation, of good and evil.
Manjul Bajaj’s writing is lyrical, poetic and entertaining, scattered with pearls of worldly wisdom. The imagery is detailed, although sometimes a bit stretched. Interestingly, her story takes into account the points of view of non-human narrators: the crow, pigeons and goat, which plays out like a dark satire on humankind and its ways.
I never give away spoilers, but the essence of this narrative is in its ending and the message it conveys. Usually, tales of lovers rebelling against conventional social norms have a tragic end, which is invariably interpreted as a punishment by God for not conforming to those norms. Manjul Bajaj in her version does away with the tragic end in favour of the happily-ever-after, the triumph of love, the acceptance of those who dare to love in the face of all adversities. The author has made Heer and Ranjha, and their love eternal by giving this age old fable a new life, and stopping it from becoming an outdated, discriminatory text.
Book review ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
In search of Heer by Manjul Bajaj. Set in 16th century Punjab, undivided India, it’s a progressive, modern retelling of the timeless tragic love story of Heer and Ranjha.
Heer Syal is a strong, assertive, empathetic warrior woman who challenges the restraints on women. Ranjha is a serene, gentle, humorous flute player, who renounces the ways of the world. It’s a feminist narrative that continually questions the trials and tribulations of women, the power and diktat of some men, the ethics of piety, and the value of social constructs. I especially loved the fact that Manjul Bajaj’s characters redefined stereotypical gender roles and the strong female characters supported each other, rather than submitting to patriarchy. It’s a story of love and longing, of sexual freedom and identity, of the constraints of class and gender, of abuse and exploitation, of good and evil.
Manjul Bajaj’s writing is lyrical, poetic and entertaining, scattered with pearls of worldly wisdom. The imagery is detailed, although sometimes a bit stretched. Interestingly, her story takes into account the points of view of non-human narrators: the crow, pigeons and goat, which plays out like a dark satire on humankind and its ways.
I never give away spoilers, but the essence of this narrative is in its ending and the message it conveys. Usually, tales of lovers rebelling against conventional social norms have a tragic end, which is invariably interpreted as a punishment by God for not conforming to those norms. Manjul Bajaj in her version does away with the tragic end in favour of the happily-ever-after, the triumph of love, the acceptance of those who dare to love in the face of all adversities.
The author has made Heer and Ranjha, and their love eternal by giving this age old fable a new life, and stopping it from becoming an outdated, discriminatory text.