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Sitting pretty
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Interview Meet the bride, sorry, author of “The TamBrahm Bride”
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Photo : S. Subramanium
Debut author Kausalya Saptharishi
Some things in India never change. Like the plight of the ‘girl’s side’ — the ladkiwallahs — who console themselves by saying they are paying for the sins of their previous lives by becoming the parent
s of a girl in this life. As ubiquitous as the sari, more widespread than religious customs is the oxymoron of the career-oriented homemaker, that superwoman every prospective bridegroom wants to make his wife: highly qualified yet demure, multi-lingual but voicing no opinions, beautiful and smart and efficient but ready to play second fiddle to her husband at all times. Girls may rant, and boys may protest they are different, but the Indian marriage market in the 21st Century remains eerily the same, generation after generation. Kausalya Saptharishi has tried her hand at poking fun and perhaps offering a message or two in this scenario with her debut novel, “The TamBrahm Bride”, which was launched at an event at the Delhi Tamil Sangam recently.
Based in the U.S., Kausalya is a product of the Tamil Brahmin society she writes about with a detailed and affectionate irony. She is right when she points out that although the story is of a particular community, it is relevant to India as a whole. Many girls would be able to identify with her protagonist Shalu, and many parents with Sundaresan and Parvati. “This girl is trying her best to not get into this rut,” notes the author. “It’s a light-hearted look at the situation, but I don’t think many women are happy about it.” For one, she points out, “It’s always the boy’s party that comes to see the girl.”
In her description of events surrounding a ‘TamBrahm’ girl’s marriage, says Kausalya, she has “taken potshots” at the IT sector. This, she remarks, is because most of the NRI bachelors in TamBrahm society are in this industry.
The real irony comes across when the author artlessly mentions, “I’ve dabbled in all forms of media, but now that I have a baby it suits me to be a freelancer.” She also gives credit to her parents for looking after her baby while she was busy completing the book, published by Indian Writing. Sound familiar as the recipe for a smooth matrimonial career? Perhaps. But Kausalya does seem to be rather like her protagonist in that she has gone through the same experience of being viewed and interviewed as a prospective bride. As a debut novelist, this provides her with trustworthy material.
But Kausalya is not likely to retain the ‘debutante’ tag for long. Mentioning that writing offers a fine vent “if you want to escape reality for a few hours,” Kausalya says she has already started on her next work of fiction, though she says it is too early to talk about it. All in good time, then. Just as Shalu’s parents would have said!
ANJANA RAJAN
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