What comes to mind when one thinks of rain? Old Bollywood songs, perhaps? Maybe some tea and a game of carrom? And for many, some garma-garam pakodas (hot fritters). For the four main charactersin Achla Bansal’s Rain in Bulandshahr (Rs 295, Authorspress), it is the cauliflower pakoda, or cauliflower in any form really, that drives the plot.
A thriller with quiet moments that take you by surprise, the book, set in Bulandshahr, is a short, easy read. It follows the lives of Lipika and Rahul Verma, wife and childhood friend/mentor to Kartik, respectively. Kartik is a corporate worker, Verma a successful homeopath and occasional palmist. The latter is married to Shobha — a woman with unmatched “silent tolerance”, perhaps the worst-hit victim of Rahul’s sharp tongue and imposing personality. When the paths of the four cross, a battle of will ensues.
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The book’s twists and turns are sometimes overdone. As the men reconnect, the women find themselves completely overshadowed. Shobha’s character seems like an afterthought, even though her disappearance is a crucial plot point. Eventually, there is vindication for some, frustration for others as the novel draws to a close. This is a quick read, best served with a side of pakoras.
