About the Book
Book: Becoming the Storm
Author: Rami Chhabra
Publisher: Occam
Price: Rs 899
‘Becoming the Storm’ Stands Witness to India’s Tryst with Modernity, writes Deepak Kumar Jha
At the age of 86 years, veteran journalist Rami Chhabra made a debut in novel writing with her book ‘Becoming the Storm’. She had been India’s one of the first few women journalists who broke the glass ceiling to straddle the media space in the national capital. Chhabra had also been a prominent face in women’s movements. She also led South Asian women’s movements. Her reports also formed the basis for some of the measures of the government for empowerment of women. Having spent decades in the women’s movements in South Asia, Chhabra aptly has given centre stage to a woman’s tryst with modernity. With Indu as the protagonist of the novel, Chhabra takes readers on a journey that saw women of India battling conflicts of traditions with modernity. Chhabra headed an NGO Streebal which worked against early marriages and dowry. In the 1970s, several women organisations had come together to fight against dowry. Her campaigns for empowerment of women find resonance in her fictional accounts of the conflicts between modernity and tradition. Importantly, Chhabra’s accounts of Indu’s fight for identity are set in the backdrop of India also gaining strength in the early years since Independence. Yet, the backdrop to Indu’s tales is also set by India’s three wars in quick succession – 1962 with China, 1965 with Pakistan, and the 1971 War of Independence of Bangladesh. Chhabra takes readers through the sombre mood in Delhi in the wake of the All India radio breaking the news that China attacked in NEFA (North East Frontier Area). The NEFA is now called Arunachal Pradesh.
The author brings back memories of the outpouring of emotions all across the country in the wake of China attacking India. She states in the book that the people voluntarily flocked to the railway stations to offer their moral support to the personnel of the Indian army who were transiting to the eastern and the western sectors of the border with China. The final moments of India’s first Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru also find rich mention in the book. Having witnessed history from the close quarters, Chhabra gives accounts of the passing away of Nehru and the subsequent scenes at his residence as the people queued up to pay their last respects to the departed leader. Chhabra recalls in the book Indira Gandhi “holding herself steadily while her eyes had turned red as she stood in one corner when the people paid their respects to the late Nehru”. The author’s accounts of Indu also essay India’s transformation in the 1960s and the 1970s. The industrialisation of India is also set in the backdrop as Indu deals with her marriage and new home where she suffers setbacks from her expectations through her in-laws.
The people also rushed to partake in the industrialisation of India with the stock market tales also finding space in the novels of the veteran journalist. In essence, the conflict between tradition and modernity has never ceased. The book spotlights a woman’s perspective on the issue. It is indeed true that the women have a lot more to gain to claim their rightful places in all walks of life. The fact that crimes against women still remain at worrisome levels testify to the concerns of Chhabra expressed in her debut novel. It’s indeed creditworthy that Chhabra made a debut into novel writing at an age of 86 years.
The book brings alive the charm of Delhi in decades after India’s Independence. Chhabra has given vivid descriptions of the Delhi cantonment area where the protagonists lived and also of Chandni Chowk. Connoisseurs of Delhi’s history will find the book valuable, for it brings authentic first hand accounts of the national capital from decades when the city went into transformation in major ways. Besides, the book, which has been published by BluOne Ink, also sensitise readers to concerns of women. True, intra-family conflicts have several dimensions. A balance in tradition and modernity will be sane advice for one embarking on a married life. “Becoming the Storm’ is, thus, a story that is still playing out in the lives of many people.