House of Blue Mangoes

A debut novel by David Davidar

This novel gets 5 points for a very simple but almost always ignored piece of information for the reader - a family tree on the second page. You never realize how useful it is especially when you have a story that transcends 3 generations of a family - in this case, the Dorai family.

The book is set in small town Chevathar, somewhere close to the border between Kerala and Tamilnadu in the beginning of the 20th century, and witnesses the travails of the Dorai family as they grapple with issues as disparate as caste and the rising nationalism. Book 1 maps out the life of Solomon Dorai - the classic patriarch bursting with leadership in both the brain and the brawn, who dies fighting for a cause that he himself does not believe in.

Book 2 I found most interesting, as it etches the life of Daniel Dorai, Solomon's despised first son, who veers away from the brawny Dorai cult to study and excel in the Siddha practice of medicine. It also talks about Aaron Dorai, Solomon's second son who seems to have inherited all of his father's courage, dare, and arrogance, and not the wisdom of a true leader. Aaron dabbles briefly with the nationalist movement that is slowly picking up steam in the country before dying from torture in jail. Daniel on the other hand, turns out to be a really talented doctor, who becomes hugely successful by inventing a fairness cream that actually works! With his wealth Daniel establishes Doraipuram in Chevathar, a fantasised vision of all members of the Dorai family living and prospering together as a community. Unfortunately communal harmony is rather hard to achieve - especially when you're getting your house, the land it's built on, and food almost free.

As Daniel struggles to keep this community together, we move into Book 3 where Daniel's son, Kannan is pushed to study in Madras. Between studying botany in college and trying to find his feet in the strange and overcrowded city, Kannan falls head over heels for Helen - an Anglo-Indian beauty without so much as an inkling of liking towards him. Unlike the first 2 books, Kannan returns to Chevathar only towards the end, spending most of his life as a tea planter in Pulimed, a beautiful and misty hill town. Kannan's realization dawns when he finds the same Englishmen he wines and dines with, discriminating against him at the first instance.

The reference to "blue mangoes" brings to memory the kind of unique and undisputed leadership this fruit holds in India. Book 2 had a great chapter on how Daniel travels across India tasting the different mangoes grown across India to decide for himself if the Chevathar one was the best. He is fascinated by a Nawab's mango tasting festival, and hosts one at his own Chevathar that turns out to be a huge hit.

Overall, I found the book to be very well written. The story weaved itself perfectly around the lives of each member of the family (thanks again to the family tree!) to make the reader understand and appreciate why someone did what they did. I think that's more important than dwelling on what they did alone.