Bombay Balchao
Just like the pickle, the book is a delicious sum of many flavors, best savored slowly and chapter by chapter.
The adage “Don’t judge a book by its cover” might hold true in real life. But if I were to believe in it, I wouldn't have picked Bombay Balchao. The captivating cover made it hard for me to ignore the book. Beautiful, colorful, attractive and curiously charming.
And then there was Bombay in the title. A city so close to my heart. A city I am always excited to learn new things about. That’s how this book happened.
The Plot
Bombay Balchao by Jane Borges is a collection of stories of people from the Goan Catholic community. The story is set in a South Bombay neighborhood of Cavel and keeps moving back and forth in time. This is not a novel, as I thought it to be. Each chapter is a story in itself. The characters keep recurring and revolve around the central character of Michael Coutinho. Character names get thrown at you frequently in the initial few chapters which is a bit of a struggle to keep pace with. But you quickly become accustomed.
Michael, Ellena, Mario etc…
The beauty of Bombay Balchao lies in its character sketching. The author has artfully developed characters that are quirky, real and relatable. You grow with them, celebrate their success, share their joy and pain and grieve with them in sadness. Take Mario for example. His story in the chapter ‘Broken Pencils’ is heart-wrenching. I wouldn’t give any spoilers here but the description of events and emotions in this particular chapter shook me to the core. It's fascinating how Borges develops his story that sees him become the crossword king.
Michael and Ellena's love-hate relationship is lovely too. The chapter on letter exchanges between them makes for a delightful read. There are other interesting characters, with enjoyable plots and subplots.
Themes
The author explores themes of love, lust, heartbreak, relationships, livelihood, food, marriage etc. with authority and finesse. The places, culture and history of Bombay comes alive in this interwoven tale that spans across generations. There is chaos, drama and fun.
The nonlinear narrative, with multiple character arcs and timelines, might be distracting to some. But adopting this type of narrative has given the author the freedom to explore characters and the city in her own unique way. Borges' conviction in her storytelling ensures that the fiction feels close to reality.
The Writing
Jane's writing is equal parts humorous and thrilling. Her detailing and description of the Goan community, everything from customs, lifestyle and cuisine, is enlightening. You get a sense of vicariously living in the neighborhood even if you haven't lived there. While most of her writing is casual, she does tend to go deep on some aspects. She writes,
"Some lies are often told so that a few truths are concealed".
On heartbreak, she writes,
"Time heals the broken. Sometimes, the healing is slow. Sometimes, it is slower. You cannot predict how long it will take before one forgets what it all felt like—heartbreak, the pain, the anguish, and that emptiness."
Why you should read?
The title draws its inspiration from a prawn pickle and remains a mystery till it is revealed eloquently in the final chapter. Just like this pickle, the book is a delicious sum of many flavors, best savored slowly and chapter by chapter. The writing is top notch. There is so much about Bombay, its history and communities I got to know after reading the book. I am so much in love with these characters that I was left wanting to know more about them. I will be waiting for a Part two.