The title of Manil Suri's first novel gets right to
the point. His protagonist, having purchased the right to sleep on the
ground-floor landing of a Bombay apartment house, slips slowly from a coma into
death. As this aging alcoholic takes leave of the earth, his neighbors surround
him, arguing over who gave Vishnu a few dried chapatis, who called the doctor
for him, and who will pay for the ambulance to cart him away. Meanwhile, the
hero of The Death of Vishnu is lost in memories. Drifting through
increasingly vivid scenes from his past, he recalls his relatively rare snatches
of love and joy--and especially his romance with Padmini, a self-involved
prostitute. On one particular day, it seems, he stole one of his employer's cars
and drove his love interest to the honeymoon town of Lonavala, where he showered
her with gifts and finally lifted her veil to kiss her like a bride:
Then the absurdity of the situation strikes him. The
preposterousness of his images, the foolishness of his feelings, the comicality
of chasing currents that skim across Padmini's face. He thinks how absurd this
whole trip has been, how absurd is the presence of the two of them in Lonavala,
how absurd is the scenery itself that stretches before them. He thinks of poor,
ridiculous Mr. Jalal, waiting back in Bombay for his Fiat, and of how Padmini
will react when he asks her to buy them petrol so they can get back.
Vishnu also recalls his secret passion for Kavita Asrani, the
beautiful teenage daughter of one of the families for whom he works. Given the
protagonist's focus on his hapless love life, the scope of Suri's dazzling debut
may appear narrow. However, the apartment house upon whose floor Vishnu spends
his final hours functions as a microcosm of Indian society. It helps to know
even a smattering about Hindu mythology or India's religious conflicts. But even
if you don't, there is plenty to relish in The Death of Vishnu, with its
comical, richly drawn characters, loving attention to the details of everyday
life, and provocative exploration of destiny and free will. --Regina
Marler
Amazon.com Review
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