43 India – Gita Mehta – A River Sutra– January 2017 (Score 7.6)

This book is like an Indian “Decameron”, or perhaps “The Canterbury Tales” without much travelling. The roll of the “owner of the inn” is taken by a retired civil servant from Bombay who, after his wife died, applied for a post at a government rest house, on the Narmada River, and founded by the Moghul emperor.

The Narmada is one of the most sacred rivers in India about which many legends of gods and goddesses, spirits and other beings are told. There ar six stories told, of The Monk, The Teacher, The Executive, The Courtesan, The Musician and The Minstrel. Each is a little gem, linked by the doings and conversations of the manager, his clerk Mr Chagla, his friend Mr Tariq Mia, the mullah at the local mosque and a party of archaeologists who are carrying out a dig some forty miles away.

Towards the end of the book, before the archaeologists return, a minstrel sings the “Song of the Narmada”. The head archaeologist returns just as she finishes. The rest of the book holds a real surprise.

This book isn’t great literature, but I found it an enjoyable read, giving it a score of 8.0.