Lost in the big city

The author’s love for Bengaluru shines in her vibrant portrayal of the city and its people in this coming-of-age novel.

Usha K R shows a deep understanding of the complexities of human nature and relationships. This East-West story about Ashwath, a boy from a ‘good’ Bengaluru family, is a significant addition to the growing body of such literature by Indians. The author weaves nuanced layers into this tale of a boy who leaves home in an act of youthful rebellion “to run wild... and then find his path” in distant USA. In self-imposed exile, Ashwath distances himself from his parents and sister, not even returning for his parents’ funerals. Youthful rebellion manifests in other characters such as Paula and Angiezsca in the US, and in Ashwath’s lively niece Shweta and idealistic nephew Aprameya in Bengaluru. This is, as the author puts it, a coming of age story of sorts, with insights and growth happening rather late in life.

The author shares the process of creating Ashwath. Known for her moving portrayal of female characters, did she consciously choose a male protagonist?

“I hope this will be read as the exposition of a human predicament, appealing to both men and women. The novel examines individual freedom as it chafes against the environment that nurtures or inhibits it. Is Ashwath prepared to explore and embrace freedom with all its implications? Can Ashwath shed the baggage of his past, which makes him the individual that he is, to embrace the new? The concerns are universal, but the story is of an individual.”

Fiction on the familiar

Usha constructs her fiction on the familiar, with her imagination filling in an expansive canvas. Her love for Bengaluru shines in her vibrant portrayal of the city and its people. Ashwath’s university education in America’s midwest is based on her experiences in the University of Iowa. Equally convincing are Ashwath’s other experiences in the US as he rides the roller coaster of the American dream.

Stranded jobless after university, Ashwath depends on Mr Khanna and his floundering business. He manages a corporate job, a condo and car, to lose it all. His savings vanish when his bank fails. He survives in a tenement, aware of the inadequacy of his degrees. Reconnecting with Prakash brings home the limitations of prosperous Indians in America. “He would have told them that he recognized a cheap, off -the-rack suit in a minute.”

Adversity makes him realise the significance of Swami Vivekananda’s teachings. He resumes sandhya prayers and realizes that he cannot get away by shirking duty to gain stability.

Full circle

When Ashwath visits Bengaluru after decades, everyone expects men like him to be rich tech entrepreneurs or investment bankers. How can he explain that his job in the food processing industry means assisting a restaurant chef in Chicago?

His story comes full circle as he tentatively reconnects with his sister Savitri, sees his younger self in his nephew and niece, and encounters a spiritual guru in the form of Sundari Amma, who was once his sweetheart Thippy.

“I use the familiar as a launching pad to explore the story,” Usha shares. “From a whisper, I strive to construct a symphony. I aim to bring the setting alive through my characters and their experiences. I continued adding layers to the initial threads of intuitive perceptions. As far back as 2007, I began by speaking to former students in the midwest in the 70s and 80s, and then building up from there. Years later when I went to Iowa and other US cities, I already knew where the novel was headed.”

“Ashwath’s relationship with his family, and his lost love Thippy, is another focus. The novel is also concerned with how Bengaluru has grown over time, about changing social mores, and how people are dealing with these changes, including seeking new spiritual mentors.”