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Crossroads is a collection of Armeen Kapadia Basavaraju’s stories and essays. She is a graduate of Sophia College, Bombay and a post graduate from the National Institute of Design, Ahmedabad; hence, it is no surprise that most of the stories are based in these two cities.

 

 

 

 

 

It does not take long for the reader to realize in the story "Crossroads,” that Dinshaw is a religious young boy. Every morning he goes to the agiary, where his father is the head priest, before he steps out for the business of the day. But the author casts a doubt as to his real character. The reader suspects that he has obviously not put on his best interview shirt and preserved the careful parting of his hair (when he removes his prayer cap) to visit his friend Rupesh. And sure enough, he has a secret life: he is in love with Shweta, a Gujarati girl. He has to act fast as it is likely that her parents are already searching for a groom.
Matters are further complicated when he goes for a jashan and meets Anisa from Bombay to whom he is momentarily attracted. He needs to confront his father who wants him to relocate to Bombay, where Anisa’s father is the panthaky in an agiary in Tardeo. The tension arises from the anxiety about what will happen when Dinshaw reveals his affections for the Gujarati girl. How will his father react? The author handles the situation with great subtlety. Her use of symbolism in the banyan tree which is likely to be cut in a road widening project parallels the decision Dinshaw must make.
Behram, in "Cravings,” is a sick man. He approaches the dining table with "small, slow steps” and has an insipid meal of boiled vegetables as his pancreas has been removed. However, he is very generous with the children around him, feeding them chocolates and watching the joy on their faces. But with all the chocolates he has stored for them, will he been tempted to eat one, probably knowing the damage it would do?
When the narrator in "Rebellion” decides to take revenge on a tyrannical and vicious art teacher whom the students nickname Bengal Tiger, she hides his spectacles and takes great delight when he helplessly searches for them. But is she really a vengeful person? Kapadia asks. She seems to have a thirst for rebellion but does she have the stomach for it?
If some of the stories are in a lighter vein — like Roshani’s phobia about cockroaches or a trip to the USA with bags stuffed with a super spicy snack, Lakshmi Narayan chiwda — the author shows that she has a very sympathetic and compassionate side as well.
In "Farewell,” Dhun and Jehangir are an elderly loving couple. Both have their own passions. Jehangir runs an old and outdated printing press which has seen better days and all Dhun has to fill her empty days with is her love for embroidery. But embroidery is the one thing Dhun should not do as she suffers from macular degeneration as it will only exacerbate the situation. Dhun’s ophthalmologist has told Jehangir about a new, but exorbitantly expensive operation which would save Dhun’s eyes. To have this operation performed Jehangir would have to sell his printing press. And when Dhun gets her sight back will she still be allowed to continue with her beloved embroidery?
In "Birthday” the reader wonders whose birthday is being celebrated. Dina has to be bathed and dressed and her diapers have to be changed: Is she a child? Is she physically or mentally challenged? The reader is in for a surprise in this story with a twist in the tail.
The stories are well written with interesting plots and convincing characterization. We welcome this new author and look forward to a novel, hopefully, in the future.             

 

 FIRDAUS GANDAVIA