Rohinton Mistry : A Fine Balance

The setting for this weird novel is Hell - i.e. contemporary India as the author comprehends it. (He moved to Canada) .  If they don't become monsters, the minor characters are killed off , while the major characters face mutilation - or, if Parsi, a destiny that must be far more terrible: they  are condemned  to live with their families


 Two Parsis and two Dalits share a tiny Mumbai apartment  in 1975. Many disasters befall them, especially the Dalits, as a result of Indira Gandi's Emergency.  I had not imagined that she could draw such a strong negative reaction, even a decade after her assassination.   Earlier reading had prepared me for the lawless anarchy in certain areas of contemporary India - but not at a personal level. Another book had introduced me to the insular family life of Parsis - but not as melodramatic as this story.  Rohinton's primary female character, a Parsi widow, tries desperately to achieve independence from her brother. She fails. Rohinton's primary male character, a Parsi college student, aims for a career away from the family business.  When he discovers that the world outside his family is even worse than the world within it. he throws himself under a train. Ouch!

I'm not surprised that the population of Parsis has been steadily declining.  Regardless of their economic success, they do not feel like they belong in this world.

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Presumably, this story's fraternization between Parsis and  Dalits exemplifies inter-communal open-mindedness, on the part of the author, as well as his characters.  But his depiction of the younger Dalit, Om, does seem to fit a stereotype of despicable otherness. He has lice - he has worms - he has uncontrollable sexual urges - and as with all characters, we are never shown his inner life.