‘Of Mangoes and Monsoons’

Book enthusiasts will travel back in time to the Goa and India of fifty years ago to find compelling facts as they immerse themselves into author Suresh Kanekar’s Of Mangoes and Monsoons. Released through Xlibris, this book is a fascinating literary work on ideals, civil rights, independence, and a young man’s determination.

The novel is the story of Ramesh Natekar, born into a Hindu Vaishya family of Goa, who has to face the caste prejudice of people around him to the point of losing his sweetheart because of her superior caste. Ramesh holds a degree in philosophy and is committed to a life of scholarship when he finds himself drawn into the freedom movement of Goa. His participation in the freedom struggle lands him in jail for more than five years, and also into minor and major conflicts with police and prison authorities. The novel describes with accuracy the historical events of the middle of the last century and presents snapshots of the history, geography, and culture of the Goa and India of that period. The narrative is full of digressions into ethics, philosophy, and religion, along with a sprinkling of linguistic escapades.

The novel is partly based on actual events including the personal experiences of the author, who himself had been a participant in the freedom struggle and a political prisoner for more than five years. He also had the rare privilege of being present at the formal surrender of the Portuguese governor-general of Goa, Vassalo e Silva, to Brigadier Dhillon of the Indian army, on the night of December 19, 1961.

“Kanekar’s debut is both a historical novel of midcentury India and a portrait of the philosopher as a young man. India freed itself from English colonial rule and became a nation on Aug. 15, 1947… As Kanekar adds detail and depth to his protagonist’s portrait, Ramesh’s own development becomes a metaphor for the maturation of Goa, and Ramesh’s labors and triumphs mirror those of his homeland. Kanekar writes with a sure hand, artfully blending historical analysis, personal narrative and philosophical digression into a satisfying whole. A fascinating appendix to the struggle for Indian independence…”—Kirkus Discoveries

This book will be featured at this year’s Frankfurt International Book Fair in Frankfurt, Germany, on October 6-10, 2010. For more information, log on to Xlibris.com.