Over the years, we’ve watched with great interest the evolution, or rather the lack of it, of desi literature based in the U.S. The following is based on some common trends/threads in desi lit novels – bright covers with saris and bindis and the choice of “serious” South Asian specific topics like dowry, arranged marriages, bride burning – that we’ve noticed. This post should be viewed as nothing more than a gentle attempt at sarcasm from some jaded readers.
An excerpt from the new desi lit novel “A Custom Lungi” by Blogger Santosh.
“Smells like vendakkai curry”, thought Apu to himself as he walked in at 8pm after a long day’s work in front of the computer. Apu’s love for vendakkais, okras as Americans know it, was legendary. Samir, his Project Manager, had been lately been considerate enough to let him off by 7pm and had also raised his salary to nearly half of what his American colleagues made.
“She’s getting really good at this cooking business”, he reflected, as he changed into his trademark lungi and banian. She had been sick lately, throwing up in the mornings. “Must be that outside food we had 3 weeks back”, he said reasoning to himself and then let his thoughts wander to Sharon.
His phone rang snapping him out of his reverie. It was his lawyer. “What now?”, thought Apu. His lawsuit against corporate giants No-gain, who falsely proclaimed themselves as the ultimate solution to premature balding, had not been going well lately.
Review
“Blogger turned novelist Santosh has captured the spirit of an immigrant Indian man like no one else. The sweeping saga of a hirsute, slightly overweight, promiscuous, Indian man in an arranged marriage and his struggles with premature balding and against corporate America – “A Custom Lungi” is a cry for help from the South Asian male.”
Desi Tribune
“A snapshot of life in America through the eyes of a Hindi, and vice versa. From H1B exploitation to racial stereotyping to arranged marriages to dowry to extramarital affairs to the plight of a girl child, “A Custom Lungi” provides an in-depth and controversial look at the South Asian community”
South Asian Herald
Short Description
Little did Appaswami Ramanathansubramaniam (Apu) realize what was in store for him as he alighted at JFK International as a H1B visa holder for a bodyshopper. After being racially profiled and cavity searched in post 911 America, Apu is thrown headlong into a foreign culture. Apu gets married to Vaijayanti Krishnaswaminathan (Viji), in an arranged marriage involving a Rs 1 Crore dowry transaction. Apu’s mother picked Viji through meticulous horoscope research . Stuck in a loveless arranged marriage Apu falls for Sharon Smith (Sharon), a white American girl with a fetish for lungi wearers.
There is a twist to this tale, Apu discovers Viji is pregnant – with a girl child. Apu has to choose between a girl child and his status in the South Asian community. Meanwhile, Sharon is also pregnant – with a girl child – and Apu has to pick between Sharon and his status in the South Asian community.
From Chennai to Chicago, “A Custom Lungi” is the moving saga of the struggles of a South Asian immigrant male, the choices he has to make, his marital troubles and his struggles to maintain his status in the South Asian community.
Interview with the author
“I wanted to present India and her culture to Americans. This novel does explore some serious topics especially the one about premature balding. This novel is different than other desi lit novels, zaraa hatke we call it in Hindoo. My target audience is mainly the wine sipping, NPR listening, granola chomping Americans, who want to know more about India and all the exotic things it offers.”
“A Custom Lungi” is now available in hardcover for $19.99 on Pi.rated.bo.oks.com.
All characters are fictional and any resemblances to any person living, dead or undead is strictly coincidental.
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