Storytime: The Glass Palace

Every story is unique yet every story is the same. Plot, characters, setting, themes and conflicts are important elements of every story. They are the threads that weave a beautiful and meaningful story. One of the books I read recently and loved is The Glass Palace by Amitav Ghosh. The story spans a century beginning in the late nineteenth century. In the expanse of 115 years, several characters enter and exit but each of them is closely linked to the other. The plot is built on the story of one character, a young boy of twelve whose life in intimately connected to the stories of several other characters. The series of events which affect the central character, Rajkumar push the plot further. Beginning from the experiences of Rajkumar working in a tea stall in Mandalay in 1885, a time when the British were annexing and attacking territories. The Kingdom of Burma is defeated by the British and the beautiful city of Mandalay is ransacked. This is the beginning of the many drastic changes that take place in the lives of all the characters.
The novel seems to be a fairytale in one sense as it has typical fairytale elements. Rajkumar loses his family due to an epidemic. He grows up to be a strong and independent man, gaining immense success in the business of teak. The descriptions of the nuances of teak trade are intriguing. He then goes on to marry a girl, Dolly who he fell in love with as a child when he was in Mandalay despite years of separation and several extreme changes in both their lives. They settle in Burma and start a new life under the guidance of Saya John, Rajkumar's mentor.
The plot is not confined to Burma and extends to British India and the colonies of Malaysia. The world situation spanning from the Amazon rubber boom to the World War II have significant impacts on the lives of all the characters. The setting is not isolated and the landscapes are continuously being affected by world events. The commercialization and extraction of rubber by the British led to colonies like Malaysia (then Malaya) being transformed into rubber plantations. The political situation within India too is explored in the novel and sparks thoughts in the readers mind. The central conflict is the emotional and psychological trauma and effects of war, displacement, suppression, dilemma, loss of power and independence. Each character goes through the conflict at some point in the novel. Be it Rajkumar's worry about his business, Arjun's confusion about his service in the army or Manju being unable to cope with Neel's death. All the different kinds of mental distress are caused by the same situations. A situation has different impacts on different people. Though it is common among the characters, their experiences of it differs. The imprint of colonialism and the struggle during and after it shapes and defines the lives of several characters.
The novel has captured human emotions and conditions effectively. The themes of violence, development and human relationships underlie the actions of all the characters. The transformation of not only Burma and India but the entire world is visible. The Indian struggle for Independence, the Japanese attack on Malaya and the Bengal famine of 1943 are just a few instances of history that are bound to the plot.
The royal Mandalay, thriving Rangoon, peaceful Ratnagiri, bustling Kolkata and commercial Malaya underlie the moods and emotions of the generations of characters linked by blood or bonds of trust, love and acquaintance. The complexity of human psychology along with the social and historical scenario this is presented accurately makes the story exceptionally real and believable despite being a fiction.
I highly recommend giving this book a patient read as it presents facts and history in a way that it is impossible not to picture the social situation and feel the emotions of every character.

U Bein bridge, Mandalay, Myanmar