The Guru of Love
Samrat Upadhyay
The Guru of Love is the first Nepalese novel I have read and it was an interesting experience indeed. It was even more interesting because I was constantly picturing my friend Shanna on the streets and temples of Kathmandu. Namely she sent me this novel straight from the top of the world 
This was an easy read. Description of local religious customs, arranged marriages, matching between the castes (and consequences if the match fails) … were very interesting. It was a glimpse into another world, so different from my own.
On the other hand there were many similarities. The main characters are living in the country in which democracy is about to arrive, they are struggling to fulfill their basic needs but also to fulfill the expectations of the others (in-laws who are quite rich). Life under very flammable political situation on the boundary of poverty where everything apart from food is a luxury was very well described. As well as the fact that love doesn’t depend on financial situation.
But the main thing, story about unrestrained passion is what I couldn’t relate myself with. Of course, I’m not talking about sexual fantasies and need to fulfill them but about the dealing with the issue.
I do think that infidelity is so passé, therefore I founded Mr. Ramchandra very irritating. Naturally not because he was having an affair but because the way he dealt with it. I really couldn’t relate myself with his decisions.
And then there is his wife Goma. In the brief description inside the book there is …and he [Ramchandra] learns that he knows far less about his wife […] than he thought which is probably correct but what she has done is really little too much. Again I couldn’t connect myself with her attitude either. I don’t know, maybe that kind of women exists somewhere but for me, from my point of view this was other dimension (extraterrestrial).
In the end maybe all this is part of the general difference in mentality. Maybe that is not so strange for Nepalese. But I guess I couldn’t know that.
October 28, 2007 at 10:30 pm
Interesting book, so it seems. It is almost always with a certain “step-back” that we have to view literary works of other cultures. Nowadays, the western world is so inter-connected that it may be difficult for us to find anything we cannot relate to, on some level. Reading works completely foreign to us, not only enriches us with a perspective we may not otherwise obtain, but it also provides us with a glimpse into a foreign culture, its customs and people. However, we may discover that we are not “so” rounded after all, by taking an offense to, or by misunderstanding certain parts and behaviors which may seem perfectly appropriate for the “native” readers of the work.
While reading foreign literature, I often find parts where I would have reacted differently than the protagonist/antagonist, simply because of cultural detachment.
I cannot say that I have ever read a Nepalese book, but now I will look for one. If not for any other reason, then to expand my horizons.
November 1, 2007 at 2:06 am
Hey Henry!
Thanks for stopping by.
Since I live in the country that is situated on the crossroads of east and west I’m familiar with many customs. Moreover I have quite a folkloric mess in my head. That’s why I love ethnology.
I’m also hooked on “exotic” literature and I’m often finding myself wondering about the roots of certain reaction indeed. However in this precise case I think situation (from the point of view of public acceptance) is pretty much clear. In Nepal or anywhere else.
November 1, 2007 at 2:56 pm
To be honest, I never even thought about Nepalese literature. Not that I didn’t know it existed, it was just one of those things that never enter the mind. Thanks to your blog I will now have to look for some.