Source: Penguin random house
Book Name: Sea of Poppies
Author: Amitav Ghosh
Publisher: Viking Press (India)
Language: English
Genre: Novel, Ibis trilogy
Author Biography
Indian author Amitav Ghosh (born July 11, 1956) is best recognised for his historical fiction written in English. 2018 saw him win India's top literary prize, the 54th Jnanpith. The ambitious books of Ghosh explore the essence of national and human identity, notably that of the people of India and South Asia, using sophisticated narrative techniques. Additionally, he has published nonfiction books that cover subjects like colonialism and climate change.
A Short Overview ( Spoiler Alert ! )
The book is intertwined with the lives of many different people. They are all discovered in the second part sailing on the Ibis from Calcutta to Mauritius.
The story is introduced by Deeti, a plain, religious lady who is a devoted mother and a skilled housewife. Deeti discovers that her mother-in-law poisoned her with opium the night of her wedding so that her brother-in-law could rape her and consummate the marriage in place of her impotent husband. This brother-in-law is the legal father of Deeti's daughter Kabutri. Following her husband's passing, Deeti sends Kabutri to live with family.
It seems as though Deeti would die when her brother-in-law threatens her with more rapes and forces her to pick the sati ceremony (immolation on her husband's funeral pyre) as her last option. She is however saved by Kalua, an ox man of untouchable caste from a neighboring village. After departing, they meet up again.
This is unbearable to the high-caste residents. When Deeti and Kalua leave the house of Deeti's in-laws, they take the Ibis with them as indentured servants.
“The Ibis was not a ship like any other; in her inward reality she was a vehicle of transformation, travelling through the mists of illusion towards the elusive, ever-receding landfall that was Truth.”
The next important character is American sailor Zachary Reid, a quadroon mother and a white father. He accompanies the Ibis on its inaugural trip for its new owner, Mr. Burnham, from Baltimore to Calcutta in order to get away from bigotry. The ship quickly has a string of bad luck, which results in the deaths of more experienced personnel. Zachary assumes second-in-command of the ship with the help of Serang Ali, the head of the Lascars.
Zachary likes life in society and is regarded as a gentleman in Calcutta. He is promoted to second mate on the Ibis' subsequent journey, which transports slave labourers to the island of Mauritius. A wealthy and unworldly rajah named Mr. Burnham is introduced to Neel Rattan. He must sell off his lands in order to pay off the debt he racked up through engaging in the opium trade with China.
For many years, Mr. Burnham's family presided over Raskhali's zemindary. Due to the Chinese government's concerns, the trade has been stopped, making it impossible for him to repay his obligation. Since the zamindary is family ancestral property and selling it would mean turning his back on his countless dependents, Halder refuses Mr. Burnham's offer to pay off the loan for the item.
In a case that was organized by Burnham and his friends, Halder is placed on trial for forgery. When the judge sentenced him to seven years of hard labor in a Mauritius jail, he was castrated. After they meet in jail, Ah Fatt, a half-Chinese, half-Parsi opium addict from Canton, is transported alongside him aboard the Ibis.
Paulette’s Indian Experience
Growing up in India as an orphan from France, Paulette's best friend was Jodu, the son of her Ayah. Her father was a politically radical botanist. Her grandparents, Jeanne and Philippe Commerson, who were influenced by historical figures, were her great-grandparents; her mother passed away during giving birth. Mr. and Mrs. Burnham adopts Paulette after her father passes away.
Paulette finds Indian manners, food, and attire to be more comfortable than Western ones, despite the Burnham home's severe objections. Paulette makes the decision to depart as a result of Mr. Burnham's sexual harassment and pressure to marry his friend, the stern, elderly Justice Kendalbushe. She plans to travel to Mauritius as her great-aunt did in an effort to guarantee a better future.
Jodu and Paulette board the Ibis separately, with Paulette masquerading as the Laskar and Jodu as the Indian niece of one of Mr. Burnham's employees.
Several plot twists are made possible by Nob Kissin Baboo, a Vaishnavite would-be priest who works as Mr. Burnham's supervisor and who finally believes that Zachary is Krishna in human form.
As the tales converge, these many misfits and outcasts seek safety in the Ibis. Jodu is strongly reprimanded for conversing with one of the females being transported, which causes a problem on board. While being kept hostage with Halder, Ah Fatt, and Serang Ali, whose hidden pirate heritage has come to light, he devises an escape scheme.
In the meantime, Deeti jumps in to assist the woman, but when a family member recognises her, he tries to rape her and flogs Kalua. Kalua is successful in murdering him. As the novel concludes, Neel, Ah Fatt, Jodu, Serang Ali, and Kalua board a longboat bound for Singapore, while Deeti, Paulette, and Zachary sail for Mauritius.
My Personal Review
The Sea of Poppies should be read if you like historical fiction as much as I do. The history of the opium wars is remembered (China versus Great Britain and others). For a better understanding of Indian and Chinese people in general, you should read this lovely novel.
Opium commerce, which straightened the British but inadvertently impacted Indian and Chinese civilisation to some measure, was unwelcome and terrible, and it caused many of them to death. Amitav Ghosh, a very intelligent novelist, professor, and public intellectual, is well-known to all of us. Ghosh consistently makes you believe in his characters, in part because to the thoroughly researched material they include.
Conclusion
A trilogy, The Sea of Poppies has received praise for its thorough study from critics all across the literary world. It is hard to identify the finest book that Ghosh has written because there are so many great ones! However, I would suggest it to anyone who likes history!
My rating for the book is 4 out of 5.
You can purchase this book on Amazon
Written By: Dharchini Priya P
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