Dr V. Srinivas’s book, A Tale of Two Homes, is a journey more than a story. It tells of his struggle to build a home-stay, Raven’s Nest, in the Nilgiris, while trying to prevent his flat in Mumbai, in the Raiz Rayne Residency (RRR) Complex, from getting demolished. One might think that reading an entire book about plumbing woes, electrical inspections, selection of bathroom tiles and roof construction would be a snooze fest. Surprisingly, it’s not, and I think that’s because of the jaunty tone in which the book is written. Even the most difficult roadblocks—like getting wood transported from Alang to Kotagiri through a truck driver who has no GPS, no maps and no knowledge of any south Indian language—become a mere bump because of the perky way it is related.
I did find certain parts about the RRR side of the story slightly long-drawn-out, especially the legal process. Most of the anecdotes in the book are crowded on the Raven’s Nest side, like the stories of the Brandy-glugging construction workers and the foibles of his wife’s high society friends. Many of the striking portions are in the form of observations, like the difference between a ‘plains’ driver from Mumbai and a ‘hill’ driver from the Nilgiris.
There is a simplicity both to the narrative and the narrator, and in the end, you cannot but help appreciate this laid-back, unassuming man, his fiery and fierce wife, and the strange dynamics of their marriage. His primary job is to agree with his wife and ask no questions, lest he gets “banished to the dog house”. When the arduous work of building a house or the long-winded process of preventing one from getting demolished is told through the prism of humour, it makes for a heck of an entertaining read. The funniest stories, after all, are those that were most painful when they were taking place.
A Tale of Two Homes
By Dr V. Srinivas
Published by White Falcon Publishing
Price Rs 300; pages 235