Stories carry
far-fetching influence on humans. Whether we are listening to them intently or
they fall upon us out of somewhere, erratic specks of visualization and
inquisitiveness begin itching in the cask of our subconscious. Hence it is
rightly said that stories are inevitable to human race – you cannot ignore them
– stories can open or shrink your world depending upon its narration.
Rajesh Iyer
introduces us to the life of a prolific storyteller, Nalini, whose long life is
filled with storytelling sessions for a cast of audiences. Her stories are
daring intrigue, witty, ironical; and at times filled with dark moments. After
Nalini was born, unlike other babies in her family, her first word was Kadhai –
in Tamil it meant story. However, some of her relatives counteracted it with
Kazhutai, which meant donkey in Tamil. As she grows up, she begins narrating
stories of amusing irony and great significance. Since the novel has its roots
to pre-independence days, you can say that time storytelling was a household
activity, and people took it seriously. But it doesn’t mean that the route of a
storyteller was straight without societal restrictions and vapid antagonism.
After couple
of chapters it comes out in the open light that Nalini holds a divinely grace
for storytelling. She is brimming with stories, stories accost her out of the
cosmos energy, she had has no control over them. She, out of choice, on many
occasions felt as she is just another mediator between the cosmos system and
the fate of people. She is compelled by the energy of the universe to narrate
stories for people around or the forces around her.
The
interesting thing is that not all her stories take place alfresco with
listeners around…she narrates stories to herself in the chilling darkness of
her room, there is a spider in the room, two crows sit on a tree outside her
room, some strange scratching runs up and down the wall of her room. As she
advances with her story telling sessions indoor and outdoor, she gradually
realizes that her listeners aren’t only human beings but some other dark forces
too. This revelation is bizarre but it adds an angle of horror to the overall
content of the book. To some point it seems as Nalini has no antagonism to
fight…she sounds silent and unfazed as nearly all people conform to the
brilliance of her storytelling. But equations seem changing with time, first is
when her story heals her ailing cousin Vaibhavi. People conjectured that
Nalini’s stories are therapeutic. On the other hand, there this stubborn girl
Vaidehi, who thinks otherwise. She is of the opinion that Nalini’s stories are
ostentatious and she has gained unnecessary patronage. Things go worst from bad
when Nalini narrates a story with foreboding on the occasion of Vaidehi’s
marriage. The story subtly alluded that Vaidehi is going to see a turbulent
marriage-life ahead. And unluckily the foreboding comes true. Well, after that
the two women never come on good terms. Vaidehi keeps an ill grudge against
her, on the other hand Nalini thinks that she has nothing for her…the story
came as it was demanded by the cosmos energy. But still she wishes best for
Vaidehi.
A close look
reveals that ever since Vaidehi acted as an obstacle to her storytelling. Well,
what could be the harrowing consequences of that, is something terrifically
revealed at the end of the book?
Getting into
other elements of the book, the author has used flashback technique to weave
the story artistically. You can also conclude that the story is a
coming-of-an-age because here you see the entire timeline of the protagonist
Nalini i.e. her birth, family, marriage, children, grandchildren and many
important events like the Italian traveller and so on.
One of the
prominent takeaways of the book is other concurrent stories that have been
narrated in between beautifully. For an instance, Nalini narrates a story to
that Italian traveler who comes to India to have his incomplete story
completed. She doles out stories for freedom fighters, stories for her
children, her husband who all life remained silent and conversed via
monosyllable.
Between the
gloom and glory, Nalini during her last years i.e. when she is ninety years old
takes up the challenge to narrate the final story called as Swan Song. This is
going to be a different story…it may reveal something dark about her
storytelling sessions and her association with it or it could be about
redemption. And for this story, people familiar and unfamiliar from across the
world are coming to her native village to have her last story heard. Her old
filial listeners are thrilled to see her back in action and the new ones (those
meeting her first time) are filled with heady excitement to witness something
on which their lineage has been built. Spinner of the Twisted Tale is
terrifically silent but startlingly power packed. The story has the élan to
transport its readers to various time zones where they will confront everything
but boredom.
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