Ancient Promises: Review

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The story of a strong willed woman! That is how I would love to describe Ancient Promises. Before I got a copy of this book around three years before, I had well acquainted with the personal life of the author, Jaishree Misra. I read about her determined efforts to push off overwhelming bondages through the writings of Malayalam writer Priya A.S. As soon as I got the chance to lay my hands on the book, there was no look back but; a straight entrance into the real face of a much familiar world.

Ancient Promises is the story of Janaki (Janu) a strong willed but, dutiful woman who dare to challenge the set norms to find the true happiness in a rightful manner. She is a Malayali Nair girl born and brought up at Delhi, where she feels at home than at her ancestral land. The Western lifestyle for freedom gets rooted in her mind during her school days.

Janu's life takes a new turn at the age of 16, when she meets Arjun , the local school cricketing hero. Their friendship slowly blooms into romance and eventually take a nasty turn when Janu"s parents get wind of her romantic escapades. Their romance seems to meet an end when, Arjun leaves for England for his higher studies. Janu's parents take her to Kerala and just like any other teenage girl Janu feels unsure of her future with Arjun.

Janu enters a new world of lifestyle at Kerala. The wings of her carefree life gets cripples as she agrees to marry according to her parents' wishes. She gets married to Suresh from the socially respected Maraar family on her 18th birthday. The rightful happiness and affection becomes a distant desire for Janu at Janu enters the typical, traditional matriarchal Maraar household. The Maraar family detests the Delhi background of Janu and encourage Suresh to be aloof or uncaring to her feelings.

Years roll by and Janu expects that a birth of the child, will bring a change in everyone's life. Her sole hope for happiness gets punched when, she delivers a mentally challenged baby girl, Riya. Determined to secure a place for herself and Riya, Janu pursues her education and raises Riya without any help. Deciding to take matters into her hands, she applies to study abroad leaves for Delhi to give a scholarship interview.

Destiny had a unique treasure in store for Janu after all these miseries. Janu plans to visit her old school friend Leena during the break between interview and the results. She meets the least expected and much loved person there, Arjun! Old passions are aroused and the couple realize they still feel deeply for each other. Janu decides to leave her unhappy life behind and plans to take Riya along with them. Maraar family plays their tricks and Janu leaves for England without her dear daughter.

Arjun and Janu relive their lost loving moments in London. However they realize that their life will be incomplete without Riya. Janu returns to India, promising a soon return with Riya. The clouds clear away as Suresh reconciles himself to a divorce, hands over Riya and alls well that ends well.

The novel has not won any awards so far. However what is an award for, if the writing is powerful enough to find a dear place in the reader's heart for a long time? The story is too real to our life and Janu is human, approachable and her problems are real and vivid that is so hard to solve. The writing is truly Indian, true to the heart and direct. This is a must read for every Indian woman to enhance their spirits, but, if you"re a Malayalee, don"t ever miss this.