TEARS IN GOD?S OWN COUNTRY IBD

Sinopse

áááááTears in GodâÇÖs Own Countryárevolves around a 26-year-oldáchendaákettledrum player who dreams of performing at Carnegie Hall. The residents of Alumaram Village in the South Indian state of Kerala call him Chenda because of his love for theáchendaámusic. Kerala is known as GodâÇÖs Own Country.áááááIn the evenings, Chenda enthralls the villagers with hisákettledrumámusic at the village junction near the landmark banyan tree. When not playing music, he ekes out a living by delivering and chopping firewood.ááááááChenda is dark-skinned. Black. Hence, he is deemed a low-casteáparayanáand is shunned by the predominantly brown and light-skinned villagers. The local music groups wonâÇÖt include him, parents wonâÇÖt let their daughters marry him, and upper-caste villagers wonâÇÖt invite him to their homes. However, an elderly Brahmin woman defies the caste system and accommodates him on her back porch.áááááTo obtain an Indian passport and a U.S. visa-the first step toward fulfilling his dream-Chenda needs the support of a public official. So, he urges the manager of a herbal medical store to run for office. But the manager has other plans.ááááááIn his ambition to win, the manager incites Hindu-Muslim conflicts with an eye on the majority of Hindu votes. Distraught, Chenda confronts the manager. The following day, Chenda is found stabbed to death. The police wonâÇÖt investigate because the deceased is aáparayan.áááááSuddenly, the villagers realize that no one knows ChendaâÇÖs real name, his parents, religion, or caste. The village barber, Big-legged Appu, sets out to find ChendaâÇÖs relatives so they can claim the body. His search takes him on different routes in ChendaâÇÖs life.ááááááááThrough ChendaâÇÖs story,áTears in GodâÇÖs Own Countryápaints a vivid picture of 1960s India and highlights the follies of colorism, caste system, and religious fanaticism that are still prevalent today. These issues are universal, not unique to India. áááááThe symbolism in the novel doesnâÇÖt go unnoticed.ááá-30-