A Fine Balance (1975) by Rohinton Mistry

About Author:

ROHINTON MISTRY (1952- …..)- Canadian writer born in Bombay, India, to a Parsi family. Each of his first three novels was shortlisted for the Booker Prize.

Short Stories:

1.     Tales from Firozsha Baag (1987)- also published as ‘Swimming Lessons and Other Stories from Firozsha Baag (1989)’. collection of 11 short stories about the residents of Firozsha Baag, a Parsi-dominated apartment complex in Mumbai.

Novels:

2.     Such a long Journey (1991)- historical fiction,

Set in Bombay in 1971. It caused controversy at Mumbai University in 2010 due to language used against Bal Thackeray, leader of Shiv Sena. This novel portrays the different aspects of Parsi life among the inhabitants of Khodadad Building (situated north of Bombay) in general and Gustad Noble in particular. The protagonist is an ordinary middle-class person who works as a clerk in a Parsi dominated bank.

3.     A fine Balane (1995)- Historical fiction, Set in "an unidentified city" in India, initially in 1975 and later in 1984 during the turmoil of The Emergency, the book focuses on four characters from varied backgrounds – Dina Dalal, Ishvar Darji, his nephew Omprakash Darji, and the young student Maneck Kohlah – who come together and develop a bond. The story tackles issues of political and social turmoil, poverty, caste inequality, and the tenacity of the human spirit.

4.     Family Matters (2002)- set in Shiv Sena-ruled Bombay. Story of Nariman Vakeel is a 79-year-old Parsi widower beset by Parkinson's disease and haunted by memories of the past who lives with his two middle-aged step-children.

 

A Fine Balance- Introduction

A Fine Balance is the second novel by Rohinton Mistry. Set in "an unidentified city" in India, initially in 1975 and later in 1984 during the turmoil of The Emergency, the book concerns four characters from varied backgrounds – Dina Dalal, Ishvar Darji, his nephew Omprakash Darji and the young student Maneck Kohlah – who come together and develop a bond.

First published by McClelland and Stewart in 1995, it won the 1995 Giller Prize. It was shortlisted for the Booker Prize in 1996. It was one of the only two Canadian books selected for Oprah's Book Club, and was one of the selected books in the 2002 edition of Canada Reads, championed by actress Megan Follows.

Plot summary

The book exposes the changes in Indian society from independence in 1947 to the Emergency called by Indian Prime Minister Indira Gandhi. Mistry was generally critical of Indira Gandhi in the book. She, however, is never referred to by name by any of the characters, and is instead called simply "the Prime Minister". The characters, from diverse backgrounds, are brought together by economic forces changing India.

Prologue; Ishvar and Om's story      

Ishvar and Omprakash's family is part of the Chamaar caste, who traditionally cured leather and were considered untouchable. In an attempt to break away from the restrictive caste system, Ishvar's father apprentices his sons Ishvar and Narayan to a Muslim tailor, Ashraf Chacha, in a nearby town, and so they became tailors. As a result of their skills, which are also passed on to Narayan's son Omprakash (Om), Ishvar and Om move to Bombay to get work, by then unavailable in the town near their village because a pre-made clothing shop has opened.

A powerful upper-caste village thug, Thakur Dharamsi, later has his henchmen murder Narayan and his family for having the temerity to ask for a ballot. Ishvar and Omprakash are the only two who escape the killing as they lodged with Ashraf in the nearby town.

At the beginning of the book, the two tailors, Ishvar and Omprakash, are on their way to the flat of widow Dina Dalal via a train. While on the train, they meet a college student named Maneck Kohlah, who coincidentally is also on his way to the flat of Dina Dalal to be a boarder. Maneck, from a small mountain village in northern India, moves to the city to acquire a college certificate "as a back-up" in case his father's soft drink business is no longer able to compete after the building of a highway near their village. Maneck and the two tailors become friends and go to Dina's flat together. Dina hires Ishvar and Om for piecework, and is happy to let Maneck stay with her.

Dina, from a traditionally wealthy Parsi family, maintains tenuous independence from her brother by living in the flat of her deceased husband, who was a chemist.

Dina's Story   

Dina grew up in a wealthy family. Her father was a medical doctor who died when she was twelve. Her mother was withdrawn and unable to take care of Dina after her father's death, so the job fell to Nusswan, Dina's elder brother. Nusswan was rather abusive to Dina, forcing her to do all the cooking, cleaning, and drop out of school, and hitting her when she went against his wishes. Dina rebelled against Nusswan and his prospective suitors for her when she came of age, and found her own husband, Rustom Dalal, a chemist, at a concert hall. Nusswan and his wife Ruby were happy to let her marry Rustom and move to his flat.

Dina and Rustom lived happily for three years until Rustom died on their third wedding anniversary, after being hit by a car while on his bicycle. Dina became a tailor under the guidance of Rustom's surrogate parents to avoid having to move in with Nusswan. After twenty years her eyesight gave out from complicated embroidery and she was once again jobless. She eventually met a lady from a company called Au Revoir Exports - Mrs Gupta - who would buy ready-made dresses in patterns. She agrees to let Dina sew the patterns. But since Dina has very poor eyesight, she decides to hire tailors. She also decides to have a paying guest to generate more income for her rent.

The tailors rent their own sewing machines, and come to Dina's flat each day for nearly two weeks before the first round of dresses is completed. The three get along fairly well, but Dina and Omprakash do not see eye to eye all the time. Omprakash is angry that Dina is a middle-person; he wants to sew for Au Revoir directly.

Maneck's story          

Maneck was born in a mountain town to loving parents, Mr and Mrs Kohlah. His father owned a grocery store that had been in the family for generations. The store sold household necessities and manufactured the locally popular soda, Kohlah Cola. Maneck spent his days going to school, helping at the store, and going on walks with his father. When he was in the fourth standard, Maneck was sent to boarding school to help his education, much to his dismay. After this, his relationship with his parents deteriorates because he does not wish to be separated from them and feels betrayed. His parents send him to a college and choose his major, refrigeration and air-conditioning.

Maneck goes to college and stays at the student hostel. Maneck becomes friends with his neighbor, Avinash, who is also the student president and who teaches him how to get rid of vermin in his room. Avinash also teaches Maneck chess and they play together often. Avinash later becomes involved in political events, for which Maneck has little interest, and their friendship is no longer a priority for Avinash. They start seeing each other quite infrequently. But when the Emergency is declared in India, political activists had to go into hiding in order to be safe, Avinash included. Maneck, after a humiliating ragging session by fellow hostel students, has his mother arrange a different living situation for him, and he moves in with Dina Dalal.

Effects of the Emergency      

Dina and the tailors' business runs fairly smoothly for almost a year, but effects of the Emergency bother them often. The shantytown where the tailors live is knocked down in a government "beautification" program, and the residents are uncompensated and forced to move into the streets. Later Ishvar and Om are rounded up by a police beggar raid and are sold to a labor camp. After two months in the camp, they bribe their way out with the help of the Beggarmaster, a kind of pimp for beggars. Ishvar and Om are lucky and Dina decides to let them stay with her. The tailors and Dina find trouble from the landlord, because she is not supposed to be running a business from her flat. She pretends that Ishvar is her husband and Om their son and also gets protection from the Beggarmaster.

Ishvar and Om return to their village to find a wife for Omprakash, who is now eighteen. Maneck returns home, finished with his first year in college (he has received a certificate but not a degree), but has stiff relations with his family and finds that his father's business is failing due to the invasion of cheap commercial sodas. He takes a lucrative job in Middle Eastern Dubai to escape the conditions.

Dina being alone now, and her protector the Beggarmaster having been murdered, has no protection from the landlord who wants to break her apartment's rent control and charge more rent, so she is evicted. Dina is forced to move back to her brother Nusswan's house.

Omprakash and Ishvar return to their old town to find that Ashraf Chacha is an elderly man whose wife died and daughters were all married off. He gives them a place to stay while they search for marriage prospects for Om. While they walk around the village, they run into the upper-caste Thakur Dharamsi. Omprakash recognizes him and spits in his direction. Thakur in turn recognizes Om, and decides to somehow pay Om back for his disrespect of an upper caste member. When Ashraf Chacha, Ishvar, and Om are in the village, they run into herders from the Family Planning Centre. As the Centre in this city did not fill its quota, they took random people from the street and forced them into a truck that drove them to the Family Planning Centre. All three are beaten into the truck and since Ashraf Chacha is so old, he is gravely injured and later dies on the street. Ishvar and Omprakash beg to escape the forced sterilization, but the vasectomy takes place. As they lie in an outside tent recovering, Thakur Dharamsi comes by and coerced the doctor to give Om a castration. Ishvar's legs become infected due to the use of unsterilized surgical equipment used for the vasectomy and must be amputated. However, Ishvar and Om have nowhere to go now that Ashraf Chacha has died. His son-in-law sells his house and they are forced to leave town.

Epilogue: 1984           

Eight years later, Maneck returns home for the second time from Dubai for his father's funeral. Maneck is repulsed by the violence that follows after the Prime Minister's assassination, for which Sikhs are killed. He returns home and attends the funeral, but cannot bring himself to truly miss his father, only the father of his young childhood.

While at home he reads old newspapers and learns that Avinash's three sisters have hung themselves, unable to bear their parents' humiliation at not being able to provide dowries for their marriages. Shocked and shaken, he decides to visit Dina in Bombay for better news. He learns from Dina the horrific lives that Ishvar and Om – one disabled and the other castrated – have led as beggars after their village visit. As Maneck leaves, he encounters Om and Ishvar on the street. The two former tailors are nearly unrecognizable because of their filth, and don't appear to recall him. They say "Salaam" to him, but he doesn't know what to say and walks on. Maneck goes to the train station, his world shattered. He walks out on the tracks as an express train approaches the station and commits suicide by letting the train run over him.

It turns out that Om and Ishvar were on their way to visit Dina. They are still friends, and she gives them meals and money when the house is empty. Dina and the beggars discuss their lives and how Maneck has changed from a pleasant and friendly college student to a distant refrigeration specialist. Om and Ishvar leave, promising to visit after the weekend. Dina washes up their plates, and returns the plates to the cupboard, where they are to be used later by Nusswan and Ruby.

Characters     

Dina Shroff (later, Dina Dalal when married to Rustom Dalal): A strong-willed and independent Parsi a middle-aged widow woman who struggles to maintain her autonomy in a male-dominated society. After the death of her husband, she strives to live independently in Mumbai and eventually hires two tailors to work in her home.  

Ishvar Darji: A tailor from a lower caste who has come to the city in search of a better life. He is kind-hearted, skilled, and dreams of a life free from the constraints of his past. His character embodies the struggles of the marginalized in society.

Omprakash (Om) Darji: Ishvar’s nephew, who also becomes a tailor. He is energetic and has a rebellious spirit. Om has aspirations of becoming a successful person, but his experiences in the city challenge his ideals and resilience.

Maneck Kohlah: A 17-year-old college student from a well-off family, has rented a room in the city, who comes to Mumbai to pursue his education. He becomes friends with Dina and the Darji family. Maneck represents the educated middle class and struggles with his identity and the harsh realities of life.

Aban Kohlah (Maneck's mother)

Farokh Kohlah (Maneck's father)

Avinash (Maneck's good friend that mysteriously disappears, President of the Student Union and Chairman of the Hostel Committee)

Nusswan Shroff: Dina’s brother, who is manipulative and self-serving. He represents the challenges faced by women in a patriarchal society and is concerned more about family reputation than Dina’s happiness.

Ruby Shroff (Nusswan's wife)

Mrs. Gupta (Zenobia's Client/Dina's boss): The landlord of Dina's apartment. She embodies the everyday bureaucratic corruption and the complexities of societal dynamics in Mumbai.

The "Dadaji" (Grandfather): An old man living in Dina's building who provides comic relief and wisdom through his observations of life and the people around him.

Kishore: A friend of Maneck’s, who brings a sense of camaraderie and a contrasting perspective on life, illustrating the varying aspirations and experiences of the younger generation.

Zenobia (Dina's friend)

Vasantrao Valmik (the proofreader and lawyer)

Ibrahim (the rent collector)

Dukhi Mochi (father of Ishvar and Narayan)

Thakur Dharamsi (killed Om's father and is later in charge of the Family Planning and holds political office)

Ashraf Chacha (Dukhi's friend. A tailor)

Nawaz (Ashraf's friend)

Rajaram (initially, a hair collector and later, Bal Baba)

Monkey-man (a resident of the slum who kills Beggarmaster)

Sergeant Kesar

Shankar (the crippled beggar) also known as Worm who rolls on the ground

Beggarmaster (Step or Half Brother of Shankar) and who controls all the beggars

Shanti (a girl in the slum)

Jeevan (Tailor who was with Om and Ishvar in their first assignment)

Rustom Dalal (Dina's deceased husband)

Shirin Aunty (Rustom's aunt)

Darab Uncle (Rustom's uncle)

Mr Toddywalla (chatty man at the music recitals)

Fredoon (Dina's male friend)

Xerxes and Zarir (Ruby and Nusswan's children)

Narayan Darji (Ishvar's brother, and Om's father) -tailor, friend of Ishvar who also comes from a lower caste. Ordered flogged, burned and hanged by Thakur Dharamsi because he (along with two other men) demanded they be given a ballot.

Kim (lazy child)

Pandit Lalluram (a Brahmin)

A fine balance (super summary)

A Fine Balance is a novel by Rohinton Mistry published in 1995. It tells the story of a diverse group of characters living in India during the time of Indira Gandhi’s Emergency, though she is never mentioned by name.

The story begins with two men of a lower caste system, Ishvar and Omprakash. Ishvar’s father apprenticed him and his brother, Narayan, to a local Muslim tailor to attempt to improve their caste situation in the new India, and these skills are passed to Narayan’s son, Omprakash. They take their skills to Bombay. When Narayan is murdered in retaliation for the family attempting to vote, Ishvar and Om flee.

On the train, they meet college student Maneck, who is on his way to the same place they are, the flat of Dina Dalal, the seamstress. They become friends as they spend time with Dina, and also develop a friendship with her.

Dina comes from a wealthy Farsi family. Her father was a medical doctor, but after his death, her mother was unable to care for her, so she lived with Nusswan, her older brother. Nusswan and his wife treated her more like a servant, so she was more than happy to find a husband and move out. She rejected the arrangements her brother made and found her own, a chemist. They were married for three years when he was killed by a car while on his bicycle.

Dina learned intricate embroidery work to maintain her independence, but after years of strain on her eyesight, she began to lose the use of her eyes and couldn’t do the work anymore. When she meets another woman who sold ready made dresses, she agrees to sew them for income, but chooses to outsource the work to Ish and Om. Maneck’s rent completes the finances she needs to maintain her independence.

Maneck was born in the mountains to loving parents. His father owned a grocery store, but they concentrated on his education. He is eventually sent away to boarding school to further his education, and act that he resents, but from there, he is able to go to college. At first, he lives in the dorms, but a humiliating hazing causes him to seek other living arrangements. He ends up in the flat of Dina.

Their arrangement goes well for the better part of a year with Ishvar and Om sewing and Maneck living with Dina. However, when the Prime Minister declares a state of emergency after an assassination attempt, the shantytown where the tailors live is knocked down. The return to their hometown to try to find a wife for Om. They are rounded up by the police and sent to a sterilization camp. Ishvar hoped to marry Om to a girl of a better caste, but all those dreams are dashed when someone from their hometown recognizes them and arranges to have Om castrated. Ishvar’s sterilization gets infected, and he loses his legs. They have nowhere to go and are forced to leave town.

Maneck takes a lucrative job in Dubai to escape the worsening conditions of Bombay. Dina is left alone, and cannot protect herself against the plans of her landlord to raise rent sharply, and she is forced to move back into her brother’s house.

The story picks up again eight years later. Maneck has returned from Dubai to attend his father’s funeral. His old college friend’s daughters have hung themselves to escape the humiliation of their parents’ inability to provide dowries. This news sends Maneck further into a depression. He goes to Bombay to see Dina for better news. He learns from Dina the horrific fates of Om and Ishvar in their lives as beggers. As he leaves, he passes them on the street. They think he doesn’t recognize them, but in truth, he is so shocked by their dirty appearance that he doesn’t know what to say.

He feels that there is no hope left in the world. He goes to the train station, and when the train approaches, he allows the train to run him over on the tracks. He doesn’t know that Om and Ishvar are still friends with Dina and that they were on their way to see her. The three friends discuss their lives and how their former friend Maneck has changed. The two leave promising to visit her, and she clears their plates so that Nusswan and his wife can use them later.

Unlikely friendships dominate the book. Each of the main characters is separated by caste and circumstance, but for a long time, they find support and solace in each other’s company. At the end of the book, this friendship remains true for Dina, Ishvar and Om, though Maneck allows his sadness to tear him away. We are left with a sense of longing, wondering if he’d had the courage to say something to them on the street, or if he’d stayed a little longer at Dina’s house, he might not have decided to commit suicide in his despair. It is also much about the changes India experienced during the rule of Indira Gandhi. She made many changes to the constitution that allowed India to emerge as a greater power, but it was difficult in the immediate aftermath for many people who’s lives changed immensely in the wake of those changing traditions. She is never mentioned by name in the book, but at times the author seems critical of the sudden sweeping changes and their chaotic effect on India.

The cruelty apparent in the book is offset by the simple kindnesses offered between the friends and their network. We understand that life is a fine balance of many different things, much like the title suggests, and our lives are intertwined and dependent on the support of our friends.

 

Themes:

1. Caste and Class Struggle

• Description: The novel delves deeply into the caste system and class disparities in Indian society. The lives of the main characters—Dina, Ishvar, Om, and Maneck—highlight the systemic discrimination faced by lower-caste individuals.
• Examples: Ishvar and Om, as lower-caste tailors, experience discrimination and exploitation. Their struggles emphasize the ongoing fight for dignity and social justice, while Maneck's middle-class perspective illustrates the detachment of the privileged from the realities of the marginalized.

2. Identity and Alienation

• Description: Characters grapple with their identities in a rapidly changing society. The quest for personal and social identity is a recurring theme.
• Examples: Dina's struggle for independence as a woman in a patriarchal society and Ishvar and Om's fight against their caste identities underscore the theme of alienation from societal norms and expectations.

3. Resilience and Hope

• Description: Despite facing immense hardships, the characters display resilience and hope for a better future. Their relationships and support for one another highlight the human spirit's ability to endure.
• Examples: The bond between Dina, Ishvar, and Om illustrates how love and friendship provide strength during difficult times, allowing them to cope with their struggles.

4. Friendship and Solidarity

• Description: The novel emphasizes the importance of friendship and solidarity among individuals from different backgrounds. The characters' connections showcase the potential for unity in adversity.
• Examples: The camaraderie among the tailors and their support for each other amidst the challenges they face highlight the theme of collective resilience.

5. Socio-political Commentary

• Description: Set against the backdrop of the Emergency, the novel critiques the political landscape of India. It explores themes of power, corruption, and the impact of government policies on ordinary lives.
• Examples: The oppressive actions of the government, represented by characters like the inspector, showcase the abuse of power and the impact of political decisions on the lives of the characters.

6. The Fragility of Life

• Description: The title itself suggests a precarious balance in life, where happiness and despair coexist. The novel explores how quickly circumstances can change and how lives can be shattered by unforeseen events.
• Examples: The tragic fate of characters and the impact of socio-political turmoil illustrate the fragility of life and the unpredictable nature of existence.

7. Tradition vs. Modernity

• Description: The tension between traditional values and the forces of modernity is a recurring theme. Characters navigate their identities amidst changing societal norms.
• Examples: Dina's struggle to maintain her independence while adhering to societal expectations reflects the conflict between tradition and modern aspirations.

8. Displacement and Migration

• Description: Many characters experience physical and emotional displacement, highlighting the theme of migration and its effects on identity and belonging.
• Examples: Ishvar and Om's migration from their village to the city represents the search for better opportunities, while Maneck's journey illustrates the disconnection felt by those in urban environments.

9. Love and Sacrifice

• Description: The theme of love, both familial and romantic, intertwines with sacrifice as characters make difficult choices for the sake of others.
• Examples: Dina's sacrifices for her independence and the bond between Ishvar and Om demonstrate the complexities of love in the face of adversity.

10. Human Suffering and Injustice

• Description: The novel does not shy away from depicting the harsh realities of human suffering and the injustices faced by the characters.
• Examples: The experiences of the lower-caste characters, particularly in the face of violence and discrimination, highlight the systemic injustices present in society.

Quotes:

Ø  “...you have to use your failures as stepping stones to success. You have to maintain a fine balance between hope and despair. In the end it’s all a question of balance.”

Ø  “the secret of survival was to balance hope and despair”

Ø  “The human face has limited space. If you fill it with laughter there will be no room for crying.”

Ø  “Money can buy the necessary police order. Justice is sold to the highest bidder”