Page 74 - DENG503_INDIAN_WRITINGS_IN_LITERATURE

Indian Writings in Literature Digvijay Pandya, Lovely Professional University

Notes
Unit 8: Rupa Bajwa: Sari Shop—Introduction to the Text

CONTENTS
Objectives
Introduction
8.1 Sari Shop—Introduction to the Text
8.2 Summary
8.3 Key-Words
8.4 Review Questions
8.5 Further Readings

Objectives

After reading this Unit students will be able to:
• Know about Rupa Bajwa.
• Discuss Sari Shop.

Introduction

Rupa Bajwa (b. 1977) hails from Armitsar, Punjab. Her debut novel The Sari Shop was longlisted
for the Orange Prize for Fiction 2004. She (born 1976 in Amritsar, India) is an Indian writer who
lives and works in Amritsar, Punjab. In 2004, she published her first novel, The Sari Shop, which
explores her hometown and the class dynamics of India. The novel won the writer flattering
reviews, with reviewers calling her India’s new literary find. The Sari Shop was long listed for the
Orange Prize for Fiction in 2004. The novel won the XXIV Grinzane Cavour Prize for best first
novel in June 2005, the Commonwealth Award in 2005 and India’s Sahitya Akademi Award
English 2006. Rupa Bajwa’s second novel ‘Tell Me a Story’ has been released in April 2012. Again,
some reviews are very good, but she has once again created controversy among the ‘literary
circles’ in Delhi, since a part of her novel lampoons these very people. Currently, Rupa Bajwa is
working on her third novel. The book has been wisely prepared in two parts, and the feel given to
these two parts is so different that, even though there is a smooth and logical flow of happenings
between the two, it could have easily been sold as two separate books! So, I thought it would make
more sense to look at the two parts uniquely and review accordingly.

8.1 Sari Shop—Introduction to the Text

Ramchand, the protagonist, and all the main characters in the story, either work at or visit The Sari
shop regularly. So the story has little to do with how the sari shop itself came into existence, or
about its sales figures, or the number of varieties of silk-threaded draperies that the shop carries.
All those people who scorned at the idea of having to read something that deals with boring saris,
and moreover, Sari Shops-come back! It is definitely not a “chick flip”. You can’t but help getting
reminded of the Amol Palekar era of Hindi movies reading the opening half of the book. There is this
plain, simple-minded, lonely hero with a poignant past, his only company being his two colleagues:
one, a mature, advice-giving family man, and another, a quick-witted carefree boy. The latter
named Hari, has almost been sold out to the readers, by being presented as extremely adorable
and cheerful; just like a comedian, who though crass and crude reaches out to the audience. The

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