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A review by fidoe
Bombay Balchao by Jane Borges
4.0
Week 24 Book 18
Bombay Balchao by Jane Borges
Rating 4/5
Set in a quiet old neighbourhood Cavel in South Mumbai, Bombay Balchao revolves around the always interesting Catholic community of Bombay. Spanning over 7 decades (from 1930s to 2000s), it traces the origins of the various kinds of Catholics (there are 3 - East Indians, Goans, and Mangalorean) in Cavel, through the engrossing lives of the residents (and their ancestors and descendents too) of Bosco Mansion and nearby buildings on D'Lima Road.
From love triangles to heart breaks, petty fights to romances, bustling families to lone widows, scandalous marriages to bickering couples, property fights to friendship in the sunset years - Cavel boasts of a motley group of characters, whose lives are inescapably intertwined with each others, sometimes to their joy and sometimes, their chagrin. BB is a collection of anecdotes, each concentrating on a certain family or bunch of characters.
I recently read another book of short stories about Goans by a renowned and awarded author, but they left me with a sense of despondency. BB though, was a wonderful narration of the ways of the community - not everything was happy, but there was enough fun, romance, and emotions to offset the not so happy parts, much like life!
BB is a fun, quick, breezy read, very enjoyable. I loved learning about the catholic community. It would be a sin not to mention an important aspect of the book - the food, especially Balchao! Balchao is a seafood spicy pickle, which is as much of a character in the book as the people, along with a host of other mouth watering dishes that the women kept churning for various occasions, from Xacuti to fish curries to sweet confections to homemade wines - I suggest sitting with something to eat when reading, as it may make you hungry!
Bottom Line : Must read!
Bombay Balchao by Jane Borges
Rating 4/5
Set in a quiet old neighbourhood Cavel in South Mumbai, Bombay Balchao revolves around the always interesting Catholic community of Bombay. Spanning over 7 decades (from 1930s to 2000s), it traces the origins of the various kinds of Catholics (there are 3 - East Indians, Goans, and Mangalorean) in Cavel, through the engrossing lives of the residents (and their ancestors and descendents too) of Bosco Mansion and nearby buildings on D'Lima Road.
From love triangles to heart breaks, petty fights to romances, bustling families to lone widows, scandalous marriages to bickering couples, property fights to friendship in the sunset years - Cavel boasts of a motley group of characters, whose lives are inescapably intertwined with each others, sometimes to their joy and sometimes, their chagrin. BB is a collection of anecdotes, each concentrating on a certain family or bunch of characters.
I recently read another book of short stories about Goans by a renowned and awarded author, but they left me with a sense of despondency. BB though, was a wonderful narration of the ways of the community - not everything was happy, but there was enough fun, romance, and emotions to offset the not so happy parts, much like life!
BB is a fun, quick, breezy read, very enjoyable. I loved learning about the catholic community. It would be a sin not to mention an important aspect of the book - the food, especially Balchao! Balchao is a seafood spicy pickle, which is as much of a character in the book as the people, along with a host of other mouth watering dishes that the women kept churning for various occasions, from Xacuti to fish curries to sweet confections to homemade wines - I suggest sitting with something to eat when reading, as it may make you hungry!
Bottom Line : Must read!