Book Review - Shalimar the clown by Salman Rushdie

It is quite daunting to write a review of a novel as brilliant and captivating as Shalimar the clown. Nevertheless, I mustered enough courage to write one so that I could share the joy of reading it, with others.

Where do I begin? It is true that some books leave you with a tinge of sadness, some make you feel good and others appeal to your literary sense. However, for me, Shalimar the clown made me go green with envy, owing to the fact that I can only dream of possessing such story telling skill and command of language.

The novel was published in the year 2005. As engrossing as a crime novel, as lugubrious as an elegy, and as lyrical as folklores; the story draws you gradually into its plot and its characters. Be it the village head or the clown, the American ambassador or the dancing girl, the characters impress you with their uniqueness not to mention their ordinariness. Like the lament of a lost lover, the story echoes the bereavement of losing one’s beloved land. Kashmir, the main protagonist of the novel is portrayed so lovingly that one cannot help but fall in love with it. I was infatuated for a brief spell. Moreover, I visited Kashmir a week after finishing the book. Armed with some knowledge of the region, I was indeed spellbound by the lushness of the landscape.

Coming back to the novel, Shalimar the clown enunciates the state’s history, enlightens you about the sequence of events that ultimately lead to the chaos, and eventually, it strengthens your vocabulary; which I believe is the intent of most authors. The political turmoil, the insurgency and the advent of terror have been written with absolute unbiasedness; without fear or favour. There is no political or religious leaning. There is only the gushing love for the imposing beauty of the valley. The brief glimpse into the tragic love story of poet, Habba Khatoon persuaded me to dig into her and Yousuf Shah Chak’s lives. During my visit to Gulmarg, when the tour guide began to narrate that the town was earlier called Gowri Marg, I, proud of my recently acquired knowledge from the book, quickly butted in to add that it was Yousuf Shah who changed the name, thereby amusing the guide and my husband.

Shalimar the clown is music to the soul, joy to the sense and challenge to the mind. Every line, so sinuously woven, is worth memorizing and not to be missed. Added to the appeal, is the author’s witty references to politics.

To quote the author, ‘A book is a version of the world…’ How true! Shalimar the clown paints a version of the world that is painfully disturbing at the same time deeply moving.

The novel; its mellifluousness, its tragedy and its broken chords gave me a wholly enrichening experience.

I am not sure if I sympathised with the clown, Shalimar; or hated him or empathised with him but in the end when………

Well, I won’t spill the beans! Read it yourself.

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