In an elite all-boys’ boarding school run by a Hindu monastic order in late-twentieth century India, things aren’t what they look like on the surface…
Anirvan, a young student, is fascinated by the music and silence of spiritual life. He dreams of becoming a monk. But as he seeks his dream, he finds himself drawn to a fellow student, and they come together to form an intimate and unspeakable relationship.
The boys sweat at cricket and football, crack science and mathematics in pursuit of golden careers, and meditate to the aroma of incense and flowers. It’s a world of ruthless discipline shaped by monks in flowing saffron. A sceptical teacher mentors Anirvan and reveals his suspicion of this vigilant atmosphere. Does the beating of the boys reveal urges that cannot be named? What is the meaning of monastic celibacy? What, indeed, holds the brotherhood together?
Against himself, Anirvan gets sucked into a whirl of events outside the walls of the monastery, in the midst of prostitutes, scheming politicians and the impoverished Muslims of the villages surrounding the school. When the love of his life returns to him, the boys’ desire for each other push them towards a wild course of action. But will that give them a life together in a world that does not recognize their kind of love?
The Scent of God is a gay Fiction
written by Saikat Majumdar & published by Simon & Schuster India. The
author has also written two more novels, The
Firebird & a non-fiction, College:
Pathways of Possibility & a book of literary criticism, Prose of the World. He lives in Delhi
& teaches literature and creative writing at Ashoka University.
The story is set in an all-boys’
boarding school which is run by Hindu monastic order, where the children don’t
just study & play but also meditate & pray. Anirvan, a young boy with
innumerous troubles at home but wants to be a saffron clad monk like his
teachers. While he is seeking peace within himself & is on his journey to
do so he is also attracted towards his friend Kajol. But things change as he
gets involved in a wild range of things as he starts to give speeches for The
Party. Does that mean that its the end of his quest for peace & his love
for Kajol, get the book here to know,
June is known as the Pride Month
& I wanted to read something which is based upon LGBTQ+ story & that’s
how I came across this book. There’s already a dearth of Indian LGBTQ+
literature hence I was quite elated to know that after all this time some
authors are finally writing in this genre too. The story introduces us to a
beautiful scenario of an ashram filled with incense & greenery, the author
set the story so well that one can just feel that they are already there. The
author in a slow pace introduces us to the different angles of the story so
that it kind of pulls you into it. The language used is extremely simple, the
cover is gorgeous & so is the title. This surely is a one of a kind read
which you shouldn’t miss.
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