Review by Srijan

There are hundreds of stories on the Gulf life. The only dream land of an average Keralite till some years ago, the Gulf, was seen, felt and conveyed to readers with much enthusiasm even by stalwart writers.

For debutant novelist Asha Iyer Kumar, the life in Gulf and its ups and downs are not only an interesting plot, but something that she personally experienced. Asha, who belongs to Palakkad, has been living in Oman and later in UAE since 2008. Her novel, ‘Sand storms, Summer rains’ published by Frog Books, last year, has won rave reviews in a section of media in Oman and the UAE.

“A novel was not in my mind at all,” said Asha Iyer Kumar in an e-mail interview with ‘Expresso’. The 452-page, 24-chapter novel is too heavy for a beginner. The size of the book may deter you at first. However, once you begin reading, you will be hooked to the book and finish it in one or two settings.

“I didn’t have any special skills that was required of a fiction writer. But I think I am good observer of people and situation. That might be the reason that had driven me to novel writing,” said Asha. She had a treasure of images in her mind, which had been stored ever since her childhood. A decade of life in the gulf had gifted her numerous striking images. The idea of penning a novel struck her when she had realized that an ordinary features, article or short story could not portray all the images in her mind.

“Sand Storms, Summer rains’ is the story of Achu and Mustafa, two Keralites who had to migrate to the Gulf for making a living. The story develops around the plight of these men and their families. Mustafa had to leave his ancestral village and head for the Gulf as the situation in his home was pathetic. It was the need for making money to survive and not the greed to lead a luxury life, that took him away from his family.

But Achu left his native village Paloor against the wishes of his parents. He was impressed by the charm of money and wanted to live the life of a King. He meets Mustafa and the two become close friends in a train from Kerala to Bombay. As the plot develops, there will be unexpected turns in their lives. The only thing that had remained stable for more than 18 years – the time the entire story to took to unfold – is the friendship between Achu and Mustafa.

The author has succeeded in portraying even the minutest developments in the lives of the heroes. The emotional traumas faced by them and the activities of mindless politicians that spoil the lives of many are handled with equal vigour by the author.

Towards the end, we can find Achu realizing the fallacy of Gulf Dreams. When he had suffered the worst mental shock with the murder of his son, Achu reinvented his best friend. Mustafa visits Manu and advises him to give up his Gulf job and joins his family in Kerala.

Asha Iyer Kumar was born in Channai and brought up in Palakkad. After completing MCJ from Kerala University, Asha moved to Oman in 1998. She now lives in the UAE with her family. Asha is now busy giving final touch to her second book, ‘Marie biscuits and Other Stories’