“Some silences are more meaningful than thousands of long sentences.”
History is nothing but a series of revolutions that have shaped us into the society we are today. The long drawn out battles that have been waged, have soaked the ground we stand on with the blood of our ancestors, who died imagining a better future for their heirs. Looking around, one may sometimes wonder if we were truly worthy of such a sacrifice. Yes, we still fight for causes we deem necessary, but how many of those fights are honest and not fueled by our own selfish motives?
“Jasmine Days”, a novel by Benyamin, examines the lives of ordinary people who get caught in the politics of the region and experience unparalleled physical, emotional and mental trauma. Originally published in Malayalam titled, “Mullappoo Niramulla Pakalukal”, and translated into English by Shahnaz Habib,the title literally translates to ‘Jasmine Coloured Days.’ It narrates the story of a young Pakistani woman, Sameera, who travels to an unnamed Middle Eastern country to live with her patriarchal family and set up her life there. What follows is a first-person account of a city spiraling into the depths of hatred manifested through communal conflicts and riots.
Being an immigrant, Sameera has a unique perspective of looking at the revolution. Her close friendship with Ali, an Arab, and her family’s allegiance to the monarchy compels her to look at the political landscape of her new home, to make an informed decision and to pick a side. As we head towards an increasingly fascist and dictatorial world, like Sameera, humanity will have to make a similar choice – a deja vu for anyone well acquainted with history.
One of the main features of Benyamin’s work is the autobiographical element that he introduces into the narrative. Having lived in Bahrain for many years, he provides a deeply imagistic view of what the setting of “Jasmine Days” could be, along with a peek into the lives of migrant workers in countries that are teetering on the edge of a revolution. Most of them are simple hardworking folk whose sole concern is to support their families back home. They usually are the first ones to be targeted and radicalized, acting as boots on the ground for the higher-ups who, aside from having their own agenda for starting the riots, will never lower themselves to get their hands dirty. Benyamin attempts to hold accountable the hierarchy of power as he puts forward the question, ‘who decides it’s time for a revolution?’
“Jasmine Days” reflects the changing times through a socio-political lens, beyond just the political unrest the story is set in. Living in a conservative Muslim family, Sameera fights to be taken seriously and live life on her terms. Despite staunch opposition, her profession as an RJ ushers her family into a modern, more egalitarian world.
Benyamin’s use of language acts as another statement promoting self-reflexivity. He uses Malayalam to narrate a story that neither has a Malayali protagonist nor is it set in its cultural locale. Instead, by referring to a group of Sameera’s colleagues who only converse in this language to keep their secrets as the “Malayalam Mafia”, he holds a mirror up to his readers showing them their perceived aloofness. This form of writing is reminiscent of Toni Morrison, who never hesitated to show the inherent follies of her own community. However, it is here that he also begins to falter. Populated with characters who do not hesitate to speak their own minds, the author spoon feeds their beliefs, personalities and ideas to the readers, instead of allowing them to evolve on their own. As a result, the narrative often gets lost in paragraphs of redundant description.
Weak characterization prevents “Jasmine Days” from being exalted, instead, letting it settle for greatness. It remains, however, a great piece of contemporary translated fiction with a unique story to tell.
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