Krishna
The full title of the book is ‘ An Antique Land – History in the Guise of a Traveler’s Tale‘. The book is not at all what you would expect from the title. The history is simply the life of a merchant who lived in early times in Egypt and traveled to the Malabar coast of India and the travels do not form a concrete plan but seem to be necessitated by the author’s professional duties etc.
In particular, the book which follows the life of a slave Ben-Yiju who was a Jew in Egypt and who travelled to India, married a Nair woman called Anshu and took his children back to Egypt at the end, leaving behind his wife in Malabar.
The story is juxtaposed with the author’s own stay in many places in Egypt. He stays first in Lataifa, a small Egyptian town – almost a village, and then in a bigger town called Nashaway. He goes to Damanhour, another small city. The author also returns to Mangalore, and then back to the old places.
The story of the author is interesting. Since he can speak Arabic fluently, he gets to meet and greet many interesting characters who are quintessentially Egyptian and parochial in outlook. In Lataifa, for instance, we meet Abu-Ali, the enormous, kindly, well read fellahin, Shaik Musa, who is conservative but friendly, and others. Abu Ali gives the ‘Doktor al Hind’ a place to stay for rent in his own house.
Amusing scenes exist where they think that Indian women, when husbands die, are dragged and burnt on the pyre with the husband and are amazed that anyone should think that cremation is normal when it condemns you to eternal damnation really. Ustaz Mustafa, a cousin of Shaik Musa tries to save his soul by inviting Amitav to go the mosque that very minute to convert.
Jabir, who is present, is convinced that Amitav is like a child and does not know about religion, sex, or anything.
An Indian Water Pump brought to the village, and Amitav’s demonstration of its workings reestablishes his credibility as the clever engineer in the villager’s eyes.
The story is populated by Nabeel and Ismail, cousins who do not look alike, Nabeel the talkative one and Ismail the quiet one.
Later they go to Iraq and become prosperous. There is a love story among the restrictive community where a boy and a girl fall in love and after many years of wait, after the boy’s family becomes rich, he marries her.
Quaint people, rich tapestry, local colour – all there but there is no story to speak of. Even Ben Yiju’s story is not very captivating.
A reasonably good read but not a masterpiece of any sort. I would say a 6/10
— Krishna