The Ministry of Utmost Happiness: A novel by Roy Choudhury is the second novel about a young woman in modern India written by an Indian writer, and twenty years following her first, The God of Small Things; in fact it has almost everything that is so dear to Roy Choudhury's writing style. The main character is Prem Chopra, a gifted young woman who travels to Sri Lanka to be with her aunt and cousins. On her arrival she finds herself thrown out of a men's prison and into a world of hardship and misunderstanding, where she has to find peace both on her own and with others.
The book starts off life pretty much where The God of Small Things left it, in Sri Lanka, but it soon becomes apparent that there are many differences between the two books. For example the former places more emphasis on how the characters cope with life, whereas the latter gives more importance to the internal character of the main character, Prem. The novel also spends more time on Prem's relationships with her aunt and cousins, and how they affect her life. However, all of this is overshadowed by the tragic death of her beloved uncle.
In the end, it seems that while The God of Small Things was a moving account of a young woman's spiritual growth, and the journey she undertook to find peace and happiness, The Ministry of Utmost Happiness: A Novel by Roy Choudhury is primarily a story of hope, tragedy, loss, and how love can survive even when everything else seems to be falling apart. The main theme is the age-old Buddhist philosophical debate as to whether or not people are in the state of reality, or are they only dreaming. The novel ends on a poignant note, as Prem prepares for her next visit to Sri Lanka. It is amazing how this writer, who is barely past her twenties, can tackle such deep and meaningful topics in a way that is not forced nor contrived. No matter how sophisticated the writing style might be, the message is still wholesome and true: that love is the answer to the problems we face in our lives.
