Shantaram by Gregory David Roberts is a spell-binding novel which draws its inspiration from real life happenings.
It is the story of a convict who escapes from a high security Australian prison and lands in Mumbai. It is a fascinating account of how Lin, which is Roberts’ assumed name while on the run, sets up a clinic in a slum, indulges in small time drug peddling, joins the underworld headed by Khader Khan and ends up fighting along side the Mujahiddin in Afghanistan.
Shantaram is an extraordinarily beautiful book, a fascinating tale, with a gripping narration, which leaves the reader captivated. The bouts of philosophical meandering, however, may at times force the reader to skip a few pages.
Roberts has succeeded in eloquently capturing the soul of India, particularly the undying spirit of the Mumbaikars. Amidst narratives of Bollywood, romance, mafia wars, counterfeiting and cold blooded murders, the novel pays a befitting tribute to the large heartedness of the ordinary Indian.
At the end though, Roberts leaves the reader craving for more, with many unanswered questions including that of his lady love Karla. The book is silent on what happened to Lin after Shantaram. That is reserved for a much awaited sequel.
Shantaram is a marvellous creation. Shantaram is not a book, it is an epic. It is not a work of art, it is a masterpiece.
Dr M. Gautham Machaiah, Bangalore, India
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