Once upon the tracks of Mumbai - Book Review

Once upon the tracks of Mumbai a book by Rishi Vohra is his 1^st novel and he has done a pretty neat job of it. It is readable, entertaining and gives one an honest peek into the lifestyle of the famous ‘aam admi’ of Mumbai. This 266 page book is published by Jaico and I liked the feel of the book, the legible easy to read font size made it easy to devour the book at easy intervals.

I enjoyed the book on many levels. It revolves round life in the railway colony in Bandra. Being a resident of Bandra for the past 50 years I could relate to almost all the places visited in the book. It added a sense of authentication to the story. Rishi Vohra’s writing style is like a gossip narrative in a coffee shop or a chat with some close friends in a restaurant over a cup of chai. Very easy going and laidback. Was almost as if I was having a conversation with a peer from the neighbourhood.

Rishi also brings out very beautifully the plight of the people with special needs, with special reference to the autistic, in fast paced Mumbai. The everyday almost hourly battles they have to fight to get along that is so frustrating, how their dreams are shattered every minute, how difficult it is for them to establish relationships, all very well woven into the narrative.  

The pace is easy going hence does not push you into finishing it one sitting. It can be relished and savoured over a comfortable period of time without missing a thought.

For more information about the author and his debut novel do visit http://rishivohra.com/

I would recommend this book for a peek into the side of Mumbai that is generally lost in the murky darkness of the fight for survival and nobody has the time to acknowledge.