If you ever decide to create a word cloud of the answers that you receive for the question, "Where is heaven on earth?", out of the many answers that you will get, Kashmir would definitely be a big bold word in it. Why do people call Kashmir a heaven? What makes them still say that? We all know that it is mainly because of the beautiful landscapes that it has to offer, the snow clad mountain views and the picturesque settings that one longs for.
But, in the course of time, Kashmir has lost the calm and peace that it offered along with these features and everyone knows, yet no one knows why and what happened to the beautiful Kashmir. Once upon a time, the valley welcomed everyone with such warmth that it was delightful, but what has happened now? We know, but we can't do much about it which is saddening!
I recently read, The Tree With A Thousand Apples, a book by debut author Sanchit Gupta, born and brought up in the hills of Himachal Pradesh, his professional life revolves around various creative and literature led initiatives. The book, The Tree With A Thousand Apples, is set in and around the lives of individuals from and in Kashmir who have undergone the worst, which has resulted in changing them from the inside more than the outside.
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| Book Review : The Tree With A Thousand Apples - Sanchit Gupta |
The Tree With A Thousand Apples is the story of three childhood friends Deewan Bhat, Safeena Malik and Bilal Ahanagar who were growing up in the beautiful Kashmir until a war of belonging which shatters their life like many other Kashmiris, the innocence dies a silent death only to be reincarnated later. If you ask me reincarnate as what? that is for you as a reader to find out.
The book blurb questions, "If a criminal was once a saint and a saint was once a criminal, then who is the criminal and who is the saint?". What do you think? A tough question to answer? Is it about the perspective or the situation? Is it about the challenges or the changes? How does this change happen? Does it happen over a period of time or it is the burst of everything erroneous that has happened? The Tree With A Thousand Apples is an answer to this.
The author, Sanchit Gupta, has woven this fictional novel around gripping reality, the choice of words and the narration of events is filled with emotions varying from happiness to haunting existence. The book talks about the other side of the story, which we are often kept away from and it is so intriguing that you would question the changes it has brought in Kashmir. The exploration of human desires, despair, emotions is very absorbing and the journey of friendship has a meaningful message which is all about the survival and existence. The story of The Tree With A Thousand Apples also sheds light on the political and the religious unrest in the Kashmir.
The book blurb is short and interesting enough to catch your attention and so is the book cover. The Tree With A Thousand Apples has received critical acclaim from people like Padma Shri Pritish Nandy and Saba Naqvi. I would recommend this 279 page long book to anyone interested in reading a realistic fiction with thriller and a close to reality story.
Other Details:
Published by: Niyogi Books
Copyright: Sanchit Gupta
ISBN: 978-9385285516
Genre: Realistic Fiction
You can order a copy of the book from Amazon and Flipkart.
Nice review.You deserve appreciation .
ReplyDeleteThank you very much for your kind words, Sir!
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