Book - 16, The Last Wave

The Last Wave (2014)

by

Pankaj Sekhsaria

Book Read: June 2015

Note Written: 20 July 2015

'The Last Wave' is a novel set in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands, one of those places we 'Indians' don't often remember is part of India, others being Lakshadeep and the North East. The novel introduced me to the ways of island living, their issues with influx of people from mainland, tribes of the islands, ecology, the notions of development and progress and many more. Even though the book has a slow start and love story element is just a carrier for the other issues which are said, this is a book which made me think a lot about many issues and reality we see around us. Priscilla says this could have been written as non-fiction only, but I don't have any opinion as such- I wouldn't probably have read this if it was non-fiction unless I was doing some research or something. I think, as a novel it could attract more readers and that's what the author also tried I presume. The book slightly reminded me of 'Things Fall Apart'. While religion was a major issue in 'Things Fall Apart', 'The Last Wave' deals with cultural, economic, and ecological aspects of outside interference, influence, and population influx. The Jarawa community of Andamans is similar to the tribes of Africa described by Chinua Achebe- having lost their identity to political and geographical invasion, confused in the new world and rapid changes around them. I am of the opinion that tribes should be left alone, unless there are issues particularly necessary to their survival (natural catastrophe, epidemic etc). See, I haven't yet mentioned the lead characters yet. I have forgotten their names. That's how soon the background story is forgotten. There was a love/heartbreak angle and all. But those are not the things that stay in your mind. The end of the book, focused solely on the hero and heroine, was similar to the short story I wrote when I was at school- 'ആ ചുവന്ന വളപ്പൊട്ടുകൾ' (Those Broken Bangles). That was surprising for me. Thank you Pankaj Sekhsaria for making me think.

PS: I would like to visit The Andamans sometime- not as a tourist though-  probably as a wanderer.