the scent of GOD - Saikat Majumdar

In 2019, I visited a bookstore with a friend with the least intention of buying any book. As I prefer buying books online. But this beautiful cover caught my attention! I picked it up, read the blurb and there was no second thought. 

Two young boys, dwells in a hindu monastery in a village. They feel a strong connection between themselves. A connection beyond friendship, a connection they are unaware of, a connection they're afraid of, a connection that's goes against their teaching. Their dwellance in a monastery questions the essence of their soul! Will they be able to accept themselves?

Majumdar very beautifully sketched the life of a young homosexual boy living in an hindu ashram. The monastery is situated in a village in Bengal in post- independence era. Besides, the story reveals two sides of the Indian society: the rich and the hunger driven poverty. Anirvan is a teenage boy. After the demise of his grandmother, whom he loved dearly, and his troubled relationship with his father, all he is left with is, the Ashram to call 'home'. Anirvan tries to find fatherly figure among his teachers. Anirvan is portrait as a smart and insightful kid and, accordingly he forms good relationship with some teachers. Anirvan admires the ashram, he is drown towards the monastic life. His fondness for the hymns, the flowers, the prayer, the fragrance of incense is firmly determined. In the course of time, his perspective on life changes. The prophetic lullaby by his grandmother tends to make little sense to him. Gradually, he realises the bitter truth of the real world.

His relationship with Kajol is quite alluring. Both of them desires different things from life, but also long for each others company. 

I personally liked Sushant Kane, a english teacher who acts as a great mentor in Anirvan's life. Anirvan is drown towards the prolific personality of Sushant, and further develops a strong bond with him.

I always had some sort of interest in knowing the ashram life, may be that's why I didn't feel any part unengaging. I liked how the book maintained it normal flow of the story, without making any hype about the queer theme. The author sketched the story very beautifully showing that queer people are just normal people, living the basic life as everybody else's. I am quite surprised not to have heard or seen much about this book in Instagram or other platforms.