This story
of Anita Desai revolves around a family which lives on the western coast of
India where industrialization is yet to set in motion. The setting is of a
village named Thul and the story is entirely based on fact. In the story Hari
is a young boy whose father is a drunkard and his mother is extremely ill. The
family has deplorable living conditions and they do not have a proper source of
income. Hari catches fish with his small net unlike many of the villagers who own
fishing boats. Other than that the family does not have sufficient cultivable
land. Every year a family from Bombay visits Thul for vacations. Hari and his
siblings do their menial work and get some cash in return. With an ailing mother and a drunkard father
life for Hari is worrisome. One day Hari hears about the construction of a
factory in the near future at Thul which would provide jobs to the local
population. Hari seems confused; he wants a job desperately but also craves for
a typical village life. Hari wants no adulteration in the natural environment
of his village. One day he leaves for Bombay with the people of his village.
They want to present their petition to the Chief Minister showing their
disapproval in written form regarding the construction of factories. There in
Bombay at the rally confusion arises when Hari realizes that none of his
friends from his were present there. This leaves Hari pondering. In fact Hari
only joined the rally in order to get a job in Bombay. Hari located the address
written on a piece of paper by the De Silvas. He was promised a job by them
when they last visited Thul. But on reaching their house he was informed that
the De Silvas were not home. Hari was distressed. In Bombay Hari had a tough
time, as he worked at a small restaurant and after some days he joined a watch
mending shop. Heavy rainfall in Bombay
exposed the strange living conditions to Hari. He now missed the natural environment
of his village. Everything in Bombay was flooded with rain water. Now Hari
wanted to return to Thul. His mentor at the watch mending shop advised Hari to
return to Thul and with that also gave him business ideas. With the money
earned at Bombay and his fears Hari returned to Thul. There he met his
siblings. Lila told his brother Hari about their lives and how they depended on
the De Silvas; and later on their friend Sayyid Ali for their survival, in
Hari’s absence. A day before Diwali Hari went to the hospital to bring back
home his mother who had been admitted to the hospital by the De Silvas. He was happy
to see his father who quit drinking. All the family members celebrated Diwali jubilantly
at Thul and it seemed to be the merriest day of their lives. Later Hari meets
Sayyid Ali the person from the city who was studying birds. He told him about
his apprehensions regarding the construction of factories in Thul. Sayyid Ali
the bird watcher was the first customer of Hari as he gave him his watch for
repair. Hari got confidence from conversing with this gentleman. Life goes on is
what Hari learned. For survival human adaptability is important. Hari could now see his mother joining the
other womenfolk for the rituals on the beach. Now he felt contented with his
life in Thul.
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