Pokhran
Genre:
Historical
fiction
Author: Uday Singh
Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐
“I don’t want to be one of the majority that don’t
seem to care about others. I don’t want to be adding to the problem; I want to be a part of a solution.”
India, being the most populous democracy with the coexistence of various cultures, faces many questions and problems that arise day by day in large numbers. This book takes aim at a problem and answers many questions.
Pokhran is the story of Chaintanya who was born a
few months after the Smiling Buddha nuclear test held in the underground of a
remote village in Rajasthan named Pokhran. The test was a success, but at a
cost paid by the people of Pokhran is left unattended. Chaitanya is born
disabled. Taken care by a loving sister and a stern father, Chaitanya goes
through a lot at a very young age. Lost innocence and blood-bound passion are things
hard to change. When his father is killed for trying to uncover the nuclear
fallout to the world, Chaitanya is forced to flee to the US where he studies in
MIT and meets Zara, and the story takes a different turn.
The story is fast-moving. Although it tip-toes
around some unspeakable topics of reality, it does not hinder to give us a
pleasant feel. Chaitanya is inspiring and teaches a lot of life lessons. The
relationship between Chaintanya and Zara is so beautiful. The book taught me a
lot of stuff that I was unaware of. Above all, I love how the author took up
this sensitive topic of bringing out the fallout to the limelight, in an
elegant manner. And I love how although the book is based on a fallout, it
focuses more on what could be done, rather than what has been done.
One thing that bumped me was that from the blurb at the back of the book, I assumed it was going to blood-boiling revenge story. But the revenge factor was a little less for my expectation. In fact, it was more of Chaitanya's story than uncovering the truth. The book speaks about some major issues that not everyone is aware of, but it does not go deeper than the surface of those issues.
The author had coined a new term – Paracracy – which introduces a concept where every person who turns twenty one will become independent of his\her parent’s wealth and will be given an equal chance to make and live the life they want, as anyone else. This way there will be lesser hoarding of wealth and more expansion of equality.
Speaking about celebrations of a success, and the hardships to attain it, is one thing. But highlighting a repercussion through the life of its survivor and also providing with a solution, is a whole other thing. Pick up Pokhran for a brave yet believable story of what you thought you know.
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