When people talk about loneliness, longing and that wretched sense of neglect in a marriage, one nods and empathises and tries to understand, but when an author and poet of the caliber of Kamala Das talks about it, the point reaches home, searingly.
This autobiography is not an easy read. The turbulent times and equally tenacious relationships are described simply and honestly. A woman’s longing for appreciation and love, more importantly, companionship, is quite often the basis of the poems that come from her tormented life.
The chapters are short and brisk. I loved some of her insights and beautifully constructed sentences.
I was glad to be able to put a story behind the name, and even happier that it came from her and not hearsay or rumours that had grown around her during her lifetime and never left her even after she left this world…