The Hero’s Walk by Anita Rau Badami happened to be a book my English 30 teacher decided to use as a novel study. At first glance the book appears less-than-stellar, being a no-name book accredited with a few Canadian awards. I mean, don’t we all look for New York Times Bestsellers when we look for good reads? Nonetheless, as the timeless saying goes, “don’t judge a book by its cover” proves valid with this book.
Sripathi Rao is an ordinary man, born and raised in the town of Toturpuram. Sripathi lives with his family, consisting of his mother, wife, sister, and son under their home, deemed as the Big House. Sounds ordinary enough, except for the fact that his daughter isn’t in the picture. Several years back, she left to pursue her studies and never returned, not because she was lost in the foreign world, but because Sripathi exiled her from his family name. This was her punishment for marrying a white man and breaking her prearranged engagement with a man back home. A tragic family conflict becomes more tragic when his daughter and her husband are killed in a car crash – leaving behind their seven-year-old daughter. Sripathi is the designated legal guardian in case of such an accident. Amidst the chaos the ensues in the household, Sripathi must come to terms with his loss as well as redeem himself with regards to restoring his family.
In a powerful composition of ordinary characters turned extraordinary, the book explores in depth what it’s like to suffer through life’s tragedies through the perspectives of everyone affected. Capturing everything normal, Badami ties together life’s joys and sorrows with a bittersweet harmony. Perfectly reflecting the human experience, this book showcases what it means to simply live through life.
The novel really caught me off-guard. What I thought would have been a bland book turned out to be a captivating exploration of the adversities life throws at essentially everyone. If you’re interested in reading a book that isn’t fantasy or mystery/thriller but simply a portrayal of life, then you might have found your book.
