DAROOK(Novel)

Number of words in Tamil: 50098

Australia is the last of the new worlds ‘discovered’ by European explorers. Captain Arthur Phillip was the first to establish a British Colony in Australia. Today, people from all over the world, particularly from Asia, emigrate to Australia hoping for a better life.

The Author juxtaposes the arrival of Captain Phillip and the experiences of an Indian couple who have immigrated in recent times to bring out the similarities in their experiences and the differences due to the times and their backgrounds. In the backdrop of day-to-day incidents, the author brings out the ripples created by transplantation and the nuances of human emotions and relationships.

The novel begins with the viewpoint of William, a confidante and an assistant of Captain Phillip. The First Fleet, comprising eleven ships of colonists and convicts travelled over twenty-four thousand kilometers and lands on the coast of Australia with the intention to establish a British colony on the island. He has left the love of his life, Rebecca, back in England and hopes to bring her to the new land soon. But soon he is disillusioned witnessing the treatment meted out to the natives and to his own crewmates. Eventually he gives up his dream of settling in Australia and returns to England hoping to get back to Rebecca.

Kasim, an Indian software consultant, is compelled by his wife Farsana, to move to Australia to improve their financial position. He encounters Jedda, an indigenous Australian woman who is researching about her culture. He identifies his troubles as similar to those faced by Jedda and her ancestors and forges an unexpected and complicated relationship with her.

The author braids these different threads into an interesting tapestry. While the language employed is simple and direct, the novel is replete with allegorical references to human nature.