Seasons in the Mirror

Prologue

2006-09-30T14:16:00.000-07:00

Narrative of Harish Raut. -

People change and that’s no secret. I have and there’s no denial. All right I shall talk. But if you want to force a confession out of me you can go to hell. I’m not going to plead guilty to something I haven’t done.

Narrative of Sameer Oak. -

I am not afraid to think about the past. The point is that I don’t want to do it. That is my choice and not my cowardice. Let me be absolutely clear on that count. It is by choice that I don’t want to think about it and not because I am afraid. And after all, why should I be afraid? I was hardly involved. At least, not in the ugly part of it. What is the point of talking about it? You have heard of the old maxims – let bygones be bygones and let sleeping dogs lie. That is the sane man’s solution to the whole problem. So there, you have my side of the story. In two words, ‘No comments’.

Narrative of Umesh Gosavi. -

I was used. I was duped. I am bitter about it. Why shouldn’t I be? Those bastards weren’t affected by it. I was. I am the one who is paying the price of all the crimes that were committed, the sins that were lived, and the evil that was done. I shall talk. You bet I shall. I shall destroy those who have attempted to destroy me. I shall have my revenge.

Narrative of Anurag Kher. -

All my life, I have attempted to find something to change it. I am still wondering if my life has really changed or I am where I always have been. I don’t know a lot many things. I don’t know if I could have done anything to avert whatever happened. I don’t know if I am guilty or not. I don’t know if anybody’s guilty or not. I guess somebody has to be. It has been a painstaking task. A travel from nowhere to nowhere. But what matters is the road. I have been concerned and that is enough reason for me to talk. Self-discovery is only incidental.

Foreword: Intention and Actualities

2006-09-30T02:55:00.000-07:00

There are innumerable places in the book where the narrators refer to their accounts as stories. I, being one of the narrators may have done it more than once. You, as the reader should excuse us such references. After the completion of this task, I have reached the conclusion that these accounts are not a story. I make this statement for a number of reasons. One – a conventional story has a beginning, middle, and an end. Now after having said this, you naturally expect me to say that this book has no beginning and no end. But that is not so. This book, in fact, has many beginnings and as many ends. Each character of this great drama started from one place and ended up in another and each one thus had a different end destined to him or her. And as far as the middle is concerned, it is there, but quite untraceable.
The book consists primarily of narratives of four persons, I being one of them. So, for obvious reasons, it does not represent one single point of view – another hallmark of a conventional story. But there are references to the accounts as stories and in a way the mention of the word story is quite unavoidable. So, as that part of the audience that is interested in a true story, let me clarify right at the outset that both these terms are illusive. Truth is nobody’s mistress. There are claims to the truth. And, in spite of the obvious contradictions in their respective accounts, all four central characters claim that they are speaking the truth and nothing but the truth. (Nevertheless, not all admit to speaking the whole truth.)
I see that I have been talking too much. I had decided that I mustn’t overdo it, so I will check myself here and now.
Most of the passages and narratives are as related to me (on tape); some I got the people concerned to record them on to tape in my absence as they said that they would be uncomfortable talking to me face to face. In addition to these narratives, I was fortunate enough to come into possession of certain accounts from diaries, letters, bits and pieces from other relevant documents, which I have reproduced here (with the kind consent of the parties concerned).
There are places where I have also used the transcriptions of my interviews with the characters of this great drama (on tape). I have refrained from including views and opinions of my own and any such editorial comments, which might colour the reader’s view in any way.
There is a possibility that in some places the reader might be confused as to the actual source of the narratives and whom they are addressed to. The contradictions and the discrepancies that your eyes will catch on the way in the various accounts have not been tampered with. Life is seldom clear in all its corners. The confusion is part of the experience. Enjoy it.

Anurag Kher
September 28, 2006
Mumbai

Copyright

2006-09-29T14:20:00.000-07:00

Seasons in the Mirror
All rights reserved.
2000. © Kaushal S. Inamdar
No part of this book may be
Reproduced or transmitted in
Any form or by any means,
Electronic or mechanical,
Including photocopying,
Recording, or by any
Information storage and
Retrieval system, without
permission in writing from
the author.

An Introduction

2006-09-28T02:29:00.000-07:00

I am a specialist writer of incomplete masterpieces. If I had completed at least one of them, I would have been in race for the Nobel. Actually, the only complete manuscript is my speech for the Nobel Award ceremony, but I don't want to publish it as yet. After all, I am an author, not a fortune teller.
Now, I have made a good beginning with Music in the World of Noise, so I was thinking of what could my second blog be about. And then I got this brilliant idea... of writing a novel online... totally impromptu!

There was a serial on TV called UPANYAAS (उपन्यास). That was long ago. It was about a writer's creative process and how his personal life reflects in his art. That's the inspiration for this novel... to investigate if my personal life will also reflect in my writing.

So, starting tomorrow I shall attempt to write a novel that is not premeditated, and totally impromptu.

You wish me luck and I'll do the same for you!