by Anosh Irani
While it is her voice that travels seawards, it is her chest that releases her song.
That is where her song comes from. That is where her strength lies.
At that moment, Chamdi feels something move within his chest too.
He tells himself that it could be anything.
Perhaps it is a police-tiger.
Yes, the police-tigers are inside his chest, and even though they are silent now, someday they will roar. Someday he will let them out.
He wants to tell her this as her voice soars above the waves.
Just then, he hears a sound. It is the gallop of horses, mad and strong. All of Bombay’s horse carriages are by the sea, and that in itself is an unusual sight, but what dazzles Chamdi is the nature of the horses themselves. They are made from bougainvillea, every vein and fibre of these magnificent beasts is flower. They race towards the sea wall, jump over the astonished heads of men and women, into the water.
This makes Chamdi’s heart race. He takes a deep breath.
He watches as the sun slowly takes its place in the sky and sends its light around in a sparkling dance.
Behind him, there is the sudden flutter of pigeons, as though they have all flown away at the same time.
As the water gurgles beneath them, Chamdi moves closer to Guddi, and lets his hand touch hers.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS.
My deepest gratitude to God and the Bhavnagris for their guidance and blessings.
To my friends Shiamak, Nakul, Glen, Rohan, Marzi, Puneet, and Riyaaz for being good listeners and making invaluable suggestions.
To my agent, Denise Bukowski, for being a wonderful guardian of my work.
To Brad Martin, Cathy Paine, Scott Richardson, Martha Leonard, Susan Burns, Lara Hinchberger, Val Gow, Kristin Cochrane, and Shaun Oakey for their support and for welcoming me to Doubleday.
Finally, a special thank you to my editor, Maya Mavjee, for her faith and wisdom.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Anosh Irani was born and brought up in Bombay, India and moved to Vancouver in 1998. He is the author of the acclaimed novel The Cripple and His Talismans. His first play, The Matka King, premiered at the Arts Club Theatre Company, Vancouver, in 2003. His most recent play, Bombay Black, commissioned and developed by Nightswimming, was produced by Cahoots Theatre Projects, Toronto, in 2006 and won four Dora Awards, including Outstanding New Play.
A NOTE ABOUT THE TYPE
The Song of Kahunsha is set in Mrs. Eaves, a modern face designed by Zuzana Licko of the American digital type foundry Emigre. It draws its influences both from classic French types of the 16th century such as Fournier, as well as mid-twentieth versions of the classic English text face Baskerville.
BOOK DESIGN BY CS RICHARDSON
COPYRIGHT © 2006 ANOSH IRANI
All rights reserved. The use of any part of this publication,
reproduced, transmitted in any form or by any means electronic,
mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, or stored in a
retrieval system without the prior written consent of the
publisher–or, in the case of photocopying or other reprographic
copying, a license from the Canadian Copyright Licensing
Agency–is an infringement of the copyright law.
Anchor Canada and colophon are trademarks.
LIBRARY AND ARCHIVES CANADA CATALOGUING IN PUBLICATION
Irani, Anosh, 1974-
The song of Kahunsha / Anosh Irani.
eISBN: 978-0-307-37337-3
1. Bombay Riots, Bombay, India, 1992-1993-Fiction. I. Title.
PS8617.R36S65 2007 C813’.6 C2006-904625-5
Published in Canada by
Anchor Canada, a division of
Random House of Canada Limited
Visit Random House of Canada Limited’s website:
www.randomhouse.ca
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