Homespun

When Nanaji was shown Naneeji’s photograph, he looked at it for a long time. He had said “no” so often that it was surprising when he looked up and said “yes”’ just like that. They were married a month later. Nanaji was 17, Naneeji, 15.

But the photograph had lied. A marriage between the nationalistic Nanaji, deeply committed to Mahatma Gandhi, and Naneeji, equally committed to her wardrobe, could only spell trouble.

Spanning three generations, from India’s struggle for independence against British rule, up to the present day, HomeSpun traces the lasting imprints of war and the search for peace at levels that are both historical and familial. Setting in motion an irreversible chain of events, a cast of unforgettable characters criss-cross and affect one another in unlikely ways: a Bombay movie producer with a love for pakoras; a fighter pilot who never should have been one; a war correspondent who stumbles upon a disquieting truth; and at the heart of the story, a young girl, whose fractured quest for family brings her full circle. Painted on a wide canvas with a deft and intimate hand, HomeSpun’s reach is alluringly diverse: it is at once historical saga, military intrigue, and a funny and moving coming-of-age portrayal.