He was a Muslim boy She was a Hindu girl Both were raised in traditional conservative families Separated by centuries of cultural and religious animosities they might as well have been living on two different planets When their worlds collided it was the beginning of a journey that took them to the brink of despair yet they found within themselves new meaning and a will to surviveSet in rural Kerala India in the 1950s the novel strives to present a realistic picture of the socioeconomic and religious climate prevalent at that time Soon after gaining independence from Britain in 1947 the Indian economy was in shambles jobs were scarce money was tight and goods and services were hard to come by Faced with such hardships people withdrew into the familiar cocoons of their differences that is they erected fencesboth religious and socialaround themselves The Hindu caste system reigned supreme even inter caste marriages were unacceptableIn such a culture one can only imagine the hellfire that would rain down if by chance two people from different religions fell in love In those days parents asserted what they believed to be their Godgiven right to make marriage alliances for their children The foundation of this social structure is threatened when a young Muslim boy and a Hindu girl fall in love To prevent their union society came down hard on them It wished to teach everyone that those who defied the norms would be banished from their homes and society As a result very few...
