A statement.

Why i loved Known Turf. A review, a statement.

India is no more an underdeveloped nation. No. It is rising up the highest economic echelons and competing in a world as a torch bearer of the future. As we shine the light on the many successes that we have lapped up in the last decade, we fail to pay enough consideration to the internal failures, many of which do not make it to the news as they are not titillating enough to hold a nation's attention. Some that do are soon torn up and forgotten as headlines that are past their age.

India is still a largely 'unequally developed' nation. The diversity that lends India her colour is also the cause of her shortcomings. It is this mismatch of reality that Annie Zaidi points out in her book Known Turf.

Sceptical as I am of books by contemporary Indian writers ( where words such as fuck, OMG and dialogues like - "like, you know", "like, of course" are callously alluded to literature) and bloggers turned authors, this book caught my fancy! Blame it on her bollywood-spersed chapters or a whole chapter dedicated to chai.

A mix of reportage and Annie Zaidi's story behind the articles filed for her magazine, the book is beautifully nuanced. From lighter topics of chai to going into the belly of India to understand the Chambal daakus; from stravation deaths to fractured sufism - the book unfolds in mirthy dialogues and hard stated statistics with a personal touch.

I am currently in The Netherlands, studying. I miss home. Home, however has taken on a whole new meaning. Home is no more, my apartment back in Delhi. Home is no more Delhi. Home is India. I wax eloquent about home with memories, enchanting. The idea of home that I have built up in my head has however, made me shut the doors to many rooms in it. Cobwebbed, they lie hidden somewhere in my conscience. Known Turf has forced me to find the key, wipe the dirt off the doors and take a peek into these rooms, curiously albeit with a bit of fear on what I may stumble upon. I have switched on the lights now in these rooms and hopefully will get to do something to change the way they look.

More about Annie Zaidi @ her blog - http://www.anniezaidi.com/

Rating for Known Turf - 4 stars out of 5