The Hindi-Bindi Club

THE HINDI-BINDI CLUB by Monica Pradhan focuses on two generations of Indian women and will remind some readers of THE JOY LUCK CLUB by Amy Tan. Kiran, Preity, and Rani are the Americanized daughters of Meenal, Saroj, and Uma, who are women originally from India and then immigrated with their husbands to America for one reason or another. The chapters are alternately narrated by each of these six women, each of whom are going through issues that they need to come to terms with or fix before they can move on with their lives.

The six main characters all have interesting and varied stories. While the older generation had their share of stories, so did their daughters who are struggling to find their way as Americanized women of Indian heritage. Kiran had been married to a rock musician (against her parents’ wishes), but is now divorced. She surprises everyone by letting her parents know she is ready for an arranged marriage! Kiran is the one than seemed to shun all that was Indian and tried her best to be the rebel.

Preity has lived for years with a secret: a heartache and loss of a man she had met in India while on vacation many years ago, but because he was a Muslim, she was forbidden ever to see him again. She is now happily married to another man, but she has a feeling in the back of her mind that she wants to meet up with this old love and reconcile her feelings for him.

Rani is an artist, and now that she has finally gained some sort of status and recognition in the art world (she is having her first show!), her demons have come to take it all away. She feels she is losing her artistic drive, now that she is a full-time artist.

Readers will love and enjoy THE HINDI-BINDI CLUB. The title phrase was a nickname the three girls chose for their mothers, who were the best of friends. Kiran, Preity and Rani, however, were not as close as their mothers were, but they were bound by their mother's friendships to each other. Now as adults, the three young women unite as each of them deals with her own issues and makes decisions that may change the course of their lives.

THE HINDI-BINDI CLUB is a book aimed at women readers, but anyone that is interested in cultural differences between generations will enjoy this book. Fans of THE JOY LUCK CLUB may also see some similarities to this book centered on the Indian culture, as both books delve into the past of the older women, taking the readers to another culture and time. The story line also depicts the relationships between the mothers and daughters, and how culture has impacted these relationships. This reviewer especially liked the way the author was able to tell the story of all six women, keeping each voice separate and unique from the other. Readers shouldn’t feel overwhelmed by all the different stories that are told by each of the women. One will learn a lot about the Indian culture, and facts about Indian history will also be mentioned, including the tensions that have existed between Muslims and Hindus over the years.

A bonus is the many recipes that are featured at the end of each chapter. For those who love Indian food, these recipes are definitely a must-try, but they also add to the overall experience of the book. This reviewer was very impressed with the look and packaging of THE HINDI-BINDI CLUB. There was obviously a lot of thought that went into the publication of the book. I highly recommend THE HINDI-BINDI CLUB.

June 2007