The Hungry Ghosts (2013)

Reading Shyam Selvadurai's novel The Hungry Ghosts made me feel that here is a writer who has that rare ability to put our thoughts into words - in all their minute and private glory or shame. Often, people react to situations, say things or make decisions, and not many have an articulate conscience to have a rational perspective on why.

To me, this is the best quality of this novel - that ability to track the pace and work out what confluence of emotions take a person from one moment to another.

The novel centres around Shivan Rassiah – a lost soul... when one first meets him. His present life is interspersed with flashbacks of the past and his struggle to make sense of the course life has taken. As with life in general, the relationships in his life are complicated – mother, sister, partner and above all his grandmother.

Shivan's grandmother is a powerful, and at times ominous, presence throughout the novel – in fact, her dominating and single-minded personality hovers over everyone's lives, whether her involvement is welcome or not.

She has a vision of herself as the matriarch of her family, bolstered by her own private history and struggles. As a result, she remains blinded to the tragic consequences of her self-centred actions, and how they only serve to drive those closest to her and those struggling to honour her place in their world.

A recurring theme that the protagonist picks up from his grandmother is that of hungry ghosts – a buddhist myth that symbolises unsatiable desire. Like these hungry ghosts that cannot ever fulfil their desires, the desire of the main characters to love, own and control others destroys the very people they try to protect.

Linked to all this and adding another layer of confusion and frustration is Shivan's sexual identity that he must hide from those around him, especially his grandmother. His mother and sister are more accepting of his life choices, but the socio-cultural constructs that surround him prove harder to navigate. The challenge is what he does in response, and whether he can find it in himself to forgive and move forward.

The author
By Kevin Kelly © shyamselvadurai.com

The backdrop to Shivan's life in Sri Lanka, migration to Canada and visits back is the political movements of Sri Lanka. Personal responses to these movements often precipitate what happens to not just Shivan and his family, but also his relationships with his partner and co-workers. In this, Selvadurai has captured the private vs public struggle of everyday life, where you must make sacrifices to stay true to your principles.

Shyam has also positioned a non-governmental organisation (NGO) at the heart of the story, which I found quite telling in the face of NGO activities and the sub-culture these organisations have created within the social milieu of Sri Lanka. These organisations often generate much debate about their contribution to internal politics and the influential roles they play in the socio-cultural fabric of Sri Lanka. In a very constructive way, Shyam continues this debate.

Here's Shyam talking about The Hungry Ghosts:

 

© CityTV Official, YouTube

Another interesting factor in the novel is the references to what life is like for newly arrived migrants in their host country. It's heart-breaking to see Shivan and his family, newly arrived in Canada, slowly come to realise that this new life is no less gut-wrenching than the one they've just left behind. The socio-cultural struggles, the divisions among fellow countrymen and women, the sense of isolation and questions around where one fits into the larger picture are all there.

The Hungry Ghosts is a great read and it has a plot that keeps you deeply engaged with its humanist approach that entreats us to empathise and understand. I feel there's a Shivan in all of us – and the triumph would be to not just acknowledge this, but also to find the strength to be honest about it.

You can find more details about Shyam and his writing at his website shyamselvadurai.com.