The characters are real and yet they are not: Jane Borges

Sunday Midday journalist and the coauthor of Mafia Queens of Bombay Jane Borges reimagines Bombay now Mumbai with shades of nostalgia in her debut fiction novel Bombay Balchao The book has been nominated for the prestigious Atta Galatta Award at the Bangalore Literature FestivalOriginally from Karnataka Jane grew up in Muscat She was thrilled by the vibrancy and progressiveness of Mumbai after moving to the city with her family Cavel became Janersquos home in 2003 a locality which bewildered her initially because it was so different from the rest of the cityA quiet neighbourhood in south Bombay Cavel is inhabited by East Indians and encompasses the rich culture of migrated Catholics But Jane didnrsquot think much of it in the beginning So what prompted her to write a book about the Catholic residents of Cavel In an interview with midday online Jane Borges talks about Cavel and reveals the creative process behind her book Bombay Balchao Excerpts from the interviewWhat is Cavel likeItrsquos a locality sandwiched between two bustling markets but is surprisingly calm and completely silent Over the years the neighbourhood managed to remain isolated and retain its aloof charm The lives of the residents of Cavel are intertwined with each other many of whom are relatives Their conversations revolve around Church feasts and events They are largely disconnected from the outside world and I remember saying to myself lsquowhy are you like thisrsquoWhen did you start feeling at homeThe more I started mingling with the people of Cavel engaging in their lives and festivities the more I understood their stories rich legacy and migratory histories I also learnt about the many lives the residents of this quaint neighbourhood have lived And this made me feel as one with the ldquoCavelitesrdquoBut I soon realised that amid the towering skyscrapers of Mumbai this sleepy little locality home to some very profound people who contributed to the city in many ways be it sports governance music health or education is getting lostThe city and my quaint neighbourhood in particular have transformed in the last 15odd years The charm the city once had is slowly vanishing under the towering skywalks thanks to the underground Metro even the ground beneath our feet is shakyWhat is the reason behind the dwindling population of the community and what can be done to protect itThe history of Cavel dates back to approximately 4 centuries but now there are about 120 residents here That is mainly because of migration Many have moved out of Mumbai because living in Cavel is an expensive affair now Some are settled abroad due to their jobs and livelihoods The ones who are here have a thriving active life out of Cavel too They have jobs and social engagements but their lifestyle and culture is such that it stands out from even the other Catholic communities of MumbaiHowever asking Cavelites to protect their culture and community will be putting too much pressure on them Moreover migration and pursuing better opportunities is a part of life My book Bombay Balchao is an effortto reintroduce the nearlyforgotten community of Cavel to the readersAre the characters in the book inspired by the residents of CavelI wouldnrsquot say they are inspired but they definitely comprise different traits of the residents The characters of the book are humane and strike a chord with the readers Some of them are ldquototally lovelessrdquo another is ldquoextremely jealousrdquo and so on But the traits of the characters are what make them relatable So in a way the characters are real and yet they are notWhy BalchaoBecause my characters felt like a Balchatildeo a Goan preserve used to prepare a fish dish The spicy and tangy flavours of the masala were in a way a reflection of the traits of the characters in my book Strangely its this title that led me to the last chapter where the Balchatildeo becomes a very significant element in the plotJanersquos tale of a unique little neighbourhood in the middle of an everexpanding city did not fail to touch lives of people even out of MumbaiHow was the book received outside MumbaiThe initial accolades came from Kerala and Delhi and gradually it kept growing A story like Bombay Balchao could have a deep emotional impact on people from different regions because it is about beauty of human qualities and empathy I would also want to thank my Instagram family who helped in spreading the word and showered love to the bookNow the book has been shortlisted for the prestigious Atta Galatta Award at the Bangalore Literature Festival 2020 which is a massive honour for any writer and an achievement in itself for a debut novelistWhat was your first reactionI couldnrsquot believe it when my editor Sanghamitra informed me that the book has been shortlisted for the award I immediately logged in to Google to check if it was for realAs we wait for the Bangalore Literature Festival to commence of December 12 2020 we wish Jane Borges all the best and extend our gratitude for telling a deeply impactful and charming story of MumbaiKeep scrolling to read more newsCatch up on all the latest Crime National International and Hatke news here Also download the new midday Android and iOS apps to get latest updates MidDay is now on Telegram Click here to join our channel middayinfomedialtd and stay updated with the latest newsThis story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed agencies Midday accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability trustworthiness reliability and data of the text Midday managementmiddaycom reserves the sole right to alter delete or remove without notice the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever