#558 - A Melody in Mysore

by Shruthi Rao

“A Melody in Mysore” by Shruthi Rao. Published by Duckbill. An enthralling story of a feisty girl who finds herself being drawn into the freedom struggle in an unexpected way.

The story is set in the year of 1932. Leela is a twelve year old girl living with her Ajji (grandmother) in the city of Mysore. Her father works in Bangalore and her mother is no more. She is inquisitive by nature and curious to know about the freedom movement. While the rest of India is ablaze with the struggle for freedom from the British, Mysore remains distant and largely calm under the benevolent rule of Nalwadi Krishnaraja Wodeyar. The city is progressing and the people are satisfied with the state of things not having experienced the atrocities of the British. Whenever Leela tried to discuss about the movement or Gandhiji, she was not encouraged to talk about it by her Ajji and the topic was changed. Her only source of information was the weekly visit on Sundays to a nearby shop where her teacher would read the news from magazines and newspapers. Leela is worried if she will be allowed to go to high school next year or married off.

The freedom movement seems quite distant until a relative called Malathi Akka moves to her neighbourhood. Malathi Akka is supposed to have attended a speech by Gandhiji in Dharwad. Leela gets drawn towards her. Their acquaintance presents her with interesting ideas, different perspectives and a whole new insight into the freedom movement. For the first time in her life, she gets to see a gramophone and experience the thrill of listening to music on it. She also gets to hear a speech by Gandhiji about whom she has always been curious. She begins to realise how different people that she meets or knows are contributing to the movement in ways that she had never imagined before. A trip to Dharwad with her father and Ajji proves to be a turning point in her life. Read the story filled with warmth and find out how Leela can contribute to the freedom movement in her own way.

The book is a part of the “Songs of Freedom” series which is one of our favourites. This series explores how the lives of children across India might have been during the struggle for independence. Joy and curiosity were what I experienced when I heard about this book, as Mysore is where I am from. My ten year old son and I couldn’t just put the book away when we started reading it. A day of sick leave allowed us to finish reading the book within a couple of hours. The liberal usage of Kannada words, idioms, local foods and names made the read all the more enjoyable for us. The endearing character of Leela brought smiles to our faces every now and then. The narrative kept us hooked throughout and we loved how the author has presented it. The power of music surpassing the language and custom barriers across different parts of our diverse country thereby making it a good means of  spreading awareness about the need for freedom has been portrayed beautifully through the story. The story gave us a glimpse into the music of that time along with the names of singers and poets who played a role in the freedom movement. Some of the social conditions of the time have also been deftly woven in a subtle manner into the main theme. How I wish the book was a little longer and I could savour more from a bygone era in my favourite city. Leela will remain a memorable character for us. Overall the book is a “MUST READ”.

Like all the other books from the series, there is a historical note section at the end which talks about how much of the story is fiction and who/what are the people/events which really happened. Last but not the least, the cover design is just brilliant as always. Every object shown has a role (small or large) to play in the story.

P.S. - The other books from the series that we have read and enjoyed so far are “The Chowpatty Cooking Club”, “That Year at Manikoil”, “The Train to Tanjore”, “A Conspiracy in Calcutta”, “The Letter to Lahore” and “Postcard From the Lushai Brigade”.

Recommended Age

The book is apt for children aged 10 and above.

Disclaimer - We received these books from the publisher, Penguin India (Duckbill), for review. Thank you to Mansi, from Penguin, for sending across the books!