Song of the Sun God by Shankari Chandran

‘If you’re going to do something, son, you should do it properly.’

In Colombo in 1932, with his beloved sister ill in hospital, eleven-year-old Rajan witnesses the sight of a Buddhist monk self-immolating. In 1946, now a respected young doctor, Rajan enters an arranged marriage with Nala. Colombo (Sri Lanka since 1972) is on the verge of independence from Britain.  Independence from Britain and heightened ethnic tension between the Tamils and the Sinhalese.  Bloody civil war follows, and Rajan and Nala must decide how to best safeguard their family.

The story, which spans three (or perhaps four) generations begins in Colombo in 1932 and ends in Sydney in 2010. Along the way, Rajan and Nala adapt to each other, suffering both personal heartbreak and triumph along the way. Nala never wants to leave Sri Lanka, but Rajan can see the trouble ahead for his Tamil family.

What a wonderfully moving novel this is! I had to remind myself of aspects of Sri Lankan history and acquaint myself with cultural practices. Nala and Rajan are not the only characters in this story: their children Priya and Nandan and particularly their adopted daughter Dhara are important. I smiled at Nala’s adoption of Oprah’s wisdom as she dealt with family issues after arriving in Sydney and deeply admired Rajan’s commitment to family. Dhara’s trauma, which many will find uncomfortable, is an important part of this story, and her decision to give her daughter Smithri to Priya is both heartbreaking and understandable. No-one can foresee what the future holds.

This novel takes us into the consequences of war and violence, to the disruption caused to families and the difficult decisions made. Ms Chandran brought her characters to life as they handled some of the challenges of emigration including different cultural practices. This novel made me think about how we define home, about how we make choices and about conflicts within families.

I enjoyed reading this novel and am still thinking about some aspects of it.

Jennifer Cameron-Smith