Media Release
Margao, Dec 10: A book titled ‘Two Leaves and Bud’ written by M A Chacko, published by Crossword Book Stores, here will be released on Saturday December 15 at the Black Box, Ravindra Bhavan, here at 4.30 pm.
Tomazinho Cardozo, former speaker of Goa legislative Assembly and eminent writer will be chief guest, while Dr Susan Deborah assistant professor MES college, blogger and eco-writer, will be the guest of honour.
About the book
Three distinct stories weave their magic in the novel.
The first story, 'The Faithful Husband' is based on the Syrian Catholic Community which remained a separate entity for centuries together. They were agriculturists whose large families needed more land for their livelihood. They had set principles and pet beliefs often detrimental to the growth of society. Their love for the soil and hard work they put in was noteworthy.
There was an exodus on the community from central Kerala to acquire more land from the Malabar Namboodiries as the latter wanted to sell the excess land and escape from the Land Ceiling Act to be enforced by the world ‘s first democratically elected communist government to power in the mid twenties.
Seby, a true Sunday Christian, through his endeavours, cunningness and chicanery tried to expand the family tradition. His ideology of self above everything was a sage in itself despite the new order.
The second story is about an artist and his pursuits for art for art sake. A mature artist, charmed by the beauty of a rustic girl, selects her as his model and she encourages him and complies with his requirements wholeheartedly. Engulfed and mesmerised by her picture on canvas, she wallows in an imaginary world. The passenger who duped the acquaintances who travelled with him as narrated in the book looks real and natural. Chacko fluently discusses the interplay of family, values, society, marriage, dowry and property on the day to day life of the community.
The Holiday, the final story, is a day in the life of Raymond, who wanders through the old haunts of Goa on his day off. With his leisurely pace and graceful style, it gives a kaleidoscopic view of the tourist in this multi-cultured tourist spot Goa.
The title of the second story is chosen as the title of the book as the other stories on either side somehow coincide with the middle story, the bud. The first story is related to the past and second more concerned with the love for art, the universal theme. The third is the mundane affairs mildly touching Goa.
The book contains about 311 pages.
About the author
M A Chacko originally hails from Kerala. He started as a school teacher and retired as the principal of a Higher Secondary School after a long teaching career spanning more than three decades. He presently lives in Goa. He pursues his passion for writing. He is the author of three other books: The Circus and Other Stories, How He Met Me and Other Stories and Those Memorable Days.