Ishq and Mushq by Priya Basil

Ishq and Mushq

Priya Basil

This is a vivid and often funny drama of two generations of a Sikh family from the partition of India to the present day. Read it for scheming matriarch, Sarna, an unforgettable creation who appears on almost every page, lying to and manipulating her own family as expertly as she cooks.

Extract
... she began to deconstruct her memories while she constructed her recipes. Thus Sarna concocted new tastes and tales. In a bubbling pot of khudi she tried to boil away the shame of her terrible mistake. In sizzling hot oil, as bhajias fried, she battered her insecurities about Persini being Biji's favourite in a crisp and crunchy coat of indifference. Beneath thick veils of spicy smell she disguised her homesickness for India. 'Only two things you can't hide- Ishq and Mushq: Love and Smell.'
Parallels
  • Dancing with the Two-Headed Tigress by Tina Biswas
  • Brick Lane by Monica Ali