I’ve just finished The White Tiger by Aravind Adiga, which is an interesting & funny read. It’s the story of Balram Halwal, a poor village boy from the Delhi area, who becomes the driver to ‘The Mongoose’ & his rich family. Balram has a very humorous & insightful perspective on modern Indian society & invites you to India from the eyes of a local. He talks about the craziness of his country, the corruption, the 34,000 gods…..& he does it with large dose of Indian humour.

We actually spent time with a driver like Balram, when we were graciously given several nights in a posh hotel in Mumbai at the end of our last trip. He was a smart & amiable chap who took us on a fascinating tour of his city, but he also spoke openly about the problems facing India. Just like Balram, he told us about the hardships he faced – he spends four hours commuting every day to & from his tiny flat on the outskirts of Mumbai & uses his two weeks’ holiday on his annual trip to see his wife & kids in Kerala. His story made my heart sink. It was one of those moments which made me think how lucky & free we are in the West. And freedom is a theme which runs throughout The White Tiger. I’d always wondered how an Indian would be willing to swap the wonderful, warm paradise of Kerala for a much colder & greyer life in the UK, but now it made sense. However, White Tiger also reminded me again what a beautiful & fascinating country India is & I can’t wait to return & meet Balram again.