Chetna Keer - Giddha On My Gulmohar

What befalls the most middle class, ordinary of dreams and loves caught on the cusp of the most cursed, extraordinary of times? The protagonist of Giddha On My Gulmohar or GOMG as author Chetna Keer loving calls it, is a fortyish writer and Saree-a-holic single mom, chases her small-town big dream of making it to the Booker-Lists. With a Lit Agent in tow, she collides into not only speed-breakers like ageism, but also the choppy timelines of Before, Lockdown, and Unlock.

Giddha On My Gulmohar is a racy, literary satire mapping the ‘oops’ and downs of Pandemic’s people, like you and me. A poignant portrait pulsating with the heartbeat of incorrigible Hope.

The Chandigarh-bred and aborted economist who trotted off to turn Travelista, Chetna Keer says just like any other writer she too followed her passion for writing, and during the lockdown, she connected with the situation of people around her, the challenges that they were facing, the lockdown window became her lens for seeing the pandemic-something that even her protagonist endured.

She tried to touch the serious issues with a light heart. The whole narrative not only travels through different timelines but also through various literary landscapes as the little stories of how Dilli Haat looked before the pandemic and during a pandemic, how the artisans were impacted; all of these are there in the book.

Chetna’s book ‘Giddha On My Gulmohar’ is not just a metaphor for the change of season but also for the changes before and after the pandemic. Different moods of pandemics are being reflected through this piece. Whereas on one side the Gulmohar in the title defines the mood, the Giddha symbolizes happiness, celebration and gives the message of hope in the darkest period.

Keer believes that whosoever will read the book will find them in the book as it is connected with everyone’s life.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Chetna Keer is a humourista at LIFE, columnist at Hindustan Times, satirist at Khushwant Singh HumorFest 2020; and conversationist at TED Circles 2020. Author of two books, "Veggies Go On A Beauty Parade (Rupa) and "Trollitically Incorrect", and humour column ‘Witerati’ (HT, Chd), Chandigarh-bred Chetna navigated Planet Print Media for nearly 25 years, as Features Writer to Lifestyle Editor, with The Tribune, 'Simply Punjabi' of India Today, HT, Deccan Herald, Femina, etc. Twenty-five years later (or late!), she turned full-time author and Travelista, becoming part of shows like "Destination India' and 'Tasveer' on AIR, FM Gold etc.