From perplexed to intrigued to quite Gachar Gochar – this was my experience reading Vivek Shanbhag’s novel “Gachar Gochar”. I first read it in English, knowing it was translated from Kannada by Shrinath Perur. Over the years, I have also read it in Kannada. However, somewhere along the way, I had transcended the boundaries of language to reach the story’s core, and what I found there was a reflection. In many ways, the story reflects on the journeys of families and individuals as they face choices between change and comfort, pride and acceptance, money and humility.
The story is set in Bengaluru and follows a lower-middle-class family of five: father, mother, uncle (Chikkappa), the sister Malati, and the finally, the unnamed narrator, from whose perspective the story is told. Starting humbly in a small house and earning little from their company, Sona Masala, the family earns a fortune overnight, and each person adapts differently. Chikkappa becomes the family’s sole breadwinner, gaining full authority; the parents, afraid of losing the comfort of luxury, lose their will to question his work ethic. Malati grows entitled, and the narrator becomes aimless. This family dynamic is radically challenged by Anitha, who gets married into the family.
While reading the story five years ago, I was simply confused by the title. Later on, what truly intrigued me was the gripping narrative, the tensions and knots the members of the family create gradually, yet palpably. I have seen similar characters all around me; hence, it encouraged me to observe my surroundings and myself even more! In both English and Kannada, the imagery of the ants being killed as a metaphor for how any outsider is not tolerated by the family made me reflect on how fragile privilege, progress and accessibility are in comparison to old, rigid thinking. What resonated with me most was the central question raised by the novel: how far can material comfort compromise a person’s kindness and integrity? Can we choose between two things we equally love, and if we have to, do we have the strength to stand up for it? Vivek Shanbhag’s writing left me more keen about the world around me, while the eerie ending of the novel left me unsettled and, much to the title’s credit, Gachar Gochar: messy and impossible to untangle.
Published October 13, 2026
