Skip to main content

Chup - Deepa Narayan - Book Review


Recently finished reading Deepa Narayan's book on women in India and the way society is sculpting their identity. The book is an intriguing read and does live up to its slogan to hold a mirror to every Indian women.



So is this a feminist read meant for those all women book club list readings? Definitely not. Such books are meant to be read by the entire society irrespective of gender or age.



The book raises questions on what it means to be a woman in Indian society.
Do you pride yourself on being a strong woman? Do you aspire to be one or support one? Do you consider yourself a feminist? This book goes beyond the whole women empowerment and feminism debate to ask some real questions.

In this well researched book, based on 600 detailed interviews with women and men across India's metros and even cities abroad,  social scientist Deepa Narayan has covered seven key habits that may influence women's everyday lives, despite their education, success, financial status and family background. These behaviors may seem harmless, but each one has enormous impact, and it means only one thing - that Indian women are trained to habitually delete themselves.

Indeed, as I read the book and the excerpts of the interviews, it feels that the reality is for all of us to see but we refuse to admit it. We stay silent or chup as the the book title states. In fact, as I have read about similar patterns in different parts of the World, both developing and developed, I can say that this book has a universal appeal to it. The psychology is similar everywhere.

However, "Chup" has its limitations. One significant oversight is its lack of discussion on the misuse of laws designed to protect women. The rise of false accusations, particularly in cases of rape, BNS and dowry, is a serious issue that impacts many men. These false claims can devastate careers, reputations, and lives, highlighting a dark side to the progress made in women's rights. While Narayan’s focus is on the systemic silencing of women, a more balanced examination of the complexities surrounding gender dynamics would have enriched the discourse.
Price - INR 699
Genre - Non - Fiction
Pages - 304
Edition - Hard cover
Publisher - Juggernaut 
Labels:

Comments

Post a Comment

Also read

Does India need communal parties?

I think, it was Tan's post on this blog itself, Republic Day Event, where this question was raised. My answer. YES. we need communal parties even in Independent, Secular India. Now let me take you, back to events before 1947. When India was a colony of the British Empire. The congress party, in its attempt to gain momentum for the independence movement, heavily used Hinduism, an example of which is the famous Ganesh Utsav held in Mumbai every year. Who complains? No one. But at that time, due to various policies of the congress, Muslims started feeling alienated. Jinnah, in these times, got stubborn over the need of Pakistan and he did find a lot of supporters. Congress, up till late 1940's never got bothered by it. And why should we? Who complains? No one. But there were repercussions. The way people were butchered and slaughtered during that brief time when India got partitioned, was even worse than a civil war scenario. All in the name of religion. And there indeed was cr...
40 comments
Read more

Union Budget India 2026-2027: 12 shocking truths that affect your wallet and future

The Union Budget India 2026-2027 is more than numbers on paper. It’s a mirror of promises, propaganda, and practical policies. This article breaks down what’s truly useful for you—jobs, taxes, inflation, and infrastructure—while cutting through the noise. Think of it as a friendly guide that explains the budget like a story, not a spreadsheet. Why does the Union Budget India 2026-2027 matter to you? India’s fiscal deficit for 2026–27 is pegged at nearly ₹17 lakh crore, while interest payments alone consume over ₹14 lakh crore. This means most of what the government borrows is not funding new projects but servicing old debt—a cycle that resembles “evergreening” of loans. Despite record tax collections, a large share is swallowed by debt servicing rather than fresh development. Breaking Down the Numbers Fiscal Deficit (FY27) : ₹16.95 lakh crore, or 4.3% of GDP . Interest Payments : Over ₹14 lakh crore, making it the single largest expenditure item. Total Expenditure : Around ₹53....
Post a Comment
Read more

Epitome of equality

First of all This is not to demean any religion.. I am a Hindu by birth, but yes I respect all religions .I offer my daily prayers , fast on holy days , but there was something that was disturbing me . God as per me was a Friend, someone who was by my side always , someone who was a dear friend , but this is not what everyone else thought , for others he was the Judge who gives his verdict always and punishes anyone and everyone . Walk into any temple and you would see , if you have money , you will be treated in a way as if you are the ONLY disciple of the God . I have had too many experiences where I was treated as a second class citizen in the temple . Why? Well I could not afford giving thousands as donation. This is not how it should be , God looks at each one of us with the same divinity .As I mentioned God for me is a friend, so tell me, do we chose friends based on their bank balances? Do we give our verdict on them ? then how can God do it? I know many of us would ...
32 comments
Read more