Heartstrings

Words flow from the heart in chapters and verses, painting vivid images of life in the countryside.

True to its title, it indeed pulls at the heartstrings of the reader. The pages turn to exude love and respect flowing through a sacred stream of emotions. Generations of family life is captured to nourish the nostalgic craving for days gone by. Infused with deep spirituality, it captures every aspect of daily life in the Indo-Trinidadian community over the past century.

In a delightful series of lyrical prose interspersed with poetry, it traces the plight of the Indians of India during the British occupation to tell the story of the lies and trickery of Indentureship, the uncertainty of crossing the Kala Pani, the hardship of life on the plantations of Trinidad, and the eventual building of communities at the end of the indentureship, to the progress of family through subsequent generations into the present day.

Each section of prose, and every poem present a wonderful snapshot of narrative filled with detailed description of tropical scenery, homes and public buildings, gardens and fields, provisions and fruit, religious customs, cultural traditions and historical references to Trinidads 'progress from its colonial past to its Independence. Woven into the timeline are landmarks such as the coming of electricity in the rural villages, the radio tuned to the BBC with programming of songs from India, the advent of the cinema with Indian films, better access to education, and a growing awareness of the family's place in a changing world.
Deeply moving, this work is masterful storytelling at its best! Words have power, and writers are the stewards of that power. Ariti Jankie has written a masterpiece that bares the soul of the writer d draws the reader into a magical place with the eloquence of words and the poignancy of emotion as the character Asha embarks on her journey of writing.