Worlds within Worlds, translated from the Hindi original Udhar ke Log, is a novel true to life. Quiet and thoughtful, it is the first-person story of a young man in Delhi and his family. He is a lecturer at a university and has liberal views. His wife is a doctor and his friends are in civil services and private jobs. This would seem to be a familiar middle-class saga— except that they are all Dalit. At the heart of the story, lies the clash between caste and class: can you be middle-class and Dalit? Thus opening discussions about the meaning of ‘caste’ and ‘untouchability’. Is education an emancipatory force? The main characters are in conflict as they go through experiences of discrimination because of their names and backgrounds, and of liberation because of their education and qualifications. The story is also about a young man’s sexual and romantic experiences, family relationships and social consciousness, where caste does not play a defining role. The novel is certain to make readers explore concepts of caste, class and religion, familial and societal dynamics, as well as friendship, love and loyalty to a person or a cause.
