Strong as Fire, Fierce as Flame

Ahimsa by Supriya Kelkar left its mark on me. But Strong as Fire, Fierce as Flame was something else altogether. I devoured the book. Each chapter made me read just one more chapter, as compelling as the previous one.

Meera is an unlikely protagonist, one who seems a far cry from the typical feisty girl one expects at the centre of a story. The book begins with Meera up in a tree, trying to listen in while her father teaches village boys. She is not allowed there. In fact, she was once rapped on her knuckles for being where she was not permitted. As I read that part, I knew that Meera would be my fiery, determined, brave young protagonist.
I was wrong.
Meera is none of that. She does what she is told. She follows instructions. She knows she is supposed to obey. In some ways, she is like her mother, who speaks of women being as strong as fire and as fierce as flame, but cannot live up to the bravery that the phrase conjures up. Instead, it’s the other, less likeable characters who emerge as strong and brave. Radha Chachi, Bhavani, Chhaya – they are the brave ones, reminding us that being brave often makes you less, not more, likeable.

But each time Meera is pushed to her breaking point, she finds herself. She recognises what she owes to herself and to people around her. She is willing to keep her head down and stay out of trouble, until she snaps and emerges – strong as fire and fierce as flame.

Powerful, sensitive, and burning with passion and a sense of urgency, Supriya Kelkar’s book is a pacy read that leaves you with a sense that justice may take its time, but can and must be fought for.