Portugal: In search of Identity

Nisha Varma, hails from Cochin, the city where temples, mosques, churches and synagogue peacefully coexist. Educated under the influence of her father Brigadier Varma ,she acquires the label of ‘global citizen’ in Poona University hostel. Her room mate Maria Noronha from Goa is brought up as a brand of Indian culture mixed with Portuguese trappings. Maria who is eager to apply for a scholarship to Portugal, forces Nisha to do the same. Maria selects the topic related to Discovery and Flora whereas Nisha, writes a proposal on a controversial issue i.e. Portugal’s present Identity. Maria forces Nisha to change the topic to another i.e. the influence of Malayalam on Portuguese language. Being room mates they decided to travel to Portugal provided both are granted their respective scholarships. Maria posts both the applications while enclosing inadvertently Nisha’s proposal on Portugal’s Identity. At the end of novel that turns out to be the hand of destiny. The novel is like a travelogue giving the experiences of the duo through Lisbon, Sintra and Coimbra while interacting with people on their respective topics of research. The story ends in a lighter vein in Goa during the festive month of December. The book was reviewed by Prof. Peter Nazareth on World Literature Today 78: 3-4, pgs. 86-87. Earlier Prof. Nazareth had reviewed another novel by the author titled Angela’s Goan Identity on World Literature Today 69:3, p. 646