All the right moves

This is a narrative that flits between two eras, all the while exploring the origins of the great game.

The origins of chess is shrouded in mystery. Some believe it originated in India as chaturanga. However, what we know for certain is that chess had gained acceptance as a common pastime in aristocratic circles across continents, centuries ago. Its rules have also evolved down the ages.

One recalls the Satyajit Ray’s classic ‘Shatranj ke Khiladi’, wherein the king of Awadh and his pal are shown to be obsessed with the game of chess even as the kingdom is overrun by the East India Company. Chess also fascinated writers for its immense potential as a metaphor.

Checkmate, the debut novel of a US-based young Indian writer Nihshanka Debroy, is centred on one man’s obsession with chess.

A lot of research has gone into the writing of the novel. Passion for chess runs through Debroy, a former under-12 chess champion of Delhi who had competed with grandmasters. The narrative straddles two worlds: Central India in 455 AD and contemporary Delhi. Alternate chapters are deftly linked through chess to explore ancient Indian themes through a modern Western lens.

Ahead of the game

The abrupt death of Rajinder Joshi forces his estranged daughter Vinita to fly from New York to take charge of his 40-year-old company, AveoGen. As she sifts through his papers, Vinita is confronted with Rajinder’s long-standing obsession — the origins of chess and the identity of its creator.

Vinita, who never wanted to be a pawn to her father’s obsessions, was keen to chase her own dreams in America and runs a flourishing firm TeleCorp there. Now, in the teeth of insurmountable problems, she has to checkmate her father’s enemies in the boardroom and outside by making the right moves.

As more and more facts about Rajinder’s dogged pursuit of the origins of chess emerge from the mountain of archive materials and books he has left behind, she is unwilling to leave without finishing her dad’s journey.

She visits archives, museums and unknown historical sites to make sense of Rajinder’s pursuit and gets gradually engrossed.

Just like in chess, Vinita learns to improve her position move by move. Soon, she begins to feel like a queen on the chessboard; the ruthless defender of AveoGen. Executives are knights and bishops protect AveoGen at every step. She imagines live pawns in muslin and silver embroidery.

A different world

The scene shifts to 455 AD in Central India. Svetahunas (white Huns), who invaded India in the 5th century, left a trail of destruction and blood behind them. They manage to take prisoner Harshavardhan, among the bravest of warriors.

In captivity, he creates a game of combat strategy with black and white pebbles, preparing for the day when the Svetahunas and his people face-off in a battle that will determine the future of India. Famed poet Kalidasa shares Harshavardhan’s captivity and the hope to save the country.

Rajinder had claimed to have identified the origins of chess somewhere in this tale. His theory was that a warrior from the Gupta Empire created chess and he fashioned chess as a metaphor for his life.

Chess was not created by some obscure Brahmin in a king’s court as a game to idle time away with, he argued. However, he was unable to prove his sceptics wrong.

After spending a fortune on his passion, he was in no mood to backtrack, despite the setbacks in his business. But, death came in the way.

The dead Rajinder’s presence is all pervasive. Like a master chess player, the self-made tycoon is adept in planning ahead, tactics and manipulation. He will never give up.

His headstrong daughter Vinita, who doesn’t want to inherit his legacy, is a perfect foil to him. After a nine-year break with the father, her sudden transformation as a dutiful daughter is a little unconvincing though.

Engaging, but formulaic

Even in captivity, ancient warrior Harshavardhan keeps his spirits high, winning admiration. His devotion to his mother in trying circumstances remains undiminished.

His yearning to have a last glimpse of her and the encounter with her apparition are poignant. Other characters, like Vinita’s ex-husband Kedarnath, are marginal players.

The horrors of war are depicted graphically. Sample this: “Not one of the raja’s soldiers still stood. Their bodies lay lifeless across the earth, mingled with those of a hundred horses and the two elephants. Rivulets of blood streamed across the plain. Svetahuna soldiers swarmed over the raja’s men. Wails of widows, violated women and orphans filled the air.”

The novel flits easily between two eras to produce an impressive thriller. An engaging plot with mostly realistic characters, the historical narrative manages to hold the reader’s attention.

Sometimes, the lack of spontaneity make it a laboured venture and the reader cannot be faulted if he finds shades of a formula novel. Nevertheless, a good timepass.