Story Portfolio
MIRALI
Mirali is an unpublished novel that explores gender inequality with a tale that is at times joyously uplifting and at other times viscerally depressing, but with a thread of hope that friendship and love can overcome all.
Mirali delves into the vast gulf that exists between those who have control and those who are controlled, in a patriarchal society. A situation perpetuated through culture and traditions and heavily influenced by religion. The story, set in Tajikistan, is told through the eyes of Eraj Sabirov, as he falls ‘head over heels’ for Parvina Rakhimova from a very young age.
Parvina is a headstrong, intelligent young woman determined to break free from the shackles of constraint and live a life of equality. Their friendship evolves through a shared love of poetry as Parvina opens Eraj’s eyes to all that is unfair in their society. One day he bears witness to a savage beating she receives from her father and determines he will do anything to help her.
Through the evocative settings of the Fann mountains, the provincial township of Panjakent and the modern bustling city of Dushanbe, Eraj and Parvina live very different lives and if they are going to change anything they will have to deal with the awful consequences and suffer the pain and injustice of a fight seemingly impossible to win.
A frequent visitor to Central Asia, my research for this novel was attained while exploring the mountains and villages of Tajikistan and developing lasting friendships with the people of the high country. A warm and generous people who understand that change is inevitable and that for the most part, welcome. But a significant challenge remains in breaking down the embedded cultural norms and religious expectations.
It’s too easy to condemn developing countries from afar for their treatment of women and rightly so, however, condemnation in itself rarely achieves anything. What we can do is bring to the world's attention the many challenges that exist through organisations like the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE), which is currently undertaking sterling work on gender issues in Central Asia and I hope, in some small way, this novel too, can shine a light on some of the many challenges that exist and act as a catalyst for change.
All the locations are real and beautiful, but this is a work of fiction. All the characters and descriptions of events are the products of my imagination and any resemblance to actual persons is entirely coincidental.
Please enjoy the excerpts, poems and photographs.
