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‘The Chessmaster And His Moves’ is a most ambitious novel, and like most of Raja Rao’s writing, rooted in Indian tradition, thought and sensibility. At one level ‘The Chessmaster’ is the story of an impossible love between Sivarama Sastri, an Indian mathematician working in Paris, and a married woman which can only end in sorrow and despair. To come to terms with its impossibility, the protagonists turn inward in their search for answers and meaning, transforming the book into a metaphysical exploration. Amidst this search, each and every act, big or seemingly small, gets imbued with special meaning. Sastri’s love for the French actress, Suzanne Chantereux, or her beguiling, effervescent compatriot Mireille, for instance, serves to underline the differences between East and West; while the latter seeks happiness in the world, Sastri is looking for freedom from the world itself.
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