From the arts of the Sikhs to Indian writing in English is a big jump, but the latter category gains prominence as more foreign publishers stake their claim in the Indian market. One of the newest entrants is Picador India and it is reported to have paid an advance of $175,000 to Raj Kamal Jha, mechanical engineer-turned journalist,for his first novel The Blue Bedspread which was launched at the British Council earlier this month.It is unfair to be judgemental without having read the book. It will suffice to say that the four chapters read by Suhel Seth did not exactly move one and this should not be construed as criticism of the quality of reading. There is a degree of sensitivity in Jha's writing and a feeling for Calcutta that came across strongly. He answered questions diffidently, not quite sure how to respond to some of them. What a contrast to Vikram Seth who is always sure of himself and confident in his handling of the media!

Vikram Seth's latest work, a novel titled An Equal Music will be launched in Delhi later this month but an advance copy courtesy the publisher has made it possible to be able to comment on the book before it is made available to the Indian reader. The first thing that hits the reader is that there is nothing Indian about this novel. It is based in London where Seth spends most of his time, and there isnot a single Indian character. What a change from A Suitable Boy which is so overwhelmingly Indian.

Those who have read earlier books by Seth would know that he treads a different path every time but is in such a well-researched and highly organised way that none of his characters or situations have a lumpy quality. It might sound a bit cliched but the initial impression that a reader gets of An Equal Music is symphonic, and every nuance in speech or relationship contributes to this mood.

Unlike A Suitable Boy which was more or less a simple read, An Equal Music is multi-layered, On one level it is the love story of Michael and Julia who part to meet again after Julia is married and has a son, only to realise that their love for each other is still hopelessly strong. Also it is intricately bound with their love for music which runs through the novel like an obsessive train and the resultant tension is palpable, especially in the conversations between Michael and Julia. To quote: ``We touch on subjectscarefully, one by one, as if they might suddenly rear and strike: casual acquaintances, the likelihood of the storm letting up soon.''It would be a pleasure to listen to Vikram Seth reading from his new novel when it is formally launched in the last week of April. Here's hoping he does.