Home In Hema's Once In A Lifetime

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In "Once in a Lifetime" the two Indian American families find themselves living under the same rooftop. Hema's family lives in a suburban home outside Boston, while the Chaudhuris, come back to America after spending seven years in India, and need a place to stay while they search for another home. "Once in a Lifetime" is interesting by they way it portrays the interaction between two Indian American families and what they distinguish as home. The story is narrated from the point of perspective of Hema, who thinks back on the winter of 1981, when she was twelve. Her family"s family relates to the Indian image of an affectionate family, with a daughter who determinedly helps around the house, gets her work done and complies with the expectations …show more content…

As children, talking about India, Hema and Kaushik briefly discuss the Taj Mahal and its geographical position (241). This early say of the Indian world's most famous mausoleum brings this image to mind when one reads the depiction of the Chaudhuri home. In addition, Parul's conclusions concerning the beauty of religious buildings in Rome, and her desire to have the capacity to inhabit them, recommend that coming to rest in a building of great beauty would be a favored end to her life. After having been in the Sistine Chapel she communicates that it made her " want to be a Catholic, only to be able to pray in them " (233). In any case, far from belonging to the Catholic faith, she is an Indian who in spite of her westernized ways remains bound by Hindu traditions. The similarities between their home and the Taj Mahal are notable, for example, the fact that the Taj Mahal was worked to commemorate the favorite spouse of a Shah, a rationale which is reflected in Dr Chaudhuri's desire to accommodate his better half's desires for a beautiful home. At the point when the Taj Mahal was manufactured, it was amongst the most present day and forward-thinking architecture on the planet, and moreover the house on the North Shore is an example of current architecture, outlined by a famous architect. The whiteness and its sheer size also bring to mind the colossal extents of the Indian landmark. In the event that one reads this cutting edge home as a perfect representation of the ancient image of Indian culture, the Chaudhuris' decision of house is not such an un-Indian decision after all, yet rather a way of commemorating their Indian heritage, and the memory of Parul. Hema's home is in many ways a blend of Indian and American influences, and the distinctive aspects are highlighted and downplayed as particularly her mom sees fit. For instance, her mother proclaims the importance of children

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