The Village by the Sea facts for kids
Book cover of the new version
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| Author | Anita Desai |
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| Country | United Kingdom |
| Language | English |
| Genre | Realistic young-adult novel |
| Publisher | Heinemann |
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Publication date
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1982 |
| Media type | Print (hardback and paperback) |
| Pages | 156 pp (first edition) |
| ISBN | 0-434-93436-4 |
| OCLC | 20796746 |
| LC Class | PZ7.D4488 Vi 1982 |
The Village by the Sea: an Indian family story is a novel written for young people by the Indian author Anita Desai. It was first published in London in 1982. The story shows the difficulties and sadness faced by a small village community in India. Anita Desai won the annual Guardian Children's Fiction Prize for this book. This award is judged by a group of British children's writers. The book has 13 chapters.
A US version of the book was published by Penguin in 1984.
What is The Village by the Sea About?
The Village by the Sea takes place in a small village called Thul in Western India. Thul is about 14 kilometers from Bombay or Mumbai. The story is about a family trying to earn enough money to live. The main characters are Lila, who is 13 years old, and her 12-year-old brother Hari. They also have two younger sisters, Bela and Kamal.
Their mother is very sick and stays in bed. Their father does not earn money and often takes loans from villagers. This means Hari and Lila have to take care of the family. Life is very hard for them because they have to manage everything.
Hari decides he needs to find work. He leaves for Bombay to look for a job. Lila is left alone to care for her family. She finds it very difficult. Help comes from the rich De Silvas, who own a beach house next to their small hut.
Meanwhile, Hari is new and alone in the big city of Bombay. A kind restaurant owner named Jagu feels sorry for him. Jagu welcomes Hari to work in his restaurant. There, Hari becomes good friends with Mr. Panwallah. Mr. Panwallah is a friendly watch repairer whose shop is next to Jagu's restaurant.
Through his time with Mr. Panwallah and Jagu, Hari learns a lot. He realizes he could become a watchmaker. Back in the village, Lila, Bela, and Kamal take their sick mother to the town hospital. The De Silvas help them with this. Their father changes his ways and stays with their mother during her 7-month treatment.
When Hari returns to the village, he finds his home completely different. Hari reunites with his sisters. They all share stories about what happened while Hari was away. Hari also explains the watch repair skills he learned in Bombay. He shares his plan to open a small repair shop in the village.
Together, Lila, Hari, Bela, and Kamal make a plan. They decide to use the money Hari saved in Bombay. They want to start a small chicken farm. This will help their family and support Hari's future repair shop.
As Hari goes to buy supplies for the chicken pen, he meets Sayyid Ali Sahib. Sayyid Ali Sahib is a researcher staying at Mon Repos. He talks with Hari and is impressed by his plans. As the book ends, Sayyid Ali Sahib highlights how Hari and his sisters are determined to adapt and grow in their changing world.
Was it Made into a TV Show?
The Village by the Sea was made into a television series. The BBC adapted it in 1991. A well-known actor, Saeed Jaffrey, played the part of Mr. Panwallah, the watchmaker. A new actor, Nishan R. Wijesinghe, played the main role of Hari.
