Sangam, A Confluence

Abstract

Sangam, Sanskrit for "confluence," is a novel set across three storylines, all connected by a single ghazal poem, the evolution of which spans the lives and times of three men. In medieval India, Sufi poet Amir Khusrow arrives at the ruins of an ancient Hindu Temple, seeking inspiration and revival for his work; centuries later, at the turn of India's independence from Britain, young lawyer Jayant finds his idealism tested in against the nation's messy beginnings; in the present day, a young Indian-American disc jockey navigates the night club scene, hoping to become the modern music star. The novel is meant to mimic how music is sampled, re-appropriated, and remixed over time. In the same way songs are matched by a DJ for beats and melody, so too are the themes and emotional arcs of each man's story line meant to echo one another, and resonate as a whole.