This dynamic is the novel’s greatest strength Sindu carefully peels the layers of this fraught relationship to reveal deeper insights about parenthood and control. Thus, almost all of the protagonist’s actions are either a subversion of or a reaction to his father’s expectations. Kalki greatly wants to please his father by fulfilling his destiny. Interwoven in these childhood chapters are instances where an adult Kalki reflects on his upbringing and doles out hints that complicate his more naive childhood narration.Īt its core, Blue-Skinned Gods is a story about a father and his son. Many can relate to his struggles with faith. In a sense, readers are raised alongside Kalki. The protagonist only encounters the outside world when people - such as terminally ill children, journalists, and those suffering from substance abuse - come to the ashram seeking favours from him. Initially a closed system, the ashram occupies the majority of Kalki’s time for much of his childhood. This narration makes it easier for readers to become immersed in the goings-on at the ashram where Kalki is raised. Sindu’s perspective about growing up is most prominently seen in the beginning of her novel, as most of its chapters are told from Kalki’s childhood perspective. In an interview with NPR, Sindu mentioned that her Hindu background led her to explore how faith intersects with identity and “the lies we tell to ourselves.” To enrich the plot of Blue-Skinned Gods, Sindu drew from her upbringing in Sri Lanka and immigration to the US. However, Kalki must also face the unofficial tests that come with growing up: learning to think for himself falling in love grappling with the nuances of ethnicity, gender, cultural ownership, and sexuality and figuring out his capacity for self-determination. By completing the three trials, Kalki is supposed to prove himself worthy of his godhood and embark on a global healing tour to connect with his devotees.

Sindu’s novel starts before Kalki’s 10th birthday, which is when he is expected to complete the first trial. Kalki’s birth was prophesied by the Hindu text Sri Kalki Purana, which states he must endure three trials to mature. The book follows the child god Kalki, the final human incarnation of the Hindu god Vishnu, and the tests he must face to reach maturity. Blue-Skinned Gods is the second novel written by author and UTSC creative writing professor SJ Sindu.

Blue-Skinned Gods by S.J. Sindu