The Oriental Journey -A Trajectory in Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni’s The Mistress of Spices

Abstract

This article is an attempt to explore the prospects of transitioning from alienation to acculturation. The ability to change the bitterness of alienation into the sweetness of acculturation lies in the hands of the immigrant. The Mistress of spices through the characters in the novel divulges the secret of acculturation along with its hitches and the requisite for acculturation. Having made it to the host land, it is good for the immigrant to stop brooding over situations and work on settling down. At times, the immigrant might have to resort to the road less travelled, as suggested by Robert Frost in his poem, The Road Not Taken, “Two roads diverged in a wood, and I—I took the one less travelled by, And that has made all the difference”.The diasporic phase should no longer be a battle of the minds but rather a platform for a growth mindset. As the shifting of tectonic plates creates new territories and new horizons, it is high time that a shift in the diasporic mindset is observed. One of the unique features of a growth mindset is to use the roadblocks of migration as opportunities for learning. Migration is a good time to understand and experience the wholesome culture of the place, to dissect the experiences of myth and misconception and fact from fiction, firsthand, in tandem with the sharing of cultural best practices and customs of the homeland.