Cross-Cultural Analysis of Mistress of Spices

International Journal of Research (IJR) e-ISSN: 2348-6848 p-ISSN: 2348-795X Vol. 12 Issue 09 September 2025 Received: 20 September 2025 372 Revised: 25 September 2025 Accepted:28 September 2025 Copyright  authors 2025 DOI: HTTPS://DOI.ORG/10.5281/ZENODO.17287493 Cross-Cultural Analysis of Mistress of Spices E. Ratna Kalyani Associate Professor of English Babu Jagjivan Ram Government Degree College Narayanguda, Hyderabad, Telangana Abstract: Indian-American author Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni often writes about the experiences of immigrants to the United States. She is skilled at portraying the diverse cultures of India, especially Bengali traditions. Her novels reflect these cultural practices through intimate family stories that are closely tied to social, cultural, and psychological norms, especially in relation to food. The Bengali culture is a recurring theme in her work, highlighting how immigrants try to keep their home culture alive while adapting to the dominant culture of their new country. In The Mistress of Spices, for example, the immigrants face challenges in a foreign land but remain committed to their cultural beliefs while also learning and adapting to the ways of their new home. Divakaruni presents Indian culture and traditions realistically in this novel. This article takes a Cross-Cultural Studies approach to explore themes of multiculturalism, post-colonialism, and globalization, focusing on American characters, culture, and people, and examining the theories and debates around globalization. Keywords: Cross-Cultural Analysis, Globalization, Immigrants, Culture, Diaspora, psychological norms, socio-cultural aspects, etc. Introduction Indian-American author Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni has written over sixteen novels, many of which focus on the experiences of immigrants in the United States. Her stories are often set in Kolkata and the Bay Area of California. Divakaruni is known for capturing the diverse cultural aspects of India, especially Bengali traditions, through intimate family stories that are closely International Journal of Research (IJR) e-ISSN: 2348-6848 p-ISSN: 2348-795X Vol. 12 Issue 09 September 2025 Received: 20 September 2025 373 Revised: 25 September 2025 Accepted:28 September 2025 Copyright  authors 2025 DOI: HTTPS://DOI.ORG/10.5281/ZENODO.17287493 tied to social, cultural, and psychological norms, particularly around food. The theme of Bengali ethnicity appears repeatedly in her work to highlight how immigrants try to preserve their home culture while adapting to the dominant culture in a foreign country. In Mistress of Spices, Divakaruni portrays immigrants who face cultural challenges in a new country but continue to hold onto their cultural beliefs and customs, even as they gradually embrace the ways of their host country. Her novels often explore her own cultural background in West Bengal, India, and she faithfully depicts Indian culture and traditions in a realistic way. This chapter uses the lens of Cross-Cultural Studies to explore themes of multiculturalism, post-colonialism, and globalization, focusing on American characters, culture, and people, while engaging with critical debates on globalization. Through a detailed analysis of Mistress of Spices, this article examines the contrasts between different cultures and races, particularly through the lens of San Francisco and Oakland. San Francisco, with its iconic Golden Gate Bridge, symbolizes the greatness of America, while Oakland, where the protagonist Tilo lives, represents her hidden world of spices. The novel explores how immigrants navigate their identities after moving geographically, politically, socially, and culturally from India to the United States, attempting to adapt to life in a foreign land. In the novel, spices symbolize the "un-American" aspect of the immigrant experience. They help people reclaim their connection to the East, captivating those who are drawn to them. The novel is filled with magical realism, with each of the fifteen chapters named after different spices, such as Tilo, Turmeric, Cinnamon, and Ginger. These chapters focus on Tilo‟s interactions with her customers and how she uses specific spices to help them solve their personal problems. Tilo and her spices are at the center of interactions between various races and cultures, including different Indian cultures, with people from different backgrounds, ages, and expectations. Tilo‟s story is fascinating. She was born in a small village, and her parents were disappointed because she was a girl. She was later called Bhagyavati because she could predict dangers, find lost things, reveal the wrongdoings of the rich, and uncover hidden treasures. Her International Journal of Research (IJR) e-ISSN: 2348-6848 p-ISSN: 2348-795X Vol. 12 Issue 09 September 2025 Received: 20 September 2025 374 Revised: 25 September 2025 Accepted:28 September 2025 Copyright  authors 2025 DOI: HTTPS://DOI.ORG/10.5281/ZENODO.17287493 fame spread to other villages, and people began to worship her. Eventually, pirates attacked her village, killed her family, and took her captive. Tilo eventually overthrows the pirate captain and becomes the new pirate queen, leading the pirates to fame, so much so that bards sang about their fearless exploits (Divakaruni, 19). Tilo eventually arrives at a magical island of spices, where women call themselves the "Mistresses of Spices." The first mother there takes care of the group and trains them in the art of using spices to help others. Tilo is named Tilotamma and is sent to Oakland, California, where she opens a small Indian spice shop. In this shop, she helps people by giving them spices that have specific healing powers. While the spices can heal and comfort, they can also cause harm or make things worse if used incorrectly. Tilo has a vision to help her customers by offering them the right spice for their needs. Tilo uses the spices to transform her body into one resembling the beauty of the „apsaras,‟ hoping to make Raven fall in love with her, even if it is just for one moment in her life. She is told, "By tomorrow night Tilo, you will be at beauty‟s summit. Enjoy well. For by next morning, it will be gone" (Divakaruni, 263). She agrees to accept any punishment afterward when she gives herself completely to Raven‟s love. Meanwhile, the customers for whom Tilo had prayed are content with their lives, though not in the way she had expected. They are all on the brink of starting anew, while Tilo is nearing the end of her life as a mistress of spices in America. She enters the Shampathi‟s fire and loses consciousness. The next morning, Raven finds her unconscious and takes her in his arms to his car. At that moment, a massive earthquake strikes, devastating almost all of Oakland, including Tilo‟s spice shop. Tilo leaves the area, but after driving a short distance, she stops the car and looks back at Oakland, now burning. She changes her mind and decides to return to help the people, believing that the disaster happened because of her, and she wants to help as she did before. The question that constantly troubles Tilo is why the spices have not punished her. They answer her, saying, International Journal of Research (IJR) e-ISSN: 2348-6848 p-ISSN: 2348-795X Vol. 12 Issue 09 September 2025 Received: 20 September 2025 375 Revised: 25 September 2025 Accepted:28 September 2025 Copyright  authors 2025 DOI: HTTPS://DOI.ORG/10.5281/ZENODO.17287493 "Mistress who was, when you accepted our punishment in your heart without battling it, that was enough. Having readied your mind to suffer, you did not need to undergo that suffering in body also" (Divakaruni, 305). Tilo refuses Raven's suggestion that they find an earthly paradise, saying it is impossible to find one. Raven then changes his mind and returns with Tilo, who is given a new name, Maya, to start a new life. The novel ends with Tilo finding a new purpose and a new identity, embracing her new name, Maya, in this new world where she must rely on herself to find the right path. Divakaruni effectively portrays the cross-cultural struggles faced by Indian immigrant women who leave their homes to find a new one in a foreign culture. America offers a promise of a better future, free from gender and racial discrimination, based on its diverse customs, religions, and languages. However, the immigrants, who come with dreams of hope, also carry their native identities, which leads to feelings of nostalgia and homesickness. They often yearn for the familiar culture and environment of their homeland. In a new culture, they struggle to adapt, and many experience alienation from mainstream American society, causing them to lose hope. Tilo first faces the harshness of racism when one of her working-class customers, Mohan, is violently attacked by two young white men one evening. As the attackers approach, Mohan hears their footsteps, "fall leaves breaking under boots, a sound like crushed glass" (169). The two men, who are skinheads, racially attack him, yelling, "Son of a bitch Indian, should have stayed in your own goddam country" (170). Despite Mohan having lived in America for over ten years, the attackers view him as just another immigrant, another minority. As he is beaten, Mohan feels excruciating pain, which Divakaruni describes as "like fire, like stinging needles, like hammers breaking" (171). Mohan struggles to understand the pain he‟s experiencing during an attack. He tries to defend himself, even though every movement hurts: “even though it hurts to breathe and a small jagged thought-ribs? spins up for a moment into the lighted part of his mind” (Divakaruni, 170). International Journal of Research (IJR) e-ISSN: 2348-6848 p-ISSN: 2348-795X Vol. 12 Issue 09 September 2025 Received: 20 September 2025 376 Revised: 25 September 2025 Accepted:28 September 2025 Copyright  authors 2025 DOI: HTTPS://DOI.ORG/10.5281/ZENODO.17287493 He experiences a blow to his head that makes his thoughts feel as if they‟re splintering “into yellow stars” (Divakaruni, 171). His wife, Veena, is very supportive, and Mohan depends on her care. While recovering in the hospital, he wishes she could always be by his side, though he acknowledges she needs to rest at home sometimes: “Only wish Veena could be here, it would be nice to have someone‟s hand to hold on to when outside the sky turns inky purple like that night” (Divakaruni, 171). Divakaruni highlights the cross-cultural tensions immigrants face when moving to a new country. Mohan‟s story is brief, and readers don‟t get as much information about him compared to other characters, like Haroun. Tilo feels protective of Haroun, although she can't fully define why. Early on, she senses that his good nature might not last, thinking, "O Haroun, I sent up a plea for you into the crackling air you left behind…But there was a sudden explosion outside…It drowned out my prayer" (28). Tilo has a vision when she touches Haroun‟s new taxicab, seeing a disturbing image of him hurt, slumped against the steering wheel. She questions herself, “The skin is it broken-bruised, or only a shadow falling?” Later, as Haroun leaves, Tilo observes, “silhouetted against a night which opens around him like jaws” (112). This foreshadows the danger Haroun will soon face. Tilo anxiously waits outside his home, hearing "footsteps ring as on a fiery anvil, splintering pavement sirens drills through the bones of skull in corkscrew motion followed by images of the „shatter of brown glass‟” (Divakaruni, 228). When Haroun finally returns to his apartment, he is crumpled and bloody from the attack. The doctor attending to him says, "looks like they used an iron rod. Skull could have cracked like snail shells" (Divakaruni, 230). Haroun‟s experience represents the way many Indian-Americans feel as their former identities are shattered in a new country. After the attack, Tilo helps Haroun into his apartment, where she notices signs of his identity on the walls. There are "whitewashed walls empty except two pictures hanging where International Journal of Research (IJR) e-ISSN: 2348-6848 p-ISSN: 2348-795X Vol. 12 Issue 09 September 2025 Received: 20 September 2025 377 Revised: 25 September 2025 Accepted:28 September 2025 Copyright  authors 2025 DOI: HTTPS://DOI.ORG/10.5281/ZENODO.17287493 his eyes would first fall on waking. A passage from the Koran in a lush curved Urdu script and silver Lamborghini" (Divakaruni, 229). Haroun‟s recovery is partly due to the support from Hameeda, who plays an important role in his healing. Haroun is angry and says, "If I catch those bastard pigs, those shaitaans…also thankful for the chance to recover. But also I have been lucky…And I have found such friends - like family they are, a list in which he includes Hameeda first" (282). Eventually, Haroun marries Hameeda, giving her the role of caretaker, and his immigrant dream is realized in a way he never expected: "Haroun who has so much to live for, for whom the immigrant dream has come true in a way he never thought" (283-84). In the United States, gender roles are more flexible, which challenges traditional values. This is shown through the character Celestina, Raven‟s mother, who isn‟t white but tries to pass as white. She believes that pretending to be white gives her self-esteem and happiness. Celestina‟s struggle reflects the broader theme of East-West encounters, which Divakaruni explores through her own experience as an immigrant. She inherited Indian values by birth and embraced Western values by choosing to live in America. Divakaruni‟s consistent exploration of the East-West encounter, particularly the Indo-American experience, reflects her deep concern for global issues. The first generation of immigrants often feels the pain of alienation. The second generation focuses on acceptance and assimilation, trying to fit into the host culture. The third generation, however, is free from the burden of divided identity. These children, despite being born in the new country, cannot fully separate themselves from their ancestral culture. They are inspired to reconnect with their native heritage, allowing them to reclaim and celebrate their cultural identity. First-generation immigrants are often deeply attached to the homeland they left behind, and this feeling of being uprooted makes it difficult for them to adjust to a new country. First-generation Indian-Americans are very aware of the cultural differences between India and the United States. In their new lives, modern American culture often clashes with traditional Indian values. At International Journal of Research (IJR) e-ISSN: 2348-6848 p-ISSN: 2348-795X Vol. 12 Issue 09 September 2025 Received: 20 September 2025 378 Revised: 25 September 2025 Accepted:28 September 2025 Copyright  authors 2025 DOI: HTTPS://DOI.ORG/10.5281/ZENODO.17287493 home, they try to hold onto their cultural and religious heritage, while outside the home, American culture becomes the basis for interactions. The second generation faces different challenges. Born in the United States, they adapt more easily to the new culture. However, they often reject the social expectations set by their parents. Though they have left behind their original communities when they moved to the U.S., they still experience a sense of rejection. Their peers remind them constantly that they don‟t truly belong in America, and this causes a lot of internal conflict for these young people, who struggle between the two cultures. These children grow up with two identities because they are expected to live by different values at home and outside. This is especially true for Asian immigrants, who, despite being born in the U.S. (second or third generation), still feel like outsiders due to the color of their skin. They can't fully integrate into mainstream white American society, and at home, they are influenced by their parents' Indian lifestyle and values. The third generation, those born in America to immigrant parents, is more firmly integrated into American society. Growing up in the West, they easily adapt to its customs and lifestyle in ways that their parents could not. They see India as a place they visit, not a place they emotionally connect with. As a result, they do not have strong ties to the original homeland and identify primarily as American citizens. Geeta‟s grandfather represents the first generation of immigrants. He initially stayed in India while his family moved to America. Later, he is persuaded by his son to join them in the U.S., with his son saying, “we are all here, what for you want to grow old so far from your own flesh and blood…I crossed the kalapani and came to this America” (85). In America, he struggles to understand his granddaughter, Geeta. He doesn‟t understand why she dresses the way she does, why she works, why she cuts her hair short, or why she wears so much makeup. He is also shocked when she buys a shiny, expensive new car. He feels that her behavior doesn‟t align with his expectations of how a woman should act. He often criticizes her International Journal of Research (IJR) e-ISSN: 2348-6848 p-ISSN: 2348-795X Vol. 12 Issue 09 September 2025 Received: 20 September 2025 379 Revised: 25 September 2025 Accepted:28 September 2025 Copyright  authors 2025 DOI: HTTPS://DOI.ORG/10.5281/ZENODO.17287493 for living an American lifestyle, complaining to Tilo that Geeta comes home late at night after work. Tilo tries to explain to him that America is different, and even in India, women are working now. She encourages him to adjust and understand the younger generation‟s way of life. Geeta‟s family is a good example of Indian families in America trying to hold on to their culture. Geeta‟s grandfather represents those Indian immigrants who still value their traditions, even after leaving their home country. Immigrants who settle abroad often try to preserve their culture and ways of thinking the way they were when they left their homeland. In India, however, people are more open to Western ways of thinking, especially in the younger generation, and they are more tolerant. On the other hand, those who have moved abroad often find it difficult to accept the changes in their children. Tilo hopes that Geeta will find a way to balance her family‟s traditional values with her new life in America: “Geeta whose name means sweet song, keep your patience, your humor, your zest for life…Geeta who is India and America all mixed together into a new melody, be forgiving” (87). The children, especially, face the most struggle. It is natural for them to feel conflicted and rebellious at times. For example, Jagjit, a second-generation Indian-American, has trouble at school because he still speaks Punjabi. He‟s often seated in the back of the class, next to a student who struggles with basic tasks. Jagjit has learned his first English word: " Idiot. Idiot. Idiot" (38). Tilo observes him and wonders if he knows that his name means "world-conqueror." She hopes that one day someone will help him navigate his emotional struggles, “Who will take him by the hand, who will run with him and laugh with him and say See, this is America, it‟s not so bad” (40). Indian immigrants in America, across three generations, face challenges even after settling in the country. Although they adopt American lifestyles and feel sadness about the International Journal of Research (IJR) e-ISSN: 2348-6848 p-ISSN: 2348-795X Vol. 12 Issue 09 September 2025 Received: 20 September 2025 380 Revised: 25 September 2025 Accepted:28 September 2025 Copyright  authors 2025 DOI: HTTPS://DOI.ORG/10.5281/ZENODO.17287493 changes in their homeland, they still live as a minority group. They often worry about their place in American society. Even though they embrace American culture, they struggle with their cultural identity and how they fit into American life. One of the major challenges immigrants face is the language barrier. Adjusting to life in America is hard in many ways. Many immigrants initially struggle with English, and sometimes, they don't even share a common language within their own community. For example, Tilo‟s shop is busiest on Saturdays, where the air is filled with a mix of languages, like Hindi, Oriya, Assamese, Urdu, Tamil, and English, as everyone speaks in their own language. In Tilo‟s shop, people from different backgrounds coexist, and their voices overlap. Despite their shared experience as immigrants in a new country, they keep their own languages, showing the diversity within immigrant communities. Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni often writes about the struggles of Indian immigrants trying to fit into American life. She has said in interviews that immigrant women, in particular, are concerned about their identity and often try to reinvent it. Many of her characters don‟t have a stable sense of personal or cultural identity, and they drift through America‟s multicultural society. Through her writing, Divakaruni explores the complex journey immigrants face as they try to balance the culture of their homeland and the American way of life. Works Cited Banerjee, Chitra Divakaruni. The Mistress of Spices. Black Swan, 1997. ---. Sister of My Heart. Black Swan, 1999. ---. "Woman's Places." The Atlantic Monthly Company, 16 Feb. 2010, www.theatlantic.com/unb ound/factfict/ff9804.html ---. "Reflects on Kolkata." Newsweek, 24 Sept. 2012, www.newsweek.com/chitra-divakaruni-refl ects-kolkata-64693 —. "Profile by Arthur J. Pais." Laura Hird, Feb. 1999, www.laurahird.com . Barker, Chris, and Dariusz Galasiński. Cultural Studies and Discourse Analysis: A Dialogue on Language and Identity. Sage, 2001.