In e na ional Jou nal o Resea ch (IJR)
e-ISSN: 2348-6848
p-ISSN: 2348-795X
Vol. 12 Issue 09
Sep embe 2025
Recei ed: 20 Sep embe 2025 372
Re ised: 25 Sep embe 2025
Accep ed:28 Sep embe 2025
Copy igh au ho s 2025 DOI: HTTPS://DOI.ORG/10.5281/ZENODO.17287493
C oss-Cul u al Analysis o Mis ess o Spices
E. Ra na Kalyani
Associa e P o esso o English
Babu Jagji an Ram Go e nmen Deg ee College
Na ayanguda, Hyde abad, Telangana
Abs ac :
Indian-Ame ican au ho Chi a Bane jee Di aka uni o en w i es abou he expe iences o
immig an s o he Uni ed S a es. She is skilled a po aying he di e se cul u es o India,
especially Bengali adi ions. He no els e lec hese cul u al p ac ices h ough in ima e amily
s o ies ha a e closely ied o social, cul u al, and psychological no ms, especially in ela ion o
ood. The Bengali cul u e is a ecu ing heme in he wo k, highligh ing how immig an s y o
keep hei home cul u e ali e while adap ing o he dominan cul u e o hei new coun y. In The
Mis ess o Spices, o example, he immig an s ace challenges in a o eign land bu emain
commi ed o hei cul u al belie s while also lea ning and adap ing o he ways o hei new
home. Di aka uni p esen s Indian cul u e and adi ions ealis ically in his no el. This a icle
akes a C oss-Cul u al S udies app oach o explo e hemes o mul icul u alism, pos -colonialism,
and globaliza ion, ocusing on Ame ican cha ac e s, cul u e, and people, and examining he
heo ies and deba es a ound globaliza ion.
Keywo ds: C oss-Cul u al Analysis, Globaliza ion, Immig an s, Cul u e, Diaspo a,
psychological no ms, socio-cul u al aspec s, e c.
In oduc ion
Indian-Ame ican au ho Chi a Bane jee Di aka uni has w i en o e six een no els, many o
which ocus on he expe iences o immig an s in he Uni ed S a es. He s o ies a e o en se in
Kolka a and he Bay A ea o Cali o nia. Di aka uni is known o cap u ing he di e se cul u al
aspec s o India, especially Bengali adi ions, h ough in ima e amily s o ies ha a e closely
In e na ional Jou nal o Resea ch (IJR)
e-ISSN: 2348-6848
p-ISSN: 2348-795X
Vol. 12 Issue 09
Sep embe 2025
Recei ed: 20 Sep embe 2025 373
Re ised: 25 Sep embe 2025
Accep ed:28 Sep embe 2025
Copy igh au ho s 2025 DOI: HTTPS://DOI.ORG/10.5281/ZENODO.17287493
ied o social, cul u al, and psychological no ms, pa icula ly a ound ood. The heme o Bengali
e hnici y appea s epea edly in he wo k o highligh how immig an s y o p ese e hei home
cul u e while adap ing o he dominan cul u e in a o eign coun y. In Mis ess o Spices,
Di aka uni po ays immig an s who ace cul u al challenges in a new coun y bu con inue o
hold on o hei cul u al belie s and cus oms, e en as hey g adually emb ace he ways o hei
hos coun y. He no els o en explo e he own cul u al backg ound in Wes Bengal, India, and
she ai h ully depic s Indian cul u e and adi ions in a ealis ic way. This chap e uses he lens o
C oss-Cul u al S udies o explo e hemes o mul icul u alism, pos -colonialism, and
globaliza ion, ocusing on Ame ican cha ac e s, cul u e, and people, while engaging wi h c i ical
deba es on globaliza ion.
Th ough a de ailed analysis o Mis ess o Spices, his a icle examines he con as s
be ween di e en cul u es and aces, pa icula ly h ough he lens o San F ancisco and Oakland.
San F ancisco, wi h i s iconic Golden Ga e B idge, symbolizes he g ea ness o Ame ica, while
Oakland, whe e he p o agonis Tilo li es, ep esen s he hidden wo ld o spices. The no el
explo es how immig an s na iga e hei iden i ies a e mo ing geog aphically, poli ically,
socially, and cul u ally om India o he Uni ed S a es, a emp ing o adap o li e in a o eign
land.
In he no el, spices symbolize he "un-Ame ican" aspec o he immig an expe ience. They help
people eclaim hei connec ion o he Eas , cap i a ing hose who a e d awn o hem. The no el
is illed wi h magical ealism, wi h each o he i een chap e s named a e di e en spices, such
as Tilo, Tu me ic, Cinnamon, and Ginge . These chap e s ocus on Tilo‟s in e ac ions wi h he
cus ome s and how she uses speci ic spices o help hem sol e hei pe sonal p oblems. Tilo and
he spices a e a he cen e o in e ac ions be ween a ious aces and cul u es, including di e en
Indian cul u es, wi h people om di e en backg ounds, ages, and expec a ions.
Tilo‟s s o y is ascina ing. She was bo n in a small illage, and he pa en s we e
disappoin ed because she was a gi l. She was la e called Bhagya a i because she could p edic
dange s, ind los hings, e eal he w ongdoings o he ich, and unco e hidden easu es. He
In e na ional Jou nal o Resea ch (IJR)
e-ISSN: 2348-6848
p-ISSN: 2348-795X
Vol. 12 Issue 09
Sep embe 2025
Recei ed: 20 Sep embe 2025 374
Re ised: 25 Sep embe 2025
Accep ed:28 Sep embe 2025
Copy igh au ho s 2025 DOI: HTTPS://DOI.ORG/10.5281/ZENODO.17287493
ame sp ead o o he illages, and people began o wo ship he . E en ually, pi a es a acked he
illage, killed he amily, and ook he cap i e. Tilo e en ually o e h ows he pi a e cap ain and
becomes he new pi a e queen, leading he pi a es o ame, so much so ha ba ds sang abou hei
ea less exploi s (Di aka uni, 19).
Tilo e en ually a i es a a magical island o spices, whe e women call hemsel es he
"Mis esses o Spices." The i s mo he he e akes ca e o he g oup and ains hem in he a o
using spices o help o he s. Tilo is named Tilo amma and is sen o Oakland, Cali o nia, whe e
she opens a small Indian spice shop. In his shop, she helps people by gi ing hem spices ha
ha e speci ic healing powe s. While he spices can heal and com o , hey can also cause ha m o
make hings wo se i used inco ec ly. Tilo has a ision o help he cus ome s by o e ing hem
he igh spice o hei needs.
Tilo uses he spices o ans o m he body in o one esembling he beau y o he „apsa as,‟
hoping o make Ra en all in lo e wi h he , e en i i is jus o one momen in he li e. She is
old,
"By omo ow nigh Tilo, you will be a beau y‟s summi . Enjoy well. Fo by nex
mo ning, i will be gone" (Di aka uni, 263).
She ag ees o accep any punishmen a e wa d when she gi es he sel comple ely o
Ra en‟s lo e. Meanwhile, he cus ome s o whom Tilo had p ayed a e con en wi h hei li es,
hough no in he way she had expec ed. They a e all on he b ink o s a ing anew, while Tilo is
nea ing he end o he li e as a mis ess o spices in Ame ica. She en e s he Shampa hi‟s i e and
loses consciousness. The nex mo ning, Ra en inds he unconscious and akes he in his a ms o
his ca . A ha momen , a massi e ea hquake s ikes, de as a ing almos all o Oakland,
including Tilo‟s spice shop.
Tilo lea es he a ea, bu a e d i ing a sho dis ance, she s ops he ca and looks back a
Oakland, now bu ning. She changes he mind and decides o e u n o help he people, belie ing
ha he disas e happened because o he , and she wan s o help as she did be o e. The ques ion
ha cons an ly oubles Tilo is why he spices ha e no punished he . They answe he , saying,
In e na ional Jou nal o Resea ch (IJR)
e-ISSN: 2348-6848
p-ISSN: 2348-795X
Vol. 12 Issue 09
Sep embe 2025
Recei ed: 20 Sep embe 2025 375
Re ised: 25 Sep embe 2025
Accep ed:28 Sep embe 2025
Copy igh au ho s 2025 DOI: HTTPS://DOI.ORG/10.5281/ZENODO.17287493
"Mis ess who was, when you accep ed ou punishmen in you hea wi hou
ba ling i , ha was enough. Ha ing eadied you mind o su e , you did no need
o unde go ha su e ing in body also" (Di aka uni, 305).
Tilo e uses Ra en's sugges ion ha hey ind an ea hly pa adise, saying i is impossible
o ind one. Ra en hen changes his mind and e u ns wi h Tilo, who is gi en a new name, Maya,
o s a a new li e. The no el ends wi h Tilo inding a new pu pose and a new iden i y, emb acing
he new name, Maya, in his new wo ld whe e she mus ely on he sel o ind he igh pa h.
Di aka uni e ec i ely po ays he c oss-cul u al s uggles aced by Indian immig an women
who lea e hei homes o ind a new one in a o eign cul u e. Ame ica o e s a p omise o a
be e u u e, ee om gende and acial disc imina ion, based on i s di e se cus oms, eligions,
and languages. Howe e , he immig an s, who come wi h d eams o hope, also ca y hei na i e
iden i ies, which leads o eelings o nos algia and homesickness. They o en yea n o he
amilia cul u e and en i onmen o hei homeland. In a new cul u e, hey s uggle o adap , and
many expe ience aliena ion om mains eam Ame ican socie y, causing hem o lose hope.
Tilo i s aces he ha shness o acism when one o he wo king-class cus ome s, Mohan,
is iolen ly a acked by wo young whi e men one e ening. As he a acke s app oach, Mohan
hea s hei oo s eps, " all lea es b eaking unde boo s, a sound like c ushed glass" (169).
The wo men, who a e skinheads, acially a ack him, yelling, "Son o a bi ch Indian,
should ha e s ayed in you own goddam coun y" (170). Despi e Mohan ha ing li ed in Ame ica
o o e en yea s, he a acke s iew him as jus ano he immig an , ano he mino i y. As he is
bea en, Mohan eels exc ucia ing pain, which Di aka uni desc ibes as "like i e, like s inging
needles, like hamme s b eaking" (171).
Mohan s uggles o unde s and he pain he‟s expe iencing du ing an a ack. He ies o
de end himsel , e en hough e e y mo emen hu s:
“e en hough i hu s o b ea he and a small jagged hough - ibs? spins up o a
momen in o he ligh ed pa o his mind” (Di aka uni, 170).
In e na ional Jou nal o Resea ch (IJR)
e-ISSN: 2348-6848
p-ISSN: 2348-795X
Vol. 12 Issue 09
Sep embe 2025
Recei ed: 20 Sep embe 2025 376
Re ised: 25 Sep embe 2025
Accep ed:28 Sep embe 2025
Copy igh au ho s 2025 DOI: HTTPS://DOI.ORG/10.5281/ZENODO.17287493
He expe iences a blow o his head ha makes his hough s eel as i hey‟ e splin e ing
“in o yellow s a s” (Di aka uni, 171). His wi e, Veena, is e y suppo i e, and Mohan depends
on he ca e. While eco e ing in he hospi al, he wishes she could always be by his side, hough
he acknowledges she needs o es a home some imes:
“Only wish Veena could be he e, i would be nice o ha e someone‟s hand o
hold on o when ou side he sky u ns inky pu ple like ha nigh ” (Di aka uni,
171).
Di aka uni highligh s he c oss-cul u al ensions immig an s ace when mo ing o a new
coun y. Mohan‟s s o y is b ie , and eade s don‟ ge as much in o ma ion abou him compa ed
o o he cha ac e s, like Ha oun. Tilo eels p o ec i e o Ha oun, al hough she can' ully de ine
why. Ea ly on, she senses ha his good na u e migh no las , hinking,
"O Ha oun, I sen up a plea o you in o he c ackling ai you le behind…Bu
he e was a sudden explosion ou side…I d owned ou my p aye " (28).
Tilo has a ision when she ouches Ha oun‟s new axicab, seeing a dis u bing image o
him hu , slumped agains he s ee ing wheel. She ques ions he sel ,
“The skin is i b oken-b uised, o only a shadow alling?” La e , as Ha oun lea es,
Tilo obse es, “silhoue ed agains a nigh which opens a ound him like jaws”
(112).
This o eshadows he dange Ha oun will soon ace. Tilo anxiously wai s ou side his
home, hea ing " oo s eps ing as on a ie y an il, splin e ing pa emen si ens d ills h ough he
bones o skull in co ksc ew mo ion ollowed by images o he „sha e o b own glass‟”
(Di aka uni, 228). When Ha oun inally e u ns o his apa men , he is c umpled and bloody
om he a ack. The doc o a ending o him says, "looks like hey used an i on od. Skull could
ha e c acked like snail shells" (Di aka uni, 230). Ha oun‟s expe ience ep esen s he way many
Indian-Ame icans eel as hei o me iden i ies a e sha e ed in a new coun y.
A e he a ack, Tilo helps Ha oun in o his apa men , whe e she no ices signs o his
iden i y on he walls. The e a e "whi ewashed walls emp y excep wo pic u es hanging whe e
In e na ional Jou nal o Resea ch (IJR)
e-ISSN: 2348-6848
p-ISSN: 2348-795X
Vol. 12 Issue 09
Sep embe 2025
Recei ed: 20 Sep embe 2025 377
Re ised: 25 Sep embe 2025
Accep ed:28 Sep embe 2025
Copy igh au ho s 2025 DOI: HTTPS://DOI.ORG/10.5281/ZENODO.17287493
his eyes would i s all on waking. A passage om he Ko an in a lush cu ed U du sc ip and
sil e Lambo ghini" (Di aka uni, 229). Ha oun‟s eco e y is pa ly due o he suppo om
Hameeda, who plays an impo an ole in his healing. Ha oun is ang y and says,
"I I ca ch hose bas a d pigs, hose shai aans…also hank ul o he chance o
eco e . Bu also I ha e been lucky…And I ha e ound such iends - like amily
hey a e, a lis in which he includes Hameeda i s " (282).
E en ually, Ha oun ma ies Hameeda, gi ing he he ole o ca e ake , and his immig an
d eam is ealized in a way he ne e expec ed: "Ha oun who has so much o li e o , o whom
he immig an d eam has come ue in a way he ne e hough " (283-84).
In he Uni ed S a es, gende oles a e mo e lexible, which challenges adi ional alues.
This is shown h ough he cha ac e Celes ina, Ra en‟s mo he , who isn‟ whi e bu ies o pass
as whi e. She belie es ha p e ending o be whi e gi es he sel -es eem and happiness.
Celes ina‟s s uggle e lec s he b oade heme o Eas -Wes encoun e s, which Di aka uni
explo es h ough he own expe ience as an immig an . She inhe i ed Indian alues by bi h and
emb aced Wes e n alues by choosing o li e in Ame ica. Di aka uni‟s consis en explo a ion o
he Eas -Wes encoun e , pa icula ly he Indo-Ame ican expe ience, e lec s he deep conce n
o global issues.
The i s gene a ion o immig an s o en eels he pain o aliena ion. The second
gene a ion ocuses on accep ance and assimila ion, ying o i in o he hos cul u e. The hi d
gene a ion, howe e , is ee om he bu den o di ided iden i y. These child en, despi e being
bo n in he new coun y, canno ully sepa a e hemsel es om hei ances al cul u e. They a e
inspi ed o econnec wi h hei na i e he i age, allowing hem o eclaim and celeb a e hei
cul u al iden i y.
Fi s -gene a ion immig an s a e o en deeply a ached o he homeland hey le behind, and his
eeling o being up oo ed makes i di icul o hem o adjus o a new coun y. Fi s -gene a ion
Indian-Ame icans a e e y awa e o he cul u al di e ences be ween India and he Uni ed S a es.
In hei new li es, mode n Ame ican cul u e o en clashes wi h adi ional Indian alues. A
In e na ional Jou nal o Resea ch (IJR)
e-ISSN: 2348-6848
p-ISSN: 2348-795X
Vol. 12 Issue 09
Sep embe 2025
Recei ed: 20 Sep embe 2025 378
Re ised: 25 Sep embe 2025
Accep ed:28 Sep embe 2025
Copy igh au ho s 2025 DOI: HTTPS://DOI.ORG/10.5281/ZENODO.17287493
home, hey y o hold on o hei cul u al and eligious he i age, while ou side he home,
Ame ican cul u e becomes he basis o in e ac ions.
The second gene a ion aces di e en challenges. Bo n in he Uni ed S a es, hey adap
mo e easily o he new cul u e. Howe e , hey o en ejec he social expec a ions se by hei
pa en s. Though hey ha e le behind hei o iginal communi ies when hey mo ed o he U.S.,
hey s ill expe ience a sense o ejec ion. Thei pee s emind hem cons an ly ha hey don‟ uly
belong in Ame ica, and his causes a lo o in e nal con lic o hese young people, who s uggle
be ween he wo cul u es. These child en g ow up wi h wo iden i ies because hey a e expec ed
o li e by di e en alues a home and ou side. This is especially ue o Asian immig an s,
who, despi e being bo n in he U.S. (second o hi d gene a ion), s ill eel like ou side s due o
he colo o hei skin. They can' ully in eg a e in o mains eam whi e Ame ican socie y, and a
home, hey a e in luenced by hei pa en s' Indian li es yle and alues.
The hi d gene a ion, hose bo n in Ame ica o immig an pa en s, is mo e i mly
in eg a ed in o Ame ican socie y. G owing up in he Wes , hey easily adap o i s cus oms and
li es yle in ways ha hei pa en s could no . They see India as a place hey isi , no a place hey
emo ionally connec wi h. As a esul , hey do no ha e s ong ies o he o iginal homeland and
iden i y p ima ily as Ame ican ci izens.
Gee a‟s g and a he ep esen s he i s gene a ion o immig an s. He ini ially s ayed in
India while his amily mo ed o Ame ica. La e , he is pe suaded by his son o join hem in he
U.S., wi h his son saying,
“we a e all he e, wha o you wan o g ow old so a om you own lesh and
blood…I c ossed he kalapani and came o his Ame ica” (85).
In Ame ica, he s uggles o unde s and his g anddaugh e , Gee a. He doesn‟ unde s and
why she d esses he way she does, why she wo ks, why she cu s he hai sho , o why she wea s
so much makeup. He is also shocked when she buys a shiny, expensi e new ca . He eels ha he
beha io doesn‟ align wi h his expec a ions o how a woman should ac . He o en c i icizes he
In e na ional Jou nal o Resea ch (IJR)
e-ISSN: 2348-6848
p-ISSN: 2348-795X
Vol. 12 Issue 09
Sep embe 2025
Recei ed: 20 Sep embe 2025 379
Re ised: 25 Sep embe 2025
Accep ed:28 Sep embe 2025
Copy igh au ho s 2025 DOI: HTTPS://DOI.ORG/10.5281/ZENODO.17287493
o li ing an Ame ican li es yle, complaining o Tilo ha Gee a comes home la e a nigh a e
wo k.
Tilo ies o explain o him ha Ame ica is di e en , and e en in India, women a e
wo king now. She encou ages him o adjus and unde s and he younge gene a ion‟s way o li e.
Gee a‟s amily is a good example o Indian amilies in Ame ica ying o hold on o hei cul u e.
Gee a‟s g and a he ep esen s hose Indian immig an s who s ill alue hei adi ions, e en a e
lea ing hei home coun y. Immig an s who se le ab oad o en y o p ese e hei cul u e and
ways o hinking he way hey we e when hey le hei homeland. In India, howe e , people a e
mo e open o Wes e n ways o hinking, especially in he younge gene a ion, and hey a e mo e
ole an . On he o he hand, hose who ha e mo ed ab oad o en ind i di icul o accep he
changes in hei child en.
Tilo hopes ha Gee a will ind a way o balance he amily‟s adi ional alues wi h he
new li e in Ame ica:
“Gee a whose name means swee song, keep you pa ience, you humo , you zes
o li e…Gee a who is India and Ame ica all mixed oge he in o a new melody,
be o gi ing” (87).
The child en, especially, ace he mos s uggle. I is na u al o hem o eel con lic ed
and ebellious a imes. Fo example, Jagji , a second-gene a ion Indian-Ame ican, has ouble a
school because he s ill speaks Punjabi. He‟s o en sea ed in he back o he class, nex o a
s uden who s uggles wi h basic asks. Jagji has lea ned his i s English wo d: "
Idio . Idio . Idio " (38).
Tilo obse es him and wonde s i he knows ha his name means "wo ld-conque o ." She
hopes ha one day someone will help him na iga e his emo ional s uggles, “Who will ake him
by he hand, who will un wi h him and laugh wi h him and say See, his is Ame ica, i ‟s no so
bad” (40).
Indian immig an s in Ame ica, ac oss h ee gene a ions, ace challenges e en a e
se ling in he coun y. Al hough hey adop Ame ican li es yles and eel sadness abou he
In e na ional Jou nal o Resea ch (IJR)
e-ISSN: 2348-6848
p-ISSN: 2348-795X
Vol. 12 Issue 09
Sep embe 2025
Recei ed: 20 Sep embe 2025 380
Re ised: 25 Sep embe 2025
Accep ed:28 Sep embe 2025
Copy igh au ho s 2025 DOI: HTTPS://DOI.ORG/10.5281/ZENODO.17287493
changes in hei homeland, hey s ill li e as a mino i y g oup. They o en wo y abou hei place
in Ame ican socie y. E en hough hey emb ace Ame ican cul u e, hey s uggle wi h hei
cul u al iden i y and how hey i in o Ame ican li e. One o he majo challenges immig an s
ace is he language ba ie . Adjus ing o li e in Ame ica is ha d in many ways. Many immig an s
ini ially s uggle wi h English, and some imes, hey don' e en sha e a common language wi hin
hei own communi y. Fo example, Tilo‟s shop is busies on Sa u days, whe e he ai is illed
wi h a mix o languages, like Hindi, O iya, Assamese, U du, Tamil, and English, as e e yone
speaks in hei own language. In Tilo‟s shop, people om di e en backg ounds coexis , and
hei oices o e lap. Despi e hei sha ed expe ience as immig an s in a new coun y, hey keep
hei own languages, showing he di e si y wi hin immig an communi ies.
Chi a Bane jee Di aka uni o en w i es abou he s uggles o Indian immig an s ying
o i in o Ame ican li e. She has said in in e iews ha immig an women, in pa icula , a e
conce ned abou hei iden i y and o en y o ein en i . Many o he cha ac e s don‟ ha e a
s able sense o pe sonal o cul u al iden i y, and hey d i h ough Ame ica‟s mul icul u al
socie y. Th ough he w i ing, Di aka uni explo es he complex jou ney immig an s ace as hey
y o balance he cul u e o hei homeland and he Ame ican way o li e.
Wo ks Ci ed
Bane jee, Chi a Di aka uni. The Mis ess o Spices. Black Swan, 1997.
---. Sis e o My Hea . Black Swan, 1999.
---. "Woman's Places." The A lan ic Mon hly Company, 16 Feb. 2010, www. hea lan ic.com/unb
ound/ ac ic / 9804.h ml
---. "Re lec s on Kolka a." Newsweek, 24 Sep . 2012, www.newsweek.com/chi a-di aka uni- e l
ec s-kolka a-64693
—. "P o ile by A hu J. Pais." Lau a Hi d, Feb. 1999, www.lau ahi d.com .
Ba ke , Ch is, and Da iusz Galasiński. Cul u al S udies and Discou se Analysis: A Dialogue on
Language and Iden i y. Sage, 2001.
