About the Book:
Set in Bangalore - a city of paradoxes. of gardens and garbage heaps. of technology and traffic snarls. of friendly people and failing infrastructure. when bungalows had gardens and pavements were meant for pedestrians. this is a narrative of the human spirit.
Rohan, an idealistic young sports lover experiences rejection, dark dejection and isolation and hurtles down the path to self destruction.
Shyla, attractive and successful is everything his heart yearns for and his body desires, except, she is married!
Chandrika, simple and devoted fails to understand the man she loves.
The shuklas long for justice denied by the system.
And khalid fears nothing and no one ...anymore.
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Read an Excerpt:
Chapter 1
The raw, earthly smell of the first drops of rain signaled
the onset of the monsoon of 1962. Ten year old Rohan watched it from his window
and inhaled deeply. He felt like he wanted to draw in as much as possible of
this place that he loved so dearly. The rain had washed clean the gardens and
roads of Bangalore. A city of sheer beauty, it was like a large painting
suspended in time, being restored to its original brilliance with one masterly stroke.
Bangalore with flower-laden trees, small lakes and numerous gardens was
wonderful to behold. All was quiet, calm and serene.
But
even his love for Bangalore could not match his passion for playing outdoors.
His face registered dismay when the drizzle turned into a downpour and sheets
of rain hid the verdant trees and the glitter of the rocks beyond the playing
fields. He would lose valuable time waiting for the rain to subside to play
cricket with his friends.
Drizzly
weather or what his dad called ‘English weather’ never hampered him like a
monsoon onslaught did. It was as familiar to him as the streets and their
English names – Lloyds Road, Cline Road, Hutchins Road and Davis Road. The
English had definitely made Bangalore into a ‘Little
England’
and left behind a large community of Anglo Indians. A proud community of mixed
cultures, they were concentrated in the northern part of the city called the ‘Cantt’
(short for Cantonment) along with a cosmopolitan mix of settlers from other
states and countries.
The
southern part, the original old Bangalore was known as the ‘City’ area. The
Cantt area, extending from Richmond Town to Frazer Town, had spacious bungalows
with servant’s quarters, private lawns and gardens. It was a township by
itself, with lakes, gardens, theatres, restaurants, bars and exclusive clubs.
The Cantt area was nothing without the Anglo-Indians whose exuberance and fun
loving nature enhanced the charm of life in Bangalore. They lived for the day
and never gave the morrow a thought. Romantic at heart, partying was their
greatest pastime. A few couples, country liquor, lots to eat and they would
dance till the stars drooped and went down under.
“Rain, rain go away, come again another day,” Rohan whispered urgently, and was gratified to see the
rain gradually stop. Now, he could go out to the beckoning playground and join
his friends for a game of cricket, yet another legacy of the British.
“Ma,
I am going to play”, he yelled.
“Come
back on time, Rohan”, his mother warned. “Or you know how your father reacts!” Rohan
ran out, looking back to wave to his mother at the door.
They
were all there – Peter, Oscar, Roy, Philip, Akbar, Kiran, Akshay, Arun, Joe,
Allan, Mahmud and Inder. The stumps were up, the teams chosen and the game was
on. Cricket was an obsession with Rohan.
“Come
on Rohan, we must win today”, urged Inder.
“What high hopes”, teased Oscar.
Peter
always red in the face, yelled, “Oscar, shut your bloody mouth and start
batting.”
Praises for the Book:
The book is simple in style and content, for often it is this simplicity that bewilders and rouses
Interest.
~ Shri S . Rajendra Babu, Former Chief Justice of India
The book has excellent literary craftsmanship, passion humour and adventure. Highly recommended.
~ Mr. Namboodiri, former Asst. Editor, Deccan Herald
This charming book about old Bangalore is written in a racy easy-to-read style.
~ Deccan Herald, Bangalore.
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