Shimla Bazaar : and Other Stories

<p>Sumit Raj&rsquo;s Shimla Bazaar is an unassuming account of everyday happenings &ndash; it could be a monkey entering his room and breaking a vase; or a troop of monkeys scaring away unruly youth; or the satisfaction of locating his father&rsquo;s friend. These scintillating stories are primarily set in Shimla; however occasionally a story or two move out to places like Dharamsala or to the campsites in deep valleys. Wherever the author be Shimla seems to be a part and parcel of his consciousness. By literary definitions these tales may not fall exactly in the precinct of short stories but each narrative offers a pleasant concoction of reality and imagination and can be called ruminations or reminiscences. At the most intimate and personal level the book is a dialogue with nature and with his readers.</p>