Thallesary Biryani

Stories on the human condition in a language that exudes empathy and concern form the foundation of this collection which marvels at life in Thalassery a South Indian small town. These stories reveal the cultural plurality of Thalassery and show an epiphany of a local journalist; a glimpse into a lottery seller’s life; a suspected crime; the storms faced by a doorman in a cinema theatre in the small town; the metamorphosis of a research student; the romance between a woman and a sculpture; and a shrine housing a miraculous statue. Magic realism suspense symbolism and postcolonial sensibilities underpin the narratives. The struggles that the middle and lower middle-classes undergo in modern India become the central concern of the stories in this collection. These stories Indian in essence universal in appeal existentialist in concern find a versatile expression in author Anu Lal’s narration as they enlighten and entertain.