Perpetually Perplexed

I am reading this book by Kuzhali Manickavel. I really liked the stories in the book. They are somewhat Kafkaesque in style but really interesting. And closer to heart because of Indian context. Funny thing is I did not know how to pronounce the name of the author and did not know whether the author is male or female. And you think that for us Indians Russian names are difficult to pronounce.  Well it seems she spent her childhood years in US of A. That could be the reason of her wonderful writing style. What a prejudiced mind do I have! Look at this story. "Paavai's husband was drowned in the sea and his swollen body was found. Few days after final rites, he appears in her dream and asks her why did she bury his watch. She tells him not to appear in her dreams again. But next day he still comes in the dream and asks about the watch. This repeats for many days. One day she digs out the watch from his grave. She carries it to the beach and throws it into the sea wher...

Angaadi is an intelligence official being posted to Kesaruru -( kesaru - mud, dirt, ooru - town). Once famous for its cardamom production, this place is producing lesser cardamom year by year. The government has posted Angaadi to find out the reasons. But he wonders if there are some outside forces involved in this and if there is any link between this and the death of scientist Jogihala who was studying new species of cardamom with a very high yield. Patil who works in the cardamom board is a rationalist and gets very angry at beliefs about ghosts and even God. He tries to convince people that there are no ghosts by giving medicine to people who were sick supposedly because of ghosts. He cures these sick people but not the blind faiths of villagers. They start thinking he can chase away ghosts! Jayaram is a writer from Kesaruru who can write stories based on few facts such that the story looks too real to be imaginary. Angaadi asks Jayaram to tell a story linking cardamom yield, ...

Well, I hadn't laughed like this for a long time. This book "The picnic and such like pandemonium"  is simply hilarious Over zealous mother plans for a cruise on a Greek ship. They are welcomed by purser who is brimming with confidence and strong garlic smell. They go to the bar and Larry asks for largest glass of ouzo. The happy waiter asks if he wants ice. When answered in affirmation he says they do not have ice. When Larry asks water with drink, he brings it. Larry spits it after taking a single gulp. Waiter has added hot water to the drink. He explains as they have only hot water in the bar, he put it in the drink. Larry did not expect it, not even from a Greek. Mother comes to the bar, not in search of ouzo (with hot water ??), but telling that Margo (her daughter ) is stuck in the lavatory.  They all rush there and Leslie brings a steward. Steward manages to open the stuck door and says "Ladies never understand how to close this door" and to demonstr...