Description

About the Book

“Few can deny that fortuitous things have happened in their lives as if preplanned. Predestined by God or fate, as each one would prefer to think. But such things happened with more than the normal frequency in Venkateshwar’s life. On the day of his birth, nine goats littered in Hashimpur; a very good omen. On his third birthday, his father got three people murdered; an event of little consequence. On the day he joined school in the city, the roof of a government school collapsed, killing seven children; a mixed blessing, because the accident was an ill omen but the number of the children was a good omen. On his tenth birthday, he brought a friend home and got slapped by mother for it; an event that changed the course of his life. On his seventeenth birthday, he brought the same friend home again to a hearty welcome by his mother; the most fulfilling moment in his life. And on his twenty-fourth birthday, he slipped a ring into his sweetheart Ramlamma’s finger – a sort of secret betrothal little knowing that a total of 127 near relatives – grandparents to grandchildren – were trooping into his house; an ominous event whose significance I shall now describe.”

CONTENTS

WEST END SKETCH

JUDAS.

KAMASUTRA.

YOU AM OM

HARVEST STRIKE

THE GOOD SAMARITAN

PRIMEVAL ATOM

THE SACRED THREAD

DEVALOKAM

ALSO BY PONMALA.

1. THE ADAMANT VEIL
2. THE DANCE OF SHIVA