Literary

 

It was my grandmother who opened a window for me when I was a child, in Pandakkal, a small village in Tellicherry, North Malabar, Kerala.

 

Ancient Kerala is a mystic blend of esoteric science, astrology, signs of nature, and the people knew how to interpret the sounds in the forest. It was exotic to walk with her into the forests and absorb the mysteries of nature. These do not stand the logic of modern science, yet they were amazingly accurate in their prediction, They could foresee the future, and interpret the signs of nature, what they call 'Nimitham'.

 

My grandmother was a scholar in Sanskrit and Malayalam. Being her favorite grandson, she often walked me deep into the forests to show old and mysterious temples, teaching me to read the forest signs, the signs given out by the birds, forest animals and the insects. Her interpretation was not only amazing but also infallible.

 

How long have you been writing?

 

I have been writing only for the last four to five years.

 

Do you write more by logic or intuition,or some combination of the two. Summarize your writing process.

 

I have been writing more by intuition.  Early in the morning, when I sit in the garden, and watch the wonders of nature unfold, a thought flashes in my mind, and quickly transforms itself into a story.

 

Once I felt there was dead body behind the mirror. The story developed of its own; it was a story that captivated my friends. On one occasion, as I descended the stairs, I saw a hand float in the air. It became a powerful story.

 

 

A relative once told me about his meeting an old man and a girl on a train. The old man asked my relative to marry his girl, but he declined. Later, he saw the same girl at his home come out of the bathroom and walk out through the closed door. He never lived alone in that house. His fear and apprehension were true.

 

Where did your love of books/storytelling/reading come from?

 

I have been reading books since my childhood. Dostoevsky and Nikolai Gogol's "Overcoat" had a tremendous influence on me.

 

Rabindranath Tagore, Sarath Chandra, Munshi Prem Chandra were my world, I read them again and again, as also the inimitable R K Narayan.

 

I also liked the style of Malayali writer Basheer.

 

Can you share some of the stories about people you met while researching this book?

 

I did not do any research. I did meet people, who recounted strange encounters. I did meet priests in the temples in the forests and astrologers who were amazingly accurate  In their predictions, everything seem to be ordained. It is written in your stars.

 

Most of the stories were based on my recollection of narratives during travels into the forests with my grandmother. Later, before starting to write, I travelled again some of those paths, recollecting her tales and reading the signs in the forests. I met several elderly people who guided me in the ancient history of Kerala, met priests and astrologers, and committed all that I saw and heard into my memory.

 

What makes your book stand out from the crowd?

 

What makes my book stand out is the style and pace of the narrative. I write as I heard the stories narrated to me, and imagine the readers listening to my stories with rapt attention as if they as they sit cross-legged like children before their grandmothers, listening to her tales. I also retain the flavour of the local people, both in speech and character. The flow is easy and simple to follow, with no adult content, making it worthwhile for people of all ages to read and enjoy the thrilling stories.

 

My friends tell me that once they start reading a story, they cannot put it down till they reach the end. The end is usually dramatic. Once they complete a story, they get hooked, and they want more. What stands out is the language, it goes straight to the heart. The reader feels enthralled as if he is living a real life incident. It may not follow a traditional script; the events unfold at a rapid pace, the reader cannot foresee the many sudden twists and turns in the story, and once started, the curiosity is so aroused he is compelled to continue till the end. Once there, I see a smile on the reader's face, a smile, a sign of  contentment. That, precisely, is the objective of this book.