STORIES OF THE TRUE

The first English translation from one of the most prolific and occasionally provocative writers in India—a literary critic and leftist political gadfly, as well as a writer of epic fiction that can mix fantasy, metaphysics, and social commentary.

In an author’s note to this volume, which was originally published in Tamil in 2011, Jeyamohan highlights “aram”—“the Tamil equivalent of the Sanskrit word ‘dharma’”—and writes, “Arising from the most fundamental questions of aram, every one of these stories celebrates the triumph of humanity. That is the vision these stories have revealed to me. That is the flag I hold up through them.” Such triumph manifests itself through these stories of extraordinary individuals who have challenged and transcended the strictures of caste, religion, nationalism, and other constructs that divide the world rather than bring it together. As a concluding “Note on the Real-Life Characters” suggests, many of his characters have left a historical imprint in real life. In “He Who Will Not Bow,” a boy from the caste of “the wage slave” escapes from his destiny and becomes a self-educated government official by British appointment. He tells those who might challenge him: “I am a man who has risen from a manure pit. I have seen things far worse than death. There is nothing left for me to fear in this life.” In “Elephant Doctor,” the man known by that title had become celebrated as “a living legend,” healing humans and elephants alike, yet resists attempts to glorify him and keeps his focus on the service he provides. The political activist who might be a fool or saint in “Nutcase” and the self-proclaimed citizen of the world in “One World” show how much impact one person can have. These are fictionalized versions of stories the title calls “true”—spiritually, politically, communally.

A collection of vividly detailed stories with themes that are often idealistic and inspirational.