MR IYER GOES TO WAR

Ryan Lobo

In this debut novel, inspired by Don Quixote, the 70-something-year-old Lalgudi Iyer is dispatched to a hospice in Varanasi, where he spends his days immersed in scripture. After he suffers a concussion, he sees a vision of his past life—he is the reincarnation of the mythological warrior Bhima, sent from the heavens to destroy evil. Convinced of his need to continue the warrior’s mission and revive the principles of Hindu mythology, Iyer embarks on an epic adventure across India with the help of his trusted companion, Bencho the undertaker. His attempts at restoring order to the world are hampered only by his complete detachment from sanity and the reality of contemporary India.

Bloomsbury India, 224 pages, Rs 399