Dry Spells

Shyamala Mehta travels to Mumbai, India, to learn more about her mother's past and discovers a city filled with secrets and contrasts. She meets Arjun, the son of her mother's neighbor, and starts to see the city of her mother's youth in all its beautiful complexity. However, as the drought worsens, Shyamala finds herself at the crossroads of her family's history and her own destiny.

Format: Paperback / softback
Length: 366 pages
Publication date: 01 May 2024
Publisher: Amazon Publishing

In the bustling city of Los Angeles, Shyamala Mehta felt trapped in a stagnant life. Her career was unfulfilling, her relationships were complicated, and her mother's constant obsession with marriage weighed heavily on her. When she received a transfer offer to Mumbai, she seized the opportunity to escape the familiar and embark on a journey to the city her parents had left behind.

Upon arriving in Mumbai, Shyamala was struck by the stark contrast between her life in LA and the one she had left behind. The city was dry and parched, the streets were empty, and the once vibrant energy seemed to have dissipated. She stayed with her mother's sister, Vini, who was a completely different person from her conservative mother, Pramila. Vini exuded joy and freedom, embracing unconventional beliefs and living life to the fullest.

Shyamala was fascinated by Vini's transformation and sought to understand the forces that had shaped her. As she explored the city, she discovered remnants of her mother's youth, a time when she had been full of life and passion. She met Arjun, a young man with wild hair and a deep love for India, who helped her see the city in a new light.

However, as the drought worsened, Shyamala found herself at the crossroads of her family's history and her own destiny. The taps ran dry, and the city was gripped by fear and uncertainty. Shyamala began to uncover secrets that had been hidden for years, and she realized that her mother's past was not as simple as she had thought.

As the deluge finally came, Shyamala braced herself for the revelations that awaited her. But the deluge was not just a physical phenomenon; it was a metaphor for the emotional and psychological storms that had been brewing within her. It washed away the layers of misconception and ignorance that had separated her from her mother, and it revealed the complex and nuanced woman that she had always been.

In the aftermath of the deluge, Shyamala found herself transformed. She had learned to embrace her own uniqueness and to appreciate the complexities of her family's history. She had also discovered a newfound love for Mumbai, a city that had once seemed foreign and unfamiliar but that now felt like home.

As she left Mumbai behind, Shyamala carried with her the lessons she had learned and the memories she had made. She knew that her journey was far from over, but she was ready to face whatever challenges lay ahead with a renewed sense of purpose and a deeper understanding of herself and her family.

Weight: 318g
Dimension: 128 x 199 x 26 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781662519512