A schoolboy's loyalty to a street vendor is tested when the vendor disappears without notice. A grandmother prepares to begin a new chapter in her life. Bombay's tangled web of bureaucracy threatens the livelihood of an ex-serviceman. Like the city's ubiquitous snack food, Bombay Bhel blends a variety of ingredients to serve up glimpses of life among the Goan and Anglo-Indian communities-minorities in one of the world's most cosmopolitan cities. The interlinked stories are set in the late twentieth century, before a wave of anticolonialism crested across India and resulted in the city's rechristening. Each story in this debut collection offers a taste of the rhythm and verve of Bombay life. The stories feature everyday characters who face challenges unique to Bombay life, from the schoolboy who forms an unlikely friendship with a street vendor to the retired serviceman whose livelihood is threatened by the city's notorious bureaucracy. Readers familiar with Bombay will reawaken their memories, while those new to the city will experience a taste of its varied flavors.
Praise for Bombay Bhel
..". the] prose reaches deep into areas in the brain, unlocking a flood of memories." -- Clyde DSouza, author of Memories with Maya
"Treat yourself to a trip through one of the most misunderstood, beautiful, smelly, thrilling, complex cities in the world and meet some of its most enticing denizens." -- Paul Dyer, author of Elixir of Death
"The stories of Bombay Bhel are full of life and captivating." -- Edith LaGraziana, Goodreads Librarian