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Onam in a Nightie: Stories from a Kerala Quarantine
In India's tropical paradise, stands a town wrapped around a giant roundabout, where a canny caretaker with a French connection holds sway. Vying for his attention are two competing neighbours. Appu holds lessons for the living but Maya cares only for the dead. And a gastronome dog plays ball girl to tennis-loving nuns.
At the centre is an imposing temple so ancient that no one knows exactly when it was built. Here, even a tiny railway station has set its own rules for acceptance and belonging. On the other side of the tracks, a baker runs errands for total strangers in the middle of a pandemic.
Malgudi Days meets reality in the search for joy and belonging in a book that is alternatively heartwarming and hilarious. Anjana Menon takes you to a place that you wish stays that way forever, in these true stories of hope and resilience from a midway Kerala town.
At the centre is an imposing temple so ancient that no one knows exactly when it was built. Here, even a tiny railway station has set its own rules for acceptance and belonging. On the other side of the tracks, a baker runs errands for total strangers in the middle of a pandemic.
Malgudi Days meets reality in the search for joy and belonging in a book that is alternatively heartwarming and hilarious. Anjana Menon takes you to a place that you wish stays that way forever, in these true stories of hope and resilience from a midway Kerala town.
260 pages, Paperback
First published December 15, 2021
34 people are currently reading
250 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 74 reviews
August 31, 2023
We might have read a few books that discuss the serious problems and after-effects of the coronavirus pandemic. This is a book looking at the lighter side of it, written in an engaging manner.
The author discusses her experiences when she returned to Kerala during the lockdown to her native place to live with her parents. Lockdown during the pandemic and the measures taken by the Kerala government are depicted elegantly.
She also discusses all her memories associated with Thrissur. Thrissur pooram, Vadakkumnathan Temple, puli kali, beach visits, thiruvathirakali, Onam, sadya, and all the famous places and events in Thrissur are beautifully narrated by the author.
If you are someone from Thrissur like me, you will like most of the things described in this memoir. This book is also packed with a lot of nostalgia, making the reading experience even better.
She delineates the major global events during the pandemic, like the American election and the news about Boris Johnson and the British government.
What I learned from this book
1) COVID-19
It is due to the pandemic that the author came back to Kerala. The author describes most of the changes that happened in Kerala due to the COVID-19 virus.
2) What is the reason why people were not able to control the pandemic despite all the measures taken?
The mutation and infectivity of the virus and the lack of vaccine during the initial part of the pandemic have all contributed to the rapid spread of the pandemic. But more than this, there is one more important factor that made it very difficult to control the pandemic.
It is the carelessness of the people that made the situation even worse. Carelessness was due to the lack of awareness in the initial part of the pandemic. But during the latter part, the carelessness was mainly due to fatigue due to the large amount of precautionary measures taken for a long time. People naturally got irritated due to the use of masks, sanitizers, other disinfectants, and PPE kits continuously for many months. It led to carelessness which further worsened the pandemic. The author is trying to discuss this aspect of the pandemic in this book.
3) How did the pandemic affect The festival of festivals?
In this book, Anjana Menon gives an account of her memories associated with Thrissur pooram. The Thrissur Pooram is something that everyone from Thrissur is really proud of. It is also known as the festival of festivals. She has done a decent job describing her memories of Thrissur pooram and its various associated events.
The author tells us how even this mightiest festival was affected due to the pandemic. The Kerala government had to cancel the Pooram due to the restrictions of COVID-19, like many other festivals around the world.
My favourite three lines from this book
What could have been better?
There are a lot of Malayalam terms used in this book. Even though a separate list is given telling us the meaning of these Malayalam terms used in this book, there is still a probability that it will hinder the reading experience of some readers who doesn't know Malayalam.
You might not find any new information in this book if you are a Malayali. It might be because the author is trying to introduce Kerala customs and culture that we are all familiar with to people outside Kerala.
There is no flow or connection between the random events given in this book which might irritate some readers.
The biggest problem in this book is the way the author compares Kerala with other places, especially Delhi. She makes many unnecessary comparisons like the difference between cops, air quality, power outages, people's behavior, driving habits, Onam, and Diwali. I am a person who has been lucky enough to live in a few cities, and I believe that there will be a lot of positives and negatives to every city. It is ok to point out the positives and negatives of a city. But it is absurd to compare two cities and try to say that one city is great by belittling the other. Some of the things mentioned by the author might hurt your feelings if you are someone from Delhi.
Rating
3.5/5 This will be a good choice to learn more about Kerala (Thrissur in particular) and how the people of Kerala tried to tackle the challenges caused by the pandemic.
The author discusses her experiences when she returned to Kerala during the lockdown to her native place to live with her parents. Lockdown during the pandemic and the measures taken by the Kerala government are depicted elegantly.
She also discusses all her memories associated with Thrissur. Thrissur pooram, Vadakkumnathan Temple, puli kali, beach visits, thiruvathirakali, Onam, sadya, and all the famous places and events in Thrissur are beautifully narrated by the author.
If you are someone from Thrissur like me, you will like most of the things described in this memoir. This book is also packed with a lot of nostalgia, making the reading experience even better.
She delineates the major global events during the pandemic, like the American election and the news about Boris Johnson and the British government.
What I learned from this book
1) COVID-19
It is due to the pandemic that the author came back to Kerala. The author describes most of the changes that happened in Kerala due to the COVID-19 virus.
"COVID, mysterious and furiously infectious, has made us into careful versions of ourselves."
2) What is the reason why people were not able to control the pandemic despite all the measures taken?
The mutation and infectivity of the virus and the lack of vaccine during the initial part of the pandemic have all contributed to the rapid spread of the pandemic. But more than this, there is one more important factor that made it very difficult to control the pandemic.
It is the carelessness of the people that made the situation even worse. Carelessness was due to the lack of awareness in the initial part of the pandemic. But during the latter part, the carelessness was mainly due to fatigue due to the large amount of precautionary measures taken for a long time. People naturally got irritated due to the use of masks, sanitizers, other disinfectants, and PPE kits continuously for many months. It led to carelessness which further worsened the pandemic. The author is trying to discuss this aspect of the pandemic in this book.
“In this pandemic carelessness can take you quickly from sickness to the lonely dead.”
3) How did the pandemic affect The festival of festivals?
In this book, Anjana Menon gives an account of her memories associated with Thrissur pooram. The Thrissur Pooram is something that everyone from Thrissur is really proud of. It is also known as the festival of festivals. She has done a decent job describing her memories of Thrissur pooram and its various associated events.
The author tells us how even this mightiest festival was affected due to the pandemic. The Kerala government had to cancel the Pooram due to the restrictions of COVID-19, like many other festivals around the world.
"Poorams are temple festivals, and the Thrissur pooram is the festival of them all."
My favourite three lines from this book
"The coronavirus is a test of stamina, a battle between its infectiousness and cautiousness of people. An endless game of advances and pushbacks, waves upon waves."
“I am what you could call the proverbial outsider with a claim to be the insider.”
“Isolation does that. It makes you look at things more closely, examine your relationships and surroundings with a minutiae eye."
What could have been better?
There are a lot of Malayalam terms used in this book. Even though a separate list is given telling us the meaning of these Malayalam terms used in this book, there is still a probability that it will hinder the reading experience of some readers who doesn't know Malayalam.
You might not find any new information in this book if you are a Malayali. It might be because the author is trying to introduce Kerala customs and culture that we are all familiar with to people outside Kerala.
There is no flow or connection between the random events given in this book which might irritate some readers.
The biggest problem in this book is the way the author compares Kerala with other places, especially Delhi. She makes many unnecessary comparisons like the difference between cops, air quality, power outages, people's behavior, driving habits, Onam, and Diwali. I am a person who has been lucky enough to live in a few cities, and I believe that there will be a lot of positives and negatives to every city. It is ok to point out the positives and negatives of a city. But it is absurd to compare two cities and try to say that one city is great by belittling the other. Some of the things mentioned by the author might hurt your feelings if you are someone from Delhi.
Rating
3.5/5 This will be a good choice to learn more about Kerala (Thrissur in particular) and how the people of Kerala tried to tackle the challenges caused by the pandemic.
January 29, 2022
The author tries to conjure a literary memoir out of her quarantine and homecoming experiences but unfortunately, the life of privilege which the author lives dampens the prospects of the book's success. Mosquitoes are the biggest threat, home delivery of payasam is the biggest thrill and other such issues keep cropping up time and again in the book - issues which people who lost close ones and jobs due to COVID19 would be annoyed with. The author keeps comparing the efficient service delivery and civic life of Kerala with the dangerous urban life in Delhi but does not try to address the irony of why despite waxing eloquent page after page, God's own country is still her guesthouse while the purgatory of Delhi is where she has to go back to for her livelihood. Nostalgia is a good thing but with no introspection,such nostalgia is sadya without curries and payasam.
January 27, 2022
I started this book with a very high expectations. But I was disappointed as the book as I go on reading the pages. The language used is unnecessarily tough to impress in some of the parts where simple writing would have marked more suitable effect on readers mind. It's a book which reflects MODI haters aura and communist party supporter. It's a book which also reflects thoughts of North-south conflicts. It's a book that ofcourse praises the writers native place but fails to point out positive aspects of northern part of India where she claims to spend 20 years of life. So if you are a typical south Indian with a mentality of being superior and inferiority complex for North Indians then it's a good to go book for you.
February 25, 2022
The book is nothing what the title suggests. Each chapter starts randomly discussing anything from temples, Diwali, coconuts, supermarket, railway station, suicide of a rich keralite who made money in Dubai, gold laden bridesto policemen with no connection with each other. Too much of usage of words best known to a keralite. Just wanted to drop the book in the middle. Somehow managed to finish it.
February 12, 2023
Rating: 3.5 stars
Net Promoter Score: 8 (Neutral)
A fun set of short stories, I loved the first part of the book a lot. However, the second half was a drag because the author had nothing much to discuss. I loved the sketches too!
Recommend as a light read ONLY Or skip this one all together
Net Promoter Score: 8 (Neutral)
A fun set of short stories, I loved the first part of the book a lot. However, the second half was a drag because the author had nothing much to discuss. I loved the sketches too!
Recommend as a light read ONLY Or skip this one all together
May 18, 2022
“Isolation does that. It makes you look at things more closely, examine your relationships and surrounding in minutiae.”
Privilege often allows us to afford better opportunities, isn’t it? 2 years ago, while the world was busy fighting for survival, some of us leveraged that time to rediscover ourselves. And the world did seem like a good place then, to me at least. During the lockdown was when I started this page. With nothing else to worry about, I used to pour relentlessly over books and the happiness was utterly unparalleled.
‘Onam in a nightie’ narrates to us the chronicles of such heartwarming days spent by the author in her hometown, Kerela.
Whether it be a power outage, eating a beloved dish or finding a snake in the garden, each chapter of this book made me nostalgic – nostalgic about my childhood, about the lockdown days and my home as well. Anjana Menon has beautifully captured the intricacies of our daily lives and I urge you all to read it. The book reminded me of the sour and sweet candies I used to have. It had moments where I melted like sugar and moments where I froze on realizing the harsh truths about life. But nonetheless, I kept on devouring the book.
Also, I guarantee that the book will remind you of the days of Dalgona coffee and banana bread. After all, that was what 60% of our lockdown was about!
Privilege often allows us to afford better opportunities, isn’t it? 2 years ago, while the world was busy fighting for survival, some of us leveraged that time to rediscover ourselves. And the world did seem like a good place then, to me at least. During the lockdown was when I started this page. With nothing else to worry about, I used to pour relentlessly over books and the happiness was utterly unparalleled.
‘Onam in a nightie’ narrates to us the chronicles of such heartwarming days spent by the author in her hometown, Kerela.
Whether it be a power outage, eating a beloved dish or finding a snake in the garden, each chapter of this book made me nostalgic – nostalgic about my childhood, about the lockdown days and my home as well. Anjana Menon has beautifully captured the intricacies of our daily lives and I urge you all to read it. The book reminded me of the sour and sweet candies I used to have. It had moments where I melted like sugar and moments where I froze on realizing the harsh truths about life. But nonetheless, I kept on devouring the book.
Also, I guarantee that the book will remind you of the days of Dalgona coffee and banana bread. After all, that was what 60% of our lockdown was about!
January 7, 2022
Onam in a nightie was a fun, quirky and sassy read about the quarantine in Kerela. The author has written about her own quarantine journey in her home town. Most of it was relatable as we all were in similar situations in the past year. The book also was very informative and educated me about many cultural aspects.
As Kerela is my neighbouring state, I do know a bit about it. But this book gave a me of insights into the true nature of the state and its people. There were so many heart touching moments in the book and it made me laugh and cry. One thing this quarantine has taught us all is that humanity still exists. People still help people out of the goodness of their hearts.
The book was very well written. It was light-hearted at times and intense at others. The book also compared the life between living in Delhi and in Kerela. The hectic and crazy city life makes us all forget the small important things in life. This book served as a reminder to it all. It was fun read and I recommend this book for a light-hearted read.
April 12, 2022
"Money or no money, the value that matter are relatively intact."
BOOK: Onam in a Nightie
AUTHOR: @menonanj
GENRE: #nonfiction
RATING: 4.7 💫
A well narrated non-fiction that has a story within every stories. The whole narrative is of Thrissur, in kerala which is the hometown of author Anjana Menon and the people in thrissur. The author had came back to Kerala to stay with her family during the uncertain covid times and soon found her childhood happiness and closeness to her hometown, thus proving how far you go, once you are a Keralite you always will be one.
A lot of author's personal and political views can be found in the book with a little witty side to it, making it interesting to read.
#Onaminanightie
#anjanamenon
#keralite
#kerala
#thrissur
#paperback
#mypaperbacks
#covid
#qurrantinedays
#journalist
#dailylife
#hometown
#family
#views
#witty
#goodreads
#indianauthor
#indian
#nonfiction
#review
#honestreview
#reading
#aprilreading
#read
#life
#dilliwali
#tbr
#april
#aprilpaperbacks
BOOK: Onam in a Nightie
AUTHOR: @menonanj
GENRE: #nonfiction
RATING: 4.7 💫
A well narrated non-fiction that has a story within every stories. The whole narrative is of Thrissur, in kerala which is the hometown of author Anjana Menon and the people in thrissur. The author had came back to Kerala to stay with her family during the uncertain covid times and soon found her childhood happiness and closeness to her hometown, thus proving how far you go, once you are a Keralite you always will be one.
A lot of author's personal and political views can be found in the book with a little witty side to it, making it interesting to read.
#Onaminanightie
#anjanamenon
#keralite
#kerala
#thrissur
#paperback
#mypaperbacks
#covid
#qurrantinedays
#journalist
#dailylife
#hometown
#family
#views
#witty
#goodreads
#indianauthor
#indian
#nonfiction
#review
#honestreview
#reading
#aprilreading
#read
#life
#dilliwali
#tbr
#april
#aprilpaperbacks
January 18, 2022
A brilliant light-hearted read that perfectly portrays what makes Kerala unique!
I learnt so much about the Kerala society from these snippets during Covid lockdown. Covid management by the administration is surreal!
I will always remember the kindness of the people portayed, the smells of the Kerala cuisine, the joy of living with parents as an adult, and the speciality of Thrissur! I wish the book was longer.
I learnt so much about the Kerala society from these snippets during Covid lockdown. Covid management by the administration is surreal!
I will always remember the kindness of the people portayed, the smells of the Kerala cuisine, the joy of living with parents as an adult, and the speciality of Thrissur! I wish the book was longer.
February 24, 2022
Onam in a Nightie: Stories from a Kerala Quarantine is a light read, wherein the author, Anjana Menon, has chronicled her days of pandemic forced isolation in her hometown of Thrissur. Residents of Delhi, the author, and her brother move to Kerala to be with their parents during the first phase of Covid-19. In this book, she attempts to shed light on life in Kerala, as an ‘outsider,’ a non-resident Keralite.
The novel is separated into two parts. In Part 1, A Quarantine Like No Other, Menon describes her 14 days of home and then room quarantine.
Through these tales, the author shares the paradisiacal Kerala with her readers – The Thrissur Round, Bharat Hotel, rains, pappadam, and the many varieties of payasams. I could visualize the small town and its spirit. We also get to see the manner in which the Kerala government handled the crisis and the welfare measures they had put in place. Reading about the police officials and counsellors who checked on her with an alarming regularity made for a heart-warming read. I enjoyed the bits about the author’s experiences in Delhi, Noida, and Singapore. Having lived in all these places, I could connect with those parts easily.
Part 2, Shivankutty and Other Stories, is a delightful collection of stories with the unmissable Kerala essence. These are the stories of life experiences, nostalgic memories and people we know and meet in our daily lives.
The author’s writing style makes this a highly relatable read. The stories are satirical, witty, warm, and touching. Readers with a Kerala connection will enjoy Onam in a Nightie even more.
BLOG
The novel is separated into two parts. In Part 1, A Quarantine Like No Other, Menon describes her 14 days of home and then room quarantine.
Through these tales, the author shares the paradisiacal Kerala with her readers – The Thrissur Round, Bharat Hotel, rains, pappadam, and the many varieties of payasams. I could visualize the small town and its spirit. We also get to see the manner in which the Kerala government handled the crisis and the welfare measures they had put in place. Reading about the police officials and counsellors who checked on her with an alarming regularity made for a heart-warming read. I enjoyed the bits about the author’s experiences in Delhi, Noida, and Singapore. Having lived in all these places, I could connect with those parts easily.
Part 2, Shivankutty and Other Stories, is a delightful collection of stories with the unmissable Kerala essence. These are the stories of life experiences, nostalgic memories and people we know and meet in our daily lives.
The author’s writing style makes this a highly relatable read. The stories are satirical, witty, warm, and touching. Readers with a Kerala connection will enjoy Onam in a Nightie even more.
BLOG
February 23, 2022
A Contemporary Malgudi Days.
I have always enjoyed Malgudi Days - as a read and as the classic TV series. It reminds me of simpler times and my early childhood in South India.
So it was natural that I enjoyed reading Onam in a Nightie. It feels like a contemporary retelling of R. K. Narayanan complete with sketches like those made by R. K. Laxman in the original.
The author paints evocative word portraits of the town, the atmosphere and the characters in her stories.
It is a light and breezy read, the kind of book that makes me wish I had written it!
I have always enjoyed Malgudi Days - as a read and as the classic TV series. It reminds me of simpler times and my early childhood in South India.
So it was natural that I enjoyed reading Onam in a Nightie. It feels like a contemporary retelling of R. K. Narayanan complete with sketches like those made by R. K. Laxman in the original.
The author paints evocative word portraits of the town, the atmosphere and the characters in her stories.
It is a light and breezy read, the kind of book that makes me wish I had written it!
January 31, 2022
I have never been to Kerala but after reading this book it feels as if I belong to god's own country. The book is indeed a so-close-to-life introduction to the life in Kerala, you can relate to every character as if you had met them just recently. A must read book for those who really want to understand the real meaning of life.
August 19, 2025
This is a memoir/ biography from the author as she waited out the Coronavirus pandemic back in her Kerala hometown. It has vignettes of life that she experienced while undergoing quarantine and lockdown in her parents' home in Thrissur.
A power outage, finding a snake in the garden, Shivankutty the handyman, Thrissur Pooram, Vadakkunnathan Temple, Onam sadya. There was no flow or connections between each vignettes but I liked that randomness in this instance. Her stories caused me to smile and laugh at times. Needless to say I Googled everything I read about to see the images described in the book.
I wasn't aware that Kerala had handled the pandemic in such an effective manner!
As always, it is such a thrill for me to read about anything Malayalee. The food, culture, customs and language among others. I recognise most everything 😁
The author has captured the quintessential details of life in Thrissur so charmingly. The prose was well written and easy to understand and the illustration were cute.
This was a fun and pleasant read of the scary time we all experienced.
September 16, 2022
Have you ever read a particular book that lets you to travel back to a particular time and urges you to re-visit it with a different mentality and setup??
Well, this book is something like that of a sort.
The book comprises of two parts
First part is memories of author at the peak time of Pandemic when almost everything and everyone were super cautious about infection and quarantine is a must. Author tells here how her time was passing and how difficult it was. The daily calls from local authorities, the precautionary step from friends and family and so much...
Truly, that time was something.. when it seems to be extra long for no particular reason... as if time isn't passing by.
Second part is her memories of celebration of "pooram" which is here Onam festival, first time in a while Kerala.
It is a delightful memoir, about culture, food, tradition, authenticity as well as also about pandemic.
Happy Reading 📖
Well, this book is something like that of a sort.
The book comprises of two parts
First part is memories of author at the peak time of Pandemic when almost everything and everyone were super cautious about infection and quarantine is a must. Author tells here how her time was passing and how difficult it was. The daily calls from local authorities, the precautionary step from friends and family and so much...
Truly, that time was something.. when it seems to be extra long for no particular reason... as if time isn't passing by.
Second part is her memories of celebration of "pooram" which is here Onam festival, first time in a while Kerala.
It is a delightful memoir, about culture, food, tradition, authenticity as well as also about pandemic.
Happy Reading 📖
April 9, 2022
"In the evenings the sea has a different sound, crashing in fatigue from all the laps to the shore."
What better way to start a day with a cuppa coffee and stories from India's tropical paradise, God's own country-Kerala!
Some books are to be devoured slowly, taking in all of the flavours, enjoying every little detail. Anjana Menon's beautifully carved Onam in a Nightie is certainly one of those books. Struck by the pandemic and the subsequent nationwide lockdown, the author moves to, after a lot many years, her home in Kerala. As she spends her quarantine days in solace, the writer-journalist records the extraordinary tales of compassion, collectivism and cohesion that binds the people of Kerala as they sail through an unprecedented situation.
Beyond these, lies the serenity in Kerala's traditions, its festivals, the expansion of tranquility that surrounds it and makes it "simply paradise".
What better way to start a day with a cuppa coffee and stories from India's tropical paradise, God's own country-Kerala!
Some books are to be devoured slowly, taking in all of the flavours, enjoying every little detail. Anjana Menon's beautifully carved Onam in a Nightie is certainly one of those books. Struck by the pandemic and the subsequent nationwide lockdown, the author moves to, after a lot many years, her home in Kerala. As she spends her quarantine days in solace, the writer-journalist records the extraordinary tales of compassion, collectivism and cohesion that binds the people of Kerala as they sail through an unprecedented situation.
Beyond these, lies the serenity in Kerala's traditions, its festivals, the expansion of tranquility that surrounds it and makes it "simply paradise".
September 17, 2022
A book that started off with a lot of promise, but didn't live upto it. The chapters till the end of the quarantine were lively- a wry humour, a sharp commentary on Kerala 's handling of the pandemic, and characters who seem so familiar.
But once they were out of quarantine, the book seemed to lose purpose and meandered. The observations remained astute and the writing was good, but it was just a lot of words leading to a unsatisfactory and very abrupt end.
I'd still encourage you to read the book because it paints a portrait of a time like no other
But once they were out of quarantine, the book seemed to lose purpose and meandered. The observations remained astute and the writing was good, but it was just a lot of words leading to a unsatisfactory and very abrupt end.
I'd still encourage you to read the book because it paints a portrait of a time like no other
August 1, 2022
Onam in a Nightie is a collection of heart warming stories that bolster your faith in the goodness of people from God's Own Country. You meet characters who are eccentric yet lovable. This book describes quarantine from the Authors perspective who manages to give a witty twist to everyday occurrences around her.
January 26, 2025
I liked the first part of the book. The second part was more like info dumping and too much of it made me zone out quite often.
But this was a good book focusing on Covid, Keralites and their culture.
But this was a good book focusing on Covid, Keralites and their culture.
March 23, 2023
A hilarious read about lockdown in Kerala by a non resident Malayali. Starting
I had listened to the audio book and the narrator was really good.
I had listened to the audio book and the narrator was really good.
April 3, 2022
Rating: 🌟🌟🌟.8
The book 'Onam In A Nightie' by Anjana Menon portrays the various experiences encountered by the author during her quarantine days in Kerala.
In this book, the author has wonderfully portrayed the essence of Kerala as well as the beauty of Kerala, especially about Thrissur City. The author has also provided a glossary at the end of the book that explains various terms used in this book. The narration style was interesting. This book will also give the readers an idea about the various steps and precautions taken by the Kerala Government during the pandemic times. Being a Keralite, I found these stories interesting as there were so many references related to Kerala culture and traditions.
Overall it was an okay read for me.
The book 'Onam In A Nightie' by Anjana Menon portrays the various experiences encountered by the author during her quarantine days in Kerala.
In this book, the author has wonderfully portrayed the essence of Kerala as well as the beauty of Kerala, especially about Thrissur City. The author has also provided a glossary at the end of the book that explains various terms used in this book. The narration style was interesting. This book will also give the readers an idea about the various steps and precautions taken by the Kerala Government during the pandemic times. Being a Keralite, I found these stories interesting as there were so many references related to Kerala culture and traditions.
Overall it was an okay read for me.
July 2, 2023
A feel good book of Short Stories from Kerala that made me reminiscent of my childhood vacations there. Makes a strong case for retiring in Kerala.
July 3, 2022
A letter written to Author
Hi , just finished your book. Felt like I visited Thrissur from your eyes and your words. If life permits i will surely visit and will read the book again. Loved the way you put the daily life, loved the spirit of just living life as life needs to be lived slow and we should see it through the eyes of people around us .
Hi , just finished your book. Felt like I visited Thrissur from your eyes and your words. If life permits i will surely visit and will read the book again. Loved the way you put the daily life, loved the spirit of just living life as life needs to be lived slow and we should see it through the eyes of people around us .
May 31, 2023
quite an engrossing recollection of the author's homecoming in the quarantine to Kerala, divided into chapters giving a warm countryside vibe.
March 3, 2022
Essence of Thrissur
Wonderfully written and captures the essence and emotion of a town that is a mix of the old and new
Wonderfully written and captures the essence and emotion of a town that is a mix of the old and new
January 31, 2022
I was casually browsing for a light hearted book and someone recommended this to cheer me up. There are many reasons to like the book but first and foremost that it takes you back to the bylanes of a world you have left behind, brings back cheerful memories and makes you think about the life from a fresh perspective. This book is all about the life how it should be specially in a post pandemic world - celebrating slow living and charm of small town.
This book brought back so many memories of my own life - in a small town in north India and I could relate to many of the characters in the book in my own way. This is not just about Kerala, its more about an alternative pace of life - just like what one of my favorite write Neelesh Misra also recommends.
This book brought back so many memories of my own life - in a small town in north India and I could relate to many of the characters in the book in my own way. This is not just about Kerala, its more about an alternative pace of life - just like what one of my favorite write Neelesh Misra also recommends.
June 13, 2024
The Kerala government's (and it's people's) efficient handling of the COVID pandemic and lockdown is quite familiar to most Malayalees. This journalist-turned-writer chronicles this from her personal experience of moving in from Delhi with her parents in Kerala during the pandemic lockdown - the kindness and resilience of the people as well as the frustrations and humour that creeps in to your life when you try to reacquaint life with your parents as a middle-aged adult. Made a very enjoyable and light read. Would have been better if the author did not have the annoying habit of digressing from each point to start dropping random anecdotes from her time spent in Singapore or London, it just got really tiring after a point. But otherwise a nice read and would still recommend.
October 9, 2023
This is a book based during the pandemic and that is why I got myself a copy.
Its a about the authors experience in her hometown Thrissur, Kerala (I did visit it a couple of years ago) :-)
She talks about her experiences whilst travelling from Delhi, to Kerala and being confined in her parents home. She vividly describes the working of the police, the health workers and others at the time of the pandemic.
The book made me smile with all the little characters and way of living.
We all have been through that dark phase and come out of it.
This book just captures the funny side of it and life at that point.
I loved reading it and so will you..
Its a about the authors experience in her hometown Thrissur, Kerala (I did visit it a couple of years ago) :-)
She talks about her experiences whilst travelling from Delhi, to Kerala and being confined in her parents home. She vividly describes the working of the police, the health workers and others at the time of the pandemic.
The book made me smile with all the little characters and way of living.
We all have been through that dark phase and come out of it.
This book just captures the funny side of it and life at that point.
I loved reading it and so will you..
January 31, 2022
Onam in a nightie is a fantastic read and one than will be part of your collection so you can read it more often. It’s a beautifully crafted story that takes you to a different world quite different from the regular hectic lives most of us live. Do read it for the lovely characters who grow on you as you read on. I read the book at one go. Lots of humour thrown in to keep it a light read, yet the characters & the places remain with you long after you have read the book. Highly recommended & a must read.
January 31, 2022
There is a need for positive stories from a pandemic induced lockdown which came all of a sudden and jolted all of us. There are bad memories but also a few good memories as well – memories of reconnecting with the world we truly belong to, memories of characters we grew up with and those we helped us become what we are today.
A complete package – humor, intelligent conversations and full of energy.
A complete package – humor, intelligent conversations and full of energy.
February 6, 2022
Very good, light read. Loved it. Nuances of how Kerala managed the pandemic, it’s life, food, people, culture, festivals etc are well built into the story telling. Contrary to her claim the author seems to be an ‘insider with a claim to be an outsider’.
Though, the story and the context wouldn’t be easy for a non-Keralite/non-Indian to relate to, despite well intended efforts by the author.
Though, the story and the context wouldn’t be easy for a non-Keralite/non-Indian to relate to, despite well intended efforts by the author.
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