Hot Death, Cold Soup: Twelve Short Stories

by Padmanabhan Manjula

In her desire to embrace traditional Indian culture wholeheartedly Sally, an American, has decided to join her Indian husband on his funeral pyre – regardless of the fact that such an act is, in fact, illegal in India. In committing sati she enlists the help of Mrs. Sen, a journalist from Delhi, to record the momentous event for posterity. Dragged from the comforts of her city office to the wilds of Uttar Pradesh, with the promise of the story of the decade, Mrs. Sen is somewhat disturbed when Sally casually drops into after-dinner conversation that her husband is still alive . . . Manjula Padmanabhan’s collection of darkly humorous tales from contemporary India introduces us to characters such as Rakesh, a disturbing young man who finds it hard to keep his hands to himself, particularly when travelling on public transport; Mr. Sukhatme, an old-fashioned calligrapher forced to demean his skill, who finds a way to turn the tables on his employer; and a young, mother-damaged engineer, whose devious plan to burn alive his sleeping wife and child – escaping to Delhi with his wife’s suitcase of money – goes horribly wrong. High in narrative tension and laced with unexpected twists, Padmanabhan’s twelve tales are an intriguing window on contemporary India.

Genres: Fiction

248 pages, Paperback

First published September 1, 1999

Reviews

[Baklavahalva · Rating 4 out of 5]

While reading the last story in this collection, I thought, "Maybe all Borges' stories have been written by Manjula Padmanabhan." For she fucks with one's mind so expertly. Sci-fi, wicked feminist humor, and, here and there, some hard-hitting South Asian reality. I didn't want her to stop.

[Mia · Rating 4 out of 5]

A brilliant blend of modernity and tradition.

[Viola · Rating 4 out of 5]

Favourite stories from this collection-
1. The Government of India an Undertaking
2. Mrs. Ganapathy's Modest Triumph
3. Stains
4. Stolen Hours
5. The Annexe

[Sujani Koya · Rating 5 out of 5]

Gorgeous collection of varied stories - each of them setting forth confidently in the exploration of an unknown premise weaving a fascinating pattern all coming together nice and sharp at the end. Thought provoking all right.

Here is a grand desire to obtain salvation overriding all common sense. There is a vision of sexual harassment and its comeuppance from the "jolly" pov of a careless predator. How a mother gives back to society for calling her unmarried daughter names. How seemingly tiny details can mess up a solidly wicked plan and ensure justice. What is the idea of being alone and having or not having progeny... A clever means of appeasing your conscience and wallet when each seems doomed to kill the other. An awakening in the rainy hills of Kerala. Science fiction with a teen protagonist showing a mirror to our social structures of inclusion and exclusion. A couple are fantasy - weird fiction I think would be a good term. Elaborate set-ups of constantly morphing places leading to the protagonist's awakening eventually.

My favourite is the short story Stains questioning the "impurity" of menstruation. An extract:

"Listening to music and hanging paintings on the wall is all very well," said Sarah, "but if at the end of the day someone wants me to hide my blood underground and to behave like an invalide - forget it, you know? If that's what tradition means, then I say, take it off the shelf. Leave it out. My packet of tampons and what it represents to me about the jounrey my generation of women has made, is all the tradition I need."
"Sara," said Deep, "are you comparing five thousand years of civilisation to..." he choked on the words "... feminine hygiene products?"
"Yes," said Sarah and put the phone down.

[Saritha · Rating 4 out of 5]

At the outset, it must be mentioned that although the name of the book here on Goodreads includes a descriptor about it being an anthology of Pakistani Women Writers. It isn't.

More importantly, how have I not read this collection of short stories ever before?

Manjula Padmanabhan's short stories range from the beguiling to the bizarre, and she leads you by the hand through these tales, pointing out the attractions, the eccentricities even as she articulates the deepest insights in prose that defies more recent industry classifications of 'commercial' and 'literary'.

[Sean Harding · Rating 3 out of 5]

Manjula jubes #1
Mix of stories from this biddy which have not really stayed in my memory since I read them, they were ok, but not something that really inspired me.