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A thrilling tale

Timeri Murari's "Four Steps From Paradise" is a Madras-centric story packed with beauty and emotion

PHOTO: S. R. RAGHUNATHAN

STORYTELLER Timeri Murari PHOTO: S. R. RAGHUNATHAN

He wrote about India before India became fashionable. He wrote in English before Indian Writers in English became the toast of the literary circuit. And he always wrote in Chennai, though his books were sold in London and New York.

"I was sitting in India when I wrote this," said Timeri Murari, discussing `Four Steps From Paradise,' "In fact, all my books have been written in Madras. Even though I was abroad, I came back to write. You can only write so much when you sit in New York or London. Even though I learned my writing living outside India, inside it's a lot of my Indian thoughts and feeling."

The book, which was recently re-launched in India after its British debut about 10 years ago, was read and discussed at the Madras Book Club, in Taj Connemara recently. "Tim was one of the pioneers of Indo-Anglican writing," said historian S. Muthiah, introducing Murari to a packed hall. "He has written a score of books, which were well received abroad well before the day when book selling became all about marketing."

Judging by the enthusiasm with which people discussed `Four Steps From Paradise,' which is set in Chennai, it has certainly struck a chord.

"It's time we had far more books on Madras," said writer Shreekumar Varma, speaking on the book. "Tim is very Madras-centric."

The story, told in the voice of 8-year-old Krishna, is about an old Madras family with four inseparable children. "We breathed each other's breaths, thought each other's thoughts, dreamt each other's dreams."

"Their father brings in an English woman to be their governess and later stepmother," said Varma, explaining the gist of the story. "The eldest child rebels openly. The others are taken into this relationship. And slowly the family splits."

Stating that "anybody who's lived in Madras for more than 20 years" will find the book mesmerising, he added that he was thrilled by the tale. "I've lived in Madras for 40 years. I had goose pimples as I read." He added thoughtfully, "It's a renewed experience of Madras. You are sort of living it again... . And the story emerges without any obvious effort because of the magic of his words."

He seemed to be speaking for a number of people that evening when he stated, "It's so familiar. Once you enter the book, you luxuriate in the beauty... and the emotion."

The story, by the way, is based on Murari's family and is a saga with "terrible dark secrets bubbling up," according to Varma. On being asked how his family reacted Murari laughed, "Well, they're still talking to me. At least those who are still alive... so I think I'm ok at the moment," before adding, "I would say 90 per cent is fiction and 5 per cent autobiography. Some is history." He concluded, "I'm basically a story teller and this is a story I wanted to tell."

SHONALI MUTHALALY

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