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CONSTABLE NANJUNDEGOUDA GAVE A HALF-SMILE. JAYKUMAR WHO WAS LOCKED BEHIND THE BARS FAILED TO UNDERSTAND THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN HIS REGULAR POLITE SMILE AND A HEARTY LAUGH. JAYKUMAR, A B. E., WAS AN ESTABLISHED BUSINESSMAN. ‘WHY ARE YOU SMILING?’ HE ASKED. ‘YOU ARE MY COUSIN.” SHE ANSWERED. RAISED IN BANGALORE SHE WAS RIGHT NOW STANDING BENEATH THE ORANGE TREE IN THEIR GARDEN. ‘WHO TAUGHT YOU ENGLISH?’ HE ASKED IN A STRICT TONE. NONE OF HER SCHOOL TEACHERS HAD SUCH STRICT TONE. SHE WAS OFFENDED. WHAT DOES HE THINK OF HIMSELF? IS HE MY TEACHER? ‘MY TEACHER, MY MOTHER. MY MOTHER WORKS AS A READER FOR ENGLISH.’ ‘THEN UNDERSTAND THIS WELL. I AM NOT YOUR COUSIN. I AM YOUR BROTHER, ELDER BROTHER, I AM ANNA.’ ‘BUT MY MUMMY AND DADDY ARE DIFFERENT FROM YOUR AMMA AND APPA.’ SHE HAD THIS NAGGING DOUBT. ‘SO WHAT IF THEY ARE DIFFERENT? MY APPA IS YOUR APPA’S ELDER BROTHER, SO NATURALLY, IT MAKES ME YOUR ELDER BROTHER, JUST REMEMBER THIS. THOSE WHO TEACH YOU ENGLISH HAVE NO SENSE AT ALL.’ HE CONTINUED WITH HIS TEACHINGS. THIS CONTEMPORARY NOVEL REVEALS THE CRACKS THAT INDIAN SOCIETY IS EXPRESSING IN DAY-TO-DAY LIFE. IT WILL TOUCH THE BASE OF OUR HEART.

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