Exposing the dark underbellies of India?s leading metros, especially Delhi and Mumbai seems to be a favourite literary pastime for many. Not without merit, for urban Indian fiction has been rather sparse, and noir almost absent, especially about Delhi, which despite a turbulent past century and a half, not seen comparable prose. Now perhaps the genie, uncorked by Aravind Adiga, seeks seamy representation in every nook of the city and its polyglot populace.
The characters?pimps, detectives, chaiwalas, auto drivers?may be ever present yet peripheral to the everyday existence of the city?s elite. Dirty cops have a field day?just about every tale has them, rarely in the ?with you, for you, always? mode. This is a Delhi rarely encountered at parties, seminars, book launches or frenzied nightclubs. Some locales are known, other settings might cause you to bring the Eicher map to frequent use if you want to really know where Gyan Kunj or Bhalswa are. Threats, constant, are part of life and violence here is more overt than not, often just because it is possible, and often against women, with one notable role reversal. DTC route numbers are present, and dialogues without cussing are at a premium. The stories flesh out what are usually encountered as incomplete news reports?murderous servants, ruthless honchos, male prostitutes, cemetery caretakers, houses doubling as brothels, university hostels where academics are an afterthou- ght, companions as doublecrossers? Power and self preservation are the key to continuing life here and no one seems to care if the underprivileged are killed in encounters, or simply disappear.
This collection of 14 stories by writers, established and emerging, continues Akashic Books tradition, which has published noir collections, especially for US cities. The tales might make you indignant, even infuriate you if you recognise a situation you have had the misfortune of being in?say a parking dispute where cops took money from all sides, irrespective of merits. They will certainly expand your horizon, even if you are a veteran denizen of this city, once the envy of the world but today exists at different planes of existence. Fewer safe, usually dark.