LEECH AND OTHER STORIES

By Ranjan Adiga

Penguin, Rs 399

The stories in Leech deal with issues faced by Nepali migrants in the United States of America. Almost all the stories are located in America. A range of emotions and themes — allegiance and treachery, desire and reality, home and away, traditions and progress — is explored by Ranjan Adiga. In “Leech”, Adiga throws light on the questions of caste and class plaguing the Nepali population in the US while “Spicy Kitchen” discusses the diverse ways in which Nepali migrants are perceived by Americans, Africans as well as Indians. “A Short Visit”, a moving story, focuses on the relationship between a father and his son. The father’s concerns about his son’s drinking habits and his future are beautifully captured in this story.

Themes like sexuality in a conventional society and the problems relating to the status of immigrants are explored in “A Haircut and Massage” and “The Diversity Committee”, respectively, while “Student Visa” looks at desire and reality. The impact of repeated rejections from the bureaucracy on students who wish to migrate to the US and the problems that they and their families face as a result of these rejections form the central theme of this tale.

“Kali” and “High Heels” are stories based in Nepal. Whereas “Kali” revolves around a dog and the family that adopted it, “High Heels” chronicles the betrayal that a woman faces at the hands of her closest colleagues.

In a sense, each of the stories in Leech is about individuals, their encounters, and their vulnerabilities in a world that doesn’t cater to their worldviews or experiences.