,,,~f' A

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,•·tr.' · ,1!.,·

I J'-,~:~•,~~·· ~.Y .,.,,,1

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,; . ' 11,

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:!•

/t
amruta patil . ~

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i. ·;_.
:. ,; __ .... __ :.
t':_.1f ~. ,.,
I • ~;:,
,._. ~\,.<

_'. f·<i.\):{~ Aoi," .. ,

:~L-U&1·

'A thing of radiant beauty:

witty, smart and swaggering.'
- Neel Mukherjee
They wrre inseparable - until the day
they jumped. Ruth, saved by safety nets,
!raves the city. Kari, saved by a sewer,
crawls back into the fray of living.

With the girls of Crystal Palace ionning

the chorus to her song, Kari explores the
topography of smog city - friendship,
loneliness, sleeper success, death - and
the memory of her absentee Other. amruta patil

HarperCollins Publishers India

THE Oo!ILE SO!QOE
 ~, .'/;~ tr
' ,, I I I I
I, I I, I

D.spite ~ ,l;rsho,l ..,,,i

"There ose wo of 1 no+us one.
d r ~ ' "" .,-e jO;.,J. ,till.
 11 L .. L .. of Jupiter, she co.,1/ecl,.
On ,tiUf".SC,U"jJ CJ.Uj 1

Look ur. 1here1..s +k

loved. jOU Mos+ in -Hie re~1. J,o

·- ·-:
··.'-".· ·---- . ____ __,, ...... ~-::

fi!~f!!j/J~t~,;~;fr?I~~:
s:~~:~~~
~:~ktt~~ 1r-= == == ----- Ji
'III ..;a-

!;1~ "r~obu+oa;a /•
,s~':r+ o..Lross, bil/wi~ on -Hie I,¼, of~
.,;a,s, "~
M_<J '.'J•, she s+'freJ off -Hie let½•· A (fl,/
+oo 1.:1-., b +I. 1
follOi-Jd. her. e er °" e...,; ..sec.onls la.+e +lia.n never, rhone sHII in ~ ,

r+ is ,J,ft. "f
r °" sec.Ond. f'ClC..e ' a.n
I a.J..So-r '. i..:fii r+ is
; l)(')rl,. ..,~ ,
fl'lr-· 'o..o+ +o se+ "t'he
a.Pl
,n +l,i..s rn..c.e fo,,.;o.,r(l.) a,,eu., ·. #it
~cl +oo. rec.orJ stnu~kk .I M +l,e one .Jio loved her r,0s-/- ,n

04•KAR.I
11,e bod.J ri~h+s if.self r>1id.a.i,, o.Ji~ns if.self heo.,v'ies+ P°",f- f;,s+. I+ is wi+h +he
heal, +hen, +ho.,+ I r>1us+ r>1ee+ d.ea.,+h, +hou~h if wo.,.s +he hea_,rf- +ho.,+ willed. i+.
F:ee_ fJlin~, I r~s bJ o., r>1esh. A ~e~h wi+h he, in if, bouncin~ up ~d, d.own, held.
1--1,+h,n a., rro+ectiv'e c,o.,d,le. You, bu,ld.in~ ho.,d, a., sale-f:J ne+, Ru+h; r>11ne hal none.

KARI• 05
/()lf(U(JI
 1
SOMe reorle a..,e luc1j enou9h +o be sa..ved bj +lie Li9h+, no suc.h luc.k. for rie.
w'~ sa.,Ve.d. bj a., sewe,, bj +lie stink.in rive, of effluen+s +hoJ snoles r,st _ oorrel
9 1
~ 1~h_b~f"hood.,_+lie ~ne OU, build.in~s OJ/err -Hiei, fo..c.es f~ . I should w~ ~~(,\ft

wi-ttiin ifs lo.Ji~ coils ruJ oJlaweJ. if +o Jro,..1n Me. Insferul. I c.t"ruJleJ. nf
info -Hie f,°'!J·
Out of -Hie sewe, ruJ_into a., lruJfill. . a,
1~
No+ on~ hrute I suntrved -Hie foJI in+a..c.+ I even hOJJe r,ie SOPle bJ. of
ou+fi+ in Ne. '

008 • KARI
fAIRYTALE HAIR
S+ill +nulin1 -f-he sewe,, I s+o.ooe,ed in+o office bec.aJJse I Id.
rlo.Le ebe +o 10. c.ou ~ irt_
of ~

lour- c.lClthe_c;
.Sl'l€ II fUOllj,

I need +od.~ #iePi

,n a.JI a.mer- f lctc..e.

r"~ - ···· - · -:,..

. -... • - _: . ·. ,;:!}':_,~- .. -· · .• .: --i•

..... • _, ;1, ,..__ - ,i. ~ ...... - ~ ' ~

-- ' ,:. _..: ;- -!•..,~~. . -:. .,.;,--:- .__,. _ -.-:, ..

_,.,,~1f.,&~.w~~:;~•!i.!'.'..J4~~~~~,~r;;?t _-q,,:_;_;, ·;,~~~~~,,.::•.,. ~-~,·.::: :.;..__' · - :~~

- • • - ----~- -. - 1; ., ..-\~ ... ~ ; ~~ ~, :;,~.. ~~ ~-'~~~..,~~~-~~--~-~'"!'-,

7"T iJ
I he ·n,OIJ~h '+ f nOl"\e
O
I ·
IS
·
Dff'e.S,Stl/e. HU.Sneo..
I _I ·
1/0tC.e,S I [ / ronv'erso.:hon.
C.aXefU '- fry fo
'~;ni~¼ sfil/
OJ)ll.

The ~iris would. be a, li++fe .sc.a,,ed of M e ¼eJ kne~. I f ~ f

.snuff he,.self ou+, #ie,e I.S nmin~ .she won+ do. A fculed. .su,c..td£
J 1

bec.o.JJse no one eMe,~es f"fOll"t it un.sc.a,¼eJ.

\.Jort, on ¼e me, ho..rid., i.s uMifec.+eJ b:1 ¼e wax1n~ cvJ_ . f oersonoJ
wa./ltn~ O I
MDons.

010 • KARI
ef:
On -Hie ~ R.u-Hi OJld I died. o.. d.eo..-Hi Dfiec.eJ I c.lun9 +o SOJ\rry bj hid.in9 in -Hie
rul ~enc.J c.ubic.le OJ)d. w'fi+in9 heo.Alines fo, Fru~+a..le Hruc l"he o..J is info ifs
#iirry-six-t-l, ,ew'f"i+e. ~ +one ho...s c.h0Jl9~ frop, sine.ere +o ou+r-~eousJ bu+ -Hie
herulTines JI Piee+ -Hie SoJ"le fo..+e~ ,ejec.+ion.
Beo..n!ed. MOJ)) c.us+od.iOJ) of r~c.heqve OJ)d. rrofessiono..l 9rowtl,) +ells Pie +o bnn9 in
-Hie sexJ brin9 in -Hie 91Mou,J OJld. d.isc.OVe, P'lj inner- fox.

MeMw'hile1
her-e1 line
jOU, d.vs+-bin
wi+h +his.

KARI• 011
The foK wo...5 beOJJ+iful, OJ'lf wl,ife o....s snaw. The Princ.es.s wo.JW 1 _
Jo.,/es +a (ind. hi111. E.o....s+ o +he sun she wa.J~eJ a.rJ. we.sf- 0 1 ~ e~ ~/~ ~
furt11e, +he Princess i,v10-,/~ecL, +he furHie, +he fox nv1 - oJW°'!_j.S Otl~~-~1Iie

012•KARI
a1
 .. .c.u+ +o o.. .shQf of +he
rnnc.e.s.s i-Ji+h f IOi-Ji~ hcur,
Md. +he Surer. Fo.J~+oJe
Hcur!

Tro..inee c.o~w'ri+ecs OJlCi o,x+ Ji,--ec.+ocs Ji,,1~s e0v+ sc.r°'fs off ¼e +a.ble. MJ
l.Ovreer fhu.s f0v,-- liavs rev'olvd. 0vround. 0v +a.hie rild. wifh subs+Md.avrd. und.eri-Je0vc
These druLl.i-bM~MS 0vre +o be Mole essen+i0vl +v ¼e func.fionin9 of ¼e
r,odern 1,,1or/d.. ~liic.li sui+d. Me jus+ fine.
of l0v+e, bec.oJ.Jse ¼e ~enc.j is und.ers+aifed. OJlCi no one else w'M+s 0v New'
Yeav,--ls E.ve d.eolline, La.z.0vrus (#ie tto..inee 0vr+ direc.+od OJlCi I li0vv'e been
rfOll'lo+ed. +o 'the il"lrossible 9loJl'lour of QI) in+ern0vfion0vl lio..ir-rrodvc.+ brMd. c.0vlled.
Fo..i~+Je Ho..ic Thej fi9ure #i0v+ bj ¼e fiMe 'thej 0vre bOLk. frol"l 'their lioli~s,
'thej l.QI) P'ltle SOP\e lii9li-rrofile liires Ql)d. eavse us off ¼e OLC.oun+.
On Plj w'°'!:J bOLk. liOP'le, /ik.e on Ovnj a#ier ~' I ~ +o bre0vfhe OvS /i+t/e avs I
l.QI) +v rrev'en+ SPl09 c.r½J ff'OPl dok.in9 l"le. I wisli I c.ould. d.efOLh
Mj lu~s.
E.ve,:y ~' fhe c.i¾ seePis +v be 9e++in9 lie0vvier, Md. lier v'0vric.ose Veins f i9li+ +o
b,--eo1 ou+ of lier slin. Soon 1,,1e Pllls+ P'lu+0v+e - #iic.k. sk.ins Md. resilient lun9s - +o
suntive ¼is nei,,1 reoJr½J.

KARI• OIJ
ALi-fy J+,rs ..,1,,n ., f'rson l,ru1,s. I+ dro~s dni.;.1bri½es, 31Ws "'"
looks hairy .,+ d,,sk.. Sira R.o#. l,f+, I don+ -ll,ink. I hru1e ..,Jw_ -/J,ro.J.s,
roo.J. +..,ia. E.v,ry ~ I ..ioJIMr in+o s-iTOJ13e bac~a,nLs OJld junk he ' .s.,.,
Minu:.uloos~ f,nd M:J "'"!! oo+ OJld back. +o ..ioJ. or h""" "(Jain. I 3• "ts ¾l
-/l., rul "1'nc:J, ,JOit lik., a, fury OJld sleep lik.e -ll,e Jeol. "'' ~ ~ fo

hlhile I .sleer, o ...11

~.s+ be .s-hid.i·ns
"'-Ull'\ +o.-10..nls a.. f/o..rrie-c.oloord c.oJ Ii~.
014 • KARI
Q?YSTAL PALAq
 I
1,
I

c.':ls+o.l Po.lo.c.e is ~..'! c.1.orus. 1k on~ f'.+ of tk so f /· '< i

to Ji"!) Jon:i ..,i/J,1 & on~ f'rl- +i...+ inevi+o.b~ '¥'-1
{or -Hie ~nL Of no+. In+eresh~ 11,o.,+Plj ro.s+J a.JJ s ~e } ~ t Ot ~
;'"I( •~ I
lik.e a. pi+ s+or in a. {o.if:J+o.Je. \.Jhere ~old. frees 1-1i-H, .s~: ~n .sfllc)3 (~ 1 ~
wi#i reo.J rubu.J .seed..s. F1oor.s of r,,,o.,rb/e, C.e,·/·, ofoU~~ bea;. ~
r~ro.M,m
-,J

~re +welve tWIC-i~ princ.e.s.se.s dox.e -Hiroush -Hie. ni~h+ u~ -fk~ -Pl
shoe.s weo.,r ou+. .sole_s of ~

016 • KARI
-

Iii C "'"'to('

~
,
C
C

~~ ~
A\ f ,,•"1

f\Jo ~old.. -h-ee.s he,e av+ c~s+o.J Po.Ja.c.e. J"us+ +h,ee ro-t+d rlOJ\+s +hav+ d.ouble ur
o...s avsh1T°'!JS, \.Je Jo hOJle ~o d..OJlc.in~ rrinc.e.sse.s +hou~h, rlus ~o reffrlavnen+
hous~ues+ rrinc.e.s Jio ~o b.:J +he sureniero na.Jl'le.S ar-~o OJ\d. Z"f.

Too broke +o +a.le our rnvav+e live.s OJ\J rla.c.e else, we bri~ ¼ePl into +his
.S~0v,eA. Z BHK. &,+ +he ,eo.lr½J of +h,ee bod.ie.s sqveezed. info OJ\ 8') b.:J 10) roOfl'l
~,II Pla.ie 0v rsJc.hor,0v+h of 0v ~ood.. huPlavn bein~. lhe book.shelf is the ~ +hav+
keers OU, +el")re,s tmPl runnin~ aJl'lok.. I ½ o.,nd., iPl"-dine d.ifferen+ wor-ld..s on +he
O'the, sid..e of +he book.shelf.

KARI• 017
-
You ,JOU/A i""1ine fhaJ. l .,;tJ, so =h clu+fer' +he one +h·

1 .., &,+ -/J,a,f ,sn + tn!e. When 1 (irs+ c.Me here I 9

,n ~
jOU 1-1ou/,11/\i1+ .
~
c_a,,OI\Jlu. ho,[
sis+eli,ood. Herul MA.SS"()es wJ raLe ,aLks OJ1J fu ·
1 I vlOrlJ
0 exi>ec.+
1 f--1._i I
ena. ~
~ Miss _I './n,

a nof"5. 11,is ,-111,cb in5 Li++Ie Wo,,en c.o.J'l<Lrrukrie is ._ b· ;_ - ..,,.~ c'-'<u[., '
{ I s be J
runs+J.in5~ ea.rneJ. ~• -/j,aJ ""+DMrOJ-i"'1

1 fl'lruie SOMe SOU

w0'1J ~ou like +cl
. JOlrl Me~

018 • KARI
o#ie, rlo..Les o.,,-e eqy~I~ .bus_} 11iree re>Lks, fa, eKoJl'lrle, sho..red. b.:1 #in~e w'OMen
oJ\d nJO remo.,nen+~ l/1srfin3 house3ues+ Men, All (ive sho..re -Hie +or of +lie c.is+ern.
Five reorle ho..ve siK soo..rd.ishes, five loo(MS, ei3h+ rn.zor-s, fou, bo++les of
sho.riroo. Tw'o ~els, 'three ~~o..s, o.. brid.o..l bro.., +oJc. on -Hie floor. S+r-o..nd.s
0 { c.ondi+ioned. hrur on -Hie d.rrun c.over, novel +uc.ked.
eu,JD.!J in -Hie blind.s, o.,
rrer-c.overed, SOP1e'thin3 SOMeone for3of f-o 'throw eu,JD.!J,

KARI• 019
 on~ rerson J,o oJ,1~s ,la.Jl+s
.l'l.
1
is ¼e lo~ c.oJI hOMe. MoJ'l
ilence ho..s +ee¼ o.in. M b
 1l,e J,v(\, of C~s+o.,/ Po.,la.Le is Billo. Sulbn~, Sfl'louldenn +' .
.l_ +
o..b,ir-er-s (\,+everu sn ee corner.
.r
, nere
.
,s o.,
/ I
un.ina
~' ~a_; l'l€fln
d.tvi _, 9B·//o,, c.~~,e ~
J I . .J ~er a..oou+
f'O/l'lise o( o., be+r°'!J°" +l,o.,+fl'len c.a,n never res,s+. She is E.fl'l ' 01 ~
her huMble fl'linis+er. l)e/no., is 0., rre~ ~irl, bu+ in -Hie rreserl::t ~Del~~
+o be r-end.erd.. sexuo.,I ~ null a,nd, void. Bo+I, of -HieM ose + B,1/o Jht ~...
a_; ~e ~ . -'"V\S
I<l.f, B,·//~ l s bOjfneno.,
. I .,s 1)e_Ino.,l s. ~~- 0,-~o, DeIno.,l s boJ{rierJ,
is Billo\ ~ '-!.
sho.,red h,s+o~, (o.,r (rorri be,n~ div,s,ve, ho..s rrieshd.. -Hiefl'l inc.esh, I ex. ~
"'?J :Je ~
-11,e (oor of -/l,el'l a...-e a. si"3/e-c.ell or-30J1isl'l_wi-ll, no+ roc.h roor,
Mos+~. w,+1, B,llo, a,n oc.c.o..s,ono.,/ fl'lu+o.,+ion ,s a,/r1~s rossible. ~ -

Billo1s sf-o~ fell info rlo..e.e ~en I fl'le+ her wt-her.

Tu~ine +his'. I) Billo, 7 jeo.,rs old., MO.ii~ sc.raNJleJ.. ~.s so she ~M 1-11e ~
fm., her slupvr a.+ II "-"'· 2) Billo, 9 ra.rs olJ, ..iorsh;,ful o( MU" s v":",JleJ
1
rl-wlooml. na.ils, c.ol/eri~ "f (ar - s rJ,lic. .,,i,;+e lies. When ! ""1'"' -H,~,
1
~,.)i.J~S rlOJl+ +o ~ive Billo o.. ti~h+ s,eeze, bu+ I d,on + Jo..re. She ,s +oo
beiw+i{ul - in OJl onhi~ed. sort of rl~-
I sba P'lj fOOPl w'i+h Deina... She (..OJl'le +o +he c.r½J +hree jeo..rs OfiO ; ~~
ff'O/'I o.. fo..+her Jio beo..+ her P!O+her. She rlOJl+ed. +o be OJl u :h-e.ss bt,t- '
bei~ o.. Hll.lld OJld Foo+ s+OJ'lci-in.

022 • KARI
 f ,I
,, ,,
,.; ,

:i '
I
. I.
i
., J
.J

hlho,,t sound.s lik.e o., bovine d.iseo...se is QC..+uoJ~ +his'. I~ in +he c..oMMer-c.. io.,/ is
SOMe ,ei9nin9 c..el luloid. 9odJess, bu+ in c..lose-ur sho+s, ~en she rou,s +he lotion o,
s+ers ove, 0., +h,eshold. 0-,S 0., C..OJ Hindu bnd.e, +he hMd.s o_,nd, fee+ jOU see o.,,e
Delno.,)s. She oJr1~s ho.,s in+e,es+in9 s+ones oJou+ +he c..elebn~ c..o.,/luses, c..orns,
bi++en fin9erna..ils OJld. u9~ foes she s+Md.s in fo,.
Al+hou9h I OJl'l no+ f°"r+ of +he o,9o.,nisM, +heJ like Me well enou9h. I OJl'l
non--+keo.,fenin9 o.,nd, non-in+rusive. And. woMen ot +he wo,ld. a.Ao,e +ousled.. boj9i,/s.
~ej a.,// wOJl+ +o be \.Jent¼ +o MJ Pe+e, Po.,n, lhe Mo,e MJ rooMMo.,fes 9row +o
like Me, +he Mo,e veheMen+1 +hej d.islike Ru+h.
Nobo~ c..ould. be \.Jen~ +o Ru+h. She)d. r1oJlor \.Jend.j )s ~i~ hoMebod.j 0-,SS, In
OJlj c..o.,se, Ru+h)s heo.,r-t on~ ho.,s rooM fo, +ho.,+ ~ic..h is useful, o.,nd, 9overned. b.:3
+he heal. If ho.,s no rooM fo, +he sin9le-c..el/ o,9o.,nisM.

KARI• 023
 . ~
I t •,;, , •

.~z ~r ::;"'•.,~11f!/,, , ,.
·:•:<;:~:\,•.. •,•
' '. . ~·-~- ·. '

. .
, &·

,~jP~IIII
r'
~,. • r.~,pl
~~- ~
~- ~u
•"'·· .:::'~/l~fj; - .,"I
'-"',{ ~~-
~•
1
:;;.;,i ,.,.. ... .... ~., ''·"" .•
•\ \.'Jfa /I~•-~ d • $ •• - : ..,.f/
-· ,;,y ,', 4
~ii<?!J, 1' ·~ •..:
'S'Aii•
'0 .! Ii
..t ..
,' _;~ ' ,,.i.j :~, ◄t
I

, I
: ..

J. ,,:

.
II
'
•.
~

' .'if
·'i ,
J

,,r .. , ·'{"
Ii ,~
.
' )
I. · ill'~ '"i'tt'~ '
Vi?{"''·
.
~ r,
. '- / ·.. •,". ~
fS , ,;•, . ' I
.
. - .ti·= . \..,.i .:~~.•,( ,J
' ,. ~· ~--·
Whj .srli+ house exren.se.s bj
+h,ee. Jieo +he,e 0vre {ive
reorle. hM~io~ o.,rounJ oJI +he
-tif'le ~ Whj i--1a..s+e jOUr
bre0v+h who never
on f'lorons
tole MJ of JOU' olvic.e ~
Whj live in 0v .snoleri+ Jien
JOU CM live on o., /uh,.s ~ rJ
Such fe.s+ion.s I ho..ve ttouble o..n.swenn.9.

AOJ..,.;D.!J, So Ru~ i~ho..bi+~d. C~.s+o..l Po..lo..c~ on~ when +h_e rnnc.e.s~e~ w-er-e ou+
0.,-d.oJic.in.9. Shed, b,ll0w ,n froM her- Ow'n +id.j lotus ral ,n -H,e bu,ld.in~ o..cro.s.s,
#iro..,.; ou+ ho..r-d.ened. lef+over-.s o..nd. junk. o.,nd, rroc.e.s.sed.' food., o.,nd, w-aJk. Me, her-
himl in Piine, in+o -Hie .sec.re+ lives of .9in.9er-, c.o..r-d.MoM1 b~i/ o.,nd, o..ni.se.

Look a.+ -Hii.s l

Here, flower, weos if

a,f"OUnd. jOU'f"' nec..t.

KARI• 25
 No one el.s~ c.ould. c..o.,/1 a., c:ol+ a., flwe,. And. no one ,.1a...s _ .suc.h a.. floJ'l€--111fV1Jer
info o.,
DLroba..+ wrH1 fM.S Md. knives a...s ,.1a...s Ru+h. "The ~ro+ry b+c:hen +unieJ /·
.sec:re+ ~a.rd.en a.round. her. The hou.se f;+ her retiec:+0, like a. c..rys+a,/ s FFer. 1

026 • KARI
~,,
Gangster's female partner

Feminine homosexuality
sexual symbol, fertility, exotic
dominant position
Staying awake at night
Walrus- mammal in north pole decorated water sprout that projects from a roof and carries rainwater
away from walls to protect it from damage is gargoyle.