A Tale Of Love And Adventure

Mr Iyer Goes To War is the first novel written by Ryan Lobo, who is essentially a photographer and film maker. His films have been shown on channels like Animal Planet, National Geographic amongst others. His writings have been carried by Boston Review, The Wall Street Journal, Caravan and others.

In his novel Ryan Lobo writes about the escapades of an individual who has a vision of what he was in one of his previous incarnations and decides to take up the task of completing, in this life, what remained incomplete in his previous one. Lalgudi Iyer, a Tamilian Brahmin, has been sent off to an old age home by his brother ‘to be healed of a mental affliction or die.’ The home is on the banks of the river Ganges—a sacred river where the last rites of the dead are also performed. Iyer spends his time in this home reading and studying the Naadi scrolls, and the translation of the Hindu epics.

He has learned discussions with the Sadhus at the ghats but is not quite satisfied with their interpretations. He likes to quote from the great writers and recite verses of well known poets.