The Mother I Never Knew
What secrets lurk in a familys past-and how important are they in the here and now? Sudha Murtys new book comprises two novellas that explore two quests by two different men-both for mothers they never knew they had. Venkatesh, a bank manager, stumbles upon his lookalike one fine day. When he probes further, he discovers his fathers hidden past, which includes an abandoned wife and child. Ventakesh is determined to make amends to his impoverished stepmother-but how can he repay his fathers debt? Mukesh, a young man, is shocked to realise after his fathers death that he was actually adopted. He sets out to find his biological mother, but the deeper he delves, the more confused he is about where his loyalties should lie-with the mother who gave birth to him, or with the mother who brought him up. The mother I never knew is a poignant, dramatic book that reaches deep into the human heart to reveal what we really feel about those closest to us.