Instant Karma is a collection of light-hearted, humorous short stories, depicting the quirks of life in India. The book is likely to appeal to those familiar with Indian culture or those curious about it. Each tale packs a wicked punch in the end, and will bring a smile to your face.

What do a corrupt clerk in a sub-registrar’s office, a vain housewife, a vigilante killer, a happy-go-lucky IIT student and a dowry grabbing father-in-law have in common? They are quintessentially Indian characters in Instant Karma, a delightful collection of tales about the quirks of life in India that is bound to make you smile, if not laugh out loud. The anthology is a celebration of the Indian way of life, one that defies definition, eludes stereotypes and refuses to stay within boundaries.

Instant Karma flows effortlessly through the twists and turns in the lives of these characters’, and intertwines subtle undertones of their mental struggles. The book has an easy flowing style, and each tale packs a wicked punch at the end that is bound to floor you. 

Synopses of Stories

Recycled Karma

The lives of a vain, self-centered housewife and an overconfident chain snatcher intersect in unpredictable ways with hilarious consequences. What you see is not always what you get. And, what goes around definitely comes around in Recycled Karma.

Karma Chameleon

Would the gods be willing to forgive a corrupt, but religious, family man? Aravinda Gowda asks this question when he finds out that he has cancer and six months to live. He goes in search of the answer, which leaves him flummoxed when he finds it.

The Tattooed Arm of Karma

Bobby Pinto is in the final year at IIT Bombay, when disaster strikes. His sins catch up with him when he is asked by Prof Gokhale to perform an impossible feat in order to graduate. And, that is how Bobby’s life came to be filled with Nigerians. Make sense? Didn’t think so. A hilarious account of how Bobby extricates himself from a sticky wicket.

Flawed Justice

A riveting exchange of what transpires when an angst-ridden vigilante killer comes face to face with his target, who is in the middle of his own existential crisis. What stops us from believing in the karmic consequences of our actions? Who is the Arjuna? And, who is the Kaurava? And, what is the line that separates the two?

The Invisible Hand

All Mr. Rajendran wanted was a little dowry for his son. And, he ends up with a lot more adventure than he bargained for. Beware, for ’tis the season for scams! There is an invisible hand picking everyone’s pocket.

Dumb Luck

Do you believe in Fate? That destiny is wrought by the gods and goddesses in heavens? That life has a purpose? A blinder of a tale, with a stunning finish that will not fail to make you wonder if being human is all that it is cracked up to be, and if that sixth sense is a burden or a blessing.

You can buy “Instant Karma” from the Amazon Kindle Store.