Following a Prayer : A Novel

‘Gentle, intense, poignant, the haunting beauty of this story offers the reader—through the voices and silences of three young women—deep reflections on belief, words, language, prayer and life itself.’ — URVASHI BUTALIA, author of The Other Side of Silence ’Following a Prayer is an enchanting story about the perennial binaries of speech and silence, language and meaning, reason and faith. Seen through the eyes of three young school girls, this deftly told tale infuses new life into timeless questions, in a manner that seems as magical and effervescent as it is profound.’ — IRA RAJA, Department of English, University of Delhi ‘Where do prayers go? How do words mean? What connects language, sounds, music and human relationships? The spellbinding and beautiful story that unfolds in Following a Prayer springs from the limpid childlike curiosity of these elementary questions that have also provoked deep philosophical enquiries. Through this fictional narrative of three children and their enchanted world in rural Karnataka, a brilliant contemporary philosopher follows the experience of thinking to its simplest beginnings, tracing its intimate contact with speaking, acting and, above all, the movement of a search that keeps extending itself. This is a philosophical novel — not by presenting philosophical ideas in a novelistic setting but by showing us through the power of storytelling the space of convergence between thought and imagination.’ — UDAYA KUMAR, Centre for English Studies, Jawaharlal Nehru University. About the Book A BEAUTIFUL STORY ABOUT RECLAIMING VOICE, AGENCY AND FAITH. Kalpana, a twelve-year-old girl living in a village nestled in the dense hills of the Western Ghats, goes missing one morning. When she returns, she has gone silent. Nothing can get her to speak. What happened in those three days that she went missing? What prevents her from communicating with her parents and sister except through notes and scribbles? And why does her grandmother's presence provoke such a strong reaction from her? As the village gets ready to celebrate the annual Deepavali festival, a rumour spreads that Kalpana will speak the day after the festival. What will she say, and what will be the impact of her words? Here is a novel that defies expectations to sweep to a stunning end. About the Author SUNDAR SARUKKAI is the founder of Barefoot Philosophers, an initiative to take philosophy to young people and the general public. He has authored many books in philosophy, including, most recently, Philosophy for Children and The Social Life of Democracy. Read more