Closeup of the top of South Gopuram at Meenaskshi Temple. Lord Vishnu and Narasinha surrounded by servants and his two wives on his knees.
Night Train to Madurai
Based in Durham, North Carolina, Monica Byrne creates unique, compelling, character-driven stories, gravitating toward science fiction and magical realism themes. Her first novel, The Girl in the Road, earned plaudits from readers and critics alike, as well as the Tiptree Award. Watch for her upcoming novel, The Actual Star, that she describes as a “gigantic idea feast.”
Monica generously granted permission to share the audio version of this story on Storybits. For a text version of the story and more, visit this page on her website or, to learn more about her artistic endeavors, start your exploration on her home page: monicabyrne.org.
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Narrated by Monica Byrne.
“So despite all political progress, social advancement, and appearance of acceptance, here was my grandmother speaking the voice of prejudice. It had to be something. If not caste, if not class, then gender. Children must un-train their elders over and over again. ”