The seemingly simple lives of Rajil and his friends Radhe and Choti begin to change in inexplicable ways after Rajil’s grandmother dies. It is as if a protective cover has been blown and they are all left exposed with their inner lives tumbling out. Rajil is perplexed when he finds out that his mother is not the simple person, he thought her to be, neither is her relationship with her father straightforward. His friend Choti’s dark secret shatters their sense of peace and tests their friendship in ways they had not imagined possible. Caught between constantly changing circumstances, Rajil finds that nothing is under his control and the more he tries to interfere, the more things begin to fall apart. He must accept life as it’s playing out.
Endearingly insightful and alive with childhood stories, this seemingly simple narrative of A Temple of No Gods hides layers of meaning.
Published as Shirt ka Teesra Button in Hindi, this book is amongst the finest works written by Manav Kaul.

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