Orchids of the Rainforest - Ram Anand - 9789814914031 - Penguin Books

Orchids of the Rainforest explores the lives of six urban Malaysian Indians who have unconventional relationships in an increasingly modern yet fundamentally conservative Malaysian society. Geetha, a lawyer, has her world rocked by the death of her wealthy husband and later by an encounter with a romantic pursuer, Anand. Sabitha, her much younger cousin sister is trying to come out of the closet to her family. Anu, a writer and Yuvaraj's Malayali partner, has differing views on sexuality from her husband. Yuvaraj, a traveling engineer, grew up with latent chauvinism ingrained in his lifestyle, thoughts and in his treatment of women. He express his 'disagreement' with the sexuality of Sabitha and attempts to 'cure' her. He reacts negatively to Anu developing her own independent opinion about sexual minorities. Karthiga Murugesan is facing displacement for coming out of the closet about her sexual orientation. The story attempts to capture the essence of contemporary urban Malaysian living. It illustrates the larger diversity that exists in Malaysia, and how the cosmopolitan convergence and ideological clash play out in modern Malaysia.