The Abyss
India

The Abyss

by B. Jeyamohan

Society & Class Literary Fiction Fiction 2026

Summary

In the hidden world of India’s professional begging networks, human suffering has become a business. Pothivelu Pandaram is a respected, religious man who has built his prosperity on an appalling trade: he buys and breeds people with physical disabilities, then places them outside temples to beg for money. Among those he exploits are Mangandi Samy, a profoundly disabled man whose haunting songs express a longing for divine love, and others whose lives have been reduced to commodities. Pandaram treats them as possessions rather than human beings, convinced that his success and social standing justify his actions. But when an unexpected transaction disrupts his carefully controlled world, the moral foundations of his existence begin to crumble. Combining dark humour, grotesque realism, and spiritual inquiry, Jeyamohan confronts readers with uncomfortable questions about compassion, exploitation, and human dignity. Rather than offering easy answers, The Abyss challenges us to examine the cruelty people can inflict on one another—and the possibility of liberation even in the most degrading circumstances.

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Country
India
Asia
About the author
B. Jeyamohan
B. Jeyamohan

B. Jeyamohan (born 1962) is a prominent Indian novelist, short-story writer, literary critic, and essayist who writes primarily in Tamil and Malayalam. Born in Thiruvarambu in Tamil Nadu, he has developed a distinctive literary voice that combines philosophical inquiry, social observation, and India’s rich religious and literary traditions. His fiction frequently explores questions of morality, suffering, compassion, and the responsibilities individuals bear toward one another. His major works include Vishnupuram, an ambitious philosophical novel, and Kotravai, which reimagines ancient Tamil traditions and mythology. One of his most extraordinary projects is Venmurasu, a twenty-six-part literary reimagining of the Indian epic Mahabharata. Jeyamohan’s writing draws on extensive travel, personal experience, and a deep engagement with Indian and Western philosophy. He has received numerous literary honours, including the Katha Samman, the Sanskriti Samman, and the Iyal Award. He lives in Nagercoil, Tamil Nadu, and remains an influential figure in contemporary Indian literature.

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Details
Published
2026
Author
B. Jeyamohan