In those jail barracks, the roof leaked during rains, and the ceiling showed places where chunks of plaster the size of an adult human had fallen down. Pots and pans, placed strategically to collect dripping rain water were visible here and there.

Several walls were bare of plaster and stood precariously with their mortar or brick work skeleton showing. It was a joke and yet not a joke that one could view the sunset through those walls on a clear day!

About the author: Dr. Lata Muthanna is an Internist who lives and practises in the city of Mysuru, Karnataka.

The Jail and Other Tales is her third book.