Book excerpt: Tamil Nadu – where there are more temples than pharmacies, where the language is older than Sanskrit, where atheists have ruled for half a century provided they were atheists from the right caste. Tamil Nadu, where the young population is ripe for a revolution. At least this is what Nanban thinks, coming from the hub of Mumbai and well-versed in its Machiavellian political ways, he plans to shake things up. His meeting with Veerappan Gounder, who took a bit hit in the last election, seems like his chance to challenge the Tamil status quo. Together they embark on a campaign where no ideal is too high and no action too dastardly to get what Nanban wants – but at what price. V Sanjay Kumar weaves a political thriller as compelling as it is incisive, about the human factor and the vested interests that spark change and about an Indian state which is older than time and just as stubborn.