Character Sketches - Iswaran the Storyteller

Iswaran

Iswaran was Mahendra's cook and a trusted companion. He followed Mahendra to every new posting and helped him by cooking, cleaning and keeping him company in the evenings.

• He could prepare delicious meals even in remote places, seemingly producing fresh vegetables and ingredients out of nowhere, which made him indispensable to Mahendra.
• He loved reading exciting Tamil thrillers, and the stories he read shaped him into a lively and imaginative storyteller.
• He narrated his tales in instalments, often ending a session at a dramatic moment so that Mahendra would eagerly wait for the next part.
• Every evening he entertained Mahendra with new episodes full of adventure, suspense and surprise, much like a serial show.
• While Mahendra worked, Iswaran kept busy by tidying up the living place and doing chores, showing that he was hardworking and responsible.
• He was religious in habit and often prayed during his daily bath, showing a simple, regular observance of faith.
• He intensified Mahendra's fear by claiming seriously that Mahendra himself had seen the female ghost, which made his storytelling more dramatic and unsettling.
• He often acted out parts of his stories with great enthusiasm, using gestures and expressions to make the tale more vivid.

Mahendra

Mahendra worked as a junior supervisor for a company that supplied supervisors to construction sites. His work required frequent relocations and he adapted well to changing conditions.

• He was unmarried and led a simple, disciplined life: he rose early, ate a modest breakfast and took a packed lunch to work.
• He valued Iswaran greatly, both for his cooking and for the company he provided; Mahendra enjoyed Iswaran's stories even when they were clearly exaggerated.
• He showed patience and a passive temperament by listening quietly to Iswaran's long stories and eagerly waiting for their dramatic conclusions.
• By nature, he was rational and sceptical about supernatural tales, yet Iswaran's repeated accounts about the female ghost unsettled him and made him occasionally fearful.
• Despite his rational outlook, Mahendra placed deep trust in Iswaran, and repeated ghost stories gradually unsettled him, allowing fear to influence his thoughts against his reason.
• He is presented as a dependable, hardworking and kind character whose dedication to work and kindness toward his helper make him sympathetic to readers.

Relationship and Role in the Story

The friendship between Iswaran and Mahendra is central to the narrative. Iswaran brings warmth, humour and suspense through his storytelling and domestic help, while Mahendra represents steadiness, patience and trust. Their interactions reveal human themes such as companionship, the power of stories to influence belief and emotion, and how personal bonds provide comfort in transient, lonely lives.