Spiritual teacher Sri M comes out with new collection of short stories

Bestselling author and spiritual teacher Sri M has come out with a new collection of short stories titled, "The Homecoming and Other Stories”, publishing house Penguin has announced.

The book, which features 13 stories, urges readers to delve deep into the human spirit and get a glimpse of why people do the things they do.

From horror stories to tales that will shock and pull at heartstrings, the book claims to have something for everyone in this eclectic collection.

"To me, a short story is like the lovely little stream that trickles down my backyard when it rains. Before the monsoon stops and the stream vanishes, I rush to catch its subtle movements, as the stream makes its way to the river nearby.

“And the river, it continues to flow in its own ''novel'' way, come rain or shine," said Sri M, who turned 72 on Friday, said.

Born as Mumtaz Ali in Thiruvananthapuram, Sri M was awarded the Padma Bhushan, the third-highest civilian award in India, in January this year for distinguished service of high order in spirituality.

Among his other books are his memoir, "Apprenticed to a Himalayan Master: A Yogi's Autobiography", its sequel, "The Journey Continues", and a novel "Shunya".

According to Penguin, the stories in the book are about seeing the world in a “different light”.

"What happens when a life-long disciple finds out a dark secret about his Guru? Can a thief ever reform his ways? How do you solve a murder with no witnesses? The stories are about seeing the world in a different light - the good, the bad and sometimes the supernatural," it added.

The book is currently available on online and offline stores.