The Quarantine Papers

The novel moves between 1896 and 1992, exploring how Bombay’s past and present echo each other through the lives of its people and the city’s changing social landscape.

Kalpish Ratna is the pen name of Ishrat Syed and Kalpana Swaminathan, both surgeons and writers. Together, they have written fiction and works related to science and medicine.

Set during two significant periods in Bombay’s history, the story follows different characters caught in moments of social and political upheaval. The novel weaves together mystery, personal relationships, historical events, and the city’s layered past.