Story Overview:

“Feerni” (“Pudding”) is a modernist short story that follows an unnamed protagonist as he wanders through a bustling city, gripped by both physical hunger and a deeper existential longing. The story opens with the image of an old man lying peacefully under a banyan tree, revered by passersby for his apparent detachment from worldly needs—he neither eats nor speaks, embodying a mysterious transcendence. In contrast, the protagonist is restless and alienated, searching for satisfaction in food, drink, and fleeting encounters, but finding only emptiness and frustration.

As the protagonist navigates the city, he encounters a series of characters—brokers, old friends, and strangers—each highlighting the transactional and isolating nature of urban life. The recurring motifs of hunger, sensual desire, and the elusive taste of feerni (pudding) serve to blur the boundaries between physical and emotional needs. The story concludes with the protagonist returning to his lonely room, overwhelmed by exhaustion and surrendering to surreal, dreamlike sensations, which suggest a final escape into his subconscious. Ultimately, “Feerni” is a poignant meditation on alienation, desire, and the search for meaning in a world where true fulfilment remains just out of reach. (For a more detailed overview, click here.)