Part memoir, part fiction, Once—the English translation of N. Mohanan’s Malayalam classic Orikkal—is a poignant tale of love, loss, and self-discovery. When Mohanan unexpectedly reunites with a long-lost love in a hospital corridor, buried emotions resurface, and memories unfold with lyrical intensity.
 
Set against the shifting landscape of a changing India, Once explores the delicate interplay between personal longing and societal expectations. With poetic grace and emotional depth, Mohanan reflects on the ties that bind us—and the moments that define us.
 
Now available in a masterful translation by A.J. Thomas and introduced by Sarita Mohanan Bhama, the author’s daughter, this timeless work reaches new readers while preserving the original’s haunting beauty.