Short stories set in contemporary India

I read a collection of short stories all by the same author. They were set in or around a specific modern (and urban- sprawl-y) Indian city and were interconnected by repeating story elements and "images"- one of which was a red .... something or other. I'm pretty sure I remember one story had a scene in which a character was pondering urbanization (or was it globalization) as they saw out the window of a bus/train/trolley passed a park in the city that was undergoing renovation?? I think the park was also recurring.

And one scene in which an older male character was in his drab apartment and looking out onto the terrace, which I think was scene depicted on the cover (which was mostly monochromatic except for a splash of red something, maybe).

I think there was definitely one story which involved a father who was in the bureaucracy or the police or something and had to bribe (or was it blackmail?) lots of people for some reason or another involved with the vast sums needed to throw a wonderful wedding for his daughter. And he sweated a lot.

I think in one story an urbanite visited the countryside (maybe his poor relatives?) and they all slept on the floor.

I'm starting to think I'm mixed up, but I don't read many short stories... anyway I read it at least 2 years ago, but no earlier than 8 years ago, and I think it was fairly new at that time.

I'm not really sure this is what you're looking for, but my google efforts for your post repeatedly suggest In other rooms, other wonders, by Pakistani author Daniyal Mueenuddin. According to this NYT review, it's mostly set in the city of Lahore, and it deals with the lives of people around the ageing landowner Harouni in eight loosely connected stories. None of the covers I've seen match your description, though.

There is a website dedicated to the book, which has links to stories published online: A spoiled man, and the title story In other rooms, other wonders, among others.

A review here mentions a background of casual corruption. It's one of the many reviews to talk about settings ranging from cities to mud villages.

edited to fix link

Thanks for all the links. Reading the story and hearing the passages, it doesn't sound remotely familiar.

Hm, I thought I posted this last night, but I guess it got eaten.

The only thing I've read that fits the general description, though not the specifics, is Breathless in Bombay. Probably not right, but I thought I'd throw it out there anyway. Otherwise, all I can suggest is that you take a look at the "india, short stories" tagmash (I'm not going to google for this, since I know less about it than you do, and you're presumably asking for help because you couldn't find it on your own).

http://www.librarything.com/tag/india%2C+short+stories

Jhumpa Lahiri writes short stories set in India; there are many of those in Interpreter of Maladies, for example. Great writer.

My guess is also Interpreter of Maladies. The only story I can remember from it is one where a young couple loses a baby to a miscarriage and their relationship begins to fall apart. They go to see someone (a religious figure or therapist?) who tells them to eat dinner in silence every night.... etc etc

Lahiri short story collections are recommended reading of course but I cannot connect those bits to Interpreter of Maladies or Unaccustomed Earth.

User unlucky also posted a request for a story about a train ride in India. Are you looking for the same story?

I don't recall any train ride.

This is a long shot suggestion. Based on the theme of red and short stories - could it be Blackbird House by Alice Hoffman? This book is short stories all related in some way to the house on Cape Cod. There is the theme of red in every story. Some of the stories take place outside of the Cape. There was one very odd chapter in an apartment in another country (perhaps India). I remember something about a bus stop and things were changed every time the bus came. This was only one perhaps two chapters of the book, but I thought I'd suggest anyway since nothing else has been suggested.

>8 Petroglyph: I think that thread decided the book is A Fine Balance by Rohinton Mistry. I can say that book is not the one described in this post.

I think I've found it while I was browsing through my old blog: If You Are Afraid of Heights!

Reviews of the book seem to fit- they mention the repeated motifs ("a crow, a red dress, a brown dog, a house with a balcony that looks like a frown") through the three different stories in the book:

1. A man meets a woman after a freak tram accident (see my bus/trolley ride rememberance) and they are both haunted by an image of a girl in a red dress,

2. A woman visits a village to investigate the rape and murder of a girl found in a canal (this story sounds particularly familiar and fits the sleeping on the floor part)

3. A young girl is afraid her parents will die after a rash of suicides in her neighborhood (the old man and the balcony).

As for the man in need of bribing people to have his daughter's wedding, maybe it's in 3? Or it could be another short story collection I inflated with this one in my mind.

Thanks for all your suggestions everyone.