'I took a glass and carefully broke it. I ground it, then mixed it into some cooked rice. This lethal meal would be the end of my insufferable ignorance. In only a matter of hours I'd discover the secret of the afterlife …'

It is 1966. Madras, India. A young Brahmin realises the futility of his ritualistic Hinduism. Unable to face another day, he gives his gods an ultimatum: reveal yourself, or I will kill myself. After preparing a deadly meal, he heads out for what he thinks will be his final walk around the city. As he does he passes a man handing out flyers. They catch his eye. He's intrigued. He heads inside to see what's going on. What happens next changes the direction of his life and the ill-fated meal waiting at home.