An analysis of Deepak Unnikrishnan's Temporary People.

Globalisation around the world has allowed the labour movement between the countries. International migration like migration between one country to another country has become a common phenomenon. India has exported a significant number people migrating to different regions across the world under different circumstances. Large number of unskilled and semiskilled Indian labour migration to Gulf countries is a recent phenomenon. The upward trend in labour migration to the Gulf countries started when large-scale development activities took place in gulf countries due to an increase in oil prices in the 1970s. The lack of employment opportunities, poverty, low wages and poor standard of living in India caused many Indians to migrate to gulf countries to gain economic benefits. 

Deepak Unnikrishnan's debut novel Temporary People shines light on a little known world with compassion and Keen Insight. The novel picturizes stories of laborers who brought to the United Arab Emirates to do menial and everyday jobs. It manages to capture hopes, longing and sufferings of an immigrant who flees from his economically inferior country in search of work to support his family. 

The novel binds twenty-eight unique stories of the deplorable and sometimes downright dehumanizing experience of immigrants. It clearly depicts the chaotic, fragile lives which the people lead in these alien countries.

The presence of narrators of all  ages, gender and socio economic background add more flavour and authenticity to the real life experience of people who leave their native place. 

So the revolving theme of the novel is the life of immigrants. Since the significant population of United Arab Emirates is from Kerala, the term Pravasi used in the novel at regular intervals. The novels shatters the misconceptions that surround the life in gulf countries. Unnikrishnan slowly unravel the dreams and expectations that many harbor in. 

Second chapter talks about the life of Ms. Anna Varghese, who had been working as nurse to treat construction workers who fell from  incomplete buildings. Through her nursing, she confronted with many workers, each of them has their own story to narrate. She cured many of them. But she couldn't save the life of Iqbal, the last man she treated. Iqbal's life also give us a glance to realise how the Pravasi life goes in gulf countries. Once Iqbal said to  Anna; 

  Gulf heat baked a man differently, first it cooked a man's shirt and then the man's skin. We smell like an old stove. 

This was the condition of people who are the invisible, non citizens of the kind of global enterprises. The people, primarily site labourers who are responsible for the real beauty of the Emirates. 

For anyone who has spend a considerable amount of  time in a foreign country, out of necessity, loneliness is a constant companion to them. According to Unnikrishnan, foreign nationals make up 80% of the population in UAE. They contributed much to the economy of country, but never feel being at home in that alien world. Unnikrishnan portrays this feelings and alienation through his characters and their stories.