There were some amazing stories in this collection, but also some that I could barely finish reading. The inclusion of duds like Urvashi and Johnny baThere were some amazing stories in this collection, but also some that I could barely finish reading. The inclusion of duds like Urvashi and Johnny basically brought down the rating by 1 star because it was so absolutely annoying to read. The women writers ratio was pretty dismal with only 2 out of 21 authors making the cut. I simply did not think this could possibly happen in a Bengali anthropology.
Some of my favourites were:
The Kabuliwallah by Rabindranath Tagore: This really seems to be every Indian's favourite Tagore story, though I can think of many others that I enjoy more. But this was a fun foray into nostalgia, so it definitely makes the list.
The Homecoming by Banaphool: An insurance agent meets a family on a train and tries to sell insurance to them. He realises it's the family of goddess Durga but also manages to sell some insurance! Very hilarious story but short and sweet. I thoroughly enjoyed reading it.
Two Magicians by Satyajit Ray: This was a thrilling ride and I can totally imagine this story would do well on the screen. An older magician teaches a young one "pure" magic tricks in the Indian style, but is unable to market himself very well. His disciple goes on to become rich and popular by adopting a more flashy style of smoke and mirrors illusions.
Post Mortem by Sunil Gangopadhyay: A story of the investigation of an old man who died after jumping from a tram, it takes a more philosophical turn when the investigator tries to figure out why and who could be responsible for the event.
The Marble Table by Sanjib Chattoppadhyay: A controlling and abusive man holds his entire family in the grip of terror. When his father in law gets his finger caught in the marble table, it starts a saga that leads to lengthy repercussions. Finally, the old man is left alone with his table and has no one left. Apt end for abusers!
Thunder and Lightning by Ashapurna Debi: When a young man gets married off against his will, he wants to spend time with his wife. But the family members only wanted a servant for the house and discouraged this relationship. The man once again pulls away and escapes, leaving the young bride to the mercy of her in-laws and the family to poverty. When the bride finally decides to follow a different path that leads to freedom and money, the family is not loath to take advantage of her while simultaneously abusing her.
News of a Murder by Moti Nandy: I thought this was both hilarious and terrifying. When a woman is murdered by the house servant, another woman of the same name in another part of the city faces unexpected repercussions.
Some stories I did not enjoy included The Discovery of Telenapota and Flapperoos, both of which appear to be some type of weird science fiction. Urvashi and Johnny was a depressing story of a beggar and his singer wife depicting utter depravity. Overall a decent collection, but the "bad" stories were really unreadable for me!
Only two left, and I am trying Punjabi next! ...more
How absolutely delightful! Narayan weaves a gorgeous landscape of a South Indian village in which Swaminathan and his friends go to school. It bursts How absolutely delightful! Narayan weaves a gorgeous landscape of a South Indian village in which Swaminathan and his friends go to school. It bursts forth with the joys and trials of childhood and left me feeling nostalgic. The cast of characters is huge and is a lot of fun.
The story revolves around Swami, the son of a lawyer, who studies in Albert Mission School. His best friends are Somu (the monitor), Sankar (the smart one), Samuel (the Pea), and Mani (the violent bully). When a rich police superintendent's son, Rajam, joins the school, Swami tries very hard to befriend him, which annoys the others very much. Mani tries to bully Rajam but when he is able to hold his own against the bully, the two become friends, and the trio of Swami, Rajam, and Mani is formed, relegating the others to the sidelines. Dude knew how to make 'useful' friends even at ten years old!
In the background is also the freedom movement. With Rajam's dad being a police superintendent and Swami being from a normal family, some feathers are bound to get ruffled. Not to mention a spat with the mission school!
There are some brutal truths of school life. For example, when Somu fails his class, he is not promoted and is 'automatically excluded' from the friend group. Or when, at the end, Rajam moves away and is never heard from again. These add to the nostalgia of the time, when every single moment is to be enjoyed, never knowing what might change.
It's a very simple book, but nevertheless gorgeous. It remains one of my favourite books of all time.❤️...more
I expected much better from this Marathi stories collection. First, it had 28 short stories of which only four by women. It's insane because there areI expected much better from this Marathi stories collection. First, it had 28 short stories of which only four by women. It's insane because there are plenty of female Marathi authors. The first girls' school in India was opened in Maharashtra, so it's very annoying Mr Potdar chose to ignore Marathi women's contribution to literature. A huge blind spot here.
I did not much enjoy the choice of stories, at least in the first half of the book. Some stories were too depressing for my taste and I felt that some choices did not really bring out Marathi culture very well. Potdar also seems obsessed with crows and there were 2 or 3 crow-related stories in the collection, none of them very interesting or fun to read.
That said, I enjoyed the stories based in Pune as a Punekar of 8 years. Just wish there had been more of them. Some enjoyable stories are:
The Fort by Milind Bokil: Set in Pune, it's a cute story about the relationship between three generations of a family, centring around the building of a fort every year during Diwali time. This is a very Puneri custom which I had only recently come to know about, and it was delightful to actually read about it. This was my favourite story.
The God of Brahmins by Hamid Dalwai: A bunch of young Muslim goons create trouble for everyone until they stole the Brahmin god and began to feel guilty. I am not sure about what this story wanted to convey, but I was just happy it was a happy ending instead of resulting in riots or something.
Vacancy by Ratnakar Matkari: The manager of a company finds someone waiting with a letter from the head office offering him a job. He is puzzled because there is no vacancy. But then things start happening ... I have read so many of these stories by so many authors in so many languages, but this is the only pure horror story I have come across. This creepy story is worthy of included with the works of Edgar Allan Poe or M.R. James!
Red Muck by Bhaskar Chandanshiv: A farmer spends weeks growing his produce and gets very annoyed when wealthy customers try to bargain for a few rupees. Told from the perspective of his son, who innately realises the injustice of the system and wants out through education.
There was a story about Saint Tukaram and how he was a total useless fellow, a few random relationship dramas, a terrible story about how a man gets to marry his friend's daughter by remaining young in space (ugh!), how a monkey becomes god, etc. I found them different (hence, the mention) but didn't really enjoy these.
This was so brilliant! I am going to have trouble choosing my favourites from the list of 21 short stories, written by various Telugu authors. The stoThis was so brilliant! I am going to have trouble choosing my favourites from the list of 21 short stories, written by various Telugu authors. The stories cover a variety of topics and give an insight into the Telugu way of life, rich and poor, Hindu and Muslim, urban and rural. I must point out that Dasu Krishnamoorty and Tamraparni Das have taken pains to ensure that the short stories are indeed very short, and hence, very enjoyable. Not a single story is longer than 12 pages.
After the Urdu short stories, I felt these Telugu stories were delightful. Is North India under collective depression, or is it just a different style of literature that divides the country?
My favourites (choice made with difficulty) are:
Adventure by Kodavatiganti Kutumba Rao: When the teenage Rajyalakshmi's family moves to a new house, she gets in the middle of a love affair between the older tenant and a man, leading to interesting results. It was an enjoyable and light-hearted tale.
Bad Times by Illindala Saraswati Devi: I loved this story about an aristocratic family of Hyderabad during Independence, when things were still in a flux. While the men sat and talked and made random decisions, the two daughters of the family take charge of their own destinies and disappear into the night in order to avoid being sold off by their brother. Brilliant, and I loved the spunk of these women.
House Number by Kavana Sarma: A man who thinks he is a mathematical genius forgets his house number and hilarious events ensue.
Predators by Syed Saleem: This is a heart-wrenching story of a young man who stole from dead bodies of suicide victims floating down the Krishna river. A corpse finally brings home the gravity of his sins to him.
A Mother's Debt by Mohammed Khadeer Babu: The saga of a poor Muslim family in which a young man dies and his mother is unable to perform the Islamic ritual of the gift of her milk to release him on his way. Who is to blame for this unfortunate turn of events?
The Truant by Dada Hayat: A young boy refuses to go to school and his mother lets him bunk class. By the end of the day, he is thoroughly bored and is looking forward to school again. Sweet story!
I totally loved all the stories, but I think the above were some of the best. I'll be getting on to Maharashtra next for some nice Marathi stories....more
Starts off with an excellent introduction by Muhammad Umar Memon, who talks in detail about the differences between Urdu literature (influenced by PerStarts off with an excellent introduction by Muhammad Umar Memon, who talks in detail about the differences between Urdu literature (influenced by Persian style) and other Indian styles. There were some good stories and the anthology is worth a read, but I felt some stories just dragged a bit. Loads of Partition stories again. I feel that maybe parts of North India still has not recovered from this, perhaps?
My favourites included:
The Shroud by Munshi Premchand: An useless pair of father and son are taken care of by the daughter in law. When she lies dying, they fail to arrange even a shroud for the corpse. Very hard-hitting, and slightly indicative of male attitudes towards women in the Hindi belt even today.
Toba Tek Singh by Saadat Hasan Manto: A great classic and yet one more Partition story. An Indian madman is put into a mental asylum across the border and he misses home. The splitting of the country affects him mortally.
Laajwanti by Rajinder Singh Bedi: When women are kidnapped and raped during the Partition riots, many of them were ostracised by their own families. Some men campaigned against this injustice and when the wife of one of the men came back, old secrets spill out and things change completely. A very insightful short story.
Aanandi by Ghulam Abbas: I think this one was my absolute favourite. When a bunch of conservative men vote to throw out the prostitutes from their homes to clean up the city, the result is hilarious. Conservative men and their hypocrisy are showcased very neatly in this small story but the theme is also very funny!
Of Fists and Rubs by Ismat Chugtai: When a middle class woman gives birth to a daughter, the helpers taking care of her in the hospital are convinced she is going to be thrashed for not producing a son. Then they tell her stories about how women deal with this issue. Ugh! Disgusting, but probably true, especially in the past.
The Old Mansion by Ikramullah: Three men live in a dilapidated old house in Lahore as squatters. Their lives are separate but intertwined together due to the circumstances. When the mansion is slated for demolition for safety issues, a whole bunch people become homeless again.
Fable of a Severed Head by Sajid Rashid: Brilliant! As someone who grew up in 90s Mumbai with bomb blasts all over the place, it's interesting to get a glimpse of what might have been going on in the head of someone who actually commits these acts. A suicide bomber is killed but his head remains alive. He can hear and think but not speak or move. When he is rejected by everyone including the man who recruited him to die, it's too late for him. Absolutely brilliant.
Lots of good stories but also contains a few that I did not enjoy at all. Removing a couple of these stories may have made this a 4 star book for me! Will be visiting South India again next with Telugu stories....more
This was the best of the lot! I really enjoyed Assam far more than I ever expected. 25 wonderful stories and I didn't dislike a single one! 8 of them This was the best of the lot! I really enjoyed Assam far more than I ever expected. 25 wonderful stories and I didn't dislike a single one! 8 of them by women, so I think Goa still wins on this front. But the Assamese anthology has a wide variety of interesting stories that encompass women's rights, family life, tribal life, communism, violence, as well as some humour. The collection leans heavily towards communist literature from this part of the country.
Some of my favourite stories include:
Mistaken Identity by Syed Abdul Malik: You hear stories about India-Pakistan Partition, but the Assam side is little heard, so I was glad to read this story. It's the traditional trajectory of Hindu and Muslim friends who get divided during riots. A single misunderstanding gets them both killed.
Kathonibari Ghat by Mahim Bora: I loved this story! A young man befriends a young woman and her brother. The recently married woman is eager to return to her husband, but tragedy looms ahead. This is a classic in Assamese literature and explores themes of marriage, widowhood, family, etc. It's also very evocative of time and place.
Looking for Ismael Sheikh by Homen Borgohain: In chasing an elusive Muslim man, an ex-government employee finds himself in the rooms of a prostitute. Seeing her reading a book by Albert Moravia, he stays to chat. She explains her background as a Brahmin woman made destitute during the Purbo Banga (East Pakistan) riots. In return, the narrator tells her the story of the impoverished Ismael, who had moved to Assam for a better life and ended up losing his wife and children, as well as land. The prostitute is left to draw parallels between her fate and Ismael's, despite being on opposite sides, as well as raising a few anti-caste communist lessons.
Blood on the Floor by Apurba Sarma: When one brother joins the communist revolution and goes underground, it affects the whole family. The Army, unable to catch the troublemaker, troubles the already traumatised family instead.
The Captive by Harekrishna Deka: Yet another communist story! A kidnapped man is on the move with his erudite captor, who is part of an organisation hoping to get concessions from the government in return for his release. A typical case of Stockholm syndrome, the two become friends and the captive comes to understand the kidnapper's point of view.
The Green Serpent by Dhrubajyoti Borah: A woman raped by a "revolutionary" during a tribal agitation goes on to university. She she makes friends there, including a man to whom she connects very deeply. A last-minute revelation upended both their lives.
An Incomplete Story by Rita Chowdhury: A tale about a widow destined to rot away in bleak white. She almost found happiness again but her own willingness to be happy and take matters in her own hand led to her father deciding to retract his permission for her happiness. Disgusting show of patriarchy and definitely not winning father of the year! ...more
Ah, Hindi, one of the youngest and yet the most controversial language in India. The Hindi belt comprises a huge swathe of the country and includes thAh, Hindi, one of the youngest and yet the most controversial language in India. The Hindi belt comprises a huge swathe of the country and includes the states of Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Jharkhand, Bihar, Chhattisgarh, Himachal Pradesh, and Rajasthan!!!! So it was always going to be a mammoth task to pick and choose and yet manage to cover a very wide scope in caste and class (like the other books), but also in geographical area.
In this context, I do not understand why Poonam Saxena decided to include so many Hindu-Muslim and post-Partition stories. There is a lot of ground to cover when creating an anthology covering such a large geographical area that is somewhat culturally diverse. I get that this is the hot topic of the day in India, especially in the Hindi belt, but it feels very, very forced. These specific stories were excellent and would have made a great anthology in itself (maybe there should be one about religious co-existence!), but their inclusion took away from exploring different facets of life in this region.
Also, Aleph, shouldn't Punjab get its own book? And Kerala, Karnataka, and Andhra?! You give a book to Odia, but not to Malayalam? Crazy!
The Thakur's Well by Premchand: Well, Premchand is a little out of date but nobody writes about caste and gender so evocatively and coolly as he did. Gangi's husband is sick and there is no clean water at home. Gangi goes to fetch water at the Thakur's well secretly, well knowing that she, as a Dalit, would face severe consequences if caught. What she discovers is that whatever your caste, it's a man's world.
Atonement by Bhagwaticharan Verma: When a newly married bride kills a cat, the local pandit is called in to help the household atone. He plans to rack up great expenses for his own benefit. That is, until fate takes a hand. Hilarious look at greedy priests.
Phoolo's Kurta by Yashpal: I loved this story about a young girl who mimics her elders with completely opposite results. Ridiculous customs need to be smashed and it is the young who will do it.
The Soul of Bholaram by Harishankar Parsai: This sounds very much like a 80's comedy and I wish someone had done it. Yamdoot loses the soul of Bholaram and Narad decides to help him find it. Hilarious look at the Indian bureaucracy. Haven't we all suffered from it at one time or the other?
The Third Vow by Phanishwarnath Renu: I didn't exactly like this one but it merits a mention because the famous Raj Kapoor film, Teesri Kasam was based on this story. It's based on the experiences of a bullock cart driver who falls in love with a dancer. Dare I say, I liked the film slightly better?
The Homecoming by Usha Priyamvada: When Gajadhar retires from his railway job and joins the rest of his family at home, he tries to play the 'man of the house' role and discovers that being an absentee husband and father will come with its own consequences. He has no space at home and no clue how the household runs. A bittersweet story but honestly, what was he expecting?
Lord of the Rubble by Mohan Rakesh: Ghani miyan returns from Pakistan years after Partition, only to find his old home in Amritsar in ruins. He mourns, but does not try to find out who murdered the rest of his family, yet leaves the perpetrators feeling very uneasy with their choices. One of the best post-Partition stories I have read.
There were a few boring stories that felt like they just went on and on, such as Trishanku, Forgive Me, Labyrinth, and Tirich. I am guessing after reading so many of these books that I like my short stories to be rather ... short!
This collection gets a 20 percent (5 out of 25 stories) women authors. So that's not bad but could be much better.
I don't actually know anything about Odisha. I thought I would learn a bit about the state and it's culture from this book. If I go by this book, it fI don't actually know anything about Odisha. I thought I would learn a bit about the state and it's culture from this book. If I go by this book, it feels very backward with UP-style cultural practices. I don't think the whole anthology contained even a single modern story. I am not sure whether this showcases just a historical perspective or current rural attitudes. Nevertheless, I enjoyed the a look back on time as well as all the fable-style stories.
Some of my favourites included:
The Solution by Gopinath Mohanty: A man at a dead-end job is frustrated with the work piling up until he takes his pet goat to work one day. Comedy gold!
The Witness by Satchidananda Rautray: Another humorous tale about a man who gives false evidence in support of a thief for some money. It ends badly for him. Very funny!
Ghania Celebrates Ganesh Chaturthi by Surendra Mohanty: A young Dalit boy tries to go to school and is taken in because the teacher is greedy for the goodies his father offers. However, he is separated from the rest, out of sight, and learns nothing. After dropping out, he wants to celebrate Ganesh Chaturthi as his upper caste classmates did. Has a nice ending to the story, and I loved it!
The Tale of the Snake Charmer by Chandrasekar Rath: This is the story that stayed with me. A tale about a snake charmer called Jhampura, who people believed had special abilities to communicate with snakes. When he loses a battle with a jewel-headed cobra, he becomes a snake himself. Gorgeous story with vivid detailing.
Mrs Crocodile by Manoj Das: Another fable-like story, this time about a woman who turned into a crocodile for a decade. What's her story?
Salvation by Pratibha Ray: The premise was a little weird. A man and his wife's sister live together but never talk to each other because of social taboos. They even bring up a child together but the man has never seen his sister-in-law's face. I had no idea Odia women had to wear a ghunghat.
Rebati by Fakir Mohan Senapati: One of the earliest Odia short stories, this one is about a young girl who dreams of studying. I am not sure why it is so dark and ended so badly or what the author was trying to convey. Did the author disapprove of girl's education? Or was he depicting reality of the time? Not sure, but the whole cholera epidemic stuff made an impact on me....more
Compared to the other books in the series, The Greatest Goan Stories Ever Told is slightly different. It is the only book that is based on stories colCompared to the other books in the series, The Greatest Goan Stories Ever Told is slightly different. It is the only book that is based on stories collected from a state rather than stories written in a specific language. This anthology consists of short stories translated from Portuguese, Marathi, and Konkani, as well as stories originally written in English itself. This immediately changes the landscape of the collection in comparison to the other books.
Another difference, one which I did not find as enriching, is that the anthology includes a bunch of stories that are not specifically Goan, but give more of an migrant perspective. There are at least two Australian stories, some stories set in other parts of India, as well as British and Tanzanian stories. This defeats the purpose of showcasing the Goan landscape in different forms. Or I may just be tired of the whole migrant perspective that has become so common in literature nowadays.
The collection is, on the whole, quite average. I enjoyed reading the book but it did not enchant me. The anthologist / editor, Manohar Shetty, himself has a story included, which I found rather interesting! One interesting aspect that becomes immediately clear on reading these stories is how much of an influence the Portuguese had on Goan culture. I did not realise how deep these roots went, especially in Catholic families, despite me knowing so many Goans!
Some of my favourites are ...
Sunanda's Dream by Sheela Jaywant: Sunanda is a village girl who finds employment as a security guard. Over time, the monotonousness of life and work sets in, but a simple incident makes her happy.
Coinsanv's Cattle by Damodar Mauzo: Coinsanv and Inas love their cattle and take very good care of them. But poverty and a failed crop forces them to sell the cattle at the local Purument fest. While Inas is gone, Coinsanv prays that the bull would not be sold, but when Inas returns, we get a surprise.
FloRitta by Savia Viegas: When an aging forty year old woman settles for an arranged marriage, she ends up in an abusive relationship. Luckily things work out for her when she finds her backbone and decides that enough is enough. I rather like these type of stories where women finally stand up for themselves, and it ends on a positive note.
The Dead Donkey by Pralay Bakshi: This really gives off a Peepli Live vibe and was similarly amusing. When a dead donkey is found next to a pav bhaji stand, the joke that is the Indian bureaucracy gets into action. The end is simply hilarious!
The Homecoming by Cordelia B. Francis: A wonderful story of a man who is toughened by time and religion. A chance remark by his priest brings home the futility of his strictness and fanaticism and gives him a chance to enhance his artistry by serving other religious communities in addition to his own.
Bapo Kale's House by José Lourenço: Bapo Kale and his wife, Bhagi Kale, live in a house near a gas factory. The uneducated in India are beautifully represented by the utter ridiculousness of this story. When government officials try to conduct a safety drill, it goes completely over the couple's heads. Whoooooshh!
There were other nice stories as well including the one by the editor, Manohar Shetty, himself. I am shaving off one star for the inclusion of the non-Goan stories that I also did not enjoy too much anyway. However, it is noteworthy that out of 27 stories, 11 are by women! Good job there, Goa (and Shetty)!
My third book in this series, I now come to The Greatest Gujarati Stories Ever Told, an anthology created by Rita Kothari, a renowned Sindhi Gujarati My third book in this series, I now come to The Greatest Gujarati Stories Ever Told, an anthology created by Rita Kothari, a renowned Sindhi Gujarati author who has written several books om language and partition. But this anthology is uniquely Gujarati and depicts Gujarat in a multifaceted manner.
Kothari specifically refrained from buying into the rhetoric about Gujarat that is persistent both within the state and without and includes militant vegetarianism, dhandho, and of course, our beloved (/s) ruling party. Instead, she chooses a more organic approach to tell the story of Gujarat in a more comprehensive manner.
Some of my favourites are:
Creamy Layer by Neerav Patel: This is a brilliant story about how some members of disadvantaged communities make it good in life, but it also distances them from their roots and their families, and hence their support systems. The term 'creamy layer' in this case is both political and literal and is marvellously interweaved into the narrative.
Vaadki by Bhupen Khakhar: This one is a rather humorous tale surrounding the disappearance of a 'vaadki' or bowl. When Jamna becomes obsessed with its disappearance, her husband Jamnadas decides he has to find it by hook or by crook. Only, too many sexual escapades are exposed in the process.
Nandu by Dashrath Parmar: A Dalit man has a chance meeting with a fellow village boy in a distant town. The boy is beyond delighted to meet someone from 'home' and follows him around like a puppy. However, despite himself working a good job and the boy working as a servant in a guesthouse, caste rears its ugly head. Can a 12-year old boy be already infected with this poison?
The Invasion by Dalpat Chauhan: Natho singlehandedly breaks taboos of generations by not only farming his own field but also making it difficult for the upper caste people to retaliate. He is both smart and strong. A bit Bollywoodish but eminently satisfying!
Name: Nayana Rasik Mehta by Varsha Adalja: A battered woman finally gets her courage together to lodge a police complaint against her husband and mother-in-law. The police try to dissuade her but she manages to hold her own against the prevalent social narrative of 'adjustment'. Set in Mumbai!
The Twenty-First Tiffin by Raam Mori: One of the last stories in the collection, a tired wife and cranky mother runs the household by cooking and selling lunches to young men. The daughter is tired of her mother's behaviour but when the twenty first young man pays a visit to praise her food, she sees her mother bloom in front of her eyes.
Some of these stories are very vivid and excellently told, but are balanced by pretty long and boring stories such as The Death of Maaja Vela and The Bilge Water. These two were too long and the anthology would have scored even higher without their inclusion. In a collection of 23 short stories, 8 of them are written by women. That's a pretty good score and shows that despite its reputation, Gujarat must have a pretty decent literary scene.
After reading the Tamil collection, I chose the Kashmiri one for my second read in this series. In comparison, it felt very dry and dreary, without thAfter reading the Tamil collection, I chose the Kashmiri one for my second read in this series. In comparison, it felt very dry and dreary, without the rich kaleidoscope of life in the state depicted in minute detail. Going into it, one expects literature from a conflict area to be somewhat depressing, but I felt that a collection of Kashmir stories could do a better job at depicting the intricacies of daily life than this anthology provided. There was also very little humour in the collection.
Some of the boring stories included:
The Road to Immortality by Habib Kamran: A fable-type story by acclaimed the Kashmiri author, this story just dragged on and on and didn't seem appropriate for this collection at all. I also found it boring in the extreme and how is this a "Kashmiri story" other than that it's written by a Kashmiri author?
Man is of a Strange Breed by Akhtar Mohiuddin: A depressing tale of suicide, lost hopes, and loss. A young man runs away from Kashmir during WW2 and then runs back to Kashmir, is depressed and commits suicide. His father mourns him and then when a young Englishwoman is entrusted to his care, it just becomes more depressing.
Anguish by Autar Krishen Rahbar: A Kashmiri American returns back to the homeland and sits by the Vyeth river, reminiscing and wondering about random stuff. Boring, and a bit pointless? Maybe I am just not getting the style.
The Mourners by Hari Krishan Kaul: Yet another story about death and funerals! A pall bearer is obsessed with the cricket score, but the funeral needs to be completed.
Whose Turn Now? by Shankar Raina: By this time, I was thoroughly tired of the incessant depression dump on the reader. Now a cancer ward story, if you were not already fatigued by the previous stories of loss and suicide and death. And yes, of course, it's terminal. Ugh!
I do wonder why Neerja Mattoo (yes, Goodreads, it's Mattoo, not Mattoc) chose these specifically over the top depressive stories. Is there a point? Does being a Kashmiri mean being depressed, suicidal, and sick? The choices completely flummoxed me, because there is enough of 'bad and sad Kashmir' stories in the media.
However, there are some light-hearted and cultural stuff in the collection and I did enjoy some of the stories. These include:
Radhakrishna's Cat by Deepak Kaul: A story of a nosy woman who gets exposed by the new daughter in law of the neighbours. I almost wept with relief at the comic relief this story provided. This was also my favourite in the whole collection.
To Slavery Born by Bansi Nirdosh: A man is waiting for his son to start earning before he can quit his job, so he can dump the responsibilities on his shoulders. A little old-school but normal in the past when responsibilities were many, daughters were a burden, and people simply could not manage to save.
Paper Tigers by Sufi Ghulam Mohammad: This was the most intricately descriptive story that I thoroughly enjoyed. Two boys slave away in a bakery preparing bread. When a third boy arrives, he incites a rebellion. Does he succeed or not? Brilliant, and very realistic!
The Call by Roop Krishen Bhat: A Kashmiri family is displaced and moves to Delhi. But the old grandmother is unable to deal with the loss of the homeland and slides into depression. Despite the theme of the story, it was eminently readable and one of the best of this theme. I enjoyed the descriptions of both Kashmir and Delhi and the discrepancies between the two.
Overall, I think this collection could be improved on, but there are also some very decent stories. Some big names are there, and I might try some of their other books to see if it's more to my taste. Next, on to Gujarat!...more
A venture of Aleph Book Company, The Greatest Tamil Stories Ever Told is one in a series of anthologies of short stories from different regional languA venture of Aleph Book Company, The Greatest Tamil Stories Ever Told is one in a series of anthologies of short stories from different regional languages in India. The book has chosen a number of renowned writers from Tamil Nadu spanning a period from the 1930s to modern times. As usual in anthologies, some were brilliant and I didn't care for others. But overall, this was a wonderful collection.
The book has a total of 30 short stories, so I will review only a few of my favourites below.
A Village Experience by SVV: A couple decide to pay a condolence visit to a village when someone in their daughter's husband's family dies. The slow pace of life is showcased brilliantly and humorously. It's also very reminiscent of old India, though pockets of such life remain similar today.
Letters from the Inner Palace by Kumudini: Based on Hindu epics, this is a series of letters between Sita and her mother discussing a new sari for her, between Hidimba and her grandmother regarding the former's marital life, and between Damayanti and her mother discussing a cook for the household. Very humorous and strangely relatable!
Crown of Thorns by Janakiraman: In this one, a schoolteacher is able to get and hold the respect of his students without raising his hand on them at all. However, he still manages to unwittingly wield his power and make one boy miserable for a small mistake. When he realises this, it weighs on him forever.
Snake by Sujatha: A snake is sighted and the village gathers to drive it away. Ultimately, it is a young woman, Vatsala, who is the truly fearless and empathetic one amongst them all. I did not like the ending, but I enjoyed the story very much.
The Solution by Dilip Kumar: This tale centres around a Gujarati family settled in Chennai. When a rat falls into a well, people are very hesitant to use the water until an old lady settles the matter. It's hilarious but also shows how superstitions and half-baked knowledge prevails in the country even today. People live their lives through these with the few resources they are given.
Cetificate! by Anbaathavan: A young man from the Irula tribe is seeking a caste certificate from the government office in order to further his studies. When the officials give him the go-around and make fun of him and his caste, he decides to teach them a lesson. It's brilliant and funny, and should teach people to behave themselves!
There are other wonderful stories such as Penance, The First Night, Journey 4, Ponnuthayi, and Change. There were some duds too and some weak stories from otherwise excellent writers like Kalki and Perumal Murugan were also chosen for this. But overall, the book accomplishes it's purpose: showcasing a variety of Tamil authors and giving a beautiful landscape of Tamil life across caste, gender, and class divides.
I have now purchased ALL the books in this collection, so looking forward to touring India from the comfort of my sofa....more
Difficult Daughters is Manju Kapur's first book, and despite all the accolades heaped upon it, it's a clunky effort that does not really convey any acDifficult Daughters is Manju Kapur's first book, and despite all the accolades heaped upon it, it's a clunky effort that does not really convey any actual message worth writing about. The narrative takes place in Amritsar and Lahore and is set in the 1930s and 40s, in pre-Partition India. Virmati is the protagonist with whom readers spend the most time, but the secondary characters are quite vibrant and have their own stories to tell.
Virmati is discontented with the life path laid out for her by society. Marriage at a young age, children, and a life of servitude to in-laws in her 'own home'. She clutches at education as a way out of this stifling environment. After a lot of hullaballoo, she is sent off to study. Instead, she is seduced by a married Professor, which sets her on a ruinous path. Refusing to marry, she is sent away to study in Lahore, away from the Professor. Instead of growing up like everyone does, Virmati continues to pine for this trashy man despite his married status. I sort of lost interest in her creepy love story around this time.
Not really sure what this book tried to convey. Women need to rebel by becoming a second wife to a third-rate man, when they have the potential to be the first in something? Virmati met many, many interesting women who were out there doing things. Why did they not influence her? It's rather hard to believe she wanted to be a second wife to this lecher of a man who hits on his students! Instead of taking the culture forward, she actually went backward. I am disappointed that Virmati never actually does anything in her life and even discourages her daughter from doing so. What's the actual point of her character?
Though Virmati began grating on me, I found some of the secondary characters far more intriguing and would have loved some more background on them. Ganga, the Professor's first wife, is a traditional woman who lost the marital fight. Her perspective would be interesting to know. Swarnalata is the most intriguing character in the whole of the book. Perhaps the book should have been written from her perspective with Virmati in short snippets as her forlorn, boring friend, obsessed with her illicit affair with a creep.
The setting was quite evocative and the research has been pretty decent. I did not see the point of introducing the Partition chapters in such detail and it just served to obscure the actual ending of the story for the characters. I found the conclusion quite weak in that respect. However, WW2 and the Independence struggle in the background was quite expertly weaved into the story and became a part of the characters' lives. In short, the book does take one back in time and has some powerful moments, but the main character is unfortunately a loser....more
Wow, what a wonderful book! Mango Cheeks, Metal Teeth is a nostalgic look at old Kerala as it was in the 90s. But this is not just about nostalgia andWow, what a wonderful book! Mango Cheeks, Metal Teeth is a nostalgic look at old Kerala as it was in the 90s. But this is not just about nostalgia and the good old days, there is an undercurrent of gender, class and caste in this relaxing story, providing dark undertones but taking it to a higher level of storytelling.
The narrative is seen through the eyes of Geeta, a young girl on the cusp of teenagehood. Living in Bombay has its perks but Geeta lives for the summer holidays when she got to visit her maternal grandparents and cousins (don't we all remember those days with fondness?!) Her elder sister and cousin have suddenly grown up and are whispering together all the time, leaving Geeta alone. The boys reject her as well and Geeta mourns for the earlier days when they were children. But this summer holiday, Geeta also grows up and finds her self.
On the surface, Geeta's family is respectable and nice. But dig deeper, and they have their own skeletons. Other characters such as Sundarikutty, Kamala, and Babu are amazing and bring the story alive. Every character is well drawn and gives so much depth to the story. The ways in which different people in different communities live is nicely depicted. Geeta befriends Babu but it all ends in a huge misunderstanding. Decades later, everyone persists in their misunderstanding, much like real life. I love how the characters' paths diverge and they never meet to clear up the confusion. Life goes on.
This may well be the best book I have read this year. It's totally pandemic-compliant, so if you are reading less due to lockdowns and shit, this is a great book to pick up....more
Aparna Karthikeyan is a journalist who has been chronicling art and craft livelihoods in India. Associated with PARI, Ms. Aparna has written Nine RupeAparna Karthikeyan is a journalist who has been chronicling art and craft livelihoods in India. Associated with PARI, Ms. Aparna has written Nine Rupees an Hour to record the livelihoods of different communities in Tamil Nadu. The title of the book is an apt reflection of the kind of pay these skilled workers get for their hard work. Indeed, korai mat makers from Pattamadu get exactly this amount.
One thing that really stands out from this book is that rural India's economy relies heavily on farming. This doesn't mean everyone is a farmer, but everyone's work is in someway connected to farming. If the farming goes well, other industries thrive. Now that farmers are facing scarcity and hopelessness, these other industries are gradually going out of business. Another significant aspect is that many people in rural areas work in farms part time during the periods that is low business. If agriculture is boosted, all other things might again fall in place.
I really enjoyed the stories of the craftspeople and artists. Ms. Aparna has a light touch and while she makes her points about the struggles of these people very clearly, she also manages to engender interest in their actual business. From scythe producers to horse dancers, all these livelihoods are delightful to read about. It also made me realise how little us city-bred professionals know about the rural areas and life and work there. I've also realised I just have not travelled enough in Tamil Nadu ...
Scattered in between the chronicles are interviews with personalities like T.M. Krishna, P. Sainath, P. Ayyakannu, S. Janakarajan, D. Thomas Franco Rajendra Dev, Bama, and Prabha Sridevan, all renowned personalities and activists in their own right. These interviews give some further perspective to the overall theme of rural livelihoods.
Best of all, I really had fun reading this book. One would think that it would be depressing to read about all kinds of struggles, but Ms. Aparna has a light touch. Here's hoping at least some of these livelihoods can be saved and made to thrive! ...more
I had visions of reading more Indian books by regional Indian authors in 2020, but that turned out to be a dud since I could barely read a single thinI had visions of reading more Indian books by regional Indian authors in 2020, but that turned out to be a dud since I could barely read a single thing. With life a bit more normal but still not sufficiently busy in 2021, I've had a lot of time to read and decided to read more Indian authors this year. Bridges is about three different families and the narrative flows from 1907 to 1985. The author's main theme is how middle-aged women become the bridges between the older and the younger generations. And this paves the way for progress, ever so slowly and slightly.
Life in a Tambrahm household revolves around mindless rituals and mindless obedience to elders. This is quite evocatively brought out, especially in the first couple of stories. The 1907 - 1939 chapters were the best because these were well-researched historical fiction. Women had no voice and the oldest people in the household decided everything for them, including what they would eat, whom they would marry, etc. This improves with the next generations as family structures and societies change.
Sivasankari depicts how each generation of women become grumpy and controlling as they grow older. Their fights with their grandchildren (especially, granddaughters) take up a lot of the plot space. I really disagree with this idea since I have seen the opposite around me - grandmothers are mostly loving while mothers can be borderline abusive. Old women tend to be abusive, but Sivasankari merely attributes it to age. I think there is far more to it - it is their one chance to exercise control over others which they never had over their own choices all their lives. They become abusive when this long-desired control is challenged. I also found the 1965 - 1985 chapters rather futuristic as far as I know this specific community and the progress they have made. This freedom still does not exist, leave alone in 1985.
But irrespective of the themes underlying the story, the story itself is rather delightful and evocative. You really begin to empathise with the characters and want to know more of their lives. For me, it also began to give a real sense of the restrictive and awful world my female ancestors lived in. The English translation is good and managed to retain the flavour of the original, but I did find some choices rather strange: not translating things like 'manjal' to turmeric, not putting italics on untranslated words, and not providing a glossary. For me, these did not matter as Tamil is my mother tongue (though I am not comfortable reading it), but it definitely makes this brilliant work harder to read for others.
I would recommend this to anyone interested in authentic historical fiction....more
S. Muthiah is best known for his cultural pieces in The Hindu. A native of Chennai (erstwhile Madras), Muthiah has been involved in heritage conservatS. Muthiah is best known for his cultural pieces in The Hindu. A native of Chennai (erstwhile Madras), Muthiah has been involved in heritage conservation of Chennai landmarks of historical significance and has written several articles on the history, culture, and politics of the city. Tales of Old and New Madras is an anthology of his own writings on the city of Chennai spanning over the period of 375 years.
The author has selected a variety of topics to include in this book. I found some of them informative and entertaining while others were of no interest to me and some were actually irrelevant. I did enjoy the snippets about the history of The Hindu, the political scene in Tamil Nadu, the biography of S. Ramanujan, etc. The second half of the book was much more interesting and informative in general for me. However, I did enjoy a couple of stories from the first half including the story of how the city was formed and named.
But despite this, I found the author's writing style extremely dry and unemotional. Where there was not much previous interest, the author was unable to engender interest despite detailed research on his topics. There were places in the narrative which were basically information dumps without much journalistic writing on the part of the author. This is the main reason for the low rating. The section about politics, which consisted of seven parts, the editor had not bothered to do any editing. There were redundant repetitions, and the article did not flow together well. The editing in this book is overall slipshod. Many parts should have been rewritten to fit together into a book form.
I would not discourage anyone from picking this book up but I would raise a warning. If you can handle dry text-book style books about interesting subjects, be my guest! ...more
Around 10 or 11 years ago, I was fortunate enough to be unemployed and be living near a wonderful library. I used this time not to crazily send off joAround 10 or 11 years ago, I was fortunate enough to be unemployed and be living near a wonderful library. I used this time not to crazily send off job applications (I did that too!) but to read as many books as I could get my greedy hands on. I inhaled every single book by R.K. Narayan, and decided I need to have him in my library. I think it's time for a re-read, this time of my own copies.
The Bachelor of Arts is about the youth of a young Brahmin man called Chandran. The tale takes us through his college life, his love for a young girl, his flirting with ascetism, and then his growing up through employment and marriage. It's a simple enough tale, with not many twists and turns, but it was still brilliant in the way it pulls you in. And the icing on the cake is that it's based in the delightful but fictional town of Malgudi.
The book was written in 1937, so it was interesting to see a snapshot of life in India pre-independence. The characters were brilliant and so real in their portrayal. People were obsessed with simple everyday pleasures. I enjoyed the crazy nationalist poet (a nod to the independence struggle in full swing at the time), the friendly and humorous British Principal, and Chandran's father's obsession with the flowers in the garden.
Chandran's love story was rather weird, though pretty typical for a repressed culture like India used to be (and still is in many places). His obsession with the girl and his chafing under the formalities are real enough. The age difference was creepy, as the girl was only 14 as opposed to Chandran's 22. But it was how things were in the 1930s.
Narayan writes like my grandmother tells stories! And maybe that's the charm of his books. Who doesn't like their grandmother's stories?...more
So I have read my first Ruskin Bond! And now I am upset - so many years wasted! Death Under the Deodars takes place in Mussoorie in the 1960s. There aSo I have read my first Ruskin Bond! And now I am upset - so many years wasted! Death Under the Deodars takes place in Mussoorie in the 1960s. There are eight stories, all set in the Royal Hotel and revolving around its residents, especially Ms Ripley-Bean, an old relic of the British Empire.
Death Under the Deodars: The title story is one of the best ones. Ms Ripley-Bean sees a murder being committed but does not know who did it. Unfortunately, the murderer knows she was there! I loved this Christie level of mystery and the chill factor was high! - 5 stars
Born Evil: Ms Ripley-Bean narrates a story about a young boy who was evil and liked to burn things down. But who was he? An interesting story with a twist. - 4 stars
Strychnine in the Cognac: An actor couple come to Mussoorie for a while and their marital problems lead to murder. But the really fun part was Ms Ripley-Bean's reaction! - 5 stars
Crime of Passion: Ms Ripley-Bean narrates a story about an old priest and a young boy who become friends. It somehow leads to murder. This was the one story I felt was rather weak and didn't do justice to the collection. There was still a lot of charm to the story and a nice twist at the end, but it didn't appeal to me like the others did. - 3 stars
Arsenic in the Post: Another narration by Ms Ripley-Bean about the wicked 1920s, when there was a lot of debauchery about. A married man and a married woman get together and plot murder. Where does it end? - 4 stars
The Black Dog: This was really chilling. Ms Ripley-Bean does not feature in this one much but Ruskin Bond does! He narrates about a black dog following him to and from a party at the Royal Hotel. The dog then disappears. What really happened? - 5 stars
Three in a Bed: The body of a young boy is found inside a box bed and suspicion points to his friends. Did they do it or didn't they? Ruskin Bond gets at the truth. Ms Ripley-Bean doesn't feature much in this either. - 4 stars
The Daryaganj Strangler: Yayy! Another Ms Ripley-Bean story! There is a strangler roaming the streets of Delhi. They figure he would come to Mussoorie for the summer vacations. Does he? I love the wicked Ms Ripley-Bean and her mild blackmailing behaviour. Not sure why she was not targeted, though. - 4 stars
There were some minor irritants, such as Ms Ripley-Bean's whole history being repeated in every story. Not sure why it was necessary. But the quaint atmosphere, the interesting tales, and the fun Ms Ripley-Bean make this a must-read....more
Sujatha Gidla is from a Dalit Christian family, from a caste that was considered untouchable in Hinduism. Her ancestors converted to Christianity throSujatha Gidla is from a Dalit Christian family, from a caste that was considered untouchable in Hinduism. Her ancestors converted to Christianity through Canadian missionaries but the caste system remained in place. Ants Among Elephants is not Gidla's memoir, but a memoir of her family, especially her mother's side of the family. It focuses mostly on her mother and her uncle, Comrade K.G. Sathyamurthy, a communist and revolutionary who worked for the Dalit cause.
First, I think there is a lot to learn and understand from books like these. I got interesting insights into the lives of people who were considered outcastes by the rest of society. Their culture is a completely different one, and has a strong historical context to it. These were the parts that I enjoyed and felt a connection to the author.
However, I don't understand why Gidla would want to portray everyone in her family as absolutely disgusting people. Her own uncles, her mother, her father, her paternal grandmother, maternal great-grandmother, and random relatives and family friends are all portrayed variably as thieves, liars, neglectful, and everyone is abusive. Surely, every single person Gidla has ever known couldn't have been abusive?
The book's core focus is on Sathyamurthy, her maternal uncle. But instead of depicting him as a hero, she basically shows him up as a bum, who can't cut his own nails. He marries a distant relative in order to provide a maid for his brother and sister, and basically lays down conditions that she has to slave away for his brother and sister, as well as take his brother's abuse. He is authoritarian with his sister and controls her every movement. He is unable to provide for his family but keeps having child after child. He is a bully with a war-mongering instinct. Now, what communist worth his salt would behave like the worst religious patriarch?
Author and historian, Chinnaiah Jangam has criticised this depiction of Sathyamurthy and claim that he was a much better man than Gidla thinks. Who knows the truth, but if this is Gidla's attempt at telling the story of a hero, she failed. He appears more a bum and a low-life thug on the pages than a revolutionary. His comrades are similarly portrayed. For example, Gidla claims that another man called Goru Madhava Rao kicked his wife who was prostrated in front of him and called her 'daughter of widow', widow being the worst thing possible for a woman in Hinduism. If these are communists, give me a religious patriarch any day. At least, you know where you are with one of those and no such hypocrisy.
The title of the book is also misleading: Ants Among Elephants: An Untouchable Family and the Making of Modern India. For a subtitle that talks about the making of modern India, there is remarkably little about mainstream politics of the time at all. Without that broader perspective, the characters just appear to be small time local goons with some ideas about taking up arms and nothing more. Basically, a male wet dream.
However, this is still an important book and a significant social history document. The fact that these are Christian Dalits adds an extra layer of interest because their situation is unique. They are better off, even the women, because they were provided opportunities for education by the Church that Hindu and Muslim Dalits didn't have. This allowed them to rise above their 'ordained place' in society and do interesting things like become teachers and lecturers.
Unless the culture shift happens and India begins to provide these people with equal opportunities and equal treatment, including the women, there will be no development, no progress, no future for the country....more
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