MALAYALAM
Contemporary Hindu fiction
THERANJEDUTHA HINDI KATHAKAL: Translated and edited by V. K. Ravindranath; Distributed by Poorna Publications, G.H.Road, Kozhikode-673001. Rs. 68.
THIS BOOK of contemporary stories reflects the Hindi short stories scene. It is vibrant and portrays the urban middle class crises, social and economic issues.
The narratives mostly are in third person but the writer intervenes to express himself. The stories generally bring out the societal pretences and depict the finer emotions of empathy and humanitarian values.
One cannot agree with the editor's view that they are superb as compared to contemporary fiction in Indian languages; they are far from it. Only a few have the lyrical charm and the labyrinthine dimensions worthy of comment. The stories are simple narratives sans evocative literary silences. The translation is commendable. It enables comparison with modern Malayalam stories.
The themes are drawn from daily life and deal with familial relations and social behaviour, and of emotional turbulences. The police treatment of a boy, who picked up a suspected article from the train compartment by Amarkanth in "Dheeratha" is typically universal. Sravan Kumar's "Aavi" is on generation gap and intricate bonds.
Hridayesh's "Safety valve" narrates the plight of a writer. Hrishikesh Sulabh's "Ashtabhujalalinte Bhujangal" is again about family secrets. "Abhinetri" by Vinod Bharadwaj powerfully presents the life of an actress from a small town (Bareilly) in Delhi. "Cutlettum Porottayum" by Asghar Wajahat is on communal harmony. Jiten Thakur's "Kathapatram" is a direct narrative on the writer's point of view.
Kuber Dutt's "Binny" is a touching short piece on the life of a young girl being compared to that of an innocent bird. In Akhthar Mirza's "Death", Basanth Kumar Roy has used the narrative technique to unfold the writer's dilemmas. Hari Bhatnagar's "Koottakkola" is the best story where the technique and craft effectively brings out characterisation and a climax.
K. KUNHIKRISHNAN
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