TELUGU
Short stories
AMBIKA ANANTH
PENNETI KATHALU: P. Ramakrishna Reddy; Penneti Publications, 2/402-3, Balaji Nagar, Cuddapah-516001. Rs. 40.
THIS IS a collection of 25 stories. Of them, some are so brief that they read like sketches, yet are equally impacting. To those who are not very familiar with the dialect of the Rayalaseema region of Andhra Pradesh, the stories may read stilted. They can stir up deep response in those who are familiar with it.
Powerful storyline and strongly evocative narrative are the significant features of the collection and every story sounds very real and thematically serves as a window on the lives of people who face the fury as well as the bounty of river Pennar, earlier known as "Pinakini" and is called as "Penneru" locally.
The stories speak of the socio-economic conditions of those in the lower strata of society and the narrative depicts the picture in an effective and telling fashion.
The story "Ankatta" portrays the dejection of a potter when he feels that `steel' invasion stole his livelihood; he makes a poignant statement: "the mud has not changed, its natural attribute has not changed, it's the man who has changed." His angst makes him break all his ware, so caringly shaped and moulded.
"Erra Penneru" brings out the volatile side of Nature. Some of the stories such as "Toorupu Naati Koolollu", "Vaanochhe" and "Aakali Guruvulu" are particularly powerful in narration.
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