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Know India through stories

Katha has just launched a series of short story books for youngsters. NANDINI NAIR flips through

`What had been a helpless infant only a few seconds earlier seemed to have grown into an adult, eager to survey the world around. The dragonfly shook its wings as if to test whether they had dried.' (`The Dragonfly' by Ramachandra Sharma)

To introduce young readers to the variety and richness of Indian authors, Katha recently released its Pocket Plus Series of four short story books. The series hopes to introduce the youth to Indian literature, to make them "eager to survey the world around".

Only a span high, these books attract with both their content and form. Lakshmi Ramakrishna of Katha says, "Considerable thought has been given to the look and get-up of the books so they will appeal to a young audience. The size and covers of the books have a very contemporary upmarket look and feel."

`Bhasha' authors

The books cover a rich range of `bhasha' authors from Kannada doyen U.R. Anantha Murthy to Hindi writer and activist Mahasweta Devi to established Marathi writer Asha Bage, to mention a few of the "master storytellers".

The series hopes to capture young readers away from British and American authors, where their interests usually lie. Ramakrishna feels, "Indian publishing houses are doing very little for them (young readers) and Katha wants to lead the way." Through the stories, readers come to "know India", they come to appreciate her regional diversity and complexity.

Local flavours

The books deal with universal themes, which are locally flavoured. Love, family, identity, the supernatural and history find distinct voices in this collection. Showing, as Ramakrishna says, "stories reflect ourselves and inspire us." Translations help increase readership and "help better understanding and exchange of ideas, sharing and caring."

Even the stories written originally in English express the unique politics of being Indian.

"A Brown Man" by Prasenjit Ranjan Gupta reveals the nuances of race and identity through a simple narrative. Its wisdom lies in the insightful line, "They looked so good, so well-matched in every way, brave fair people of this land. His (the brown man's) voice dried up and he looked down at the table."

Katha believes in the power of storytelling to break stereotypes.

Ramakrishna describes Katha's criteria for selection: "Katha takes care to select stories that do not enforce stereotypes. The stories present un-experienced or unheard of aspects of characters, situations and society, that's what makes it refreshingly original."

Having been in the translation business since 1988, Katha's translators and editors have gone far beyond mere transliteration. They have succeeded in honest translations through rigorous and careful editing. Ramakrishna says, "What Katha looks at is the story and not the word. We translate what lies behind the word, beyond the sentence. Translating silences. We catch the inner logic, the flavour and the strength of the story."

With the Pocket Plus Series, the reader is left licking the flavours of India off their fingertips.

Each book costs Rs.95.

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