Choker Bali (Novel) by Rabindranath Tagore

Rabindranath Tagore,as we all know as an important renaissance figure of Indian literature had left his own impact on us with his songs,poems,dramas,essays,novels and an array of his paintings.Of course,he embarked on painting at the dusk of life.Choker Bali,it's one of the novels I was aspiring to have gone through and the same has been done with it a couple of days back.The story set in the typical  Bengali family ambiance of the feudal sort.It's a story of menage a trios.Really to be considered as an avant-garde theme for those days of almost one century back.

Mahindra was a medico and got married Asha,a village belle.He was happy teaching his wife at home in leisure times,their conjugal life on cloud nine until the entry of Binodini,a widow and a distant relation came to Calcutta settled for a few days in their home.Rajalaxmi,mother of Mahindra asked Binodini to be here in helping domestic chorus.Asha was a naive one in terms of worldly affairs and which proved to be advantageous for Binodini to lure Mahindra.In other words,she grew a jealousy of happy marriage life of Mahindra and Asha.

She manages to captivate Mahindra with her expertise of love play.At the same time she maintained the bosom friendship with his wife Asha.Poor Asha trusted Binodini as her Choker Bali.Lot of things had taken place,meanwhile.At last,they flew away from the house,leaving Asha estranged.Binodini,interestingly,never surrendered to Mahindra.And she wants to marry Bihari,a family friend of Mahindra.Because he was a bachelor and future security is guaranteed comparing to Mahindra.

Binodini's character emanates various hues at the same time.She was jealous of seeing happy couple as she got deprived of sexual pleasure.She never cared Mahindra after he completely had surrendered to her.There were other characters like Annapurna,Sadhucharan and so on.Bihari was a strong character in all respects.Story ends with an unexpected turn even though Bihari proposed Binodini to marry.The landscape of Calcutta and village of average Bengali life portrayed well.

In other sense,we could understand it as a novel of  psycho analytical attempt to put in brief.Translation style of Sukendu Ray was touching while composing the sense of original flavor into English.To avoid discomfiture,he provided glossary of  Bengali words such as Thakur-po,Topse,Kakima,Pishima,Bouthan and etc.Try to give a read,if you wish to have a tale of universal appeal.And to confront the muse of Tagore.
---Murthy Kvvs

The Adventurers novel by Harold Robbins..!

 "The Adventurers" a gripping tale of Harold Robins,being set in fictitious Corteguay state of South America filled with unputdownable ingredients such as nail baiting suspense,twists and violence and moving melo drama.A Young Latin American state and its new ruling class were the things all about to say in the central theme.

The newly carved out state by the efforts of revolutionaries was struggling for recognition and its share of authority.Dax was the diplomat from the country and his loyalty about it was impeccable.His childhood was of brutal past as his family members were killed by so called Bandoleros.And he made to avenge it in return.

How the power makes a man of principles into a selfish and tyrannic dictator was something to ponder over.El President of Corteguay ,the ex revolutionary was the example for it.He out witted his past colleagues to consolidate his reins over the state.And went further extent to hatch the plot to end the life of his trusted friend's son.

Writer's view point about the novel was to uphold the turmoil prevailed in Latin American countries.And he had chosen a fictitious state for the purpose.Robins succeeded in getting us into the haciendas of South America and to the secretive sensual pleasures of other part of the world.

Tell me a story : A View

"Tell me a story" is a collection of short stories written by almost new story writers across India.Short listed from the entries of  hundreds of enthusiast writers on the different topics.Freedom for choosing the subject was given to the writer,hence we could read mosaic of expected and unexpected themes through out the book.Twenty one stories were there.

Sangha mitra Bose portrayed  emotional scenes of a family happened during the war time,through the lenses of  both adult and children  in the story of "And the planes came".Canvas for it taken was Ambala cantonment area.Krishnasish Jena came up with a rather meta physical theme of the death titled"The end of the tunnel" which described that how it happened to his protagonist's nearest relative and how can it be different in view of objective sense when it happened with outside his premises.

Prasanthi Pothina seemed as another promising story teller in the collection of stories.She has taken a sensitive line to fathom the subtle layers of conjugal life.Sexual pleasure is not only the sole part in the married life but there are several emotional things apart from it.If it got defunct,couple should come to terms by internal dialogue.And extra-marital relation takes one to abyss whether one is not well guided by wisdom.All this discussed in the story "Suicide".

And other stories will never get down the reader while passing through the pages.Well known author Ravinder Singh edited the collection for Penguin Random.In case,you wish to read some meaningful and heart touching stories,go for it and which is available with Amazon.Short notes about the short story writers would give you an idea about the persons who had woven the stories based on things ,of which they built on,with using their imagination par excellence.

A Fantastic place

We all see eggs in the bazar.In the grocery shop in cozy paper made cartons invariably.Without these , eggs can be shattered into worst liquid.The carton scene here was photographed during my visit to a fantastic place called Sanjeevareddy palem,nearby Paloncha of Telengana State.This is a small scale industry to cater the needs of egg sellers.

Basically the paper pulp is used for manufacturing.Drying is also essential,so these were being shown there after initial phasing of manufacturing.Seeing in a massive way of its kind is a fun and amazing in systematic rows.  

Close up shot,even more interesting with the design of up and down patterns.Got to be there for having a tea break while proceeding to a picnic unto Kinnerasani sanctuary,the best known spot for joyful moments to have.

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A Poet was attacked and A Real case of Intolerance

Vijayawada stages book festival this year from January 1 to 11 and a most rare incident happened in the event.Sky Baba (Shaik Yusuf Baba)),the Telugu poet from Telengana was attacked on the 3rd day of the festival.Also his book release function got to postponed due to the agitation from the people of Andhra region.There was a cause alleged that during the movement for Telengana state he had written strongly worded poem that questioned the exploitation of coastal people in all fields.It was all about four years back.

But now at the dais of book festival ,the old wounds were came to fore and some people made ruckus over the past write up.They alleged that Sky baba used most abusive words that were to be shameful to any sober person to utter those lines,therein he hurt the sentiments of Andhra people such as pissing in Krishna river which flows through Vijayawada.

However,his buddies came to rescue him on the occasion.No book release or meeting held as it planned by Sky baba and his friends.Some people commented that it should not have happened though he hurt the feelings , instead they could better have expressed it in another form like writing a poem condemning such act or lodged a complaint with concerned department.Trying to rough up physically and making vulgar words in return does not make any sense,some literary orgs opined so. 

A Review on "Byomkesh Bakshi"- a spy thriller

Sometimes acting on impulse would pay off.I really did not hear much about Saradindu Bandopadhyay who wrote basically in Bengali,yet seeing the book in a stall bought this translated version to read the stories.I should admit that there was nothing to regret.And thus got acquainted with a fine story teller with his Sherlock Holmes like Byomkesh Bakshi who keeps solving mysterious happenings with his sharp intelligence and tactics.He himself called by  Satyanveshi instead of a detective.An indigenous style detective in brief.Byomkesh was assisted by Ajit.

There were seven stories in total and all are suspense thrillers.Case study evolves with real life situations.Writer Saradindu had vast knowledge about many places of India.His short stint as a Hindi film script writer had reflected in some stories.Translator Manimola Dhar did a commendable work by using apt simple language to reach out even a lay reader.Choosing suitable titles for the stories reveals her craft of translation.For instance "Rakthamukhi Neela" coined in English as The deadly diamond.Once we finished reading it,we could understand translator's prudence.

All the stories take you into their grip and no boring or unnecessary crap.Saradindu had a unique style in telling the story.Suspense,comedy and insight into things added pep.At the same time,scientific outlook was also evident in some stories.Writer by profession was a lawyer for some time,hence  he knows how to weave a criminal attitude and unravel it at the given times.Rupa Publications brought it out and this is a sure shot success with its pulsating sleuth's skills to entertain the reader.  

A Review on "The Adivasi will not dance" book

The stories were written on the background of Santhal Adivasi diaspora and jumping into a conclusion of poverty,exploitation and rebellion theme would make you the wistful thinking about it with no second thought.But there were ingredients in here more than we have expected,Jharkhand and it's people,especially those who marginalized came to fore in different characters such as a central government employee , a doctor,a neo rich family,coal thieves,Dancer,innocent and helpless individuals and so on.This ten story anthology served its purpose to strike a chord in the mainstream life of our country.

Right,who is the writer...Hansda Sowendra Shekar ! A Doctor by profession  and a santhali by origin.Won Sahitya akademi yuva puraskar in 2015 and It has been accorded as most sought out and discovered one on and by a Santhali.The book confronted severe opposition when it was translated into Hindi, of course by his own Santhalis for being made insulted remarks on local deities and leaders,and suspended from state government service.

Let's get some of the dough as a sample.First story title" They eat meat".Beeram Soren family was to move to Vadodara of Gujarat from Bhubaneswar as a central government employee.Their native place is  in Jharkhand.As a tribal of Santhal,faced hardships finding a house for rent,their meat eating became a big trouble.Every body wants vegetarian tenant in the part where Hindus only live,and Christians and Muslims live separately in the different parts of the city.First, he was clueless to understand the situation and getting known inside things as time goes by.

At last, A Rao's family from Telugu origin accepted to give the house on two conditions.One,they should not eat non veg and reveal their limited identity to outsiders when they are asked.They have underwent a torture of having meatless meal,their relatives living in a government quarters came to help by weekly once hosting at their place.Here writer tried to compare the food habits in different communities.And how our society divided on invisible lines.At last, Soren family transferred to Jharkhand happily.

Places in Pakur district were chosen when themes evolved with local importance.The Adivasi will not dance is another story with heart breaking truths.How the mineral rich patches were plundered by business people with the political clout was explained in this,Mangal Murmu,the Santhal dancer who brought to the programs of VIPs with his troupe,on losing his land,expected to submit his plea on the day, to Rashtrapati in vain,was dragged aside after the program completed.

November is the month of migration, in the story, we could understand how poverty and hunger led one woman to accept a quick sex on the platform of a railway station.In some stories,explicit writing is seen but it supports the cause at the scene,Hansda picked his plots very carefully and executed with precision required.Simple narration and commitment would always be felt all along the stories,If the reader breaks into tears when reading some stories without conscious sometimes,it won't be a surprising thing for me.  

Our World Tuesday

These are looking queer a bit.First time, I have seen these plum like ones with covering themselves thin roots.Exactly like hair in different color.Growing in bushes of wayside of Parnasala road.Telangana state of course.Can you anyone identify it by name...? If so, let me know.

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A Review on " Sita-Warrior of Mithila"

Amish is known for his Shiva trilogy and with its success might have gone for Ramachandra series.The second book in the succession is Sita-Warrior of Mithila.The cover page itself indicates that Sita was portrayed in a different way in the book.A flamboyant kind.Yes,true.We see entirely a rebellion sort of character while comparing traditional one which created by Valmiki.In fact,it could be said as a mythological fiction based on Sita character.

There was an amazing point.Sita was a form of Vishnu like other important rescuers.Did you ever thought of it..? Hanuman was introduced to her before her marriage during the days of receiving education from a Gurukul.Sita is a fighter and a prudent princess.Viswamitra was the chief of Malayaputras.And he had his own secret mission.Mind boggling style of story telling.Author took up each character from Ramayana and made them queer with his own fables.

Narrative is weak,sometimes boring.If you have any respect for Ramayana,better skip it.Valmiki or any sage- poet had done some work in point of their view keeping their contemporary times.Why shouldn't we leave them to their fate instead of doing this kind of circus ..?Name it howsoever you like,it's gross injustice to the original writer.I mentioned very few in the book.Felt my money was wasted on a over-hyped useless book.

In brief, this is a broken work,neither mythological nor intriguing fiction.It's a true war, finishing the book.I don't imagine "Ravan" in offing.If  any youth of present day reads it ,let them not go away with it as a standard text of the Ramayana.Because the names in it have every chance for the slur.

Nandyal To Markapur : Some Glimpses

All these three pics were of a  journey from Nandyal to Markapur, Andhra Pradesh.Nallamala  forest range  is well known to its green exuberance and waterfalls.Of course not to say about  exotic birds and animals.My bus journey allows me to have these from the windows.You can have the glance of feeble sight  of  a long road from the branches.

In the second picture, a monkey was seeing towards the bus.The bus was moving on a height of  the hillock,road made for the vehicles.And it enables us to see enchanting overview.There were many monkeys but keep themselves busy  with their routine activities.So only one was caught  in the picture.

This  was also part of  the forest of Nallamala.With rocky mountains and greenery. A bit sad that most of the real deep forest was not on our way to behold.These areas were said to be the dens of tigers,I don't know there were any  now.Telugu movies abundantly captured the beauties of  these locations.

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