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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Writer is eternal : Let's talk about Manoj Das

How I started my journey with Manoj Das...yes it was obscure to remember but  not impossible.Those were the days studying my degree during 1984-87 roughly.Picked up a book  from our college library That was about Aurobindo published by Sahitya academy.The name as author was seen as Manoj Das.I don't know why I felt so special seeing that name on the first cover page.Even there was no photo of him.

After so many years,in the spree of my travel frenzy ,happened to be at Bhubaneswar.Visited many architectural wonders in the city including Lingaraj temple,Raja rani temple and Kedareswar temple etc.I don't know if there was any other state capital with that kind of wonderful architectural beauty.Why it remain so less popular with all these unique features,still wondered.

South India,Rajasthan and Orissa these only are having its own special signature in temple architecture.Remaining  all are resounds of these original ones.I am not saying it out of some petty interests.Go and see ,you will realize the truth.Am not going to give technical details.Seeing is something different and solid.

Coming to Manoj Das ji... I got his first story collection "selected fiction by Manoj Das" from Penguin books rushed by Amazon site.Have read The misty hour,The naked,The crocodile's  day,The owl,The general and the murderer at once.And continued till the end.His selection for weaving story is simple ,yet heart touching.Just going around our premises  is the feel.Every character and its speaking so nearer to actual ones we see in real world.Lot of acumen is needed for this technique. Each story I read,make me feel his colossal world of imagination.Not only that,Orissa landscape and its customs linger at your side.

India sees many bilingual writers.But Manoj Das ji is at his prime.Succeeding in mother tongue and English is rare phenomenon in terms of creative writing.His English turns Indian friendly in every aspect.That's why we don't feel some thing outside.Have read two posts about the book of Manoj Das.And still thirsty about it.

When I am browsing on net, met the FB page of  Manoj Das  , conducted by Sameer Ranjan Das.His efforts to popularize the best of the writer is praiseworthy.Joined it at once to know more about the writer and his creations.Still,I have a desire to meet Manoj Das ji to ask some some questions like how he managed two languages to write with such wonderful impact...and his other experiences in the field. If possible, I want to translate some of his stories into Telugu,of course with his permission.

Our World Tuesday

Bandipur National Park is well known for its forest reserve.And for Elephants,Spotted deer,tigers and other species.Mysore is 80 k.m. away from here.On the way of Ooty,you can also come across Madu malai forest.The green exuberance all over there.We have visited the place by a taxi.

Deer and languors  were there just our wayside while traveling assumed to Ooty.Deer Comfortably having engaged in grazing.And languors were looking here and there,especially the vehicles.They must have habituated to see travelers,no signs of  frightening in them.

  

Got some photos from our mobiles.Had we  shot with a  digital camera, these could have been more perfect and clear to view.However , not bad I think.

Spirit of Telangana to be rejuvenated

The statehood of Telangana came true with the collective efforts of its people and now the time is perfect for all set to uphold our own dialect , culture  and expressive art forms.Poets have to play a vital role in the  task by portraying the very soul of Telangana, uttered renowned poet and chief guest Naleswaram Sankaram at the poets' meet held at Kothagudem,organised by Telangana Jagruti.

A unique celebration  has been started in the memory of Prof.Jaya Shankar and Kaloji as to conduct poets' meet right from 2nd august to 9th september in each district of the state on different dates to propagate  the essence of the culture among the people.The platform ,this time,set  for poets to elevate different walks of life such as childhood,Local Arts,Landscapes and handi-crafts etc.

More than 50 poets participated in the event.Naveenachary,State president of Telangan Jagruti presided over the  meet and Jwalitha,poet convened the poetry  recital.Organised by Gunti Sundar,Malleswari and othrs.Mayasri,Dilavar,Tulasi das,Dr.Tirupathi,Allamraju,Durgachary,Bhairi Indira,Kakora and other ones gave out their contribution in the form of poems.On the whole,1500 poets are expected to get in to the do statewide and a  collection of the poems in  the pipeline.  

C for chilling out

Children were enjoying being on the top of the elephant,and riding in leisure.Other visitors strolling in and around were also seeing while heading on their way.              
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Creative Work is appreciated

These nice looking bangles,earrings and necklace  all were the creation of a student named B.Jhansi,studying in class ninth at SNAM ZPSS,Narsapuram of Kothagudem district of Telengana state.The material  she used for them are of no cost and low cost sort,yet,made them gorgeous to look and wear.On asking of Under whose  tutelage which has been learnt,answered  that she had grasped the art from overseeing  the  work  done by people around their neighborhood.  

The creative work was appreciated by teachers and students as well.Encouraged to do more in the future.School in-charge Head master B.Sudhakar and  JVV activist and Maths teacher J.Padma have congratulated the child handy- craft artist on the occasion.

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Drug Racket Facts

This week turned all parents of school children of  Hyderabad  in to a dilemma as if they are really meant for studies or easy access for drugs..!Racket busted by the police revealed shocking facts.25  international schools along with 10 colleges  came up with the list of students to have used the high end drugs such as LSD and MDMA.How it was possible..? The drug dealers established perfect network around the target places.With small outlets selling other goods,drugs were being sold to the children who were mostly rich and could afford it.Parents were used to give them huge sums as pocket money.In other cases,debit and credit cards  of the parents have been used by children.

This is the first time of its kind in Hyderabad involving school children in the dope issue.Almost the number goes up to 2000.Separate helpline  was established by the police.Techies and college students are another group who were also in the habit of using the drugs.Some film people are said to be involved in this but names yet to be announced.Ten drug dealers have been  arrested so far.Calvin Mascaren , a native of Mangalore,who was working in an MNC bank  of Hyderabad was the  chief operator as  per the info of the police.The kingpin behind this racket  is yet to  probe out.

All the drug seized is about  the worth of Rs.35 lakh.Scale and size of this kind of happening is new to the pearl city.Peddlers used different techniques to attract the customers.Whatsapp group creation is one of them.Candidate who wanted the stuff would msg it in  a code language.Best of the episode is no sexual abuse is reported as of know.Let's  see how the bottom of the murky affair would appear in the coming days.