The Room on the Roof (A Review)

  A few days back, finished reading Ruskin Bond's novella The Room in the Roof. it has been in my bucket list for a couple of years and at last fulfilled my wish. What made me to read it, well, perhaps a book penned by Ruskin Bond, a writer needless to be introduced for adults and children alike. Before it, I was fortunate to read his short stories, where it's learnt that , most of his childhood and adolescence described in this novella. His simple and sweet style of writing is always intrigued to flip through the pages. He was seventeen when he had penned it.

This 184 page book portrays an adolescent's life. He was a son of British couple arrived in India during the colonial ruling but unfortunately remained almost orphan due to lack of parental care and love. Protagonist Rusty was sent to Mr. Harrison , a British national , living in Dehra opened many new avenues and  Sometimes Harrison's harsh discipline was not to endure. So he escaped from him and with the help of local friends like Somi had got a tutor job for a Kapoor's family. As a tutor of English, he was given small room on the roof.

In his journey of life, many exotic experiences encountered and his destiny determined as a writer at last. Dehradun, Mussori and surrounding hill places where the story conceived beautifully. Accounts of all those places showcased the life and ambience of lower Himalayas. This is just like any other romantic story but the difference is here with our hero , a British offshoot. The reader would understand how a part of claustrophobic European life had gone in the colonial era. An enchanting view of Indian life too was portrayed. A whole new generation of readers will also be enjoyed it. 

--- Murthy Kvvs

My Translated book released

 December month (2022) made me gone into a new era. Translation work is not new for me and I already translated Mario Puzo's The God Father, Ernest Heminway's The Old man and the sea, D.H.lawrence's The Virgin and the Gypsy apart from couple of other books. This time some beautiful Oriya stories penned by Sri Gourahari Das have been translated by me into Telugu language. Without having a real taste experienced, translation would become a sour work in all aspects. A true reader could feel the difference with it and a rendering with love into destined language is something to relish, trust me, rarely we will get that opportunity. That's why most of translations remained unread unto the last page.

After going through Sri Gourahari Das, I have had a strong desire to translate them into Telugu. Reasons are to be disclosed at the moment. First of all, all the characters in the stories are taken from the lives that we keep seeing in our surroundings and at the same time the reader would grasp the cultural landscape from the descriptions. All the 13 stories came out in a book form under the title of "Gourhari Das Kathalu" in Telugu. And in the last month, December -2022, this book was released in the town of Berhampur (Orissa) with the attendance of both Telugu and Oriya literary dignitaries.

( With renowned Oriya Story teller Sri Gourahari Das)

Here there are some pics regarding this event. Hope you all like it and one more thing. This is just a small account as there were many things to say from the talks of attended writers and other dignitaries. Both Oriya and Telugu media outlets gave reasonable coverage for the event. Many copies reached to the readers in the meeting and there was still requisition for more copies to have. Berhampur , though it's an Oriyan town, has good size of Telugu population. So we can see how confluence of both cultures would go hand in hand here. A beautiful sight indeed. 

--- Murthy Kvvs

Adipurush movie teaser

Really surprised seeing Adipurush movie teaser. Have come to senses after reading it's all about Ramayana story only. As an Indian, happened to have seen many versions of the epic, of course in several Indian languages. But this time, trust me getting stunned about this version. Totally complete new Avatars whatever the characters you look at. Lord Rama, Lord Hanuman, Ravaana and army of Lord Rama. What a new look  the great creative director imagined about each of Ramayana characters.

First take Lord Rama, he was entirely looking like a Roman king with that leather armour and arrows and bows. You can't  imagine the original character and Lord Rama even remotely come to our mind, though that character is well known in every household of India. That creation of VFX and animation work is so ugly and it doesn't deserve any appreciation. In every sense, they wanted to create some other king instead of Lord Rama. Meditation scene in water is so artificial.

Take Hanuman ji character, it's even worse than Lord Rama's creation. It's just like cartoon picture. Unlike other conventional imagination of every mind of India, this character seemed to be big monkey with human face, that too lacking moustache and with beard in a comic sense of some Islamic mulla. It's perhaps been done with some evil thoughts inside. Definitely a sacrilege act in every respect. Wanted to know what animation company has done this great work.

Coming to Raavana character, much worse to say. Saif seemed like a weired ghost with ten comedy faces and his dress and get up not at all compactable to that character. It gave a feeling of watching some cranky comic picture. We already have seen the result of Kochadaiyan film in Tamil. A disgraceful attempt of Ramayana has made by Om Rout. Surely an insulting act to Sage Valmiki and saint poet Tulasi Das. Deepika Chikhilia, epic tv serial fame, also condemned the teaser of Adipurush as a non Ramayana story.    

Memoirs of a Guisha, a book of many shades

 My recent tryst with a Japanese based novel proved worth reading. And solved many of my doubts regarding Guisha system. The entertaining women of Japan society has many shades but all those were unique in nature. They can't be said as outright prostitutes. But they have their own freedom in choosing customers. You would ask me what the novel is here I am going to talk about. The title of the novel is "Memoirs of a Guisha. And it's author is Arthur Golden. I picked it up without expecting anything. But it has become one of the finest novels I have ever read.  Let's explore the story in nutshell.

Sayori and Satsu are village girls, born in a fisherman family. In fact, Sayori, this name has given her in Guisha home. Their family was so poor to give the best medicine to the bed ridden mother. Father was also hopeless with his meagre income and he's also suffering from old age problems. This was the second marriage for him after the death of first wife. Watching all this situation, a local business man Tanaka Ichiro sent the two kids to the guisha home in Kyoto. Satsu, the older girl was sent to a prostitute home since she has no finer qualities to become a guisha.

Sayori remained at the Guisha home. She was very beautiful with charming eyes and good manners. The head of the Guisha home, sent Sayori to the school where the lessons for the future guisha were taught. their syllabus included instrumental music, Japanese poetry, acting skills and of course do's and don'ts of a guisha. They also keep participating in theater shows. Their daily routine no way less than a disciplined student in any good school. Mostly taught fine arts sort of education by experienced Guisha. Experienced Guishas play very important role in grooming the budding ones. Here Our Sayori was only 9 years old. She was assigned household work like sweeping and going to bazar to get needed commodities.

As she approached sixteen years of age, Guisha home head prepared the process to enhance Sayori into Guishahood. How that process be like and what kind of things a young Guisha was to go through, all these are very interesting. One must read in the novel only. Naturally, in every business, there are rivals to overcome and it's not exceptional. How she surpassed all these and became successful is something key point in this novel. It sets in the backdrop of second world war, so naturally described how war did havoc in Japan.

--- Murthy Kvvs

"One thousand days in a refrigerator" a story collection

Here is a translation work of  'One Thousand Days in a Refrigerator', a collection of  14 fascinating stories,written by Manoj kumar Panda. All these were Oriya in origin and got translated into English by Dr.Snehaprava Das.I would like to write a few lines about it since the quality of translation intrigued me to do so.In terms of aesthetic appeal,artistic charm,readability and mirroring indigenous culture and nativity,this is one of the best books I have ever read.

All these stories address different kinds of life experiences.Let me present you the blurb. In 'Kanishka' story,a 12 year girl who turned out to be a baby sitter for a mentally crippled boy was described and her relationship with him in different facets showed the inner blocks of the human being.And another story 'Testimony of God' replicate the shadows of magical realism. Premashila, a brick-kiln worker was making her way to the native place in Odisha with her four year dead son. She was afraid of robbing her hard earned two thousand rupees in case she confronted the railway police. Because she got such experience earlier. On the pretext of suspicious death, she was submitted to the court and her money was stolen by vulture like people. In this context,God existed as a witness and the rest is to read.

'Fragment' is another story with an unexpected twist as the rape victim went to the family of the   predator to find out how his wife was living and feeling about. She also met jail ridden rapist and observed his mental trauma. With all backflips, she came to a conclusion which would make the reader flabbergasted. And the flagship story 'One thousand days in a refrigerator' is all about a poignant ending of a loving wife. She was in coma for hundreds of days and it leads to the decision of  cutting the life giving accessories off. The story was being told from the side of her husband and the memories they both have elaborated in a heart wrenching way.

And there were ten stories cloistered and let's go for them next time. English can be a very good instrument in Indian scenario to showcase the  ongoing trends in vernacular languages. And the qualitative translations like these do not drop down out of the blue. A skilled translator is no way inferior to the original text author. In fact, with using equivalent and balancing words in sentences, translator has to be walked on the rope. As the translator Dr.Snehaprava Das puts it as "a translated text is obviously not meant to be a complete transformation of the original,but is a semantically, pragmatically and dynamically equivalent one because a translation is confronted with the range of interpretabilities of   a given text...".!

The book is available with www.speakingtigerbooks.com

-------Murthy Kvvs

Sahitya academy Yuva Puraskar in Telugu language for 2019

"Konga vaalu Katti" ( The sword resembles a crane) authored by Gaddam Mohan Rao has been conferred with Kendra Sahitya academy Yuva puraskar for 2019, in Telugu section. All this novel describes the woes of a particular most downtrodden community i.e., Chindu or Chindollu caste. Though they have had the hoary past as a lot of artists who showcased Yakshagana sort of dance form. Mostly these people confined to Telengana state and their unique art is of almost 2000 years old history. Madiga and other castes are considered patrons of the art form in the older days but now the situation has been lowered with the times by lack of timely support either from government or society.

However, Chindu Yellamma hailed from Adilabad district perhaps was the last performer and she was honored by Padmasri award. Chindu has itself a beautiful connotation in colloquial Telugu language. Their themes derived mostly from Puranas. The rustic and common people-oriented language was used in their performances as the art form devoid of Sanskrit influence. With the advent of new entertainments such as movies, Television, Chindu had taken suffering in terms of patronage. This folk form remained dwindling like any other ancient one.

How this novel that got puraskar related to the aforesaid art is incredible in many aspects. The writer himself came from the same community and depicted the anguish, pain, insult, poverty of the people with the help of the protagonist in the novel. The replica of its social and economic structure would be felt by the reader throughout the pages. The age-old story has been rediscovered and retold for the present generation, it's how a unique contribution was surfaced with the Yuva Puraskar.

                                                                                ---Murthy Kvvs  

"Inferno" a novel by Dan Brown

"Inferno" the novel penned by Dan brown has also transitioned into a film,leave it, I am going to write a few lines about the novel  I have gone through.What to speak out is a big question and I will never quit without it for sure for there was a considerable chunk of things to reveal.Well,Dante the eternal poet,who intrigued our Brown this time to come up with the descriptions of Florence and Venice, of course Cantos of his poetry poured all along the novel mixing a good deal of its nine ringed hell and cobbled streets of  ancient Italian cities with heart pounding suspense.By completing it,one would be having an experience of watching time tested sculpture of Michelangelo,Botticelli and Raphel.

Plot..? Cleverly this time with the symbols left by Dante in his long poem Divine Comedy.The Protagonist Langdon was a symbologist ,an American professor ended up on a bed in a an obscure way and the Italian docs were clueless about his bizarre dreams and behaviour,however,Sienna the medic teamed up with him to clear off the secret of Zobrist,a billionaire visionary,And his vision was turbulent population on the earth to reduce into its half for the sake of human welfare.Sounds bizarre and puzzled..?Yes, you have to be.Dante the medieval poet was having his own part to move the story.By his long lasted visions and imaginations.Our Brown amalgamated things like that with creating contemporary roles.

How can you rate it to be a thriller without pulsating scenes..? So you could have ample chances by being chased and hunted by hand in gloves police and electrifying drama for death mask of Dante's.Well,we could be acquainted with unknown Dante's love story too.The lethal Virus,at last,was thrown off doing no harm to the human kind.A sort of Armageddon..? How the heck you get the stories sans it..?! Dan Brown did his best,Of what...? Da Vinici Code,that you would guess it without any effort.Simply centuries varied.However,Dante must have been happier to have his "Inferno" in a brand new version.
---Murthy Kvvs

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.