Stories are a primal communication that link us from the cradle to the grave, and through the generations. They raise profound existential questions about meaning and purpose. Through shared emotions they connect us to others, and they enable us to understand ourselves and our place in the world.
"This is a collection of stories whose haunting power rests on the authenticity and richness of the human experience that they convey. The 35 stories from 18 regions have their own rich cultural identities and distinct literary traditions. These slice of life tales, selected from the short stories published in Pratibha India, the quarterly of Arts, Cultures and Literatures, over a period of two decades, are connecting the reader to the universal truths at the heart of that experience. They are the imagination-expanding product of a mature writer at the height of his literary power.
Dr. Debjani Chatterjee, MBE FRSI, Sheffield, England Born and brought up in Ayodhya, Dr Sitesh Alok obtained his Ph.D. from the University of Prayagraj and Sangeet Visharad from Sangeet Mahavidyalaya, Pune, and shifted to Delhi to find his feet. Studying the national developments and editorial work became his main occupation where he travelled the country extensively and interacted with people in all ranks and files. Yet he did not give up his dear-to-heart hobbies-music, literature, painting, etc. Started a quarterly of Indian Art, Culture and Literature, Pratibha India, in 1981, whereby he came to interact with the variety and richness of Indian regions and literatures. In 1992, he resigned his job to devote wholeheartedly to creative writing, mostly in Hindi. He is also known for his special study of the Ramayan, Mahabharat, Ramcharit Manas, Manu Smiriti, Geeta and Quran.
Pluralistic, multilingual and multi-ethnic, India is the world's second-most populous country; its many regions have their own individual and rich cultural identities and distinct literary traditions. These different traditions also have similarities, and collectively they comprise a literary unity in diversity that is India's proud heritage. It is my honour and pleasure to offer this selection of short stories from various Indian languages, which even in translation retain something of their authentic and traditional flavour. The short stories have been chosen. from the back issues of Pratibha India, a quarterly journal of Indian art, culture and literature, which was first published in 1981. Apart from articles on various cultural traditions and on regional developments, interaction with and profiles of authors and other personalities in the arts and culture field, poetry, short stories, book reviews, ete the journal focused on promoting inter-regional understanding and harmony. In using the medium of English, it targeted not only a pan- Indian readership among the intelligentsia, but also aimed at projecting Indian arts and cultures to an international audience.
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