Books published by Mehta Publishing House

WHICH COLOURS ARE REVEALED THROUGH VA PU`S STORIES? THE ANSWER IS `ALL`! THE MAIN COLOUR IS THAT OF PAIN AND ANGUISH. IT ENGULFS THE READERS COMPLETELY. THE CHARACTERS WHO ARE VICTIMS OF THIS PAIN AND ANGUISH LINGER IN OUR MINDS MAKING US ASK OURSELVES A FEW QUESTIONS, JUDGING OURSELVES. HE DOES NOT WRITE SOMETHING OUT OF THE BLUE. HIS CHARACTERS, HIS INCIDENTS, HIS WRITING EVERY THING IS BASED ON THE HAPPENINGS IN HIS SURROUNDINGS, IN YOUR SURROUNDINGS, IN MY SURROUNDINGS. YET, IT IS THE SENSITIVITY OF HIS MIND THAT CAPTURES THIS HAPPENING AND PRESENTS THEM INTO THOSE MAGNIFICENT WAYS. THESE EVENTS ARE THE SAME THAT HAPPEN IN OUR LIVES TOO, YET WE FAIL TO RECOGNIZE THE GRANDEUR BEHIND THEM. WE FIND ALL THESE CHARACTERS CLOSE TO US AS WE OFTEN WITNESS THE REFLECTION OF THESE INCIDENTS IN OUR CLOSE VICINITY. VERY FEW PEOPLE HAVE THE ABILITY TO CREATE THE WONDERFUL WORLD OF WORDS TENDERLY AND EFFECTIVELY. VA PU IS ONE OF THOSE FEW LUCKY PEOPLE. HIS MIND DETECTS THE GERMINATING POWERS OF A MINUTE SEED AND THEN WITH IMMENSE CAPACITY AND PATIENCE HE GROWS A WONDERFUL STORY FROM THE SEED. HE HAS EXCELLENT COMMAND OVER PHILOSOPHY BUT DOES NOT IRRITATE US WITH ITS HIGH DOSES. ON THE CONTRARY, HE PRESENTS IT SO ARTISTICALLY THAT WE WELCOME IT INSTEAD OF RUNNING AWAY FROM IT; FOR A MOMENT OUR MIND PAUSES, PONDERS OVER HIS DOCTRINES OF HAPPY LIFE AND GIVES US A VERY POSITIVE ATTITUDE TO LEAD THIS OTHERWISE BORING AND MONOTONOUS LIFE OF A COMMON MAN.

"IT IS VERY TRUE THAT ALL THE STORIES BY VA PU ARE BASED COMPLETELY ON THE MIDDLE CLASS PEOPLE, YET THESE STORIES ARE NOT ABOUT THE ROUTINE OF THIS CLASS, THEY HAVE DIFFERENT ASPECTS, VARIOUS DIMENSIONS. THEY GIVE WAY TO THE UNCOMMON MOMENTS OF HAPPINESS AND SORROW IN THE COMMON LIFE OF THE COMMON PEOPLE. VA PU HAS THE BLESSINGS TO WRITE THE STORIES WITH A TOUCH OF HUMOUR BUT AT THE SAME TIME, HIS TRAIN NEVER DERAILS ON THE TRACKS OF FRIVOLITY. HIS WRITING REFLECTS PATIENCE, IT IS NO WHERE LOUD. IT BRINGS SMILE ON THE LIPS AND HOPES IN THE HEARTS. IT GIVES IMPORTANCE TO THE ENTERTAINING ASPECT MORE THAN PAINFUL TORTURE. IT NEVER BECOMES CHEAP. THE AUTHOR HIMSELF HAS A VERSATILE PERSONALITY; THIS SAME IS PORTRAYED THROUGH HIS STORIES AVOIDING REPETITION. THE BEST STRENGTH OF HIS STORIES IS EACH STORY TOUCHES THE SOUL SOMEWHERE COMPELING THE READER TO INTROSPECT.`` PROF. SADA KARHADE: (LALITJULY 1976)

OUR DAILY LIFE IS FULL OF RAYS, IT DOES NOT HAVE ANY BIG EVENT OR A SERIOUS STRUGGLE OF ANY TYPE, THAT IS THE ONLY PROBLEM. OTHERWISE, OUR ROUTINE LIFE GOES ON AS IT IS. ACTUALLY, OUR MINDS ARE PREPARED FOR THE TRAUMAS OF LIFE, BUT THEN WE COME ACROSS SOMEONE WHO SEES US THROUGH IT. BUT THIS VERY MIND SET OF OURS IS NOT AT ALL PREPARED FOR THE SMALL TRAUMAS IN DAYTODAY LIFE, WHICH ACTUALLY HAVE THE UTMOST POWER OF DISASTER. THEY ATTACK SEPARATELY WHILE WE ARE ALONE AND TAKE OUT LIVELINESS FROM OUR MIND AND SOUL. WE HAVE TO SUFFER ALONE, THERE IS NO ONE TO COME ALONG WITH US. A HUMAN MIND THUS ATTACKED, GETS TERRIBLY UPSET, HIS COURAGE FAILS HIM, HE THEN PAUSES FOR SOME TIME, RESTS FOR A WHILE AND ONCE AGAIN GATHERS HIS STRENGTH WITH NEW HOPE AND DESIRE. NO ONE NOTICES HIS TIREDNESS, NO ONE DETECTS HIS RECOVERING. HIS JOURNEY CONTINUES. EVERYONE HAS TO CONTINUE HIS OR HER OWN JOURNEY, SOMETIMES FALLING AND THEN GETTING UP, WITH A NEW HOPE EVERY TIME, WITH A GLANCE AT THE PAST OVER AND OVER, THE JOURNEY HAS TO BE CONTINUED. THIS IS A GLIMPSE OF SUCH SUFFERINGS, OF THOSE WALKING AND TRUDGING, BY YOU AND OF COURSE BY ME!!!

We all know Shanta Shelke as a poetess and as a lyricist, but she has very successfully handled the creative writing as well, on the contrary it is one of her favourites. She has been a successful columnist and has written for many newspaper columns. This column writing has further initiated her to handle the creative writing independently. The main impetus to her creative writing has been her curiosity about the world around her, her minute observation of the human beings around her, and her eagerness to include everyone in her experiences. Shantabai herself is a great reader. This has made her vocabulary very rich and has widened her understanding capacities. She has maintained a rhythm in her writing, her love for life is also reflected throughout, all these qualities have given a wonderful dimension to her creative writing making it more readable. This collection adds to her previous well known creative writings such as `Anandache Zaad`, Pavsaadhicha Paus, "Sansmarane`, "Madrangi`, "Ekpani`, etc. A few articles in this collection to name are "Hemala Mulgi Zali`, "Yayaticha Varsa`, "Fasavi Dare`, "Santushta`, "Madam`, etc. Each and every article is unique, entertaining, and enlightening.

THOUGH SHANKAR PATIL HAS TRIED HIS HANDS ON ALL THE FORMS OF LITERATURE INCLUDING STORIES, NOVELS, CREATIVE WRITING HE IS MORE POPULAR AS A RURAL STORY WRITER. THE PRESENT COLLECTION OF STORIES BY SHANKAR PATIL PROVES TRUE TO THESE WORDS. ALL THE STORIES INCLUDED ARE EVERGREEN. THEY PRESENT THE FACTS OF LIFE WITH A SILVER LINE OF HUMOUR. THE STORIES INCLUDED HERE HAVE PICTURED RURAL POLITICS, RURAL LIFE AND SOME UNIQUE CHARACTERS IN THE DAYTODAY LIFE. EACH STORY IS FILLED WITH HUMOUR AND SAVOURY. ALL THE STORIES ARE A RESULT OF SPONTANEITY. THEY TOUCH THE READER`S MIND THOUGH THEY ARE VERY SIMPLE AND NATURAL YET TOUCHY.

TACTIC XSAMPATRAO THOUGHT OVER IT AGAIN AND AGAIN, HE FIRMLY DECIDED IN HIS MIND, AS STRONGLY AS CEMENT OR CONCRETE. HE STARTED PULLING HIS HAIR, GOING OVER VARIOUS PLANS. HE WANTED NAME AND FAME, AND WAS WORRIED AS IT WAS NOT FEASIBLE EVEN AFTER SPENDING 15 LAC RUPEES. "WHAT SHOULD I DO? HOW SHOULD I DO IT? YES, I MUST FIND SOME IDEA! SOMETHING NOVEL, SOMETHING THAT WOULD LEAVE EVERYBODY SPELLBOUND. IT SHOULD APPEAR IN ALL NEWSPAPERS. MY NAME SHOULD BE ON EVERYBODY`S MIND. MY NAME SHOULD BE PROCLAIMED! IF I AM NOT GOING TO BE FAMOUS, THEN WHAT IS THE USE OF MONEY, ESTATE, SERVANTS, TWO BUNGALOWS, VAST PROPERTY, HUGE INVESTMENT IN GOLD AND SILVER, ORNAMENTS, KASHMIRI CARPETS, ALL THE BEAUTIFUL PIECES COLLECTED FROM ALL OVER THE WORLD..." "WHAT DO I LACK IN`? I OWN THIS ENORMOUS FORTUNE, BUT WHAT IS THE USE? I AM NOT YET FAMOUS. OVERNIGHT, I SHOULD BECOME FAMOUS, MY NAME SHOULD APPEAR IN ALL NEWSPAPERS, I MUST COME UP WITH SOME IDEA!` AND ONE FINE DAY, SAMPATRAO CAME UP WITH A WONDERFUL IDEA!

DUET "IT`S ME, HAVE YOU RECOGNIZED MY VOICE?` "I HAVE COME WITH AN IDEA.` "YOU TAKE YOUR SCHOOL CHILDREN FOR A TRIP FOR 34 DAYS.` "SHALL WE GO TO GOA THEN?` "YOU BE WITH YOUR SCHOOL CHILDREN THROUGHOUT THE DAY, SHOW THEM THE BEACHES AROUND AND AT NIGHT WE WILL STAY AT HOTEL SAMRAT.``

MARATHI LITERARY LEGEND V.S.KHANDEKAR HAD PLANNED TO WRITE HIS AUTOBIOGRAPHY IN THREE PARTS. HE WROTE HIS FIRST AUTOBIOGRAPHICAL STORY FROM BIRTH TILL MARRIAGE IN THE BOOK 'EKA PANACHI KAHANI' WHICH WAS PUBLISHED IN 1981. KHANDEKAR COULD ONLY PENNED THREE DECADES OF HIS LIFE. AFTER THAT AUTHOR SUNILKUMAR LAWATE TOOK THE TASK IN HIS HAND. LAWATE EDITED KHANDEKAR'S AUTOBIOGRAPHICAL ESSAYS . 'PAHILI PAVALA' IS THE FIRST PART OF THOSE ESSAYS. THIS BOOK DESCRIBES V.S.KHANDEKAR'S EARLY LITERARY LIFE.

"BY GOD, I DID NOT TOUCH WINE, I DID NOT DRINK IT. UNNECESSARILY DO NOT BLAME ME.` AS RAU KHOT TOTALLY REFUSED EVERYONE PRESENT WAS ASTONISHED, THEY ALL STARTED LAUGHING HEARTILY. SEEING THIS RAU KHOT SAID, "DO NOT LAUGH AT ME, I AM TELLING YOU THE TRUTH. I DID NOT DRINK.` RAMBHAU SAID WITH A SMILE, "MY DEAR, YOUR EYES ARE DECEIVING YOU.` "ANNA, WHAT ARE MY EYES SAYING? NOW JUST SHUT UP FOR GOD`S SAKE.` "OH, YOU MEAN TO SAY THAT WE SHOULD KEEP QUIET TILL YOU ARE OFF THE HANGOVER?` "BUT AS I DID NOT DRINK, SO THERE IS NO QUESTION OF A HANGOVER!` "ARE YOU STILL DENYING THAT YOU ARE HAVING A HANGOVER?` "DO NOT MENTION IT AT ALL. I DID NOT EVEN TOUCH IT, FORGET ABOUT HAVING IT.` ONE OF THE SPECTATORS CAME FORWARD AND SAID LOUDLY, "IF YOU DID NOT EVEN TOUCH IT, THEN WHY WERE YOU HIDING?` "OH! NOW LOOK, WHAT ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT? WHY DO YOU THINK I WAS HIDING?` "YES, YOU WERE HIDING ON THE LOFT, OTHERWISE, WHY WOULD YOU GO THERE?` "WHAT WAS I DOING ON THE LOFT? WHAT A QUESTION, I WAS FAST ASLEEP ON THE LOFT.` "WHY SO? WAS THERE NO SPACE ON THE GROUND BELOW?` "WHY ARE YOU SO CONCERNED WITH IT? IT IS NONE OF YOUR BUSINESS. I WILL SLEEP WHEREVER I PLEASE, BE IT THE GROUND OR THE LOFT.` LISTENING TO RAU`S DIALOGUE EVERYONE AGAIN STARTED LAUGHING HEARTILY.

PATILS`S LITERATURE IS FULL OF CHARM, BEAUTY, ENERGY AND LIVELINESS. HE VERBALIZES HIS LITERATURE IN VIBRANT WORDS. HIS LITERATURE HAS THE SMELL OF TRUE MARATHI SOIL. THE COLOURS, THE FRAGRANCE AND THE FLOW PRESENT IT VERY SMARTLY. HIS LANGUAGE HAS A TYPICAL MARATHI FLAVOUR, IT FLOWS CONTINUOUSLY IN A NARRATIVE STYLE, IT HAS A RHYTHM, THUS MAKING MARATHI LITERATURE MORE WHOLESOME, COMPETENT AND AFFLUENT. ALL THESE QUALITIES HAVE MADE HIM VERY POPULAR.

BALASAHEB, EVERY HUMAN BEING HAS 2 MINDSETS. ONE IS OF AN ANIMAL, AND THE OTHER IS OF GOD. THE FIRST ENJOYS ONLY COHABITATION AND THE LATTER BELIEVES IN SACRIFICE. THE FORMER THINKS ONLY OF PHYSICAL PLEASURES, THE LATER UNDERSTANDS THE GREATNESS THAT LIES BEYOND ALL THE PLEASURES. NATURE HAS GIVEN STRENGTH TO THE FORMER MIND SET, COMPARATIVELY THE SECOND MIND IS RATHER WEAK. THE SECRET OF SUCCESSFUL LIFE LIES AT THE CENTRE. IF BOTH THESE MINDS ARE EQUAL IN STRENGTH THEN ONE CAN MAKE LIFE HAPPY AND IF THIS HAPPY LIFE IS DEVELOPED PROPERLY THEN THERE LIES THE SUCCESS. EVERYBODY UNDERSTANDS THIS BUT A FEW PRACTICE IT PROPERLY. THE CONFLICT BETWEEN THESE TWO MINDS IS A NEVER ENDING PROCESS. IF THE SECOND MIND OVERPOWERS THE FIRST THEN A PERSON WITH SUCH MINDSET CAN FACE ANY DANGER. BUT IF A PERSON GETS INTO THE CLUTCHES OF FIRST MINDSET THEN HE BECOMES WEAK, FALLS PREY TO TEMPTATIONS AND LEARNS TO SWINDLE WITH THOSE NEAR AND DEAR AND THEN....

VILLAGERS OFTEN USE"CHANCHI`, A BAG SEWN FROM CLOTH HAVING MANY POCKETS. WHENEVER SOMEONE WANTS TO EAT "VIDA` HE TAKES OUT THE DESIRED MATERIAL FROM THE VARIOUS POCKETS OF THE "CHANCHI` AND HAS HIS "VIDA`. SHANKAR PATIL HAS PRESERVED MANY EXPERIENCES DEEP IN HIS MIND JUST LIKE THE"CHANCHI`. HE USES THEM TO MAKE HIS WRITING SAVOURY. OPENING PATIL`S MODERN "CHANCHI` WITH THE SPECIAL KOLHAPURI LANGUAGE, GUARANTEES AN INTERESTING READING.

A BENCH, A TEMPLE, A VILLAGE, PEOPLE LIKE YOU OR ME AND A BLIND OLD MAN-THESE ARE SOME OF THE SET UPS IN MRS. SUDHA MURTY`S COMPILATION OF SHORT STORIES FROM PEOPLE ACROSS INDIA. THE OLD MAN AND HIS GOD: DISCOVERING THE SPIRIT OF INDIA IS A COLLECTION OF INDIVIDUAL ACCOUNTS GATHERED BY THE WRITER FROM PEOPLE WHO HAVE THEIR OWN STORIES TO TELL. THE STORIES ARE SUCH THAT THEY ARE VERY SIMPLE TO UNDERSTAND AND WRITTEN IN A SIMPLE WAY. THEY DESCRIBE THE INCIDENTS THAT ARE RECORDED BY MRS. MURTY DURING HER JOURNEY, WHICH SHE SUBSEQUENTLY SUMMARIZED IN HER EASY TO READ BOOK. HER STORIES ARE A PART OF THE VERY SOUL OF HUMAN BEINGS. FOR INSTANCE, THERE IS ONE ABOUT HOW AN OLD BLIND MAN GAVE HER SHELTER IN A STORM WHEN THERE WAS NOWHERE ELSE TO GO. ANOTHER STORY IS ABOUT HOW BROTHERS TURNED AWAY FROM EACH OTHER WHEN SOMEWHERE ELSE TWO PEOPLE, WHO WERE NOT EVEN RELATED BECAME CLOSER THAN BROTHERS. THERE ARE ALSO STORIES OF YOUNG PEOPLE TRYING TO MAKE A CAREER FOR THEMSELVES AND ALSO ABOUT THE OPPRESSION OF WOMEN WHO STRUGGLE FOR THEIR RIGHTS. MANY DIFFERENT LIVES TOUCHED THE HEART OF MRS. SUDHA MURTY AND ENTITLED HER TO WRITE THE OLD MAN AND HIS GOD. MRS. MURTY HAS EXPLORED THE SPIRIT OF INDIA WITH HER SET OF SHORT STORIES. THE SPIRIT OF INDIA IS IN THE PEOPLE, THEIR LIVES AND THEIR STORIES WHICH CAN IMPACT THE WAY OF THE WORLD. THE OLD MAN AND HIS GOD: DISCOVERING THE SPIRIT OF INDIA WAS PUBLISHED BY PENGUIN IN 2006. IT IS AVAILABLE IN PAPERBACK EDITIONS.

WEIR. "WHO IS THERE IN YOUR HOUSE?" "DO YOU POSSESS ANY LAND?" "DO YOU BELIEVE IN GOD?" "LOOK AT THESE CLOTHES FOR THE BABY, THESE FROCKS, THESE CAPS. THE BABY WAS BORN AFTER A LONG TIME, NATURALLY, WE MUST MAKE THIS OCCASION SPECIAL." "HAVE SOME LADDU. MOTHER HAS ESPECIALLY MADE THEM FOR HER DAUGHTERINLAW." "WAIT A MOMENT. LET ME SHOW YOU A NOVEL ITEM, WORTH SEEING!" HE TOOK OUT A BIG MERRY GO ROUND. IT HAD PLASTIC ELEPHANTS, HORSES. WHILE ROTATING IT BROUGHT IMMENSE AFFECTION IN THE EYES OF THE OWNER. SEEING THIS, THE FELLOW TRAVELLER`S EYES ALSO BECAME WET. HE TOOK OUT HIS HANKY FROM HIS POCKET, WIPED HIS EYES AND SAID, "YOU ARE SO ENTHUSIASTIC!" THROUGHOUT THE JOURNEY FOR 23 HOURS, THE FELLOW TRAVELLER WATCHED THIS ASTONISHINGLY. BUT NOW TRAVELLER STOPPED TALKING, HE LOST ALL HIS STRENGTH, HE WAS NOT ABLE TO UTTER A SINGLE WORD, AS IF HIS TONGUE WAS TIED UP. HIS LUGGAGE BECAME UNBEARABLY HEAVY FOR HIM NOW. WHO DIED? HOW WAS HE RELATED? WHOM WAS HE RELATED TO? HE FELT THE PAIN. HE WAS CHOKED WITH EMOTIONS. HE STARTED SOBBING UNCONTROLLABLY. HE STOOD THERE FOR SOME TIME. HE THOUGHT THROUGH HIS SOBS AND THEN WITH A HEAVY MIND STARTED WALKING FORWARD. HAD A WEIR BURST?

THE NAME SUGGESTS THE FOUNDATION OF THE STORIES. THIS IS AN EXCLUSIVE COLLECTION OF ONLY 8 STORIES BASED ON SOME WHIMSICAL CHARACTERS. EVERY MAIN CHARACTER IN ALL THESE STORIES HAS ONE THING IN COMMON. IN A TRUE SENSE, THEY ARE NOT WHIMSICAL; ACTUALLY THEY HAVE SET THEIR OWN DOCTRINES AND HAVE STUCK TO THEM, NO MATTER WHATEVER HAPPENS. IN ONE OF THE STORIES, THE HERO DIES JUST BECAUSE OF HIS DOCTRINES. THE OTHER STORY IS BASED ON THE MENTALITY OF BEING LAME; IT PROVES THAT MANY A TIMES THOSE WHO ARE PHYSICALLY DISABLED ARE MORE FIRM THAN THOSE WHO ARE PHYSICALLY CAPABLE OF DOING EVERYTHING BUT HAVE A LAME AND LIMP MIND. ONE STORY IS BASED ON THE INSECURITY; HERE THE HEROINE WHO HAD REFUSED SOMEONE WHOM SHE LOVED SO MUCH COMES INTO CONTACT WITH HIM AGAIN. SHE FEELS THAT HE WILL BLACKMAIL HER BUT FAILS TO UNDERSTAND HIM, AT THE END, THOUGH VERY BEAUTIFUL, HER INSECURE MIND SHOWS ITS UGLINESS. EACH AND EVERY STORY HAS SOME SPLENDID FELLING OR OTHER TO SHARE WITH US, TO REVEAL THE VASTNESS AND THE INSULARITY OF THE MIND.

THIS 20TH CENTURY HAS PRESENTED THE WORLD WITH MANY THINGS GOOD AS WELL AS BAD, BUT THE BEST OF ALL IS THE IMPORTANCE GIVEN TO THE COMMON MAN, MAKING HIM UNCOMMON. WHAT IS LIFE? IT IS A COMBINATION OF HUMAN BEINGS COMMON AS WELL AS UNCOMMON 99% ARE COMMON, ONLY ONE PERCENT OF THEM ARE UNCOMMON. TILL TODAY WE HEARD ONLY FROM THESE ONE PERCENT PEOPLE, THEY WERE KINGS, SAINTS, PHILOSOPHERS, POETS, SCIENTIST, HEROES... THEY PRESENTED THEIR SUGARCOATED TALKS AND CHEATED THE COMMON MEN. THEY KILLED THE INITIATIVES OF EVERY COMMON MAN. STILL, THE COMMON MAN WAS STRIVING WITH ALL HIS STRENGTH TO SAFE GUARD THE CULTURAL VALUES, THE ONLY SUPPORT FOR HUMANITY. THE HERO OF THIS NOVEL IS A COMMON MAN. HE DOES NOT HAVE ANY EXCLUSIVE QUALITIES, HE DOES NOT SUCCEED IN DOING SOMETHING EXCLUSIVELY GOOD BUT HE HESITATES TO DO ANYTHING BAD. THIS IS AN OUTSTANDING NOVEL BY KHANDEKAR EXPRESSING THE PAINS IN THE LIFE OF A COMMON MAN.

THIS COUNTRY IS WEIRD. IT IS A HUGE AND COLOURFUL COBWEB. THERE ARE JOBS HERE, MACHINES HERE, MECHANISMS HERE, HAPPINESS, TREASURES, DOLLARS, YOU WILL FIND EVERYTHING HERE. OUR PEOPLE FALL PREY TO THE LUXURY. BUT ONCE THEY REACH HERE, THEY ARE UNABLE TO TURN BACK. OUR COUNTRY ALSO HAS NOTHING TO CALL THEM BACK. OUR COUNTRY HAS THOUSANDS OF WINDOWS TO GO OUT, BUT NOT SINGLE DOOR TO CALL THEM BACK THROUGH, TO TAKE THEM IN. YOU WILL NOT BE ABLE TO IMAGINE THE LIFE THERE. ARE THOSE PEOPLE HAPPY WHO END UP BUYING ONLY IN SALES AND WHO KEEP ON MULTIPLYING THE DOLLAR WITH THE CURRENT RATE OF RUPEE? THERE THEY EARN THOUSAND DOLLARS AND WORK IN VERY ORDINARY CIRCUMSTANCES, BUT THEY PRETEND TO EARN 40 THOUSANDS AND TRY TO PROTECT THEIR VANITY. WE GO OVER THERE TO EARN DOLLARS, FOR THAT WE LEAVE EVERYTHING THAT WE ARE A PART OF, OUR PEOPLE, OUR RELATIVES, OUR ORIGIN, WE FACE THE HARSH WEATHER THERE BUT WE NEVER BECOME A PART OF THEIR LIFE. NONE OF THE INDIANS UNDERSTAND HOW COSTLY THIS DOLLAR IS FOR US. WE ARE CAUGHT UP IN THE MARSHY BUSINESS OF DOLLARS. THERE WE GET A MUCH BETTER JOB THAN WE DESERVE. THERE IS NO POLITICS OF LANGUAGE, CASTE ETC. WE CAN WORK IN A HAPPY ENVIRONMENT WITH A CONTENTED MIND. IF I LEAVE EVERYTHING AND COME BACK THEN I WILL BE VERY DEPRESSED.

RANJIT DESAI`S SHORT STORIES ARE DIFFERENT THAN OTHER SHORT STORIES. THEY ALWAYS TAKE PLACE IN WONDROUS SITUATIONS, ALMOST HAVE AN ENVIRONMENT AS IF IN A FAIRY TALE. THEY ARE NOT RESTRAINED TO MAHARASHTRA. THEY HAVE A VAST BACKGROUND, THAT OF WHOLE INDIA. THIS AUTHOR LITERALLY LIVES THE LINE, "INDIA IS MY COUNTRY`. THE STORIES ARE MORE HISTORICAL THAN REALISTIC. MUSIC AND ROMANCE ARE THE INEVITABLE FACTORS OF THE STORIES. THE CHARACTERS ARE ROMANTIC AND LOVE TO BE IN THEIR OWN WORLD, ALWAYS LOST IN THE DREAMY ENVIRONMENT. FOR THEM, NOTHING VALUES MORE THAN LOVE AND ART, NOT EVEN THEIR LIFE. THE FEMALE CHARACTERS WHICH MEET US THROUGH HIS STORIES ARE ALWAYS BEAUTIFUL, PETITE, FRAGILE, WILLING TO SACRIFICE FOR LOVE WITHOUT ANY HESITATION IN THEIR MINDS. HE HAS ALWAYS PENNED THEM DOWN VERY DELICATELY, WHATEER THEIR OCCUPATION IS, BE IT A SINGER, A DANCER, A PROSTITUTE OR A HOUSEWIFE. HE HAS ALWAYS BEING CONSIDERATE OF THE DELICATE FEMALE MIND. HIS STORIES TAKE US TO PLACES FAR AWAY, MAKE US FORGET THE REAL WORLD. THE BACKGROUND IS EQUALLY COLOURFUL WITH ALL THE DETAILS PENNED DOWN MINUTELY. THIS SHOWS HIS OBSERVATION SKILLS. THOUGH HIS STORIES TEND TO BE MORE ON THE WONDEROUS SIDE, THE CHARACTERS ARE TYPICAL HUMAN BEINGS. HE HAS SKETCHED THEM VERY REALISTICALLY SO MUCH THAT WE AUTOMATICALLY AND UNKNOWINGLY GET INVOLVED, LAUGHING WITH THEIR HAPPINESS AND CRYING WITH THEIR SORROWS.PRALHAD KESHAV ATRE

GERMINATE LIKE THE SEED AND GROW INTO A TREE. MERGE LIKE A DROP OR A WAVE AND BECOME LIKE THE OCEAN. DROWN! MERGE! CEASE TO EXIST! SURRENDER YOURSELF COMPLETELY INTO THE SELF; LOSE YOUR DUALITY; THEN YOU WILL BECOME THE OCEAN! BECOME VAST! THERE WILL BE NO MORE BOUNDARIES, NO SORROW, AND NO PAIN. YOU WILL BE NEITHER POOR NOR MEEK. YOU WILL BE ACCOMPLISHED, WEALTHY, AND LIKE A KING. ALL DIVINE INCARNATIONS ARE YOUR REFLECTIONS. YOU ARE NO LONGER ‘YOU’; YOU ARE GOD!

THE TWO WORLD WARS THAT TOOK PLACE IN THIS CENTURY ARE TWO HISTORICAL MAJOR EVENTS. THROUGHOUT THE WORLD THEY REVOKED REFORMATION; SOCIAL AS WELL AS CULTURAL. INDIA IS NOT AN EXCEPTION TO THIS, AS MAHARASHTRA IS A PART OF INDIA SO IT IS NEEDLESS TO SAY THAT MAHARASHTRA IS ALSO UNDERGOING DRASTIC REFORMATION. AT THE TIME OF SECOND WORLD WAR, THERE WAS YOUNG GENERATION WORKING AROUND. THEY WERE INSPIRED WITH AN AIM. THEY WERE BORN AT THE TIME OF FIRST WORLD WAR, THEY WERE IMPRESSED BY TILAK`S IDEALS INITIALLY AND LATER ON THOSE OF GANDHIS. THEY WERE MARCHING STEADILY TOWARDS THEIR AIMS. THEY DIDN`T GIVE A DAMN ABOUT THEIR DOMESTIC OR FINANCIAL GRUDGES. THEY WANTED INDEPENDENCE. ABHAY IS THE REPRESENTATIVE OF THIS YOUNG GENERATION. HE IS STIMULATED HE IS ALL SET FOR REVOLUTION WHEN HIS SENSITIVE MIND NOTICES THE STRUGGLE FOR REMAINING ALIVE, WHEN HE WITNESSES THE CONDITION OF MANY WHOSE LIFE RESEMBLES THAT OF AN UNCLAIMED CHILD IN A GARBAGE PIT. WHEN HE SEES THEM WALLOWING IN POVERTY HE MAKES UP HIS MIND TO WALK TOWARDS REVOLUTION. MAHARASHTRA IN DISTINCTLY DIVIDED INTO TWO PARTS; ONE IS OF THOSE UPPER MIDDLE CLASS PEOPLE LOSING THEIR MORALS, THEIR AIMS, AND THE OTHER IS OF THOSE LOWER MIDDLE CLASS PEOPLE WHO ARE INTELLIGENT AND HAVE NOT LOST THEIR SENTIMENTS. ABHAY REPRESENTS THE INTELLIGENT AND SENSITIVE CLASS. MANY OF THE READERS WILL FIND ABHAY ONE OF THEM.

A few years ago, Shantabai was running a column `kavita smaranatlya` through the magazine `Antarnaad`. In this, she was presenting the poems which were her favourite, which she had liked very much, which she had remembered very well. While doing so, the original poem was given with Shantabai`s review about it. There were 25 such reviews by her in the magazine. This book presents them all together for the convenience of the readers. We all are aware of the poetess Shantabai. Her study and research of all the poems, new or old, her love for poetry, her choice everything itself is exclusive. She reads other`s poem with an open mind. She grasps the beauty without any prejudice. Her reviews about the poems she liked the best thus become master pieces. This book will satisfy the hunger of the readers as well as the students studying the poetry format in detail.

'EKA PANACHI KAHANI' IS AN AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF MARATHI LITERARY LEGEND V.S.KHANDEKAR. EVERY TRUTH HAS MANY ASPECTS AND MANY A TIMES THEY ARE VERY MUCH IN CONTRAST WITH EACH OTHER. BUT KHANDEKAR HONESTLY DESCRIBES HIS LIFE FROM BIRTH TILL MARRIAGE.

`I feel contented with the thought of death, of which all are scared.`_ Kabir. Those who are ignorant are scared of death. Those who understand death, have conquered life. Death is the supreme beauty of this world. If you want to destroy your shadow, you just have to stand still at a place, this kills your shadow. The same thing applies to death. The more you try to run away from death, the more it will follow you. But stand still, give it a fearless glance and you will find elixir in it. Stop and face the death. Learn to recognize death. You will come across the god. Osho tries to reveal new meaning from Kabir`s `doha`. Osho`s simple language might help you to come across the true meaning of life.

Kabir says, `gurudev bina jev ke kalpana na mite` The first step towards search is lack of knowledge. The ignorant lives his imaginations. Imagination is the formula for ignorance and truth is the formula for knowledge. Teacher holds you by your hand and walks you toward truth. Teacher frees you from imagination. If you walk on your own then there are 100% chances of losing your way. He already has found what you have started to search now. The distance between you and your teacher is clear, you are at the starting point and he is at the ending point. Very rarely, we come across nutty people like Kabir. But whosoever reads his `doha` actually reads his thoughts, sees his devotion, and becomes one like him, crazy, nutty. Osho was one of such crazy people. He gave a new dimension to Kabir`s `doha`. He illustrated those meanings through his sermons. This is an exclusive invention by two novel crazies, Kabir and Osho.

Helen Keller, the name is very familiar to all. She represents the perfect image of confidence and ambition; she was determined to face the destiny, her will was never defeated by destiny. We are lucky that the nature has bestowed us with 5 senses. It is through this senses that we contact everybody and everything. Helen Keller was not among those lucky one. She had only two sense organs. Nature had deprived her from her ability to hear, to see and to speak. Touch was the only medium through which she could establish contacts with anybody. But apart from touch, she had one more quality. She was extremely optimistic. She had immense determination, and she had an ability to work effortlessly for hours together. With the help of these distinguished character she conquered over all her disabilities, she gave a meaning to her life. While doing so she did remember the other members of her community. She opened a door to knowledge, advancement, progress for the blinds, deafs and dumbs all over the world. The story of Helen Keller, striking, thrilling and inspiring.

MANY PEOPLE BELIEVE THAT, "SEX IS THE ULTIMATE PLEASURE OF LIFE A MAN AND A WOMAN COME TOGETHER WITH THE WHOLE PURPOSE OF DERIVING SUCH PLEASURES. THEY HOLD HANDS TO HEIGHTEN THE INTENSITY OF LIFE. THE REAL HAPPINESS LIES IN TOUCHING EACH OTHER` MANY SUCH THINGS ARE SAID WHILE CONSIDERING THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN A MAN AND WOMAN. BUT, TRYING TO SATISFY THE LUST FOR SEXUAL PLEASURES SHOULD NEVER BE THE ULTIMATE AIM OF MARRIED LIFE. IF WE UPLIFT OURSELVES TOO MUCH IN AN ATTEMPT TO TOUCH THE SKY THEN WE ARE SURE TO FALL DOWN. MANY PEOPLE DO ACHIEVE THIS, BUT WHEN ONE IS BEGINNING HIS/HER MARRIED LIFE THEN THIS ACHIEVEMENT IS ALMOST IMPOSSIBLE. IT IS AFTER SPENDING 1020 YEARS TOGETHER IN A MARRIED LIFE, AFTER GOING THROUGH MOMENTS OF HAPPINESS AND SORROW TOGETHER, OVER AND OVER AGAIN WE EXPERIENCE THE SERENITY OF THE NIGHT. UNDEMANDING LOVE IS LIKE THE WAXING MOON AND NOT LIKE THE WANNING MOON.

THIS COLLECTION OF STORIES BY VA PU IS MAINLY A FANTASYBASED. SINCE LAST 20 YEARS, VA PU HAS BEEN WRITING. ALL HIS PAST STORIES WITH A COMMON BASE OF FANTASY ARE INCLUDED UNDER THIS TITLE. THEY GIVE US THE MESSAGE TO ENJOY LIFE IN TODAY`S WORLD IN A SUGAR COATED WAY. WHATEVER CONDITIONS WE ARE, IN WHATEVER SITUATIONS WE ARE THOUGH. THE WHOLE CREDIT GOES TO THE SWEET COVER AND NOT THE FANTASY. VA PU HAS THE ABILITY OF CAPTURING PEOPLE WITH HIS TEASING WORDS FULL OF HUMOUR. THE STYLE HE USES IS THAT OF A NARRATION, WHICH CREATES INTEREST IN READING THESE STORIES ADDING TO THE PLEASURE. VA PU BELIEVES IN THE GOODNESS OF A MIND. HE IS SCARED OF THE CONTROVERSIES OF LIFE; AT THE SAME TIME HE IS SURE THAT DESTINY HAS SOME PLANS FOR EVERYONE. THAT IS WHY HE ENJOYS GLORIFYING THE CHARACTERS, THE INCIDENTS UNKNOWINGLY STRENGTHENING THE FOUNDATION OF HOPE IN A HUMAN MIND. HIS WRITING AWAKENS THE FAITH IN LIFE ONCE MORE MAKING US LOVE OUR LIFE, ENJOY OUR LIFE, AND LIVE OUR LIFE. WHAT ELSE DOES AN AUTHOR NEED?

VA PU, A NAME FAMOUS NOT ONLY WITHIN THE BOUNDARIES OF MAHARASHTRA BUT ALSO ALL OVER THE WORLD WHEREVER MARATHI IS KNOWN. THE IMAGE WHICH APPEARS BY DEFAULT WITH THIS NAME IS THAT OF A FRESH, HANDSOME, ENERGETIC STORYTELLER REFLECTING HIS STORIES. THE STORIES, THE AUTHOR AND THE TEAM PRESENTING THE STORIES ALL HAVE BLENDED TOGETHER PERFECTLY WELL. ALL THE CHARACTERS REPRESENT THE MIDDLECLASS MENTALITY OF PEOPLE FROM MUMBAI AND PUNE. IT HAS NO TOUCH OF RURAL LIFE OR MODERNIZATION AND THE PROBLEMS OCCURRING WITH THAT. IT DOES NOT REACH DEEP DOWN ITS INTERIOR TO HANDLE THE PAINS, YET IT HAS A PECULIAR STYLE, A NATURAL FRESHNESS. IT FINDS DEPTHS AND HUMOUR IN SIMPLE SUBJECTS. IT DOES NOT AVOID PAIN, BUT IS NOT VERY FOND OF IT. IT PRESENTS THE NORMAL MIND, NORMAL SET UP, NORMAL FEELINGS. IT MAKES US LAUGH AND FRESHENS US UP. IT MAKES US FORGET ABOUT OUR DAY TO DAY LIFE AND THE MEAGER PROBLEMS THAT COME WITH IT. THIS IS THE SECRET OF HIS WRITING, OF HIS SUCCESS FOR 23 BOOKS, CONSECUTIVELY. M.V.RAJADHYAKSHA

THE HUMAN COMMUNITY IS NOT AS HARMONIOUS OR UNIFORM AS WE THINK. ON THE CONTRARY, IT IS DIVIDED VERY HARSHLY, DISTINCTLY INTO TWO PARTS. ONE PART WORKS ENDLESSLY, EFFORTLESSLY AND THE OTHER PART ENJOYS WITHOUT ANY EFFORTS. THESE TWO PARTS ARE DIVERSE, THEY ARE DRASTICALLY DIFFERENT FROM EACH OTHER. THOUGH THEY LIVE UNDER ONE ROOF, THEY ARE MILES APART FROM EACH OTHER AS IF THEY ARE ON TWO POLES. THERE IS UNEQUALITY EVERWHERE. WOMEN AND DALIT, THE DOWNTRODDEN ARE ALSO PART OF THIS ANTAGONISM, THE INJUSTICE. THE NOVEL HAS THE BACKGROUND OF KONKAN WHERE THE SOCIAL ANTAGONISM IS WORST. IT THROWS LIGHT ON THE POVERY, UNTOUCHABILITY AND IGNORANCE AND ALSO THE EXPLOITATION IN THE NAME OF RELIGION AND TRADITIONS.

SANKET IS YET ANOTHER COLLECTION OF SHORT STORIES BY RANJIT DESAI. THE STORIES ASSEMBLED IN THIS BOOK WERE PUBLISHED EARLIER UNDER ANOTHER TITLE. IN THE LATER YEARS, HOWEVER, THEY WERE NOT AVAILABLE FOR THE READERS.IN ALL, THERE ARE 12 STORIES IN THIS BOOK. EACH STORY HIGHLIGHTS A PECULIAR FEATURE OF THE RURALITES. ONE MIGHT THINK THAT THESE RURALITES ARE VERY INNOCENT, THEY ARE VERY CUNNING, VERY SELFISH, VERY HELPING, VERY... THEY ARE NOT JUST ONE QUALITY OR OTHER. THEY ARE A MIXTURE OF QUALITIES. AS AND WHEN REQUIRED THE HIDDEN EMOTIONS, HIDDEN QUALITIES COME TO THE SURFACE REVEALING THE TRUE NATURE OF THE BEARER. SOMETIMES, THEIR INNOCENCE IS TESTED AND SOMETIMES THEIR CUNNINGNESS. BUT STILL THE WILL TO LIVE IS THE BASIC NATURE BEHIND EVERY LIVING THING AND THAT REFLECTS WELL IN THE LIVES OF ALL THESE FARMERS AND PEASANTS. THE AUTHOR HAS CHARACTRISED ANIMALS AS WELL WHICH HAVE A VERY NOBLE PLACE IN ALL THE RURALITIES MINDS. HE DESCRIBES THIS NOBLE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN ANIMALS AND HUMAN BEING VERY WELL.