Books published by Mehta Publishing House

IN THIS WORLD AROUND US WE COME ACROSS MANY MISFORTUNES, HARDSHIPS. WHO CAUSES THEM? MAN IS NOT THE ONLY ONE RESPONSIBLE FOR IT. IT IS NOT JUST HIS WICKEDNESS THAT CAUSES IT. HIS INTELLECTUAL AND SOULFUL FEEBLENESS IS AS MUCH RESPONSIBLE. THERE IS A STEADY CONFLICT BETWEEN OUR TWO MINDS. ONE BLINDLY ABIDES BY ALL THE NATURAL FEELINGS AND ONE VOTES FOR THE CULTURAL ASPECTS OF THE SOCIETY. COMMON MAN FAILS TO UNVEIL THE CURTAIN OVER THE CONFLICT TO FIND THE TRUTH. HE IS SIMPLY UNABLE TO PICTURE THE VASTNESS OF HUMANITY BEAUTIFULLY ON THE BACKGROUND OF THE PROBLEMS AND QUESTIONS CREATED BECAUSE OF THE MACHINES. TILL THESE PROBLEMS ARE SOLVED AND THESE QUESTIONS ARE ANSWERED, EVERBODY`S LIFE WILL BE SHADOWED DURING THIS REFORMATIVE PHASE.

AFTER THE FIRST THREE POETRY BOOKS LIKE `GONDAN`, `ANOLAKH`, AND JANMAJANHAVI` THIS IS THE NEW POETRY BOOK BY SHANTA SHELKE. THE POEMS UNDER THIS COLLECTION MAKE US REALIZE THAT THE POETESS HAS ACCEPTED THE NEW TREND IN THE WORLD OF POETRY GRACEFULLY, SUCCESSFULLY; AT THE SAME TIME, NOWHERE SHE HAS FORGOTTEN THE AGEOLD TRADITIONS OF MARATHI POEMS. WHILE PRACTICING THE NEW STYLE, SHE GENUINELY GRASPS THE NEW ANGLES, NEW MEANINGS, NEW UNIVERSE OF THE CHANGED STYLE, YET DEEP INSIDE HER POEM REMAINS THE SAME SIMPLE AND CASUAL, SPONTANEOUSLY RELATING THE WORDS TO THE MEANINGFUL STANZAS, ONE AFTER OTHER; WITH THE SAME PASSION.

THE STORIES IN THIS BOOK WERE WRITTEN 15-20 YEARS BACK BEFORE THEY WERE PUBLISHED. WHEN THE AUTHOR WENT THROUGH THEM BEFORE PUBLISHING HE WAS ASTONISHED WITH THEM. HIS MINDSEET WAS VERY MUCH DIFFERENT THAN THAT EARLIER. HE WANTED TO ALTER THE STORIES, BUT STOPPED HIMSELF FROM DOING SO. HE HAD A STRANGE MIXTURE OF FEELINGS. HE FELT THAT THOSE WERE HIS STORY BUT YET HE DIDN`T KNOW THEM. HE REALISED THAT TIME CHANGES A PERSON INSIDE-OUTSIDE. AT MOMENTS, HE THOUGHT THAT THE AUTHOR OF THE STORIES. I.E. HE HIMSELF THEN WAS A DIFFERENT PERSON FROM WHAT HE WAS NOW. HIS MINDSET HAD CHANGED COMPLETELY. HE FELT A PITY AS HE COULD NOT X-RAYED HIS MIND THEN AND NOW. HIS STYLE DURING HIS EARLY YEARS AS A STORY WRITER WAS SIMILAR TO RAM GANESH GADKARI. AT SOME PLACES, HIS STORIES EXAGERRATE A LOT. STILL THE AUTHOR DID NOT MAKE ANY CHANGES IN HIS STORIES AFTER 10 YEARS, BECAUSE HE BELIEVED THAT AFTER A LONG TIME THE CHANGES THAT TAKE PLACE INSIDE ONE`S MIND WILL HARM THE CORE OF THE STORY AND HE ALSO REALISED THAT FOR AN AUTHOR ALSO IT WILL BE DIFFICULT TO EXPERIENCE THE SAME FEELING WHICH PREVAILED HIS MIND WHILE ORIGINALLY WRITING THE STORY. THAT ILLUSION WHICH CREATES A STORY IS NOT A SLAVE. SO CORRECTING OR CHANGING THE STORY TO MAKE IT BETTER MIGHT DAMAGE IT ACTUALLY. HENCE, THE AUTHOR DID NOT CHANGE ANY OF THE STORIES WHILE PUBLISHING THEM 15-20 YEARS AFTER WRITING THEM.

SOME OF THE `RAGA` SOME KEYNOTES ARE STRICTLY NOT EXCLUDED, NOT BECAUSE THEY ARE NOT SUITABLE; ON THE CONTRARY THEY ARE& EXCLUDED TO MAKE THE `RAGA` MORE BEAUTIFUL, THEY ARE; EXCLUDED WILLINGLY TO GIVE A PECULIARITY AND WHILE DOING SO THEIR EXISTENCE IS NOT FORGOTTEN AT ALL, ONLY IT IS AVOIDED. THAT IS THE REASON WHY MY HUSBAND CANNOT FIT INTO YOUR LIFE AND MEMORIES AND WHY WE BOTH CANNOT FIT INTO EACH OTHER`S LIVES." VA PU HAS A VERY PECULIAR AND UNIQUE STYLE TO HANDLE DIFFICULT THINGS IN THE MOST SIMPLE MANNER, REVEALING THE HARSH AND HARD CORES OF TRUTHS IN A VERY EASY STYLE, UNTANGLING THE KNOTS SMOOTHLY YET FIRMLY AND SUCCESSFULLY. THE SUCCESS OF HIS STORIES LIES IN THE SELECTION OF THE MOMENTS. THESE SAME MOMENTS ARE WITNESSED BY MANY BUT IT TAKES A VERY SENSITIVE MIND TO PUT THEM INTO WORDS, NEEDLESS TO SAY THAT ONLY VA PU HAS THE CAPACITY, HE GIVES SUCH STRENGTH AND DIMENSIONS TO THESE MOMENTS THAT THEY GLOW IN THEMSELVES, THEY MAKE US THINK, INSPECT OURSELVES, CONTEMPLATE OVER THEM. IT IS HIS STYLE AND FRESHNESS WITH WHICH HE SEES LIFE, HIS HOPEFUL AND MAGNANIMOUSNESS WHICH MAKES EACH STORY A UNIQUE PIECE OF LIFE DAWDLING IN OUR MINDS HOURS LATER.

I REACH HOME AT 11 IN THE NIGHT; URMILA GREETS ME IN THE MOST SIMPLE STYLE AND SAYS, "OH! HOW TIRED YOU ARE`. THIS IS WHAT KEEPS ME GOING. HER WORDS AND GESTURE MAKE ME FORGET MY TIREDNESS THROUGHOUT THE DAY. I GET MORE ENERGETIC. I CANNOT TELL YOU HOW IMPORTANT THIS SIMPLE SENTENCE IS. WHEN YOUR WIFE IS VERY MUCH TIRED AFTER COOKING A LARGE MEAL FOR MANY GUESTS SHE ALSO NEEDS ONLY ONE SENTENCE FROM HER HUSBAND, JUST LIKE THE HUSBAND WHO RETURNS HOME AFTER A VERY BUSY AND ESPECIALLY TIRING DAY. WE HAVE PROBLEMS, WE TRY TO FIND OUT THE ANSWERS SOMEWHERE ELSE, BUT CANNOT FIND IT. THE ANSWER LIES WITHIN US. THE SECOND SIDE OF THE PROBLEM IS ACTUALLY THE ANSWER, WE JUST NEED TO REVERSE OUR DIRECTION. WHY IS THAT EACH AND EVERY STORY BY VA PU IMPRESSES US EQUALLY? WHAT IS SO SPECIAL ABOUT IT? THE ANSWER IS SIMPLE. VA PU SEES THE THINGS WHICH WE FAIL TO SEE, HE EXPERIENCES IN A WAY WE NEVER THINK. THE SORROWS, HAPPINESS, MOMENTS OF PAIN AND JOY, THE STRUGGLE IN THE BUSY SCHEDULE DAY AFTER DAY, THE VARIOUS DILEMMAS AT THE JOB, THE PREDICAMENTS, THE PROBLEMS IN SEX LIFE, EGO, INSULTS AND MANY SUCH THINGS KEEP ON HAPPENING ALL AROUND US. BUT IT TAKES A VERY SENSITIVE MIND LIKE VA PU`S TO SENSE ALL THIS, TO GO THROUGH IT AS IF OUR OWN, TO PUT IT DOWN IN WORDS, AND TO PRESENT THE BEST PICTURE BEFORE US. HE FINDS SOME SORT OF POSITIVE APPROACH IN EACH PROBLEM. HE WIDENS OUR HORIZONS, HE MAKES US MORE SANGUINE TOWARDS LIFE, HE IS THE FRIEND, GUIDE AND PHILOSOPHER IN EVERYONE`S LIFE. HE HAS OPTED A SPECIAL STYLE FOR THE DIALOGUES IN THIS PRESENT BOOK `SANVADINI`, AS THE NAME SUGGESTS.

HE FOUND HER TO BE LIKE THE FIRST FOOTSTEPS OF THE FIRST SPRING AT THE BEGINNING OF THE ERA ON THIS EARTH. HE HEARD HER HEART BEATS, WHICH STARTED THE FIRST, THE "AADI` TAAL. SINCE THEN IT HAS BEEN CONTINUOUSLY BEATING ON ALONG WITH THE TIME, FOR ERAS IT IS IN HARMONY WITH THE ETERNAL TIME PRODUCING ITS "DHIN TIK`. THIS GAVE BIRTH TO THE RHYTHM ON THE EARTH. HE THOUGHT THAT HE HAS FOUND `AADITAAL`.

THIS IS A COLLECTION OF STORIES. THEY ALL HAVE BLOSSOMED WITH THE WRITER`S SKILL IN PICTURISING THE VARIOUS FORMS. AUTHOR HAS SUCCESSFULLY PENETRATED THE ADVERSE SURROUNDINGS, THE FINE TENSIONS IN THE RELATIONSHIPS, THE CHANGING VILLAGES, THE CONTRAST IN EVERYONE`S LIFE, THE VIRILITY, THE RURAL ADORNMENT, AND THE THROBBING MINDS. AT THE SAME TIME, THE AUTHOR HAS BEEN ABSTEMIOUS IN BALANCING THE TRUE SOCIALIZATION AND THE ART.

BY THE TIME, ANAND STARTED WRITING STORIES, HE HAD MASTERED THE POETRY FORM VERY WELL. HIS STORIES SOUGHT NEW DIMENSIONS AND ACHIEVED HEIGHTS LINE AFTER LINE. HIS STORIES ARE BASED ON RURAL LIVES. THEY ARE NOT MONOTONOUS IN THEIR FORM. EACH TALKS FOR ITSELF. THE CHARACTERS HAVE THEIR OWN NATURE, VOICE AND WAY OF BEHAVING AND COMMUNICATING. IN THIS RECENT BOOK, THE DIFFERENCE IN STYLE IS NOTICEABLE. HE IS SKIPPING THE UNWANTED DETAILS LIKE SKETCHING THE NATURE, EXTRA DIALOGUES AND MANY SUCH THINGS. HIS CHARACTERS ARE BECOMING MORE PRECISE. AT TIMES, HIS WRITING HAS A TOUCH OF DRAMATIC. THE EMOTIONS REVEALED ARE VARIED. THIS IS A COLLECTION OF 24 STORIES. THEY ALL ARE BASED ON VARIOUS EXPERIENCES. THE CHARACTERS PAINTED HERE HAVE SHADES TOO. THEY DO NOT COPY EACH OTHER. EACH ONE LEADS HIS OR HER LIFE AND HAS HIS OR HER PERCEPTIONS. THESE STORIES TAKE PLACE IN THE VICINITY OF A VILLAGE WHICH ITSELF IS A COMMUNITY. EACH VILLAGE HAS ITS OWN IDENTITY. YET, IT WILL NOT BE WRONG TO SAY THAT SOMEWHERE ALL THE VILLAGERS ARE TIED UP IN A HARMONIOUS SETTING. WHATEVER DIFFERENCES THEY MIGHT BE HAVING, THEY JOIN HANDS IN CASE OF DANGERS. THEY ALL ARE INDEED HUMANS AFTER ALL……………

EACH OF THE TEN DIRECTIONS CARRY GERM FOR STORIES. MANY A TIMES THESE GERMS ARE HIDDEN IN A PECULIAR STYLE IN AN EMOTION, IN AN EXPRESSION, THEY ARE OFTEN HIDDEN IN EXPRESSIONS, IN OCCASIONS, IN DILEMMA. WE ARE SLEEPING ALL THE TIME, ALWAYS PEACEFULLY BUT ALL OF A SUDDEN SOME FEELING TOUCHES US DEEPLY, UNKNOWINGLY, BUT DEFINITELY. THE AWAKENING TAKES A FORM OF A STORY FULL OF EMOTIONS THOUGHTS AND IMAGINATION. THIS SUDDEN TOUCHING RESEMBLES AN UNEXPECTED THORNY PRICK ON A SMOOTH ROAD. THE STORIES INCLUDED IN THIS COLLECTION ARE THE PRODUCTS OF SUCH THOUGHTS. THEY HAVE FLOWN TO MIND UNKNOWINGLY AND HAVE TAKEN A FORM OF STORIES. I HAVE DARED TO PEN THEM DOWN FOR MY BELOVED READERS. I TRULY WISH THAT AT LEAST SOME OF MY CREATIONS SUCCEED IN GIVING IMMENSE HAPPINESS. SOME OF MY CREATION MAY ENLIGHTEN THE MINDS OF READERS, MAY HEIGHTEN THEIR FEELINGS. WHAT ELSE DOES AN AUTHOR WANT? HE WANTS THE SHEER HAPPINESS, THE SATISFACTION WHICH CAN BE EXPERIENCED ONLY IF THE READER IS HAPPY. EVERY TIME WHEN MY WRITING IS PUBLISHED I HAVE THE SAME FEELINGS IN MY MIND.