UDHAN (Marathi)

THIS SET OF SHORT STORIES IS BASED ON THE RURAL LIFE. EACH STORY IS LINED WITH THE CULTURE, RITUALS AND SOCIAL LIFE OF A RURALITE AND HENCE HAS A PERFECT RURAL BACKGROUND. A VILLAGE DOES NOT HAVE JUST ONE SINGLE ASPECT. IT IS AS MULTIDIMENSIONAL AS ANY TOWN. THERE ARE VARIOUS GRADES AMONG THE COMMUNITY HERE. THE LABOUR, FARMER, LANDLORD, THE COMMON MAN ALL ARE VERY WELL DESCRIBED IN MANY OF THESE SHORT STORIES. WE FEEL LIKE BEING THERE AND WITNESSING THE SCENES IN PERSON. THE LANGUAGE USED THROUGHOUT REFLECTS THE PERFECT TONE OF A VILLAGE AND HENCE EACH STORY BLENDS HARMONIOUSLY WITH ITS SURROUNDINGS. THE POWER OF SHRI KUMBHAR’S WORDS IS GREAT TO SUCH EXTENT THAT WE DO NOT FIND ANY DRAMA IN ANY OF THE STORIES. EACH STORY IS CAREFULLY PENNED DOWN REVEALING THE FINE AND TENUOUS MINDSET. MOST OF THE STORIES END UP IN RATHER SURPRISING WAYS. BUT ONE SHOULD NOT BE SURPRISED BECAUSE A HUMAN MIND HAS UNBELIEVABLE POWERS TO REFLECT AND REACT WHEN IN DIRE NEED. AT THE SAME TIME, AT NO TIME, WE COME ACROSS REPETITION. EACH STORY HAS ITS OWN POTENTIALS, OWN VALUES INCLUDING DRAMA, PITY, ADVERSITY, HELPLESSNESS, ETC. ETC. EACH STORY CAPTIVATES THE READER, EACH STORY ENTERTAINING YET MAKING ONE THINK ONCE MORE; ABOUT THE VALUES AND CULTURES.