VADACHYA ZADAKHALI ANI ITAR KATHA (Marathi)

A DELIGHTFUL COLLECTION FROM INDIA`S FOREMOST STORYTELLER, UNDER THE BANYAN TREE ADDS TWENTY-EIGHT TALES OF THE RICH AND COLORFUL HERITAGE OF R K NARAYAN`S FICTIONAL SOUTH INDIAN CITY, MALGUDI. NARAYAN`S CHARACTERS, OBSERVED WITH A WRY AND COMPASSIONATE EYE, COME FROM EVERY AREA OF INDIAN SOCIETY - MERCHANTS, BEGGARS, HERDSMEN, HERMITS, TEACHERS, ROGUES - AND REPRESENT IN MINIATURE A WEALTH OF HUMAN EXPERIENCE. A REBELLIOUS YOUNG MAN REFUSES TO HONOUR A VOW MADE BY HIS PARENTS IN AN ANCESTRAL TEMPLE LONG AGO IN NITYA. A SHOPKEEPER IS MADE BANKRUPT BY A CHARMING STRANGER IN A CAREER. IN OTHER TALES, A SCHOOLTEACHER INDULGES FOR ONE TRAUMATIC DAY IN THE LUXURY OF TELLING THE TRUTH; A NERVOUS SMALL BOY, FORCED TO SLEEP ALONE TO PROVE HIS COURAGE, CATCHES A BURGLAR; A BROWBEATEN CLERK TRIUMPHS OVER HIS STARS, AND A GHOST IS LAID TO REST. OUTSTANDING IN THIS SUPERB BOOK IS THE MASTERPIECE A HORSE AND TWO GOATS, DRAWN FROM A COLLECTION NOW NO LONGER AVAILABLE, AND THE MARVELOUS TITLE STORY, ABOUT THE DIVINE GIFT OF STORYTELLING ITSELF. LIKE THE STORYTELLER IN UNDER THE BANYAN TREE, R K NARAYAN IS AN ENCHANTER, A WEAVER OF WORDS WHO KEEPS HIS AUDIENCE SPELLBOUND WITH THE RHYTHMS AND HAUNTING IMAGES OF HIS TALES. DRAWN FROM THE MARKET-PLACE, THE MOUNTAINSIDE, THE DUSTY STREET, THE RIVER BANK, THESE GENTLE, IRONIC, FINELY OBSERVED STORIES OF VILLAGE AND CITY LIFE DEMONSTRATE THE POWER OF FICTION AT ITS BEST