@HarperCollinsIN An Imprint of HarperCollins Publishers 1

Let’s Talk Translation!

Harper Perennial, an imprint of HarperCollins Publishers, showcases the finest writing from the various languages of the Indian subcontinent in English translation. Here is a library of powerful writers and books that will go on to become classics; here is a wealth of writing in translation; here are stories, anti-stories, novels, poetry, political manifestos, travelogues and memoirs.

Harper Perennial is as much about literature that is rooted, as it is about finding ways to make it travel. So, as an additional feature, every title comes with a P.S. Section that allows readers to explore the books more intimately through translator’s notes, essays and author interviews. 2 3 Celebrating 10 Years of Harper Perennial in from the PUBLISHER'S DESK

In 2017, Harper Perennial, a dedicated imprint for translations, completes ten years of publishing in India. Over the past decade, Perennial books have showcased the finest and most compelling narratives from the Indian languages, books that are timeless and stories that capture the essence of their times and the region from which they emanate. In its entirety, the Perennial library which features over a hundred titles presents the kaleidoscope of India as seen through the eyes of the greatest modern writers writing in the local languages, comprising award-winning and well-loved novels, short fiction, poetry, plays, memoirs, biographies and travelogues.

Over the last few months, Harper Perennial has published a select list of titles in translation that readers will have enjoyed – including ’s first novel Two and his collection of Partition writings Footprints on Zero Line, ’s The Boat-wreck, Kiran Nagarkar’s first novel Seven Sixes Are Forty-three, Ranjit Desai’s : The Great Maratha, Kishore’s Gul Gulshan Gulfam, ’s Moonrise from the Green Grass Roof, Rahi Masoom Raza’s Scene: 75, and Jayant Kaikini’s book of stories No Presents Please.

Among Harper Perennial’s many exciting forthcoming titles are Mirza Athar Baig’s novel Hassan’s State of Affairs, Subimal Misra’s Anti-novels, V.P. Kale’s Karmachari, T.D. Ramakrishnan’s Sugandhi Alias Andaal Devanayaki, Anisul Hoque’s The Ballad of Ayesha, Sharmila Seyyid’s Ummath, Akhilesh’s Exile, George ’s book of short stories, Vinod Bhardwaj’s A True Lie, Sujatha’s The Dream Factory, Poornachandra Tejaswi’s Daredevil Mustafa and Other Stories, Mohan Rakesh’s Another Life and Lingering Shadows, and Gulzar’s A Poem a Day. A complete list and description of books published in Harper Perennial, as well as details of forthcoming publications, are available in this catalogue.

To celebrate Perennial’s tenth anniversary, the editors at HarperCollins have handpicked ten of their favourite Perennial books, which are being published as special keepsake editions under the ‘Perennial 10’ series. The books are: Bhima: Lone Warrior by M.T. Vasudevan Nair, by Thakazhi Sivasankara Pillai, Ghachar Ghochar by Vivek Shanbhag, Hindutva or Hind Swaraj by U.R. Ananthamurthy, The Liberation of Sita by Volga, A Life Misspent by Suryakant Tripathi Nirala, The Sea Lies Ahead by Intizar Husain, Selected Poems by Joy Goswami, Wild Animals Prohibited: Stories/Anti- stories by Subimal Misra, and Wild Words: Four Tamil Poets translated by Lakshmi Holmström. We hope you will enjoy these outstanding works of literature all over again in their new look. And we hope very much that you will continue to support Harper Perennial’s efforts as we publish the finest and most interesting writing from the subcontinent in the local languages, in English translation.

UDAYAN MITRA Publisher – Literary HarperCollins Publishers India 6 7

Ftor hcoming Another Life: Thirteen Stories nobody wants to take him in. Prince Siddhartha is transported to nuclear-era India. The people 8 in this collection of stories find themselves in limbo – out of time, out of place, facing moral 9 and a Play dilemmas, hallucinating about the end of the world, and yet always dreaming of a better tomorrow.

MOHAN RAKESH () Various Translators / Fiction / Drama George Varghese Kakkanadan (1935–2011) was one of the pioneers of a movement that changed the course of literature in the 1960s and 70s. He is a recipient the Award in addition to numerous other awards and recognitions. Mohan Rakesh was a towering figure in , and this is an essential volume for anyone interested in its changing, post-Independence landscape. The stories here range from humorous, satirical studies of human foibles, to profound, painful commentaries on the human condition. Rounding out the volume are a translation of the classic play Adhe Adhure, as well as a self-portrait The Ballad of Ayesha and interview – rare, first-person statements by the author, and among the most important critical ANISUL HOQUE (BENGALI) sources for his work. trans. Inam Ahmed / Fiction

Mohan Rakesh (1925–1972) was one of the pioneers of the Nai Kahani movement. He wrote the first modern Hindi plays and made significant contributions in every literary genre. October 2, 1977. A military coup is thwarted but the exact sequence of events remains shrouded in mystery. Soon after, Ayesha Begum receives a letter from the Bangladesh Air Force stating that her husband Joynal Abedin has been sentenced to death, convicted of insurgency. Set against the backdrop of raging famine, political assassinations and coups that shook Bangladesh right after Anti-Novels its independence in 1971, this is the story of Ayesha, and the story of the newly created nation.

SUBIMAL MISRA (Bengali) trans. V. Ramaswamy / Fiction Anisul Hoque is an award-winning novelist, screenwriter, dramatist and journalist from Bangladesh.

With the two ‘anti-novels’ that comprise this volume, Subimal Misra seeks to find a new form to depict and interrogate the failures of the state, political ideologies, religion, morality and society BREAKING FREE towards the downtrodden. Difficult yet immensely powerful, they are an important document of a society and country that are, despite all protestations to the contrary, clearly not shining. VASANTHI (TAMIL) trans. N. Kalyan Raman / Fiction

Anti-establishment and experimental, Subimal Misra’s (b. 1943) stories, novellas, novels, plays, essays and Breaking Free is the story of three women from the devadasi community in Tamil Nadu at the interviews comprise over thirty volumes. He ranks among India’s greatest living writers. beginning of the last century. Along with a vivid portrait of the lives led by men and women of the community, and their exploitation by the landed castes and the wider society, the novel also chronicles the transformation of their lives by the forces of modernity. Breaking Free is an important narrative short stories record of a story that remains largely untold, a saga of art and courage, and of the unendurable pain visited on an entire community just beyond the confines of our self-absorbed lives. KAKKANADAN (MALAYALAM) trans. Rishi Kakkanadan / Fiction Vaasanthi is one of Tamil Nadu’s best-known writers. Apart from a prolific output of Tamil fiction, she has written landmark non-fiction works in both Tamil and English, on politics, culture and women’s issues. On his deathbed, a retired schoolteacher longs to put his only pair of shoes on for one last time. A disillusioned city-dweller comes to a village and thinks he has found his place in the world, but The Dream Factory into hurdles, escalating from the comic to the horrific, the novel explodes into multiple storylines, 10 genres and characters, almost as if to say: some disasters are too enormous to be ‘realistically’ 11 STUJA HA (TAMIL) trans. Narayanan Madhavan / Fiction depicted. Mirza Athar Baig is a philosophy professor at Government College, Lahore, and the author of three novels, a Set in the 1970s and 80s, against the backdrop of the bustling Tamil , the novel short story collection, and numerous plays for television. follows the life of superstar Arun who is afraid of falling from the pinnacle of glory. His life is crowded by aggressive producers, cunning distributors and annoying film journalists who are always looking for a scoop. Filled with the sights, sounds and smells of Kollywood, named after the film studio suburb of Kodambakkam in , this is a book that reads like a fast-paced movie script. Karmachari: Short Stories about

Sujatha (1935–2008) was the pseudonym of writer S. Rangarajan, author of over 100 novels, 250 short Ordinary People stories, ten books on science, ten plays, some movie scripts and a volume of poetry. V .P. Kale (marathi) trans. Vikrant Pande / Fiction

Exile A collection of unforgettable short stories about ordinary people, Karmachari is a mirror held up to society. Set in the suburban Mumbai of the 1970s, yet universal, it is peopled by characters we AKHILESH (HINDI) trans. Rajesh Kumar / Fiction might meet in real life. They come alive under V.P. Kale’s sharp but compassionate gaze, and prod us gently towards a world of greater kindness and understanding.

Suryakant, the deputy director of the tourism department, has been put in charge of creating a V.P. Kale (1932–2001) was one of the most prolific writers in Marathi. He also started the trend of oral public interest itinerary to mark the 150th anniversary of the 1857 War of Independence. As he storytelling, and his stage-shows and audio cassettes were immensely popular. thinks through the utility of monuments and museums, and traces the paths of the revolutionaries, his own life begins to unravel. Akhilesh’s inventive prose treads the ground between past and present, the states of being and not being, as it follows the lives of ordinary people who discover the thin line that separates freedom from exile. The Killing of Cranes Born in 1960, Kadipur, , Akhilesh is the recipient of several awards including the Award, the Parimal Samman and the Indu Sharma Katha Samman. V.S. Khandekar (marathi) trans. Vikrant Pande / Fiction

This classic love story is set against the backdrop of the struggle for India’s independence. Sulochana Hassan’s State of Affairs marries the civil surgeon Bhagwantrao even though she is in love with the local revolutionary leader Dinkar. The story is narrated in part through letters written by Sulochana, who remains torn between Mirza Athar Baig () trans. Haider Shahbaz / Fiction ideals and the pursuit of personal happiness. Reminiscent at times of Rabindranath Tagore’s Ghare Baire, this is a story about the larger implications of independence. Best-selling and critically acclaimed, Lahore-based Mirza Athar Baig is one of the most important Vishnu Sakharam Khandekar (1898–1976) was the first Marathi author to win the .He was contemporary Urdu writers. Hassan’s State of Affairs – his first book to be translated into English – awarded the in 1968. revolves around a group of film-makers working on Pakistan’s first surrealist film. As the film runs Lingering Shadows relationships is brought to the fore with mystery and irony, insight and poignancy. This is the 12 novelization of one of the most successfully running contemporary Marathi plays. 13 mohan rakesh (hindi) trans. Jai Ratan / Fiction Vivek Bele is one of most successful contemporary Marathi playwrights. Katkon Trikon and Makdachya Haati Champagne are two of his most popular plays. The struggle of the Indian middle-classes to reconcile modernity with tradition creates emptiness in the midst of wholeness, obstructions in the midst of freedom, and shadows in the midst of light. The result is ennui, anomie, anger, envy, doubt – an existential angst that finds expression The Solitude of a Shadow in the protagonist Harbans, as he flails about in search of a meaningful human connection in his marriage to Nilima. This powerful portrayal of a relationship void of honesty, emotion and Devibharathi (TAMIL) trans. N. Kalyan Raman / Fiction intellectual equality ranks among the greatest novels in Hindi.

Mohan Rakesh (1925–1972) was one of the pioneers of the Nai Kahani movement. He wrote the first The Solitude of a Shadow is a multi-layered narrative about the moral and sexual torments of a modern Hindi plays and made significant contributions in every literary genre. young man and about the complex society and landscape that he inhabits. Through a fevered first-person narrative Devibharathi shows us how treacherous and illusory our impulse towards personal retribution can become. On the social plane, this is also an astutely observed document RADHEYA of a people living in an impoverished and poorly endowed region in western Tamil Nadu.

Devibharathi is a leading exponent of contemporary Tamil fiction with two landmark novels and a collection Ranjit Desai (marathi) trans. Vikrant Pande / Fiction of short stories to his credit. Farewell, Mahatma (a collection of his short stories in English translation) was shortlisted for the prestigious in 2016. In the , Karna is said to be the only warrior who can match Arjuna. Born of a god and a mother who abandoned him, Karna is mistreated from birth. Rejected by Drona, insulted by the Pandavas, misunderstood by many, Karna is a classic tragic hero. In this novel, Ranjit Desai gives voice to the loneliness of Karna, shedding light on his complicated relationship Sugandhi Alias Andaal Devanayaki with Krishna. T.D. Ramakrishnan (malayalam) trans. Dr Priya K. Nair / Fiction Ranjit Desai (1928–1992) received many awards in his lifetime including the Rajya Award,

the and the from the . When Peter Jeevananda arrives in Sri Lanka to shoot a movie about a human rights activist ostensibly murdered by the LTTE, the government is more than willing to help. What they don’t know that he is also searching for Sugandhi – an LTTE member, and the love of his life. As Peter The Right-Angled Triangle stumbles upon and becomes part of a plot to kill the president, reality, history, myth and fiction collide in explosive, illuminating ways. This is a daring novel that portrays the violence inherent Vivek Bele (marathi) trans. Vikrant Pande / Fiction in both fascism and revolution.

T.D. Ramakrishnan is the author of three cult novels that blur the line between the popular and the highbrow. A police inspector, an old man who is hospitalized after having fallen from a balcony, a He was awarded the 2017 Vayalar Ramaverma Award for Sugandhi Alias Andaal Devanayaki. confused son and his wife. Perfect ingredients for an edge-of-the-seat drama. Add to that a murder mystery and an obsession with mathematics. The story of a family and its lopsided A True Lie Yasi Rasa Ta 14 15 Vinod Bhardwaj (hindi) trans. Brij Sharma / Fiction Vinod Kumar Shukla (hindi) trans. Satti Khanna / Fiction

A True Lie is the second volume in Vinod Bhardwaj’s trilogy of novels. On the one hand, it In a book intended for those who are still children at heart, poet and novelist Vinod Kumar Shukla is the story of journalism in India regressing from its Golden Age, as brand managers turn tells stories of three cousins who live in neighbouring towns. Yasi, Rasa and Ta are gifted with a surplus editors. On the other hand, there is the novel’s protagonist, who battles unsuccessfully with of imagination and a surplus of tenderness for the world. Out of a lifetime of practice in making words the memories and scars of childhood sexual abuse. Like Schopenhauer, he feels that sometimes resonate, Vinod Kumar Shukla has penned a song of goodwill flowing between people and their revenge can be sweet, only to realize in the end, the futility of such vengeance. environment. To read the novel is to be freshly bathed in hope for our world.

Vinod Bhardwaj is an art and film critic and writer. He has published collections of poetry and short- Vinod Kumar Shukla is renowned for evoking the inner lives of ordinary people in language that mixes daily stories, books on art and cinema, and an encyclopaedia of modern art in Hindi. experience with dreams, the mundane with the surreal. In 1999, Shukla was given a Sahitya Akademi Award for his novel Deewar Mein Ek Khidki Rehti Thi. Ummath

Sharmila Seyyid (tamil) trans. Gita Subramanian / Fiction

A novel spanning the three decades of the deadly Sri Lankan civil war, Ummath highlights the suffering of women in Sri Lanka across communal and ethnic divides. Sharmila Seyyid has tackled with courage, honesty and sensitivity the issues of Islamist fundamentalism and Tamil ‘nationalism’ pitted against Sri Lankan majoritarian chauvinism, all from a woman’s point of view.

Sharmila Seyyid is a writer, a social activist and a fearless critic of the injustices in society. 16 17

Recently Published GENRE Fiction Format B/PB Page Extent 312 Price `399/- New graduate Kushank Purandare sifts through his Rights Indian Subcontinent memories, talking to someone he refers to only as 18 19 ‘you’. From his childhood spent in a minuscule flat in a so-called genteel part of Bombay to his college years in , he recalls always being a hair’s breadth Seven Sixes away from a life that would be deemed fulfilling by aret For y- many. In his efforts to reconcile his inner universe No Presents Please: Mumbai Stories is not about what with a world with which he has at best a fractured Mumbai is, but what it enables. Here is a city where Three connection, Kushank sees society as a jigsaw puzzle two young people decide to elope and then start with pieces that never fit together. Its maths is nursing dreams of different futures; where film KIRAN NAGARKAR questionable, its causes and effects, generosity and posters start talking to each other; where epiphanies greed, cold indifference and passionate involvement are found in keychains and thermos-flasks. From Translated from the Marathi by don’t quite add up. Outside the pages of a textbook, Irani cafés to chawls, old cinema houses to reform seven sixes rarely make forty-two. homes, Jayant Kaikini seeks out and illuminates SHUBHA SLEE moments of existential anxiety and of tenderness. Written in Marathi, Saat Sakkam Tretchalis is Kiran Nagarkar’s first novel, a brutally honest account of In these sixteen stories, gaps in the curtains of coming to terms with the bizarre disarray of human NO PRESENTS the ordinary open up to possibilities that might not life. Its astute observations, sensuality and inimitable have existed, but for this city where the surreal meets black humour made many a critic uneasy when it PLEASE: the everyday. was first published in 1974. This new English edition MUMBAI will introduce the brilliance of one of India’s most important writers to a new generation of readers. STORIES Jayant Kaikini is a poet, short story JAYANT KAIKINI writer and dramatist whose works have won the Kiran Nagarkar is one of India’s most highly Sahitya Akademi Award four times. He regarded writers. His critically acclaimed novel has also written regular newspaper columns, edited Cuckold was given the Sahitya Akademi Award Translated from the Kannada by a leading literary magazine, written screenplays, in 2001. Nagarkar received the Order of Merit of dialogues and lyrics for Kannada films. the Federal Republic of Germany in 2012. Tata TE JAswini NIRANJANA Literature Live! and the Chandigarh Literary Fest gave him lifetime achievement awards in 2015 and 2016 respectively. His novels have been translated into German, French, Italian, Spanish, Portuguese as well as Marathi. Nagarkar also writes in Marathi and has penned plays and, in fact, began his career in the language in 1974 with his first novel Saat Sakkam Trechalis. GENRE Fiction FORMAT B/PB PAGE EXTENT 240 PRICE `350/- Rights World GENRE Anthology Format B/HB Page Extent 216 Price `399/- Rights World It’s the winter of 1946. A truck leaves the village of 20 21 Campbellpur after news of the impending Partition starts pouring in. Its motley crew comprises a dhaba owner, a kothewali, a Rai Bahadur and his family, F ootprints a young widow and her child. On the way, they The Partition of 1947 has influenced the works of an pick up sundry other people – a young boy and on Zero Line: entire generation of writers, and continues to do so. his grandfather, and two sisters – all displaced by a Gulzar witnessed the horrors of Partition first-hand destiny they did not choose. They have just heard Writings on and it is a theme that he has gone back to again and words like ‘border’ and ‘refugee’, and are struggling t he Partition again in his writings. Footprints on Zero Line brings to understand how drawing a line might carve out together a collection of his finest writings – fiction, Pakistan from Hindustan. GULZAR non-fiction and poems – on the subject. What sets this collection apart from other writings on Partition Written in Gulzar’s inimitable riveting style, is that Gulzar’s unerring eye does not stop at the and drawing from his personal memories of the Translated from the Urdu by events of 1947 but looks at how it continues to affect Partition, Two is as much about what it entailed for our lives to this day. ordinary people as it is a meditation on the fact that Rakhshanda Jalil TWO the division of India, once set into motion, kept Wonderfully rendered in English by well-known happening inexorably and ceaselessly. Uprooted author and translator Rakhshanda Jalil, this collection GULZAR from the only place they knew as home, the refugees marks seventy years of India’s Independence. have kept travelling – physically and metaphorically Footprints on Zero Line is not only a brilliant collection – in search of roots, in search of a place called home. on a cataclysmic event in the history of our nation Translated from the Urdu by by one of our finest contemporary writers, it is also

GULZAR a timely reminder that those who forget the errors of A stalwart of and one of the the past are doomed to repeat them. finest poets in Urdu/Hindustani, Gulzar’s poetry collections include Pukhraj, Raat Pashmine Ki, Poet, author, lyricist, film-maker, screenplay and Triveni, Yaar Julahe, Pandrah Paanch Pachattar, dialogue writer, Gulzar is one of the towering and a number of works translated into English. As figures of Indian cinema, culture and literature. a short-story writer, he has several volumes to his Born in Dina (now in Pakistan), his career in credit, including Ravi Paar and Dhuaan. He is also cinema took off as an assistant to film-maker one of the finest writers for children in the country. Bimal Roy. Apart from being a film-maker with He has won the Filmfare Award twenty times, a difference, he is undoubtedly one of the finest the National Award seven times, and has been a lyricists of Hindi cinema. recipient of the Sahitya Akademi Award and the Padma Bhushan. In 2008, he was awarded an Oscar for his song ‘Jai ho’ in Slumdog Millionaire, and also received a Grammy for the same in 2010. He GENRE Fiction received the Award in 2014. FORMAT B/HB PAGE EXTENT 200 PRICE `399/- Rights World GENRE Fiction Format B/PB Page Extent 308 Price `399/- Rights World 22 23

THE BOAT- After a boat wreck overturns his life, Rameshchandra Chowdhury mistakes young Kamala for his newly Rahi Masoom Raza’s Scene: 75 is a short, fascinating WRECK wedded bride. They move away from Calcutta to start novel set in the Bombay film industry of the 1970s. a domestic life together, even as Ramesh is unable RABINDRANATH TAGORE A crazy kaleidoscope of stories within stories, it is to forget Hemnalini, whom he was always in love populated by a cast of extraordinary characters, from with, but could not marry. Meanwhile, Hemnalini struggling scriptwriters and wealthy lesbians, to film- Translated from the Bengali by must steel her heart whilst her hypochondriac father obsessed social climbers and sleazy producers. and hot-headed brother seek a groom for her. When ARUNAVA SINHA Scene: 75 brilliantly captures the absurdities and Nalinaksha, a serene and influential doctor, enters gossipy world of Hindi films, and is an irreverent, the scene, fate decides to rock the boats again. deeply satirical and darkly humorous work that takes Initially serialized in Bangadarshan magazine a piercing look at Hindu–Muslim relations, as well between 1903 and 1904, and then published as a SCENE: 75 as at how human ties corrode and wither because novel in 1906, Noukadoobi was Tagore’s exercise in of ambition and self-interest. Superbly translated by the sensitive probing of the minds and hearts of an RAHI MASOOM RAZA Poonam Saxena, this lost classic from Rahi Masoom ensemble cast of characters, to reveal not just their Raza will delight and disturb in equal measure. individual pains and passions, but also the collective consciousness of the society of the period. Narrated Translated from the Hindi by Rahi Masoom Raza found fame in the Bombay film in warm tones that reveal the tenderness of everyday POONAM SAXENA industry as a dialogue writer and worked on films life, and translated gracefully by Arunava Sinha, here like Main Tulsi Tere Aangan Ki, Karz, , etc. But is a story about love and sacrifice, faith and resilience, he is probably best known for his path-breaking, that is timeless. majestic dialogues for the 1980s’ television epic, Mahabharat. He is one of the finest novelists and poets of his time, proficient in both Urdu and Rabindranath Tagore (1861–1941) is India’s greatest Hindi. His best-known work is Adha Gaon. littérateur. The only Indian to have won the Nobel Prize for Literature, he wrote prodigiously and brilliantly across forms, including novels, short stories, plays, poetry, song lyrics, essays, travelogues, and even question papers. Tagore wrote primarily in Bangla, and his works have been translated into almost every major world language.

GENRE Fiction FORMAT Demy/PB PAGE EXTENT 224 PRICE `399/- Rights World GENRE Fiction FORMAT Royal/PB PAGE EXTENT 592 PRICE `799/- Rights World Young Shivaji reaches Pune, a dying fort city with 24 25 razed walls, with his mother Jijabai and lights the first lamp within its ruins. While his father Shahaji SHIVAJI: THE Bhosle is away under deputation by the Adil Shah There were a hundred games the children played with the sultanate, after having failed in a revolt against it, sky. Each question that arose in a child’s mind was a GREAT Shivaji learns how an empire is built from the ground game.‘Where is the moon?’ they asked if they woke up in up. Thus begins the life of the Great Maratha. the middle of the night. MARATHA What awaits Shivaji is nothing short of the vast There’s a pygmy mountain at the edge of the RANJIT DESAI scroll of history and it takes him from Surat to village. Near the top of the mountain is a mysterious Tanjore, and all the way to Aurangzeb’s durbar in hole. If you toss a stone down that hole, it will keep . He dreams of freeing his land from the clutches Translated from the Marathi by falling until you return to hear it hit the bottom. of Mughal rule and though he suffers many defeats There’s a second-grader named Bolu in the village and personal losses along the way, he never gives VIKRANT pande school. He only speaks while he walks. If you want up his vision of Hindavi Swarajya. Amidst political to speak to him, you must walk with him. And then intrigue and a chain of skirmishes, Shivaji becomes a there’s the moon, rising from the green grass roof. It leader, a warrior and a tactician par excellence, driven MOONRISE travels with Bolu and his friends wherever they go. by immense pride and love for his motherland. This FROM THE In this book, light as pebbles skimming across a is a new English translation of Ranjit Desai’s well- pond, Vinod Kumar Shukla speaks of the wonder of loved Marathi classic Shriman Yogi, and a literary green GRASS a universe in which, however separate we seem, we rendition of the life of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj. ROOF are inevitably joined as one. Ranjit Desai (1928–1992) was born in of Maharashtra. He published his short story VINOD KUMAR SHUKLA Vinod Kumar Shukla is a poet and novelist from collection, Roop Mahal, in 1958 and stepped into Raipur, Chhatisgarh. His first collection of poems the world of novels with Baari in the same year. He Lagbhag Jai Hind was published in 1971, followed Translated from the Hindi by received many awards including the Maharashtra by Vah Aadmi Chala Gaya Naya Garam Coat Rajya Award, the Hari Apte Award, the Pehankar Vichar Ki Tarah in 1981. His first novel, SATTI KHANNA Sahitya Akademi Award and the Maharashtra Naukar Ki Kameez, was published in 1979 and made Gaurav Puraskar. The Government of India gave him into a film by Mani Kaul. In 1999, Shukla was given a the Padma Shri in 1973. Sahitya Akademi Award for his novel Deewar Mein Ek Khidki Rehti Thi.

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backlist GENRE Non-fiction FORMAT B/PB ‘A wonderful way to introduce readers not only to some superb stories, but also to the genius of , who, PAGE EXTENT 244 from these very stories, created great cinema.’ A rich zamindar dreams that his daughter-in-law is an PRICE `250/- incarnation of goddess Kali; a housewife steps out of —Sharmila Tagore her lower middle-class household into the big city to Rights World work as a salesgirl; Goopy and Bagha fight the evil plans of the king of Shundi to rescue the kingdom of 28 29 Halla; a group of friends run into a self-proclaimed sage who claims to have been friends with Plato, Jesus and Buddha. Nobles at the court of Awadh, the chess 14Stories That Inspired An anthology of short stories that master film-maker Around the middle of the nineteenth century, when addicts Mir and Mirza, move to an undisclosed location to play undisturbed as their kingdom falls around them. Satyajit Ray adapted into films. A rich zamindar has the East India Company had consolidated its hold Short stories were the inspiration for fourteen of master film-maker Satyajit Ray’s movies, every one of them a classic—Devi, Jalsaghar and Shatranj Ke Khiladi, among them. Fourteen brings together all of those stories in one volume. a dream that his daughter-in-law is an incarnation 1857: The Real over the Indian subcontinent, a Chitpavan Brahmin These tales, by the likes of Rabindranath Tagore, , Prabhat Kumar Mukhopadhyay, Rajshekhar Basu and , are of Kali; a clerk s life turns upside down when he by the name of Vishnu Bhatt Godshe Versaikar milestones in Indian literature—quite apart from their cinematic glory. The ᾽ anthology also contains two stories by Ray himself—‘Atithi’ and ‘Pikoor Diary’— S tory of that illustrate his own craft as a writer. From the dramatic to the starkly real, the stumbles upon a magical stone which can turn any decided to cross the Vindhya mountains with his humorous to the dark, the lyrical to the prosaic, Fourteen sparkles with narrative brilliance. Read together, these stories also provide us with the context for a base metal into gold; a housewife steps out of her aged uncle to earn some money. What he had not new insight into the mind of one of India’s most loved and revered film-makers. the Great lower middle-class household into the big city to foreseen was how his trip would coincide with the work as a salesgirl, and is awestruck by its labyrinthine Uprising historic Sepoy Mutiny and play havoc with their ` 350 Satyajit An Imprint of HarperCollins Publishers Stories ways; blessed with three magical boons from the king travel plans. This is a unique first-person, eyewitness Cover images Ray Estate and Society for the Preservation of Satyajit Ray Archives Ray Cover design Arijit Ganguly That Inspired Vishnu Bhatt www..co.in FICTION of ghosts, Goopy and Bagha fight the evil plans of account of their picaresque journey, recorded several Godshe Versaikar 14Satyajit Ray the king of Halla and save the kingdom of Shundi; years after their return home. This is also perhaps Edited and a group of friends run into a self-proclaimed ageless the only documentation of a momentous event in Translated by BHASKAR CHATTOPADHYAY sage who claims to have been friends with Plato, Translated from the Hindi by the history of India by an impoverished but learned Jesus and Buddha. young beggar-priest. In this gripping yet sensitive Mrinal Pande translation, Mrinal Pande brings to life for today’s With short stories from legendary writers like reader the account of Vishnu Bhatt’s adventures, 14: Stories Tagore, Prabhat Kumar Mukhopadhyay, Rajshekhar and the fascinating history of its publication. That Inspired Basu and Premchand, 14 is a beautiful collection of tales Satyajit Ray transformed into films, that have endured and become classics we all love and admire. Sta yajit Ray Vishnu Bhatt Godshe Versaikar was born in 1827. According to local lore, he was married at the age of twenty-one and sired six children – three Edited and Translated by Bhaskar Chattopadhyay is an author and translator sons and three daughters. He travelled across the Bhaskar Chattopadhyay with ten published books in the last four years. His Indo-Gangetic plains between 1856 and 1859. But translations include the anthology 14: Stories That due to a fear of reprisals by the British, he wrote Inspired Satyajit Ray and his original novels include of his travels twenty-four years later and gave the Patang, Penumbra and Here Falls the Shadow. manuscript for safekeeping to a friend. As per his Bhaskar is also a regular contributor to various wish, this book was published in 1907, four years publications on the subjects of literature and world after his death in 1903. cinema and a columnist on the cinema of Satyajit Ray for Firstpost.

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AGE OF FRENZY It’s 1510. The Portuguese arrive in Goa armed with I ran away from home, and from the shackles of society, guns, swords and crucifixes to the agricultural village family and attachments. I just wanted to live my life, write MAHABALESHWAR SAIL of Adolshi, where Hindus have been living peacefully. my novel, follow my passions. I didn’t know that my five- A sense of foreboding fills them as tigers prowl, cow bones appear in wells, chariot wheels break year-old boy had followed me out, but with that realization, Translated from the Konkani by Ishwari emerged from within me: a mother, a woman with on festival day. The Portuguese king has licenced responsibilities, a woman who was ready to suppress her VIDYA PAI Jesuits to take over and staunch white men move dreams to protect her son. about preaching the word of the Son of God. Land is seized, families broken. But Padre Simao Peres is My son – a child I do not want. Ishwari and Roo convinced that love and not force will bring about a wandered the streets at night, looking for a place to stay. A change of heart. With the Inquisition looming like kind old caretaker gave them an empty room on the terrace an axe over everyone’s heads, a saga of choice plays of a guest house. Ishwari found a job as caregiver to the out for the people of the village. handsome gentleman who lived next door, while Roo – her ABANDON weak, invalid son – was locked up all day in the room on Recounting a history forgotten to most people the roof. now, Mahabaleshwar Sail’s epic novel, Age of Frenzy, documents a turbulent past of religious rifts, caste SANGEETA And I struggle to find my place in this dark novel. I BANDYOPADHYAY hierarchies and power shifts which changed the yearn for passion and despair – for that is what makes ethos of a significant part of the western coastline of good literature – while Ishwari seeks a life of joy for herself India forever. Translated from the Bengali by and her son.

ARUNAVA SINHA Pulsating with raw energy, Abandon gives voice to the perpetual conflict between life and art. Mahabaleshwar Sail is a prolific writer in Konkani with four short story collections and six novels, many of which have been translated into English and other languages. Born into a family of farmers Sangeeta Bandyopadhyay burst into readers’ near in northern Karnataka, Sail served attention with her controversial first novel, in the during the Indo–Pak war in Shankhini. Abandon is the third of her nine novels. 1965. After brief stints in the police force and as a forest guard, he served as a postmaster in Goa. He received the Sahitya Akademi Award for Tarangam, a short story collection (1993), and the Katha Award (2007).

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‘If poetry is a door, then what does it close in, and what does it open to? Is it a few words, merely, and the few life experiences they illustrate? It knows that there are many things outside its As the River bounds, things large and wide, which it can’t encompass even if it wants. It knows that outside of whatever amount of life it can encompass, Flows: The a much bigger and complex life still remains, A mother watches as her daughter, intent upon with its countless ironies and contradictions Ashok V

Translated by Rahul Soni cleaning the house, tries to throw away a cherished and complexities. It knows that, apart from the HarperCollins words that have come into it, there is a limitless piece of embroidered cloth; a father realizes that age treasure of words that it cannot make its own.’ A lyrical collection from an acclaimed master of – Book of is catching up with him when his children’s plans no A Hindi poetry. jpeyi longer include him; a rape victim tries to settle into The poems in this selection capture the range A ssamese A Name for Every Leaf a life without her husband; a serf finds the courage of styles and concerns of one of Hindi’s most to stand up to the indignities he has to face; a whole Selected Poems, 1959–2015 S tories ` 450 well-known writers. Chosen from a body of work An Imprint of HarperCollins Publishers village is targeted as the armed forces come looking Cover image S.H. Raza Ashok VAjpeyi www.harpercollins.co.in spanning several decades, these are beautifully f HarperCollinsIndia t @HarperCollinsIN POETRY Translated by Rahul Soni for a single insurgent. translated by Rahul Soni and introduced by poet Edited and Translated by Arundhathi Subramaniam. As the River Flows brings together some of the finest Ranjita Biswas contemporary short stories from Assam which rank A Name for along with the best of Indian literature. Spanning Ashok Vajpeyi has written many books of poetry from the 1950s to the present, this collection presents Every Leaf and of criticism, in both Hindi and English, on an eclectic mix of well-known stories by writers who poetry, literature, the visual arts and Indian classical set the tone of modern Assamese stories as also those ashok vajpeyi music. A recipient of the Sahitya Akademi Award who have gained from their pioneering efforts. (1994), Dayavati Kavi Shekhar Samman (1994) and Kabir Samman (2006), he has also been decorated Translated from the Hindi by by the President of the Republic of Poland with the Ranjita Biswas is a journalist, fiction writer outstanding national award The Officer’s Cross of Rahul Soni and translator. She contributes to national and Merit of the Republic of Poland (2004), and by the international publications on gender issues, French government with the award of Officier De development, travel, and art and culture. As a L’Ordre Des Arts Et Des Lettres (2005). translator, she has won a number of awards including the Sahitya Akademi Award for her translation of Arupa Patangia Kalita’s Written in Tears.

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This is the story of Bhima, the second son, always second in line – a story never adequately told until BHIMA: Lone one of India’s finest writers conjured him up from Warrior the silences in Vyasa’s narrative. Salamon, the tongue-tied, day-dreaming firstborn M.T. Vasudevan Nair’s Bhima is a revelation. M.T. VASUDEVAN NAIR of his family, must decide whether to stay back as Lonely, eager to succeed, treated with a mixture of the last Jew in Cochin. The shared history of his affection and contempt by his Pandava brothers, and community is one of a people who, impelled by Translated from the Malayalam by with scorn and hatred by his Kaurava cousins, Bhima the prayer they utter during every Passover – ‘next battles incessantly with failure and disappointments. time in Jerusalem’ – break all ties with the land they GiTA KRISHNANKUTTY He is adept at disguising his feelings, but has an inhabited for centuries and set off for an unknown overwhelmingly intuitive understanding of everyone land in response to the Zionist call. who crosses his path. A warrior without equal, he Through the story of three generations of a Jewish takes on the mighty Bakasura and Jarasandha, and family in and their complex interpersonal ultimately Duryodhana, thus bringing the Great relationships, interweaves myth, history and War to a close. However, all of Bhima’s moments of ALIYAH fiction to create a compelling narrative about man’s triumph remain unrecognized and unrewarded. If his mother saw glory only in the skills of Arjuna and SETHU constant search for home and permanence. the wisdom of Yudhishtira, his beloved cared only for the beauteous Arjuna. Translated from the Malayalam by Sethu has won numerous awards including the Bhima: Lone Warrior is the Mahabharata as only Kendra Sahitya Akademi Award, the Kerala CATHERINE THANKAMMA Sahitya Akademi Award, the Vayalar Award and M.T. could tell it. It is a masterpiece of Indian the . Sethu’s literary works literature. include Marupiravi, Adayalangal, Pandavapuram and Pediswapnangal, Velutha Koodarangal and Kaimudrakal. M.T. Vasudevan Nair is a screenplay writer, journalist and author. He is the winner of many awards like the Award, the Kendra Sahitya Akademi Award, the Vayalar Award, the Ezhuthachan Award, the Odakkuzhal Award and the Muttathu Varkey Award. His other works include Asuravithu, Vilapayathra, Naalukettu, Varanasi, Arabiponnu and .

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Abdul Khaleq teaches in a crumbling old college in a village in newly independent Bangladesh. His BLACK ROSE As a young student in pre-Independence Dacca, life is mostly on an even keel until he sits down to Ranajit Dutta is relatively untouched by the patriotic chronicle his childhood – an endeavour that draws BUDDHADEVA BOSE fervour gripping the rest of the country. He is him inexorably into his memories and into an suffocated by, and often critical of, the constricted enchanting world somewhere in suburban Calcutta. environment and superstition-ridden society he lives Translated from the Bengali by As those memories return him to a time when in. He seeks an escape through poetry and his search communal tension was gathering force in undivided ARUNAVA SiNHA for the embodiment of universal womanhood. But Bengal, he plummets into despondency. Khaleq’s one event shakes up his idealism and fundamentally relentless nostalgia enrages his wife Rekha, who changes his relationships with the women in his resents his aloofness and lack of ambition. Prodded life: his first love Mitu Bardhan; his affectionate by the village physician, Doctor Narhari, the couple but neglected aunt Kajol; his revolutionary friend embark on a boat ride that forces them to confront Bulbul; his naïve, adoring wife Nalini. their discord and desires, and plumb the roots of A man’s perennial quest for the unattainable, Black Khaleq’s alienation. Rose also brings alive the heady idealism and the charged BLACK ICE First published in 1977, Black Ice draws on years when India was struggling to be free. Mahmudul Haque’s own experience of Partition to MAHMUDUL HAQUE intimately probe the invisible scars bequeathed to the inheritors of its losses. Buddhadeva Bose was a well-known Bengali writer of the twentieth century who wrote novels, short Translated from the Bengali by stories, plays and essays in addition to poetry. Akormonnya, Mono Deya Neya, Jobonika Poton and Mahmud Rahman Mahmudul Haque was one of Bangladesh’s premier prose stylists, the author of ten novels and Raat Bhore Brishti are some of his important works. numerous stories. He spent his childhood in Barasat outside Kolkata, and his later years in Dhaka.

GENRE Fiction FORMAT B/PB PAGE EXTENT 144 PRICE `199/- Rights World GENRE Fiction FORMAT B/PB PAGE EXTENT 348 In the home for the blind that Baba runs, the PRICE `350/- residents can see. Sharfu sees through ngers that Rights weave bamboo strands into beautiful baskets. World Even blinded by desire, Roni sees through her 38 39 lovers. Bhola keeps a watchful eye over his friends using his intuition and guile. Yet, when Baba, guardian and mentor to them all, regains sight in an accident, all he sees is a corrupt and decadent world. Of what use is sight to those who only look but do B.T. Road emerged out of Samaresh Basu’s own Joginder Paul, one of the greats of Urdu b.t. road / literature, tells an incisive story about sight and not see? experiences of urban slum life concentrated around perception, and how they impact many facets of human existence: territoriality, greed, sel shness, the hollow the jute mills of Bengal and the trade union corruption, acceptance and discovery. A powerful In the home for the blind that Baba runs, the metaphor for India itself, Blind examines a movement that grew around them. The residents society that is crippled by spiritual and moral residents can see differently. Sharfu sees through degeneration. Sparked off by a visit to a blind samaresh basu home in Nairobi, Paul’s story appears to ask: of of a nameless slum next to the Barrackpore Trunk what use is sight to those who only look, not see? fingers that weave bamboo strands into beautiful Road are brought to life with his sensitive pen, not baskets. Even though blinded by desire, Roni sees JOGINDER PAUL from the perspective of an outsider viewing the grim through her lovers. Bhola keeps a watchful eye over Translated from the Bengali by squalor of the place but from a deep enquiry into his friends through intuition and guile. Yet, when SAUGATA Ghosh their inner lives. Baba, and mentor to them all, regains ` 350 ebook sight in an accident, all he sees is a corrupt and With The Hollow, a chilling, often grotesque, An Imprint of HarperCollins Publishers Cover design © HarperCollins Publishers India www.harpercollins.co.in f HarperCollinsIndia t @HarperCollinsIN FICTION decadent world. Blind tells a powerful story about portrayal of society and its mores, Basu turned sight and perception, and how it impacts many towards a frank dissection of the middle class facets of the human existence: territoriality, greed, and its unashamed pursuit of self-interest. With selfishness, corruption, acceptance and discovery. characteristic incisiveness, he tells the story of the BLIND dissolute Biresh and his struggle to free himself from the confines of love, family, profession and politics. Joginder paul Joginder Paul (1925–2016), an eminent short-story Charged with obscenity at the time of its publication, writer, chose to write in Urdu with a conviction that it remains ‘a unique ethical novel in Bengali’. Urdu is ‘not a language but a culture’. He was the Translated from the Urdu by recipient of many literary honours that include the sukrita paul kumar & Qatar International Award, the SAARC Lifetime Samaresh Basu (1924–1988) is one of the stalwarts hina nandrajog Award, the Iqbal Samman, the All India Bahadur of Bengali literature with a huge body of work Shah Zafar Award, the Urdu Academy Award and the to his credit. He was awarded the 1980 Sahitya Ghalib Award. Widely translated, Paul’s important Akademi Award in Bengali, for his novel Shamba. books include Khula, Khodu Baba ka Maqbara, He won the 1983 for the Best Story Main Kyoon Sochun and Bastiaan. Amongst his for Namkeen. Numerous films have been made on novels are Ek Boond Lahoo Ki, Nadeed, Paar Pare his books. and Khwabro. He published three collections of micro-fiction, a genre with which he enriched Urdu fiction significantly.

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chemmeen First published in 1956, Chemmeen tells the story of the relationship between Karutthamma, a THAKAZHI Hindu woman from the fisherfolk community, and Bidyunmala, the princess of Kalinga, is on her SIVASANKARA PILLAI Pareekkutty, the son of a Muslim fish wholesaler. way for a marriage of political convenience with Unable to live with the man she loves, Karutthamma Devaraya, the king of Vijaynagar, when a mysterious Translated from the Malayalam by marries Palani, who, despite the scandal about his young man called Arjunvarma makes his appearance wife’s past, never stops trusting her, a trust that is in her life and becomes part of her entourage. While reaffirmed each time he goes to sea and comes back preparing to wed the beautiful Bidyunmala, Devaraya safe; the ‘sea-mother’ myth among the fishermen is threatened by a treacherous brother within and community goes that the safe return of a fisherman enemies preparing for war without; worse still, depends on the fidelity of his wife. Then, one night, Bidyunmala seems to be in love with Arjunvarma, Karutthamma and Pareekkutty meet and their love a man Devaraya has come to trust. And so begins is rekindled while Palani is at sea, baiting a shark… Saradindu Bandopadhyay’s classic tale of love and by the war, set on the banks of the river Tungabhadra in This hugely successful novel was adapted into fourteenth-century India. a film of the same name, and won critical acclaim tungabhadra and commercial success. Anita Nair’s evocative A gripping narrative that blends romance, politics translation brings this classic of Indian literature to P. S . INSIGHTS and intrigue played out against an authentically INTERVIEWS SARADINDU & MORE... T.S. Pillai a new generation that hasn’t had the opportunity to

etched backdrop, By the Tungabhadra, superbly T.S. Pillai BANDOPADHYAY was irst published in 1956, Chemmeen savour this tale of love and longing. translated from the Bengali original, Tungabhadraradapted into a film of the same name, Fand won critical acclaim as well as Teere, represents the pinnacle of the writer’sunprecedented oeuvre. commercial success. A deeply affecting story of love and loss set amidst CheChemmeenmmThe enduringeen classic Translated from the Bengali by a fishing community in Kerala, the novel transports us into the lives and minds of its Thakazhi Sivasankara Pillai (1912–1999) was a characters, Karuthamma and Pareekutty, ARUNAVA SINHA whose love remains outside the bounds of Malayali novelist and short story writer whose Saradindu Bandopadhyay (1899–1970), religion,novelist, caste and marriage. Then, one night, Che mm Karuthamma and Pareekutty meet and their Chemmeen work focused on the oppressed classes. His best- Translated by playwright and scriptwriter, is best knownlove is rekindled for while Palani, Karuthamma’s husband, is at sea, baiting a shark. ANITA NAIR known works include and Chemmeen. He

his exquisitely crafted historical fictionIn this andevocative newas translation by best-selling won the Kendra Sahitya Akademi Award in 1958 reveals itself to be author Anita Nair, Chemmeen the creator of the immortal detective Byomkesha deceptively simple masterpiece that is bound and the Jnanpith Award in 1984. een Bakshi. His work is widely acclaimed for itsto captivate charm, a new generation of readers. lucidity and humour. ANITA NAIR Translated by

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P.S. GENRE Fiction INSIGHTS, Krishan Chander is a stalwart of the INTERVIEWS Format B/PB Progressive Writers’ Movement and a & MORE. venerable name in Urdu and Hindi short- The dark river Page Extent 246 story writing. His timeless stories astound both in terms of quality and sheer volume, Price `299/- yet he remains under-read outside his own languages. With simplicity and stylistic Rights World flair, this much-awaited volume brings together a novella and three stories that represent the best of his oeuvre. 42 43 In ‘The Dark River’, a gothic tale of love and murder unfurls amidst great beauty. It will take all of Lata’s strength to navigate the underbelly of Mumbai with nothing but a vermilion dream in ‘Same Old Desire’. In ‘Plums’, the narrator realizes that there The rustic and the ethereal fuse with the crispness A graduate smothers his blameless wife to death; a are things that time cannot touch: the citrus dasuram's mischief of love, memories and plums. Even the most hardened criminal cowers of mountain air, as a gothic tale of love and murder ten-year-old girl is sold off by her parents to an before the silence of those who have nothing more to lose in ‘Breaking the unfurls amidst great beauty. When innocence has a script: eighty-year-old man; a newly-wed woman discovers Strike’. Varied and evocative stories that carry the delicate essence of Urdu and Hindi into price and promises come cheap, it would take all of that her husband was married to a tree before she another language. Lata’s strength to navigate the underbelly of Mumbai new writing arrived; a tribal poet creates a code language for Translated by Krishan chander with nothing but a vermilion dream. There are some from odisha Naxalites in jail; a young girl falls hopelessly in love An Imprint of HarperCollins Publishers things that remain out of time’s reach, among them: with her boyfriend’s father.

Cover design Trinankur Banerjee www.harpercollins.co.in suresh Kohli the deep blush and citrus mischief of love, memories These are stark tales of human struggle, moral ` 250 and plums. Even the most hardened criminal would Edited and Translated by and corporeal, from a society that is multicultural

cower before the silence of those who have nothing and multilingual, and a landscape that is as abject f i c T i o n more to lose. MONA lisa jena fHarperCollinsIndia t@HarperCollinsIN in its deprivations as it is intriguing in its beliefs. A fHarperCollinsIndia t@HarperCollinsIN A compilation of varied and evocative stories by collection of stories by sixteen contemporary writers a master of Urdu fiction, this book demonstrates from Odisha, this book is a startling introduction to the dark how the delicate essence of a narrative can be parallel realities that exist not so far from the self- carried into another language with both simplicity absorbed existence of India’s big cities. river and stylistic flair.

and other Mona Lisa Jena is a well-known storyteller, poet Krishan Chander was one of India’s foremost and translator. As a journalist, she is acclaimed stories authors writing in Hindi and Urdu. He wrote over for her reportage on Odia society and culture. twenty novels, thirty collections of short stories Her poetry and stories largely focus on human KRISHAN CHANDER and scores of radio plays. He also wrote screenplays relationships and through her deeper reflections for Hindi movies. Chander’s novels, including the and meditations she reveals the grief and ecstasy Translated from the Urdu by classic Ek Gadhe Ki Sarguzasht (Autobiography of that inform human love and entanglement. a Donkey), have been translated into over sixteen SURESH KOHLI Indian languages and some foreign languages, including English.

GENRE Fiction Format B/PB Page Extent 160 Price `250/- Rights World GENRE Fiction FORMAT B/PB PAGE EXTENT 256 ` ‘Intizar Husain’s stories often tread that twilight PRICE 299/- I Nominated for the Man Booker zone between fable and parable. His narratives International Prize 2013 Rights World are spun on an oriental loom’ ntizar – Keki N. Daruwalla 44 45

man scours the town he left fifty years ago for some little H evidenceA of past joys. Javed, who’s returned to Lahore from A man scours the town he left fifty years ago for some East Pakistan, won’t speak of what he witnessed ‘there’. An old usain woman boards a train full of dead ancestors in her dreams. A sage who cannot control his anger must seek out a butcher little evidence of past joys. Javed, who has returned Does age ever catch up with the immortal? Listen for redemption. Mahaban, home of the monkeys once, is now a the dying sun city full of human beings. Sheherzad, who once told Emperor Shaharyar a thousand-and-one stories, is now an old woman to Lahore from East Pakistan, won’t speak of what in as Heer and Ranjha converse in whispered who has forgotten her yarns of fantasy. he witnessed ‘there’. An old woman boards a train The stories in The Death of Sheherzad ably represent Intizar T JOGINDER PAUL tones of a time that was; walk around with Husain’s oeuvre, defying narrative tradition and exploring the he Death of ntizar past, specifically Partition, as a means of unravelling the I of dead ancestors in her dreams. Mahaban, home of present. He imaginatively revisits a syncretic, tolerant Lord Ram who has stepped out of the mosque pluralistic past to analyse why the tide turned so irreversibly. Questioning everything – faith, violence, society – Husain the monkeys once, is now a city full of human beings. compound, unable to cope with the frenzy of

probes the horrors of Partition in a manner as oblique as it is Sheherzad trenchant. Imbued with dark wit and literary brilliance, these Translated from the Urdu by stories at once shock, agitate and entertain. Sheherzad, who once told Emperor Shaharyar a 1001 devotees who have installed him there; fly away to HusainThe Death of stories, is now an old woman who has forgotten her keerti ramachandra & London, where the ageing Kasturi Lal Brahman Sheherzad yarns of fantasy. usha nagpal struggles to let go of the idea of India; follow the travails of a ‘perfect couple’ who compromise on 299 The stories in The Death of Sheherzad ably represent everything that is decent to create the ‘perfect life’ Translated from the Urdu by Intizar Husain’s oeuvre, defying narrative tradition and Cover design Tanaya Vyas www.harpercollins.co.in FICTION Rakhshanda Jalil exploring the past, specifically Partition, as a means for themselves; listen to a dog who has walked off of unravelling the present. He imaginatively revisits a the pages of an author’s stories to engage him in a the death of syncretic, tolerant, pluralistic past to analyse why the discussion on the world he has left behind. tide turned so irreversibly. Questioning everything – The Dying Sun collects Joginder Paul’s stories of sheherzad faith, violence, society – Husain probes the horrors wonder, whimsy and wisdom. With elegant simplicity, of Partition in a manner as oblique as it is trenchant. Paul describes the journeys of his characters through INTIZAR HUSAIN Imbued with dark wit and literary brilliance, these myriad landscapes. His writing encompasses worlds stories at once shock, agitate and entertain. that defy the imagination. Translated from the Urdu by

Rakhshanda jalil Intizar Husain was born in the United Provinces, Winner of the Iqbal Samman and the Ghalib India, in 1925. He emigrated to Pakistan in 1947 Award among a host of other literary honours, and lives in Lahore. He has written five novels and Joginder Paul is widely regarded as one of the most seven collections of short stories, all of which deftly innovative and compelling writers in Urdu today. chronicle the history of the Indian subcontinent after Partition. Considered the greatest living Urdu writer of our time, he was nominated for the Man Booker International Prize in 2013.

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A bomb explodes in a Page Extent 304 university café, claiming the Price `350/- lives of nineteen students. the The Empty Space begins with Rights World the identi�ication of those nineteen dead. The mother 46 SPACEEMPTY GEETANJALI 47 who enters the café last to SHREE identify the nineteenth body brings home her dead eighteen-year-old son packed in a cof�in, as well as the sole survivor of the blast, a A banished queen returns to her palace courtesy her three-year-old boy who, by a fables for strange quirk of fate, is found lying in a small empty space, pet monkey’s trick. Riday is cursed by Lord Ganesh alive and breathing. all ages and transformed into a yaksha the size of a thumb. The Empty Space brings alive the the memories of the boy gone, A bomb explodes in a university café, claiming the Kunkro, the rooster who rules a farmyard, believes it the story of the boy brought home, the crossing of their lives of nineteen students. The Empty Space begins abanindranath is his call that brings on the daylight. life and death and the mixing EMPTY up of their identities. tagore SPACE with the identification of those nineteen dead. Fables for All Ages brings together Abanindranath ‘Geetanjali has the gift of a rare talent. The mother who enters the café last to identify the Tagore’s best writings – Kheerer Putul, Booro-Angla Her literary brilliance resonates in the reader's nineteenth body brings home her dead eighteen-year- mind like a beautiful memory’— Translated from the Bengali by and Alor Phulki – in a single, illuminatingly translated ` 250 old son packed in a box, as well as the sole survivor of volume. One of the principal forces behind the manoshi bhattacharya An imprint of HarperCollins Publishers the blast, a three-year-old boy who, by a strange quirk www.harpercollins.co.in Translated by founding of the Bengal School of Art, Tagore brings Cover illustration and design Inahita Singh FICTION NIVEDITA MENON of fate, is found lying in a small empty space, alive to his writing an instantly recognizable visual texture. and breathing. Compelling and timeless, these have all the makings The Empty Space chronicles the memories of the of a classic – love, loss, envy and intrigue, and the the empty boy gone, the story of the boy brought home, and the overarching theme of the age-old contest for survival space cataclysmic crossing of life and death. between man and animal. However, they are also deeply – and characteristically – political at their geetanjali shree heart. Set in the late nineteenth-century British- Geetanjali Shree has written four novels – Mai, Tirohit, occupied Bengal and replete with Tagore’s Swarajist Hamara Sheher Us Baras and Khali Jagah – and two opinions, these three fables illustrate power play in a Translated from the Hindi by collections of short stories in Hindi. Also to her credit world where self-image is paramount and wit is the is Between Two Worlds: An Intellectual Biography Nivedita menon best way out of crises. of Premchand. Her stories have been translated into Gujarati, English, German, Serbian and Japanese. Her novel Khali Jagah has been translated into Abanindranath Tagore (1871–1951) was the principal Urdu in Pakistan. The English translation of Mai artist and creator of the Indian Society of Oriental was shortlisted for the Hutch-Crossword Translation Art and the first major exponent of swadeshi values Award in 2000. She has received the Indu Sharma in Indian art, thereby founding the influential Bengal Katha Sammaan, the Hindi Akademi Sahityakar School of Art, which led to the development of Sammaan and the Dwijdev Sammaan for her modern Indian painting. He was also a noted writer, contribution to Hindi literature. particularly for children.

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farewell, One day before he is assassinated, Gandhi steps Eighteenth century. In the midst of feudal and out of Birla House into a newly independent oppressive times, a poet–philosopher is born who mahatma: Delhi, wanting his approaching death to be a final, brings religions together and binds people through redemptive message. Sasi begins to clean up the his songs. As time passes, his songs become part of STORIES crime scene after her lover leaves to arrange for the folklore, but the actual man remains shrouded in disposal of her husband’s body, but suddenly, the devibharathi mystery, perhaps out of a habitual self-effacement wall clock begins to tick backwards, setting off a that was part of Lalan Fakir’s philosophy of life. dramatic reversal of events. Resurrected from death Lalan does not subscribe to any conventional Translated from the Tamil by by her brother, Nallathangaal roams the forests religious thoughts and abjures all religious rituals, with her seven children for decades until the love n. kalyan raman believing instead in the humanistic doctrine of the of a carousel man frees her from the curse. Cheenu centrality and validity of Man. His unconventional returns to his beloved wife to find that the years of attitude earns him the ire of both orthodox Hindus warped urges in jail have changed him irrevocably. and Muslims, but attracts a large following among Farewell, Mahatma brings together ten tales that the fakir the poorer sections of society. introduce us to the brilliance and distinctiveness of In a brilliant fictional biography of this mystic poet Devibharathi’s imagination and craft. These stories about whom very little written history exists, novelist explore the dark and dichotomous realities of our Sunil Gangopadhyay recreates the life and times of Translated from the Bengali by history and present, our social and individual lives, Lalan Fakir in simple yet touching prose. deeply probing themes such as freedom, need, desire monabi mitra and the volatile spaces between man and woman. At once unnerving and illuminating, these are short Sunil Kumar Gangopadhyay wasOne oneday before of he isIndia’s assassinated, mostGandhi steps out of Birla House into newly independent Delhi, wanting his approaching stories at their best. death to be a final, redemptive message; Sasi begins to clean well-known writers, writing inup theBengali. crime scene after His her lover novels leaves to arrange for the disposal of her husband’s body, but suddenly the wall clock and their translations, Shei Shomoibegins to tick backwards,(Those setting Days off a dramatic), reversal of events; resurrected from death by her brother, Nallathangaal Prothom Alo (First Light), Monerroams the forests Manush with her seven children(The for decades until the love of a carousel man frees her from the curse; Cheenu Devibharathi has worked as a political activist, Fakir), among others, have allreturns been to his bestsellers.beloved wife to find that He the years of warped urges in jail have changed him irrevocably. government employee, journalist, managing editor won the Sahitya Akademi Award for Shei Shomoi. Farewell, Mahatma brings together ten tales that introduce us of a leading literary magazine and scriptwriter for to the brilliance and distinctiveness of Devibharathi’s imagination and craft. These stories explore the dark and television programmes. dichotomous realities of our history and present, our social and individual lives, probing themes such as freedom, need, desire and the volatile spaces between man and woman. At once unnerving and illuminating, this is short fiction at its best.

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Gathering The Ashes Ashes 50 51

An unusual perspective on India’s first war of independence

Most discussions on the sepoy mutiny of 1857 have centred on the roles played in it by the Mughal emperor Bahadur Shah Zafar, Nawab Wajid Ali Shah, Begum Hazrat Mahal and other From a cramped, ant-infested house to a spacious sundry members of mostly urban nobility. What remained missing Translated by ghachar was a comprehensive ground-zero account of how people in Mrinal Pande Most discussions on the sepoy mutiny of 1857 have the countryside experienced this unorganized rebellion and bungalow, a family finds itself making a transition reacted to it. In 1957, a hundred years after the mutiny, eminent Hindi writer centred largely on the role played in it by the Mughal set out to correct this. He travelled to villages and ghochar in many ways. The narrator, a sensitive young man, towns that witnessed the uprising and painstakingly gathered reminiscences and popular ballads about the revolt, its celebrated Emperor, the Nawab of Awadh and other sundry and unsung heroes, its survivors and martyrs, and also engrossing is numbed by the swirl around him. All he can episodes about where and how various battles were fought. Ageing courtesans, bedridden octogenarians, nameless singers members of mostly urban nobility. What remained Vivek shanbhag poured their heart out to him. The slim volume Nagar finally put Amritlal Nagar do is flee every day to an old-world café, where he together, Ghadar Ke Phool, was testimony to the fact that nothing can stop the spread of a revolution whose time has come. missing was ground-zero reportage of how ordinary Translated from the Hindi for the first time, Gathering The seeks solace from an oracular waiter. As members of Ashes is a stirring look back at an extraordinary time in Indian history, peppered with tales of outstanding acts of heroism and people across the countryside experienced the rebellion. of shameful cowardice, of cunning alliances and heart-warming the family realign their equations and desires, new collaborations beyond religious divides. Importantly, it remains Translated from the Kannada by a topical book for a country that speaks anew of revolutions through dharnas, protest marches and candlelight vigils. In 1957, eminent Hindi writer Amritlal Nagar strands are knotted, others come apart, and conflict travelled across villages and towns scattered across Srinath perur brews dangerously in the background. ` 399 Amritlal Nagar India’s heartland and painstakingly gathered

An Imprint of HarperCollins Publishers Masterfully translated from the Kannada by www.harpercollins.co.in HISTORY reminiscences and popular ballads about the revolt, Srinath Perur, Ghachar Ghochar is a suspenseful, its celebrated and unsung heroes, its survivors and playful and ultimately menacing story about the martyrs, and where and how various battles were shifting consequences of success. gathering fought. Ageing courtesans, bedridden octogenarians, nameless singers poured their heart out to him in the ashes Awadhi, and the slim volume he finally put together, Vivek Shanbhag is one of the finest writers in Gathering the Ashes/Gadhar Ke Phool, made it clear Kannada. His stories have been widely translated amritlal nagar even to the lay reader that nothing can stop the and many of them have been adapted for the spread of a revolution whose time has come. stage; one of them, ‘Nirvana’, has been made into a short film. Vivek founded and edited the Translated from the Hindi by pioneering Kannada literary journal Desha Kaala.

mrinal pande Amritlal Nagar was one of the most prominent Hindi writers of the twentieth century. Often cited as the true literary heir to Premchand, he penned over fourteen novels, thirteen short- story collections, in addition to numerous plays, screenplays for Hindi films, and books for children. He received the Sahitya Akademi Award in 1967 for his novel, Amrit aur Vish, and was awarded the Padma Bhushan in 1981.

GENRE Non-fiction FORMAT B/PB PAGE EXTENT 388 PRICE `399/- Rights World GENRE Fiction Format B/PB imultaneously published in English and Malayalam, the language in which it was first written, Gift in Green is an unconventional novel Page Extent 224 about the relationship between a people and the land they inhabit. Price `399/- Kumaran is a young man when he leaves Aathi, serene island of water- Rights World S G ift in reen bodies and mangroves, for the ‘modernity’ and ‘exposure’ of the big city. G G Many years later, his return to Aathi signals the beginning of the end, as 52

ift in 53 roads and bridges choke the water-life, birds and butterflies flee the dying mangrove forests, and chemicals seep into the paddy fields that have fed generations over several hundreds of years.

Will the idealism of Dinakaran, the fury of Ponmani and the pragmatic G perseverance of Karthiayini and her companions be able to stop the An unemployed young man is invited to his lover’s relentless progress of the behemoth? Or will the concrete city with its reen the golden daily expulsions of tonnes of sewage take over the backwaters that give wedding and decides to gift her a bottle of his own life to Aathi? blood. Rumours of a great big flood or a rebellion A delightfully romantic vision of the world as it once was — and perhaps Gift in Green, written originally in Malayalam, is a GANDHI still can be — as well as a searing delineation of the dystopia that awaits Sarah Joseph of refugees in Calcutta fly through the country. us, Gift in Green shows us a new way to read our times, powered by the tantalizingly unconventional narrative that explores, imagination of a writer who is known to touch a raw nerve every time she statue from Haran Majhi’s starved widow’s corpse floats down puts words on a page. on multiple levels, the pain and poetry that eventuate from the disruption of the intimate relationship america: rivers and swamps and drains as the nation eagerly Translated by An Imprint of HarperCollins Publishers awaits the unveiling of the golden Gandhi statue www.harpercollins.co.in Valson Thampu between a people and their life-world, using water from America. Cover design Shuka Jain (the ‘water-life’ of the people of Aathi) as the EARLY STORIES Cover painting Shereef K overarching metaphor that mirrors the degradation The early stories of Subimal Misra took the Bengali ` 350 of the society. SUBIMAL MISRA literary world by storm upon their publication in the late 1960s. Misra’s pieces are more anti-stories fiction Between the polarities of attachment and than stories, a montage of images that flow into abandonment, darkness and light, predatory Translated from the Bengali by progress and the sheer will to survive, unfolds the each other and tell a tale with greater power and gift in green saga of a people confronted by the behemoth of V. RAMASWAMY urgency than narrative fiction. Anti-establishment progress driven by Kumaran, who seeks to abandon and revolutionary, these stories by a writer whom sarah joseph the water-life, threatening its very existence. But many consider to be a cult figure in Bengali literature such is the author’s faith in the resilience of life resonate with truths that are undeniable even today, and nature, and her belief in the futility of trying to forty years after they were written. Translated from the Malayalam by control something as fluid and eternal as water-life,

valson thampu that what promises to be the end is also the hope for Subimal Misra (b. 1943) has been called the only a new beginning. anti-establishment writer in Bengali. Influenced by the cinema of Sergei Eisenstein and Jean-Luc Sarah Joseph is an eminent Malayali author and Godard, Misra experimented with the use of film social activist. All four of her previous novels have language in Bengali writing even as he made won prestigious state-level awards. The English William Burroughs’s cut-up method his own. translation of her novel , titled The Scent With his very first collection of stories, Haran of the Other Side (2009) won the Vodafone- Majhi’s Widow’s Corpse or the Golden Gandhi Crossword Book Award in 2010. Statue (1971), he signalled his departure from conventional narrative fiction. He has written exclusively for little magazines. Misra’s stories, novellas, novels, a play, essays and interviews comprise over thirty volumes. Cupid’s Corpse Does GENRE Fiction FORMAT B/PB Not Drown in Water, an experimental prose work, PAGE EXTENT 384 was published in 2010. PRICE `350/- Rights World GENRE Non-fiction Format A/HB Page Extent 144 Price `350/- Rights World 54 55

hindutva or Born out of a meditation on the ideas of the nation It’s the nineties, and Kashmir is in turmoil. The state and nationalism, and what the new power tourism industry has taken a big hit, and the youth are hind swaraj structures and centres mean for the very idea of disillusioned, with no jobs or hopes for the future. In India, Hindutva or Hind Swaraj is a manifesto – this climate, Malla Khaliq waits day after day for guests u.r. ananthamurthy written in the form of aphorisms, using shifting to arrive at his three beloved houseboats – Gul, Gulshan tones and styles to make a deep, elegant and heartfelt and Gulfam – on the Dal Lake, and struggles to keep Translated from the Kannada by point about the human cost of radicalization. This his three sons together. While Noor Mohammed loves last work of Jnanpith award winner and pre-eminent his father, and tries to keep the faith, despite evidence Keerti ramachandra & writer U.R. Ananthamurthy is a creative response that business is on the decline, Ghulam Ahmed and vivek shanbhag to the rise of Hindutva nationalism in India. Ghulam Qadir have plans that might place them in Juxtaposing V.D. Savarkar’s idea of Hindutva with the path of danger. Meanwhile, as Khaliq prepares M.K. Gandhi’s concept of Hind Swaraj, the book for his much-pampered daughter Parveen’s wedding, examines two directions that were open to India at the sudden arrival of a mysterious British girl sets in the time of Independence. gul gulshan motion events that threaten to disturb the precarious equilibrium of his household. gulfam U.R. Ananthamurthy was one of the most influential Gul Gulshan Gulfam paints a portrait of a Kashmir voices of Indian literature. Among the numerous pran kishore in transition, and of a man who is trying to salvage awards and recognitions he received were the © K.S. Rajaram ‘I feel an urgent need to talk to myself, both the memories and values of his‘U.R. youth. Ananthamurthy Once understood a popular better than most the mortal threat to Jnanpith,‘I feel an urgent need Padma to talk to myself, Bhushan, both the SahityaAkademi because of the nationwide humiliation that democracy posed by ultranationalism. Unlike others he made his case by fellowship, because of the nationwide the humiliation Basava that award and a nomination television series, this novelizationway of a refined vividlyliterary sensibility recreates and a vibrant desi cosmopolitanism, camecame my wayway when when I Irejected rejected Modi Modi and and Translated from the Kashmiri by both of which are on full display in Hindutva or Hind Swaraj. Reading his for becausebecause the of Modi’s Man overwhelming overwhelming Booker victory victory International Prize. One of the streets of Srinagar and urgentthe wordsonce-living from the beyond – economywords, as URA puts it, that “swim against that left me astounded.’ the tide” – we are reminded what an important voice his was, and how the that leftpioneers me astounded.’ of the Navya movement, he is best shafi shauq of the Dal lake. This is a deeplysorely he affectingis missed.’ story about—SHELDON POLLOCK knownThe very last workfor of Jnanpith his awardnovels winner and Samskara and Bharatipura. relationships, migration, ambitions‘Hindutva or Hind Swarajand hides dreams in it Ananthamurthy’s of personal credo and pre-eminent writer U.R. Ananthamurthy testimony. For others living in these turbulent times in India, it is Untilis a creative the response end, to the URA, rise of Hindutva as he was affectionately known, U.R. ANANTHAMURTHY was one of the most preserving one’s homeland. something more — a marvellous posthumous gift and a guide for the nationalism in India. Juxtaposing V.D. Savarkar’s influential voices of Kannada and Indian literature. remainedidea of Hindutva with a M.K. strong Gandhi’s concept critic of India’s shift to the Among the numerous awards and recognitions he confused, apathetic, increasingly amoral middle classes. Fittingly, the author’s prose too rises to the occasion. It acquires an elegance and biblical of Hind Swaraj, the book examines two directions received were the Jnanpith, Padma Bhushan, the non-secularthat were open to India atright. the time of Independence.He died on 22 August 2014 and Sahitya Akademi fellowship, the Basava award and simplicity that could have come only from a person who knew he was a nominationPran for the ManKishore Booker International is a Kashmiri stagewriting his personality. last book. The question Heis: are haswe prepared to accept it as a remainsBorn out of a meditation deeply on the mourned.ideas of the nation Prize. One of the pioneers of the Navya movement, marvellous posthumous gift to us?’ —ASHIS NANDY state and nationalism, and what the new power he is best knownalso for hisdirected novels Samskara and written screenplays. He got the structures and centres mean for the very idea Bharatipura. He is the author of six novels, as well ‘U.R. Ananthamurthy’s Hindutva or Hind Swaraj signals that the age of the of India, the essay – written in the form of as several shortKendra story collections, Sahitya poems, plays Akademi and Awardmanifesto foris not yethis over. novel One of India’s Sheen greatest storytellers, he chose the aphorisms – uses shifting tones and styles to make essays. Until the end, URA, as he was affectionately manifesto as the genre for his swan song. One needs the speech of manifestos a deep, elegant and heartfelt point about the known, remained a strong critic of India’s shift to Ta Vatapod and is also a torecipient cut to the very core of Indian the politics, Silver the heart of darkness we call the human cost of radicalization. the non-secular right. He died on 22 August 2014 nation state.’ —From the Foreword by SHIV VISVANATHAN and remainsPeacock deeply mourned. for Hindutva the or Hind feature film Maanzirath. Swaraj is his very last work.

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HON’BLE MINISTER Page Extent 224 es! ack of all trad agubhai is a j ` er, politico—J Price 399/- lm extra, farm Fi Rights World Gujarat MLA Jagubhai finds himself on the fast track to a coveted 56 57 ministership after a local newspaper lists his name amongst the probables. His base of supporters swells overnight. Officials, businessmen, supporters and even close family members line up to remind him of old favours given and promises to be kept. Jagubhai’s nephew, Rajshekhar, an inconsequential government officer, joins his team uninvited as his self-styled personal secretary and sets about Gujarat MLA Jagubhai finds himself on the fast track An intensely romantic story that unfolds in the implementing a system of utopian finesse—the right behaviour, the the last right reading list, the right allocation of the important man’s time. As a crisis brews and Jagubhai’s fate becomes increasingly to a coveted ministership after a local newspaper beautiful hill station of Shillong in north-eastern uncertain, the rollercoaster ride of politics is set in motion. lists his name amongst the probables. His base of poem India, The Last Poem (Shesher Kavita) is considered by Dramatic, humorous and full of intrigue, this novel will remind you of the trajectory of some of our leaders who make it to the supporters swells overnight. Officials, businessmen, many to be Rabindranath Tagore’s finest prose work. front page these days. rabindranath

Pravinsinh Chavda Chavda Pravinsinh supporters and even close family members line up Amit Ray travels to Shillong to escape the to remind him of old favours given and promises tagore drudgery of his middle-class existence and finds to be kept. Jagubhai’s nephew, Rajshekhar, an himself ensnared instead in a web of passion and inconsequential government officer, joins his team Translated from the Bengali by poetry with the elegant and enigmatic Lavanya. uninvited as his self-styled personal secretary and sets As the protagonists grow closer to each other in ` 299 about implementing a system of utopian finesse – DILIP BASU An Imprint of HarperCollins Publishers Cover design Riti Jain Dhar Pravinsinh Chavda this unconventional love story, they also discover www.harpercollins.co.in FICTION the right behaviour, the right reading list, the right f HarperCollinsIndia t @HarperCollinsIN Translated from the Gujarati by Mira Desai themselves – their strengths, their ambitions, their allocation of the important man’s time. flaws and their follies. As a crisis brews and Jagubhai’s fate becomes increasingly uncertain, the rollercoaster ride of hon'ble Rabindranath Tagore (1861–1941) was a poet, politics is set in motion. visual artist, playwright, novelist, educationist, minister Dramatic, humorous and full of intrigue, this social reformer, nationalist and composer whose jga ubhai novel will remind you of the trajectory of some of works reshaped Bengali literature and music in the our leaders who make it to the front page these days. late 19th and early 20th centuries. He was awarded the Noble Prize for literature in 1913 – the first pravinsinh chavda Asian to have won the prize. Pravinsinh Chavda is a well-known author in Gujarati, with six short-story collections, a travelogue, a literary Translated from the Gujarati by autobiography and a novel to his credit. Many of his

mira desai stories have been translated into Hindi, Marathi and English and have been widely published in national and international magazines.

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Valmiki’s Ramayana is the story of Rama’s exile and All through his dark days in jail, where Kuldeep return to Ayodhya, a triumphant king who will always a life Singh is serving a term for participating in anti- do right by his subjects. incomplete British agitations, he remembers his beautiful wife In Volga’s retelling, it is Sita who, after being and dreams of going home. But when he returns, abandoned by Purushottam Rama, embarks on an nanak singh his wife is dead, leaving behind their infant child. arduous journey to self-realization. Along the way, As his world collapses around him, he negotiates the she meets extraordinary women who have broken Translated from the Punjabi by divergent pulls exerted by the people around him: a free from all that held them back: husbands, sons, holy man who advocates renunciation; his childhood and their notions of desire, beauty and chastity. The navdeep suri friend Saroj who has always loved him; and the minor women characters of the epic as we know it – tempestuous Prakash who hides an unsavoury past. Surpanakha, Renuka, Urmila and Ahalya – steer Sita Sahitya Akademi Award-winning author Nanak towards an unexpected resolution. Meanwhile, Rama Singh draws on personal experiences to create this too must reconsider and weigh out his roles as the king compelling portrait of Punjab in the 1920s. Originally of Ayodhya and as a man deeply in love with his wife. the published in Punjabi in 1940, Adh Kidhiya Phool is A powerful subversion of India’s most popular an intense meditation on the choices people make liberation tale of morality, choice and sacrifice, The Liberation and the consequences these may have. The author’s of Sita opens up new spaces within the old discourse, engagement with social issues like superstition of sita enabling women to review their lives and experiences and blind faith, religious bigotry, casteism and the afresh. This is Volga at her feminist best. emancipation of women seems as relevant today as it VOLGA did when he wrote this book.

Volga (Popuri Lalitha Kumari) is a noted feminist Translated from the Telugu by writer in Telugu. Her nearly-fifty publications include Navdeep Suri is widely regarded as the father of Svechcha (Freedom, 1987; novel), Rajakeeya Kathalu the Punjabi novel. With little formal education T. Vijay Kumar & (Political Stories, 1992; short story collection), Neeli beyond the fourth grade, he wrote an astounding C. Vijayasree Meghalu (Blue Clouds, 1993; edited anthology of thirty-eight novels and an assortment of plays, feminist poetry), Charitra Swaralu (Voices of History, short stories, poems, essays and even a set of 2001; play), and Maaku Godalu Levu (We Have No translations. He won the prestigious Sahitya Walls, 1989; feminist essays). She has translated Akademi Award in 1962. Agnes Smedley’s Daughter of Earth (1929), Nawal El Saadawi’s Woman at Point Zero (1975), Oriana Fallaci’s Letter to a Child Never Born (1975), and also the script of ’s Gandhi (1982) GENRE Fiction into Telugu. FORMAT B/PB PAGE EXTENT 176 PRICE `299/- Rights World P.S. GENRE Fiction Insights Interviews Winner of the & More. Vikas kumar Jha Format B/PB KatHa UK aWard 2011 Page Extent 240 conferred in the House of Commons Price `350/- Translated from the Hindi by Rights World Mahasweta Ghosh 60 The STory of The only Anglo-IndIAn VIllAge In IndIA 61 Denis McGowan left India for Hong Kong to make his fortune. As the years passed and his printing press prospered, he lost touch with home. But as news of Hong Kong’s impending handover by Britain to China trickles in, McGowan’s stable life seems suddenly uncertain. And it stirs up his memory, filling him with nostalgic ache for his village in India. Mohanaswamy has just lost his long-time partner, ‘This novel has the mohanaswamy That’s when young Robin McGowan decides to travel to same charm as the village his father speaks of so often—McCluskieganj, John Steinbeck’s Karthik, to a woman. Even as he scrutinizes himself, Cannery Row. an Anglo-Indian agricultural haven founded in the 1940s in Intensely nostalgic what is now Jharkhand. Only, when he gets there, he finds and engrossing.’ Vsa udheNDra the choices he’s made, the friends and lovers he’s that the village is nothing like the idyllic home of his father's – Hansda Sowvendra Shekhar childhood. Overrun by outlaws, bogged down by politicking Vikas kumar Jha gained and lost, Mohanaswamy dreams of living a and controlled by land mafia, this is not the place where the nature-loving tribals had once peacefully co-existed with simple, dignified life. A life that would allow him the Anglo-Indians who chose India over Britain in 1947. Denis McGowan left India for Hong Kong to make Translated from the Kannada by McCluskieganj is a true-to-life portrait of an to leave, even forget, the humiliation and fears of extraordinary village. his fortune. As the years passed, he lost touch with RASHMI TERDAL adolescence, the slurs his mind still carries around – home. But as news of Hong Kong’s impending gandu sule, hennu huli – and the despair that made handover by Britain to China trickles in, McGowan’s ` 399 ebook him crave to conform. A coming out of the closet for An Imprint of HarperCollins Publishers Cover design © HarperCollins Publishers India stable life seems suddenly uncertain. And it fills him Cover and inside images Brijesh Patel www.harpercollins.co.in Vasudhendra himself, these stories of homosexual f HarperCollinsIndia t @HarperCollinsIN fiction with nostalgic ache for his village in India. That’s love and lives jolted Kannada readers out of their when young Robin McGowan decides to travel to the notions of the literary and the palatable. village his father speaks of so often – McCluskieganj, Mccluskieganj an Anglo-Indian agricultural haven founded in the The gritty narratives of Mohanaswamy explore 1940s in what is now Jharkhand. But when he gets sexuality, urbanization and class with nuance and an vi kas kumar jha there, he finds that it is nothing like the idyllic home unflinching honesty that will both unnerve and move of his father’s childhood. readers in English, and serve as a fine introduction to one of the strongest voices in . Translated from the Hindi by McCluskieganj is a true-to-life portrait of an extraordinary village. mahasweta GHOSH Vasudhendra has written over thirteen books in Kannada and has won many literary awards, Vikas Kumar Jha is a journalist by profession and including the Kannada Sahitya Academy Book has worked for magazines like Maya and Outlook, Award, the Da Raa Bendre Story Award and and is currently devoted to full-time writing. the Dr U.R. Ananthamurthy Award. He runs his McCluskieganj received the Katha UK Award in the own publishing house, Chanda Pustaka, and is House of Commons in 2011. associated with various LGBTQ support groups.

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Aranya and Ishan are neighbours. They live alone, a night in A Night in London chronicles the diverse and often each in their own home. They are in the autumn conflicting emotional, ideological and political of their lives. And theirs is a rare friendship. She is london aspirations of an entire generation of Indian students impulsive, anarchic and fiercely feminist. He is gentle, in Europe. The novella sheds light on the dynamics sensitive, orderly and believes in the institution of sajjad zaheer of late imperial culture – English working-class family, even though he has no one to call his own. politics, anti-colonial sentiment and race relations The two of them banter about time, existentialism, Translated from the Urdu by – like no other sustained narrative by an expatriate changing cities, food, music and people in general. Indian author of the same period. They think aloud about ageing and death, and bilal hashmi Long considered a landmark in twentieth-century wonder whether living the way they do amounts to Urdu fiction, A Night in London is being made biding time. available in English for the first time in a translation Krishna Sobti’s The Music of Solitude is a novel by Bilal Hashmi. about sharing solitude and growing old in a city that is at once keenly private and aggressively collective. the music of Sajjad Zaheer (1905 –1973) is widely acknowledged This is as much a portrait of the changing times as as a key intellectual presence in twentieth- solitude it is the story of a beautiful romance that thrives on century India. One of the founders of the All-India companionship. Progressive Writers Association (AIPWA), his writing krishna sobti spanned a variety of genres and his ideas traversed national boundaries. As a political leader, writer, Krishna Sobti won the Sahitya Akademi Award translator, poet and journalist, Zaheer engaged Translated from the Hindi by in 1980 for Zindaginama and in 1996, she was with many of the pressing issues of his day. awarded the Sahitya Akademi Fellowship. She vasudha dalmia is most well known for her 1966 novel Mitro Marjani, an unapologetic portrayal of a married woman’s sexuality.

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no child's It’s 1970 and curious things are afoot in the world. In New Jersey, a boy with stiff limbs but extraordinary play intelligence is born to an NRI couple, and a powerful evil organization is out to exterminate him. In China, shirshendu Dr Wong’s greatest invention, a bio-mechanical mukhopadhyay robot, has been stolen by goons. Meanwhile, in Calcutta, Gadai Babu brings home a mysterious Translated from the Bengali by science kit from the grey market, and it appears to set off bewildering news on TV and odd spirits in bhaskar chattopadhyay his lab at home.

Translated from the Bengali original, Bonny, this classic sci-fi novel is a roller-coaster ride, full of Nindiya Chor/The Crescent Moon and Baaghbaan/ nindiya chor unforgettable characters, drama, action and intrigue. The Gardener marks the irresistible coming together As racy as it is charming, this is a good old-fashioned & baaghbaan of two giants of poetry: Rabindranath Tagore and nail-biting mystery. Gulzar. Drawing on some of Tagore’s most well- RAbindranath known poetry for children and adults, including tagore Shishu, Chitra, Kshanika, Sonar Tari and Malonchho. Shirshendu Mukhopadhyay first novel for young Gulzar’s translation provides a whole new insight adults, Manojder Adbhut Bari, was received very well by young and old alike. Made popular by the Translated from the Bengali by into the mind of the Bard of Bengal. Including the original in Bengali and Tagore’s own English famous magazine Anandamela, he has penned several children's novels Potashgorer Jongole, GULZAR translations of the same, this is a collector’s edition. Pagla Saheber Kabor, Chhayamoy and Patalghar A must for all lovers of poetry and literature. being some of them. As literary as he is popular, several of his works have been made into movies. Rabindranath Tagore, India’s most well-known poet Widely translated, he received the Sahitya Akademi and litterateur and arguably the finest Bengali poet Award for his novel Manobjomin in 1989. ever, reshaped Bengali literature and music. He became the first non-European to win the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1913.

GENRE Poetry Format Other/HB Page Extent 376 Price `199/- Rights World GENRE Fiction Format B/PB Page Extent 292 In this village, penury is familiar, joy is subtle, and hunger and thirst chase after men like ghosts. Here, policemen Price `250/- fire guns made of wood, and fathers name mynahs after Vinod Kumar Shukla FLOWERS their daughters. Everything is as real as it is illusory. ONCE IT Rights World 66 ONCE IT 67

FLOWERS In this village, penury is familiar, joy is subtle, and Deceptive, tenacious and sinful, the ‘other woman’ Translated from the Hindi by the other Satti Khanna hunger and thirst chase after men like ghosts. Here, seduces husbands, breaks happy and unhappy A thunderstorm blows the roof off a village school. Guruji, the school teacher, who lives in Vinod Kumar Shukla marriages by playing the dark temptress. She stands the school building with his family, is forced to policemen fire guns made of wood, and fathers name woman: seek shelter in an abandoned police station. The schoolhouse opens to the sky, and along mynahs after their daughters. Everything is as real as as much on the inside as on the outside of the with it, this intensely poetic novel opens up to the inner world of a dozen characters – relationship she infringes upon. This is the woman, Guruji, his wife, their two children, the village it is illusory. 16 tales of ‘This sprawling miniature watchman, the tailor, the teashop owner at the evokes the strength of the railway station and the stationmaster. There is powerful yet powerless, that we encounter in story vulnerable. Vinod Kumar also the worldly-wise grocer, Jivrakhan, and his Shukla is truly a writer’s A thunderstorm blows the roof off a village school. wife, who listens to the radio because nothing love and writer and his intense after story of this unusual collection. else will fill the emptiness in her life. narrative is a masterpiece Guruji, the school teacher, who lives in the school A dreamlike novel that is an extraordinary of irony and allegory’ evocation of modern India. – Namita Gokhale building with his family, is forced to seek shelter deception Manorama’s many men abandon her the day she falls in love with one man. A tribal girl frees Randhir ` 350 in an abandoned police station. The schoolhouse An Imprint of HarperCollins Publishers of all inhibitions in a sexual encounter. A man Cover design Arijit Ganguly opens to the sky, and along with it, this intensely Cover images Shutterstock.com www.harpercollins.co.in FICTION poetic novel opens up to the inner world of a dozen Editied by surrenders his body to an older woman as a devotee’s characters – Guruji, his wife, their two children, the offering to a deity. A visitor from home brings along monica das village watchman, the tailor, the teashop owner at Suniti’s little secret from the past, thus shattering once it the railway station and the stationmaster. There is the calm of her marital life. Incredibly moving tales also the worldly-wise grocer, Jivrakhan, and his wife, of love and heartbreak, The Other Woman brings flowers who listens to the radio because nothing else will fill together the many perceptions of love, lust, fidelity the emptiness in her life. and the enigmatic ‘otherness’ of all women. P.S. INSIGHTS, vinod kumar shukla INTERVIEWS & MORE. A dreamlike novel, that is an extraordinary 16 tales of evocation of modern India. love and Monica Das's work on gender studies has been eceptive, tenacious and sinful, the ‘other Translated from the Hindi by woman’ seduces husbands, breaks happy deception recognized by several international universities. She and unhappy marriages by playing theD dark temptress. She stands as much on the inside as has presented papers on gender issues and chaired satti khanna on the outside of the relationship she infringes upon. Vinod Kumar Shukla is knownAs for lover, girlfriendhis fascinating or second wife, she is not always in sessions at various international conferences in the wrong, though she can often end up becoming a style of writing that often bordersvictim. on magic- the USA, Canada, Australia and UK. She edited realism. His most important Thisworks is the woman, include powerful yetthe powerless, that we encounter in story after story of this unusual collection. Her Story So Far: Tales of the Girl Child in India. novels Naukar ki Kameez (madeManorama’s into many a men movie abandon herby the day she falls in love with one man. Maganlal Daruwala initiates She teaches Economics in Delhi University and Mani Kaul) and Deewar Mein EkShardabai Khidki into prostitution Rahati and Thibecomes, the richest bidder for first nights to her daughter, granddaughter is a Fellow at the Developing Countries Research and great-granddaughter. A tribal girl frees Randhir of the which won the Sahitya Akademiall inhibitionsAward in a insexual 1999. encounter. A man surrenders Centre, Delhi University. his body to an older woman as a devotee’s offering to a deity. A visitor from home brings along Suniti’s little secret from the past, thus shattering the calm of her other marital life. Incredibly moving tales of love and heartbreak, The Other Woman brings together the many perceptions of love, lust, fidelity, and the enigmatic ‘otherness’ of woman all women. edited by Monica Das

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P.S. GENRE Fiction INSIGHTS, INTERVIEWS Format B/PB & MORE. Page Extent 328 Winner of the Price `399/- Sahitya Akademi Award 2015 Rights World Ann Marie reads fragments of her dead husband’s 68 69 unfinished book, and the many love letters he sent a PREFACE to MAN her, and in them the social and political events of the time. As she ponders the writing and the years that the brilliant Jithendran squandered working for a toy company that makes drum-playing monkeys, the narrative gives way to the sweeping saga of a village Ann Marie reads fragments of her dead husband’s When the East India Company sells one of its village by the river Periyar. Grappling with issues of equality, primal love, caste, religion and politics, Thachanakkara is a microcosm of twentieth-century Kerala. unfinished book, and the many love letters he sent bungalows to a Bengali aristocrat, the erstwhile Told through the history of three generations her, and in them the social and political events of woman: manager, Hamilton sahib, finds himself homeless of a feudal Nair family, this sprawling story is ‘In its historical sweep, reminiscent of the craft of Gabriel Garcia Márquez’s original craft and mastery of narrative, this novel takes its the time. As she ponders the writing and the years in his adopted country. A young woman remembers One Hundred Years of Solitude and has the scale of place in the front row of modern Sunil Gangopadhyay’s Those Days. A Preface to Man Indian fiction, heralding … the that the brilliant Jithendran squandered working for stories home only as a boxful of childhood memories and is an artistic meditation on human existence and a rebirth of the great Indian novel.’ contemporary classic. —PAUL ZACHARIA a toy company that makes drum-playing monkeys, sunil gangopadhyay the room in which she has been imprisoned by a rich ‘A book of such brilliance needs to be translated the narrative gives way to the sweeping saga of a babu. A mother leaves behind her house and her into every language. Deeply moving.’ — a village by the river Periyar. Grappling with issues of notions of chastity in order to feed her children. A PREFACE equality, love, caste, religion and politics, the novel is Translated from the Bengali by Muslim woman fights for her right to be identified

` 499 to MAN a microcosm of twentieth-century Kerala. as herself and not by her caste, religion or husband’s An Imprint of HarperCollins Publishers ARUNA CHAKRAVARTI Cover design and illustration Maithili Doshi Aphale www.harpercollins.co.in SUBHASH CHANDRAN name. f HarperCollinsIndia t @HarperCollinsIN FICTION Translated from the Malayalam by Fathima E. V. Told through the history of three generations of a feudal Nair family, this sprawling story is One of the most powerful writers of his time, Sunil reminiscent of the craft of Gabriel Garcia Marquez’s Gangopadhyay traces the dreams of a generation A Hundred Years of Solitude and has the scale of of men and women. You will read about the a preface to Sunil Gangopadhyay’s Those Days. A Preface to Man desperation that drives human actions, the struggle is an artistic meditation on human existence and a to cull one’s sense of self and the unending search for man contemporary classic. faith. Translated with rare feeling and felicity, these SUBHASH CHANDRAN fifteen stories explore a startling range of ideas that Subhash Chandran was born in 1972 in showcase the master storyteller at his finest. Kadungalloor, Kerala. He has won numerous Sunil Translated from the Malayalam by When the East India Company sells one of its prestigious awards including the Sahityavillage bungalows Akademi to a Bengali aristocrat, the erstwhile manager, Hamilton sahib, finds himself Gangopadhyay Sunil Gangopadhyay was one of India’s most FATHIMA F.V. Award, Odakkuzhal Award and Vayalarhomeless in his adoptedliterary country. A mother leaves her house and her notions of well-known writers, writing in Bengali. His novels prize. A Preface to Man received chastitygreat in order tocritical feed her children. One of the most powerful writers of his time, and their translations, Shei Shomoi (Those Days), acclaim and remains one of theSunil Gangopadhyaybest-selling traces the dreams of a generation of men and women, through the Prothom Alo (First Light), Moner Manush (The forgotten bylanes of Calcutta, past the canal books in Malayalam. Four of his storiesthat flows have next to the beennewly built VIP Road, Fakir), among others, have all been bestsellers. He across the broken bridge to the village of adapted into films. He has also publishedChitalmari, and further backeight in time, to the mysterious cave where the Buddha’s shadow won the Sahitya Akademi Award for Shei Shomoi. still appears, and to the Primal Woman, who books for children. preceded Eve as Adam’s mate but had to pay a huge price for asking to be treated as Adam’s equal. Within these pages you will read about the desperation that drives human actions, the struggle to cull one’s sense of self and the Primal unending search for faith. Translated with rare feeling and felicity by Aruna Chakravarti, one of India’s finest translators, these fifteen stories explore a startling range of ideas that showcase the master storyteller at his finest. Woman StorieS ` 399 GENRE Fiction Cover design and photograph Trinankur Banerjee Format B/PB FICTION www,harpercollins.co.in Translated by Aruna Chakravarti Page Extent 480 Price `499/- Rights World GENRE Fiction Format B/PB Page Extent 320 Price `350/- Rights World 70 71

Every night a writer gets a phone call from an ra ja ravi This is the story of a little boy who grew up making unknown woman named Rain. A man in a charcoal sketches on freshly whitewashed temple restaurant wishes the waitress would bring him a varma walls, and went on to earn the title ‘Raja’ in the fish bowl with a lone goldfish so he can gift it to court for his artistic prowess. the woman at the next table. A girl suffering from ranjit desai His painting of a Nair woman who worked in his wife’s Electra Complex forges a life-long bond of hatred palace brought him wrath and recognition alike. His with her mother. Bradley Hudson awaits death, Translated from the Marathi by deep involvement with Sugandha, the Maharashtrian remembering his beloved Munni Begum, but what lady who became Menaka, Damayanti, Urvashi in about the love of Longlatti, who devoutly tends vikrant pande his most acclaimed works, caught the fancy of many to him in his twilight years? Rafael Tigga converts critics and admirers. As controversial as he was gifted, to Christianity in a bid to escape penury, but he Ravi Varma moved gods and goddesses out and his tribal kin get a raw deal, remaining neither of temples and into the common man’s home, and Christian nor Hindu in the end. immortalized many people and moments in history Pratyaksha’s writing is a statement in non-conformity, through his brushstrokes. rainsong and Rainsong an exceptionally brave work. This Rich with cultural history and set against the collection broke fresh ground in Hindi literature. Each pratyaksha backdrop of the British Raj, Ranjit Desai’s captivating one of these powerful, disconcerting short stories and biographical novel gives us many fresh insights into musings is an exploration of the human psyche against the life and mind of India’s first ever calendar artist. Translated from the Hindi by the backdrop of modern life and sensibilities, with the interiority of the language and narration lending the pratyaksha whole an unshakeable intensity. Ranjit Desai (1928–1992) was the undisputed king of biographical novels in Marathi. His most famous works are Radheya, Shriman Yogi, based on the Pratyaksha is one of the most promising Hindi life of Chhatrapati Shivaji, and Swami. He won the writers of this decade. Her first collection of stories, Maharashtra Rajya Award (1963), Hari Narayan Jungle Ka Jadu Til Til, was published by Bhartiya Apte Award (1963), the Sahitya Akademi Award Jnanpith in 2007 and her second one, Pahar (1964) and the Padma Shri from the Government Dopahar Thumri, was published by HarperCollins of India (1973). in 2011.

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A teenage boy wanders from village to village until the roof Chachcho lives with her frigid husband in a little girl ties down his free spirit; a wife writes a Laburnum House, a cluster of hundred or more letter for the first time to her husband of fifteen beneath houses that share a common roof. Her loneliness years, telling him why she must leave him; an old is alleviated when she takes in Lalna, who’s man attempts to reconcile his old heritage with his their feet been dumped by her husband. Their friendship impoverished life. blossoms on the roof, and their closeness geetanjali shree makes many uneasy. Then one day, Lalna leaves This fascinating collection from one of India’s suddenly, to return only after Chachcho’s death. greatest writers explores the myriad shades of life in Translated from the Hindi by Amid rumours and gossip in the neighbourhood, nineteenth-century Bengal. It transports the reader Chachcho’s nephew and Lalna try to piece together to a world where patriarchy and strict social norms rahul soni their memories of Chachcho and their common still ruled and women struggled to find a place for past. Running away from the uncomfortable truth themselves. But as these stories show, it was also a between them is no longer an option. world in transition, from the rural to the urban, from stagnant traditions to the joys of individual freedom. A beautifully crafted story with twists and turns the that will keep you riveted, The Roof Beneath Their Feet is easily among the best contemporary novels by a return of Rabindranath Tagore (1861–1941) was a poet, visual artist, playwright, novelist, educationist, brave writer of our time. khokababu: social reformer, nationalist and composer whose

P.S. INSIGHTS, works reshaped Bengali literature and music in the INTERVIEWS ‘Liberatingly uninhibited and intensely poetic’ — K. Satchidanandan & MORE. From the award-winning author of Mai Born in 1957, Geetanjali Shree’s important works

the best of the roof beneath their feet late 19th and early 20th centuries.Roofs are meantHe forwas wild things. awarded They are meant for romance and play. A place for drying pickles and grains, a place for flying kites, a hub for geetanjali shree include Hamara Shahar Us Baras, Khali Jagah small talk and big altercations. But above all, a realm of freedom… the Noble Prize for Literature in 1913, the first (longlisted for the DSC Prize for South Asian tagore Chachcho lives with her frigid husband in Laburnum House, a cluster Asian to have won the prize. of a hundred or more houses that share a common roof. Her loneliness is alleviated when she takes in Lalna, who’s been dumped by her Literature in 2012) and Tirohit. They have been husband. Their friendship blossoms on the roof, and their closeness makes many uneasy. Then one day, Lalna leaves suddenly, to return translated into Malayalam, English, Serbian, French Rabindranath only after Chachcho’s death. Amid rumours and gossip in the neighbourhood, Chachcho’s nephew and Lalna try to piece together tagore their memories of Chachcho and their common past. Running away and German. She has received the Indu Sharma from the uncomfortable truth between them is no longer an option. Katha Samman, the Hindi Akademi Award, Dwijdev A beautifully crafted story with twists and turns that will keep you riveted, The Roof Beneath Their Feet is easily among the best contemporary novels by a brave writer Samman, 2004 and the Sahitya Akademi Award for of our time. Translated from the Bengali by the English translation of her first novel, Mai.

sipra bhattacharya

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the sea lies 1947, a young man gives up his birthplace in India for a dream country founded by Jinnah. ahead He starts from scratch in the newly established Marked by lyrical beauty and spiritual insight, city of Karachi. However, the past still hounds a deep understanding of human suffering that intizar husain him and memories keep questioning his decision coexists with rapturous abandon, the poems of to migrate. His dilemma becomes even more Jalaluddin Rumi continue to be relevant almost pronounced with the rapid breakdown of law and eight centuries after they were composed, with Translated from the Urdu by order in Karachi and the subsequent separation of contemporary audiences finding new meanings rakhshanda jalil Bangladesh from West Pakistan. in them. Rumi’s poems bring together the divine and the human, the mystical and the corporeal, to A rich portrait of the new culture of urban create a vivid kaleidoscope of poetic images. Pakistan fostered by people who came to the other side from , Meerut and Delhi, this While many recent translations have sought to give outstanding novel strives to make sense of the Rumi’s poetry a certain hippy sensibility, robbing rumi chaos that is Karachi, telling us in sparkling prose it of its true essence, Farrukh Dhondy attempts to the story of Pakistan’s disillusionment. jalaluddin rumi bring out the beauty and music of the verses whilst imitating the metre of the original. Dhondy’s translations provide a modern idiom to the poems, Intizar Husain was born in the United Provinces, Translated from the Persian by carefully keeping intact their religious context. India, in 1925. He emigrated to Pakistan in 1947 and lives in Lahore. He has written five novels and farrukh dhondy Husain Intizar Intizar Husain seven collections of short stories, all of which deftly A great spiritual master and poet, Jalaluddin Rumi chronicle the history of the Indian subcontinent Intizar Husainnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnn wasnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnn born in Wakhsh (Tajikistan) in 1207 to a family after Partition. Considered the greatest living Urdu nnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnn nnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnn ofnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnn learned theologians. He founded the Mawlawi writer of our time, he was nominated for the Man nnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnn Sufinnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnn order, a leading mystical brotherhood of Islam. nnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnn��nnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnn Booker International Prize in 2013. nnn�nnnnnnn�nn�nn�nn�nn�n���nnnnnnnnnnn Hennnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnn�nnnnnnnnnnn�n is also the author of the six-volume epic work, nnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnn �nnnnnnnnnn�nnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnn thennnnnnnnn�nnnn�nnnnnnnnn�nnnnn�nnnnnnnn Mathnawi, which has been referred to as the nnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnn�nnn�nnnnnn nn�nnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnn nnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnn�nnnnnn�n�n nnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnn�nnnnnnnnn ‘Koran in Persian’. n�n�nnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnn Dr Rakhshanda Jalillllllllllllllllllllll nnnnnnnnnnn�nnnnnnnnnnnnnnnn�nnnn�nnnnnnnn lnnnnnnnnnnn�nnnnnnnnnnnn�nnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnlllllllll nnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnn�n nnnnnnnnnnnnnnn�n�n�n���n����n�n��n���n���n nnnnnnnnnn�nnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnn n�nnnnnnnn��nnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnn�nnnnnnnnnnn �nnnnnnnnnnn�nnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnn nnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnn���n�nnn��n�nn�nn�nnn nnnnnnnnnnnn�nnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnn nnnnnnn�nnnnnnnnn��nnnnnnnnnnnnnnnn nnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnn�nnnnnnnnnnnnnnn �nnnnnnn�n�nnnnnnnnn�nnnnnnnnnnn�nnnnnnnnn nnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnn n�n�n�nnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnn�nn nnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnn nnnnnnnnnnnnn�nnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnn�nn nnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnn nnnnnnn���������n���nnnnn�nnnnn���nnnnnnnnnn nnnnnnnnnnnnn�nnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnn�nnnnn nnnnnnnnnnnnnnn�nnn�nnnnnnn�nnnnnnnnnnnnnnnn nnnnnnnnnnnnnn�nnnnnnnnnn �nn���n�n��n�n������n�n��nn�����nn���n��nn nnnnn�nnnnnnnnnnnnn nnn�nnnnnn���nnnnnn���n��nn��nnn���nn�n���n �n����n����n��nnnnn�nnnnn��nnn � �nnnnnnnnn�nnnnnnnnnnnnnnn�nnnnnn nnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnn nn�nnnnnnnnnnn�nnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnn nnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnn�nnnnnnnn nnnnnnnnnn�nnnnnnnnnnnnnn�nnnnn�nnnnnnnnn nnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnn nnnnnnnnn�nnnnnnnn�nnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnn nnnnnnnnnnnnnn�nnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnn GENRE Poetry nnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnn�nnnnnnnnnnn nnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnn ��nnn���n��n�n��nnn��n�n�n����nn��n��n��n nnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnn�nnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnn Format A/HB ��n��n��n�����n�����nn��n�������n���n��nn�nn nnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnn�nnnnn�nn ���n�nnnnnnnnnnn�n��nnnnn��nnnnnnnnnnnnnn�n nnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnn�n Page Extent 180 nnnnnnn�nnnnnnnnn�n�nn Translated from the urdu by nnnnnnnnnnn�nnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnn

Price `399/- FICTION Rakhshanda Jalil Rights World GENRE Poetry Format B/PB Page Extent 272 Price `350/- Rights World 76 77 Legend tells us of a young girl in the ninth century who swears to marry none but Vishnu. She appropriates a garland meant for him – a selected This collection brings together, for the first time, transgressive act, yet one of singular devotion. Born poetry from three strikingly different phases of Joy of her boundless, consuming love for Vishnu are the poems Goswami’s formidable literary career – Surjo-Pora two exquisite Tamil poems, Tiruppavai and Nacciyar Chhai, Moutat Moheshwar and Du Dondo Phowara joy goswami Tirumoli. These compositions, in which Vishnu is Matro. Selected and translated by Sampurna her awesome, mesmerizing and sometimes cruel Chattarji, this book, which includes an in-depth lover, give expression to Kotai’s powerful experiences Translated from the Bengali by interview with the poet, introduces the English and her vibrant, bold sensuality. Eventually, the reader to the world of a poet whose language is sampurna chattarji story goes, Kotai wins Vishnu for herself, becoming powerful, inventive and often enigmatic. While his bride at the great temple of Srirangam, for which some poems invoke a landscape that is ‘mysterious, extraordinary feat she earns the title Andal: She anguished and visionary’, in others Joy Goswami Who Rules. achieves mischief and melancholy with the deftest of strokes. The Secret Garland aims to capture the lyricism, the secret beauty and power of the original poems. Archana Venkatesan’s detailed notes, based on traditional Joy Goswami is one of Bengal’s foremost poets, with more than thirty published books. His many garland: commentaries, and discussions of the ritual and awards include the Ananda Puroshkar and the performative lives of the two poems contextualize andal's Sahitya Akademi Award. the significance and influence‘Joy ofGoswami Andal’s is one of thosecontinuing writers you dream of encountering in translation; capable of transforming both your imagination, and the way you imagine poetry. In these compulsively rhythmic and readable legacy. An essential addition translationsto the byclassical Sampurna Chattarji, library. all the melodious, dextrous

tiruppavai JOY GOSWAMI SELECTED POEMS Translated by SAMPURNA CHATTARJI invention of his language is conveyed, as well as his unique eye, which flashes from the visionary to the slightest, subtlest detail, within a single phrase. From elegy and love poem to vivid cityscape and the pastoral vistas of Bengal, he is a master of the sustained flight, the andc nac iyar recurring symbol, and an effortless opening out of the quotidian to Andal is an 9th-century revealAlvar its extraordinary saint interior.’ of South —W.N. HERBERT India, who is credited with the great Tamil works, tirumoli ‘Watched over by Dali and Niels Bohr, Goswami taps a sub-atomic vein of violent energy with a fine unconcern for civility. The result is a voice Tiruppavai and Nacciyar Tirumoli,of radical innocence, which even sweetness, are asstill he goes about x-raying the egregious in the everyday. Across the channel that divides us from recited today. Eschewing earthlyBengali (a marriage, vernacular in need of Aandaal demystification if ever there were one) andal we must be grateful to a translator willing to risk the colloquial, to chance wayside inspirations, and to sometimes just walk away.’ ‘married’ Vishnu, both spiritually and physically, —IRWIN and is considered an incarnation of the divine in SELECTED POEMS ‘Joy Goswami is a towering figure in contemporary letters, a prolific Bengali poet who writes in an impressive range of forms, addressing JOY GOSWAMI Translated from the Tamil by many parts of South India, especiallyevery conceivable matterin Tamil of the human Nadu. heart. What good luck to have this generous selection of his work, which will win readers the world over. “Language for the sake of any language/ Is my thief, and I her thievery” he declares, and in Sampurna Chattarji’s powerful versions of Archana Venkatesan his poems we can appreciate the scale of his raids on the inarticulate. He changes every language with his every line. Listen well: he is speaking to all of us.’ —CHRISTOPHER MERRILL Director, International Writing Program, University of Iowa

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P.S. INSIGHTS, INTERVIEWS Format Demy/PB & MORE. ‘Seppuku is a sting operation involving the Delhi art world. The novel can Page Extent 488 be read virtually in a jiffy. But later, as one reflects on the core of the narrative, one gets a jolt. It leaves one astonished.’ Price `599/- — , Hindi writer Rights World ‘The novel exposes the dark side of the contemporary Indian art world where an artist’s success is often rooted in devious manoeuvres involving 78 79 greed, selfishness and vanity. The world is often celebrating, oblivious to the tragedy and pain some artists go through in the sordid realization that they cannot grow and succeed in the current milieu. Seppuku is so fluid it is hard to put it down until one has finished reading it.’ — Chintan Upadhyay, painter Aurangzeb must rebel against his father, and Pratap Narayan rises out of nowhere to become an shahenshah: unprecedented success in the world of art. He is the most sought-after Indian painter on the international circuit. So compete with his brothers, especially Darashikoh sound is his standing that, even when the art market virtually collapses in 2008, Pratap’s position remains unassailable. the life of who is Emperor Shah Jahan’s favoured son, to A fellow artist from his early days, Baldev Sharma of Bareilly, Pratap Narayan rises out of nowhere to become VINOD BHARDWAJ narrates Pratap Narayan’s escapades – his VINOD BHARDWAJ become the shahenshah of India and sit on the time as a struggling artist, his complex and an unprecedented success in the world of art. He controversial relationships with women, his Aurangzeb unmatched ability to network. Seppuku unfolds Peacock Throne. Meanwhile, in his zenankhana, the against the fascinating backdrop of the art world is the most sought-after Indian painter on the with its whimsical art collectors, business- begums, constantly worrying about inheritance and savvy gallery owners, art party crashers, international circuit. Nagnath s. inamdar camera-hungry socialites and cynical critics. bloodlines, grow jittery at the arrival of Hira, a mere The first novel in a trilogy from the pen of a seasoned art critic, this is a heady mix of scandal and glamour. A wild portrait of a A fellow artist from his early days, Baldev Sharma concubine, who seems to have all of Aurangzeb’s community that is drunk on its own excesses. of Bareilly, narrates Pratap Narayan’s escapades Translated from the Marathi by heart. Thus begins the reign of one of the darkest – his time as a struggling artist, his complex and characters in Indian history. He murders his own Vikrant pande controversial relationships with women and his brothers, throws his father in the Agra Fort prison ` 299 unmatched ability to network. An Imprint of Harpercollins Publishers and sends his children into exile. He declares jehad Cover design and illustrationHarshad Marathe www.harpercollins.co.in FICTION f HarperCollinsIndia t @HarperCollinsIN Seppuku unfolds against the fascinating backdrop and relentlessly fights the Marathas for the last of the art world with its whimsical art collectors, twenty-six years of his life. business-savvy gallery owners, wannabe art-party Aurangzeb is at once the tragic emperor and the seppuku: crashers, camera-hungry socialites and cynical critics. anti-hero who can never be at ease. But he is equally THE CURIOUS The first novel in a trilogy from the pen of a seasoned the sovereign who picked up the sword at the age of art critic, this is a heady mix of scandal and glamour. eighty-two. He has often been described as a tyrant WORKINGS OF and a zealot in historical texts. In truth, he was a Vinod Bhardwaj is an art critic and writer. He has much-conflicted man, carrying forward the blood- THE ART MAFIA published two collections of poetry (Jalta Makan soaked culture of kingly succession. An all-time and Hoshiarpur), one short-story collection (Chiteri) favourite of , Shahenshah: The Life vinod bhardwaj and more than ten books on art and cinema. He of Aurangzeb is an intricate, affecting story of a deeply has also compiled and published an acclaimed misunderstood Mughal. Translated from the Hindi by encyclopaedia of modern art in Hindi.

brij sharma Nagnath S. Inamdar (1923–2002) is one of Maharashtra’s foremost novelists. He wrote sixteen historical novels including Jhep, Shahenshah, Zunj, Mantravegala and Rau, the love story of Bajirao and Mastani which was recently made into a Sanjay Leela Bhansali film.

GENRE Fiction Format B/PB Page Extent 142 Price `299/- Rights World GENRE Fiction Format B/PB That day I realized where Mukund Joshi is fourteen and newly in Page Extent 140 the real fun lay. There may love. He attends the same private tuitions be classrooms, benches, as his classmate, Shirodkar, just for a glimpse शाळा Price `250/- girls, boys, teachers, of her, and follows her back home every day. Maths, Physics—even Sadly, she has not a clue that he’s pining Rights World Shala Social Studies. But I am away for her, because in their society, boys not a part of any of them. and girls don’t interact freely, much less talk 80 81 I am a free soul, like the about love. white egret sitting on When he’s not negotiating the tricky alleys a cow’s back. I may be of love, Mukund sits around the school field physically present in or loafs about town with his close friends, this school, but there is Surya, Chitre and Phawdya, railing against a different school which the education system, and debating ideas Milind Bokil ShalaTranslated from the Marathi by I hold in my mind—one such as discipline and Bohemianism. Hasandin, a peasant-labourer, doubles as a Vikrant Pande that is just mine. That sorrow of Set in the suburbs of Mumbai during the school has no walls, no Emergency of 1975, Shala is a heartwarming horsewallah every summer when tourists flock to blackboards, no teachers, novel about adolescent struggles that are but it teaches something as tortuous in real time as they are amusing truly beautiful. Milind Bokil the snows Kashmir. He hopes someday to save enough to be in retrospect. Made into a National Award–winning Mukund Joshi is fourteen and newly in love. He motion picture able to afford a wedding feast for his son. After saying attends the same private tuitions as his classmate, upendranath ashk the morning namaaz, as an exception one day, he Shirodkar, just for a glimpse of her, and follows her sets out with his three horses, nephew and son for back home every day. When he’s not negotiating the bus stand in Tangmarg, anticipating generous the tricky alleys of love, he sits around the school Translated from the Hindi by customers – like the Gora Sahibs – who will trek field or loafs about town with his close friends, ` 399 ebook j ai ratan up to the frozen lake of Alpatthar. Instead, he meets An Imprint of HarperCollins Publishers Surya, Chitre and Phawdya, railing against the Cover design © HarperCollins Publishers India Cover images Stills from the movie Shala and Shutterstock Khanna Sahib, a cunning and stingy shopkeeper www.harpercollins.co.in FICTION education system, and debating ideas such as from Delhi, who falsely accuses him of stealing his discipline and Bohemianism. camera stand at the end of the trek. Set in the suburbs of Mumbai during the Published first in 1957 and told with an shala Emergency of 1975, Shala is a heartwarming novel incisiveness characteristic of Upendranath Ashk, about the adolescent struggles that are as tortuous in Sorrow of the Snows is a satirical yet compassionate milind bokil real time as they are amusing in hindsight. account of the penury and deprivation that began setting in in Kashmir after Independence. It is also Translated from the Marathi by Milind Bokil is a sociologist and Marathi writer. the larger story of every farmer in India who rests He has written short stories, novels, travelogues Vikrant pande the responsibility of his happiness and sorrows on and other books in English focusing on social God’s shoulders. issues. Some of his important works include Udakachiya Arti, Zen Garden and Samudra. Shala is in its tenth edition now and has sold over Upendranath Ashk (1910 – 1996) is acclaimed as one 50,000 copies in Marathi. of the most controversial authors of the Hindi-Urdu tradition. He has written over a hundred books in almost all genres of literature. His magnum opus, Girti Deewarein, written in seven volumes, is hailed as an epic of Indian middle-class life.

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the temple Premchand’s fiction has been translated before, A one-line suicide note left by a total stranger, but seldom have these translations revealed the small-time writer Avinash Suvarna, reveals to and the many facets of his literary genius, nor have they young journalist Laya Thomas what it means to displayed the wide variety of ‘types’ he was capable experience fear and abandon at once. For Avinash mosque of portraying. He wrote not only about villains and was someone who walked out on Time, not in meek martyrs, poverty and inequality, a rigid social order munshi premchand acceptance of his limited physical circumstances, and caste disparities; his world, black-and-white but in full view of the profound yearning of his though it might appear, was also lit by flashes of sotto spirit. The story of his life holds all the answers Translated from the Hindi by voce humour and gentle irony. to Laya’s existential dilemmas. It brings her face to face with the travails and joys of creating one’s rakHshanda jalil While all of Premchand’s favourite characters – masterpiece. Laya must understand Avinash in bhang-drinking pandits, miserable sweepers and order to rediscover herself and reconcile her art arrogant Thakurs – feature in this collection, this a tale of with life. And, it is through her that Avinash will is perhaps the first time that the English reader will be resurrected and rendered timeless. be introduced to his ‘other’ world too: a world of things unbelievably good men, lovesick young girls and Following Laya Thomas and Avinash Suvarna a penniless braggart’s self-delusion. From simple timeless on their intense, imaginative journeys, A Tale village tales to insightful glimpses into the human of Things Timeless is a deeply philosophical novel heart, this eclectic collection shows why, even seventy rizio yohannan Raj about the trials of a true writer and the unexpected years after his death, Premchand’s work continues to extraordinariness of things mundane. be relevant to our lives. Translated from the Malayalam by

supriya m. nair Rizio Yohannan Raj has written two novels in Munshi Premchand is easily India’s most celebrated Malayalam – Avinasom and Yatrikom. She has writer. Born Dhanpat Rai, he began writing under translated into English many generations of the pen name ‘Nawab Rai’, but subsequently twentieth century Malayalam writers, from switched to ‘Premchand’. His works include more to Anwar Ali, and was a long-time than a dozen novels, around 250 short stories, associate of the Indo-Swedish translation project. several essays and translations of a number of Her poetry collections include Eunuch and Naked foreign literary works into Hindi. by the Sabarmati and Other Guna Poems.

GENRE Fiction/Short Stories Format B/PB Page Extent 264 Price `299/- Rights World P.S. GENRE Fiction Insights Interviews & More. Format B/PB Page Extent 296 Price `350/- Rights World In 1952, at the age of twenty-seven, Mohan Rakesh undertook a journey to south India, travelling by 84 85 bus, train and steamer along the western coast from Bombay to Kanyakumari. Young and ardent, he dreamt of the wide expanse of sea that would make up for a childhood spent in Amritsar’s narrow lanes, and had visions of comely guides who would look kindly upon his wandering. But once he set In 1952, at the age of twenty-seven, Mohan Rakesh Most writers favour Raman in their interpretation out from Delhi on a train to Bombay, his visions the vigil slipped away and complex reality took over. undertook a journey to south India, travelling by To the Farthest Rock is a remarkable account of of Valmiki’s original poem narrating the story the hope and despair that characterized post- Independence India. Rakesh had only published a bus, train and steamer along the western coast from sarah joseph of the epic battle between the virtuous hero and few short stories when he quit a teaching job in Shimla in order to travel, but readers who know Bombay to Kanyakumari. Young and ardent, he his nemesis, Ravanan. But this novel is about the his later work will recognize his skill with portraits of people and his exceptional ability to render fluctuations of feeling. dreamt of the wide expanse of sea that would make turbulent journey of Angadan, who believes that Translated from the Malayalam by Set against the verdant coastal landscape of Goa up for a childhood spent in Amritsar’s narrow lanes, and Kerala, this absorbing travelogue is a fine Raman killed his father Vali against all principles introduction to the mind of one of Hindi’s greatest novelists and playwrights. and had visions of comely guides who would look of dharma. Angadan is acutely aware of the silent vasanthi kindly upon his wandering. But once he set out from sufferings of women which find no expression in the sankaranarayanan Delhi on a train to Bombay, his visions slipped away Ramayana. In his view, Ram’s act of forcing his wife fHarperCollinsIndia t@HarperCollinsIN and complex reality took over. to undergo the fire-ordeal in the name of raja dharma An Imprint of HarperCollins Publishers ` 299 Cover design Trinankur Banerjee www.harpercollins.co.in is against all sense of justice and fair play embedded fHarperCollinsIndia t@HarperCollinsIN NoN-fictioN/travel Translated by Satti Khanna To the Farthest Rock is a remarkable account of the hope and despair that characterized post- in the human heart. In this novel, Angadan is the Independence India. Rakesh had published only solitary thinker who is able to see what the others are to the a few short stories when he quit a teaching job in blind to or choose to ignore. Shimla in order to travel, but readers who know In The Vigil, the familiar rhythm of the original fArthest his later work will recognize his skill with portraits poem is disturbed by the touch of Angadan’s ascetic of people and his exceptional ability to render touch. It is a new beginning, new path, a new way of rock fluctuations of feeling. This absorbing travelogue is understanding the grand old story. Interpretations of Valmiki’s poem about the epic battle a fine introduction to the mindbetween Raman of andone his nemesis,of Hindi’s Ravanan, tend to focus on the glory and virtues of the hero. But in the THE

MOHAN RAKESH THE greatest novelists and playwrights.Malayalam modern classic Oorukaaval – translated here as The Vigil – Sarah Joseph tells a turbulent tale: that of Angadan, who believes that Raman killed his father Vali VIGIL Sarah Joseph is an eminent Malayali author against all principles of dharma. VIGIL Translated from the Hindi by Unlike the celebrated central characters who are blind SARAH JOSEPH and social activist. All her novels have been well to or choose to ignore that which is inconvenient, Mohan Rakesh (1925–1972) wasAngadan one is acutely of aware the of the pioneers silent sufferings of the received and won prestigious state-level awards. TranslaTed by weak and disempowered. Over and over, the tormented SATTI KHANNA asanThi ankaranarayanan of the Nai Kahani movementyoung vanaraof princeHindi sees Ramanliterature act against justice V s Gift in Green, the translation of her previous and fair play, not the least of which is his consent to in the 1950s, inventing a new,Sita’s fire intimate ordeal. Ultimately, language though, it is the person novel, Aathi was published concurrently with the most wronged by Raman – Sita – who provides him JOSEPHSARAH for short fiction. He wroteredemption the first from his searing modern quest for revenge. Hindi Malayalam original. play, Ashadh Ka Ek Din (1958)In The and Vigil, themade familiar rhythmsignificant of the original poem is stirred up by Angadan’s ascetic touch. Sarah Joseph contribution to the forms ofgives the a new novel, spin to the grandshort old story, story, bringing in contemporary concerns such as the environment, peace travelogue, criticism, memoirand andwomen’s drama.empowerment, and provides a new path, a fresh way of understanding it.

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On a still, moonlit night, Goroi jumps into a lake, 26 April 1986. Overnight, things fell apart in a quiet the water hoping to meet the father he has never known in Ukrainian town. The steam generator of Reactor life. Bhanubala and her daughter-in-law Behula Four at the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Station spirit and dance naked at midnight in a remote field to appease malfunctioned during an experiment to produce other spirits the rain god. An addict undertakes the challenge of electricity from residual energy, bringing on an eating a basketful of red hot chillies for a little opium explosion. The resulting blaze lasted several days, IMRAN HUSSAIN and some money. casting huge quantities of radioactivity a thousand metres up into the atmosphere. Over thirty-six hours In one sweep, Imran Hussain’s writing examines Translated from the Assamese by had passed before the locals were evacuated from the the historical, the social, the individual and the nearest settlement of Pripjat. MITALI GOSWAMI assertion of the self in the face of hard-wired traditions. Entrenched in folklore, his stories This elegiac novel is the story of what came after. weave in protest and perspective into contemporary Contaminated food, metallic water, poisonous rain, realities. The stories in this collection are a rare disfigured babies, and the slow-dying bereaved that portrait of Assam – a duet of darkness and beauty, the dead left behind. Weddings were called off, babies a blend of mysticism and earthiness. Available in aborted, crops burnt, home and hearth deserted. voices from translation for the first time, Hussain is one of chernobyl Told in the voices of the nuclear disaster’s many India’s most compelling new voices. P.S. victims, Voices from Chernobyl recounts how their INSIGHTS, INTERVIEWS & MORE. ingrid storholmen bodies, lives and loves, realities and memories were Imran Hussain is a writer, critic and lexicographer. distorted forever, and how theTales very from theair land around of the blue them hills and the red river irrevocably changed. On a still, moonlit night, Goroi jumps into the His book of short stories, Hudumdao Aru Annanya lake, hoping to meet the father he has never Translated from the Norwegian by known in life. Bhanubala and her daughter-in-law Golpo, was published by Sahitya Akademi in Behula dance naked at midnight in a remote field to appease the rain god. Firewood-seller Rabeya Assamese in 2003. Hussain received the Katha and her niece Dulali rebel against the Shariyat. marietta taralrud Ingrid Storholmen originallyAn comes addict undertakes from the Verdalchallenge of eatingin a Award for creative fiction, the Chandraprava basketful of red hot chillies for a little opium and maddrell Norway, an area affected bysome themoney. radioactive rain Memorial Award and the Jehirul Hussein Memorial In one sweep, Imran Hussain’s writing examines Award for his contribution to short fiction. from Chernobyl. In 2002, she spentthe historical, two the social, months the individual in theand the assertion of the self in the face of hard-wired forbidden zone and the condemnedtraditions. Entrenched areas in of folklore, Ukraine his stories weave in protest and perspective and Belarus. This is her firstinto novel,contemporary following realities. The stories three in this collection are a rare portrait of Assam – a critically acclaimed collectionsduet of of poetry.darkness and beauty, a blend of mysticism and earthiness. Available in translation for the first time, Hussain is one of India’s most compelling new voices.

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Published in 1963, before Paul Scott’s Raj Quartet ‘A very powerful,enthralling Price `375/- and ’s Midnight’s Children, and informative novel’ Rights World Abdullah Hussein’s The Weary Generations – Peter Kemp (Udaas Naslein) was an instant bestseller in (Sunday Times), 88 89 Urdu. Now beyond its fortieth edition, it has Front Row, BBC Radio 4 never been out of print. Hussein leads you into a story of love and marriage between two people ‘Hussein is a wonderful from starkly different social backgrounds, which also mirrors the uneasy ‘marriage’ between the storyteller’ British and their empire – both ultimately ending – Literary Review in estrangement. Naim, son of a peasant, marries Audacious experimentalist and self-declared anti- Azra, the daughter of a rich landowner, and their Published in 1963, Abdullah Hussein’s The Weary wild animals union is doomed from the start. Fighting for the ABDULLAH writer, Subimal Misra is the master of contemporary British during the First World War, Naim loses an Generations (Udaas Naslein) was an instant bestseller arm. Back home, and frustrated with the HUSSEIN prohibited: alternative Bengali literature and anti-establishment subjugation of his countrymen, he aligns himself with the freedom ghters. His ideals are ‘A chronicle of modern India, reflecting the angst of an entire generation, its weariness in Urdu. Now beyond its fortieth edition, it has never swept away after Independence in 1947 when he of spirit and the hopelessness of a battle fought, then lost due to the enemy within.’ writing. This collection brings together twenty-five realizes that, as Muslims, his family is no longer been out of print. Hussein leads you into a story of – Rakhshanda Jalil stories/anti- safe in their home and that they must migrate to stories that record the dark history of violence and the newly created Pakistan. love and marriage between two people from starkly degeneration in Bengal of the seventies and eighties. An ambitious saga of the widespread stories disillusionment and social upheavals that led different social backgrounds, which also mirrors to the creation of Pakistan and Bangladesh, The Weary Generations remains one of the best the uneasy ‘marriage’ between the British and their Deeply influenced by Godard, Misra uses montage novels on Partition and a must-read for people subimal misra seeking to comprehend the historical origins of empire. Naim, the son of a peasant, marries Azra, and other cinematic techniques in his stories, which the tensions in the Indian subcontinent. the daughter of a rich landowner, and their union is he himself calls ‘anti-stories’, challenging our notions of reading and of literature itself. ` 499 doomed from the start. Fighting for the British during Translated from the Bengali by An Imprint of HarperCollins Publishers Cover design © HarperCollins Publishers India the First World War, he loses an arm. Back homeand Cover image Getty images/Margaret Bourke-White Brilliantly translated by V. Ramaswamy, Wild www.harpercollins.co.in V. RAMASWAMy f HarperCollinsIndia t @HarperCollinsIN FICTION frustrated with the subjugation of his countrymen,he Animals Prohibited: Stories/Anti-stories startles with aligns himself with the freedom fighters. His ideals its blasphemy, its provocative ideas and its sheer are swept away after Independence in 1947 when formlessness. the weary he realizes that, as Muslims, his family is no longer safe in their home and that they must migrate to the generations newly created Pakistan. Subimal Misra (b. 1943) has been called the only anti-establishment writer in Bengali. Influenced An ambitious saga of the widespread disillusionment ABDULLAH HUSSEIN by the cinema of Sergei Eisenstein and Jean-Luc and social upheavals that led to the creation of Godard, Misra experimented with the use of film Audacious experimentalist and Pakistan and Bangladesh, The Weary Generationsself-declared anti-writer, Subimal Misra is the master of contempo- language in Bengali writing even as he made Translated from the Urdu by remains one of the best novels on Partition. rary alternative Bengali literature and anti-establishment writing. William Burroughs’s cut-up method his own. This collection brings together twenty-five stories that record With his very first collection of stories, Haran ABDULLAH HUSSEIN the dark history of violence and degeneration in Bengal of the Majhi’s Widow’s Corpse or the Golden Gandhi seventies and eighties. The mirror Abdullah Hussein (1931–2015) became famousthat for Misra holds up to society breaks every canon of rectitude Statue (1971), he signalled his departure from his novel Udaas Naslein, which won the Adamjeewith unfailing precision. The stories also plot the continuous evolution conventional narrative fiction. He has written Award. His other works include Baagh, Nadaarof Misra’s writing as he searches for a form to do justice to the reality exclusively for little magazines. Misra’s stories, Log, Raat, Qaid and short-story collections, Nashaibthat confronts us. Deeply influenced by Godard, novellas, novels, a play, essays and interviews and Faraib. His English novel‘Subimal Emigre Misra may be theJourneys most important Misrawas uses montage and other Bengali writer alive whom you have never cinematic techniques in his stories, comprise over thirty volumes. Cupid’s Corpse Does heard of.’ — The Statesman which he himself calls ‘anti-stories’, adapted into a feature film by BBC2 as Brotherschallenging in our notions of reading ‘Long before Roberto Bolaño, Misra had Not Drown in Water, an experimental prose work, Trouble and established himcaptured as the a disturbing, fiction enigmatic writerand of literatureof itself. Brilliantly landscape of the counterculture in a way translated by V. Ramaswamy, was published in 2010. that is subversive without being preten- Wild Animals Prohibited: Stories/ international recognition. tious, Indian without being exotic, and Anti-stories startles with its somehow both contemporary and classic blasphemy, its provocative ideas at once.’ — and its sheer formlessness. 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A half-burnt bus passes through a city charring In 2003, a few self-styled guardians of Tamil culture written in everything alive and beautiful in its wake. The newly objected publicly to the language of a new generation wed Arunima watches helplessly as the aftermath of women poets, charging them with ‘obscenity’ tears of her insurgent brother-in-law’s absence engulfs and ‘immodesty’. Now, more than a decade later, a arupa patangia her husband’s large, loving family. Ayengla secretly deep divide still persists. Tamil women poets who kalita supplies food to the insurgents until, one day, a embrace fearlessness, outspokenness and a ceaseless horrible act of violence changes her life irrevocably. questioning of prescribed rules are still seen as outliers, the ‘bad girls’. Yet, their work establishes Translated from the Assamese by A bold and acutely aware witness to her times, these women as four of the most significant poets Ranjita biswas Arupa Patangia Kalita is one of the most powerful of our time. Wild Words celebrates their writing voices in contemporary Assamese literature. Written and their courage through Lakshmi Holmström’s in Tears brings together some of her best novellas and exquisite English translations. stories set against a surreally beautiful landscape torn and scarred by conflict. This is a mighty chronicle of wild words: the disturbing and searing history of aggression and Malathi Maithri has published four collections of hate that has plagued Assam for decades. poetry. Salma is the pseudonym of a writer who four tamil has kept her identity secret for years. Today, she poets is widely recognized in Tamil literary circles, Arupa Patangia Kalita has been reckoned as one of a politician and an activist. Kutti Revathi has the most powerful voices in contemporary Assamese malathi maithri published several books of poetry. She is deeply literature for over three decades now. She has influenced by Siddha thought. Sukirtharani has published more than fifteen books besides numerous Salma published five books of poetry. works in vernacular magazines. She has received the Kutti Revathi Bharatiya Bhasha Parishad Award, Katha Award and Sahitya Sanskriti Award, among others. The English Sukirtharani translation of her novel Felanee was shortlisted for the Crossword Book Award in 2013. Translated from the Tamil by

Lakshmi holmström

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Sunil Gangopadhyay was the foremost of Bengal’s zindaginama The haveli of the Shahs in a village in Gujarat- angry but romantic young poets in the second half Punjab is the hub of discussions about the imminent of the twentieth century. Throughout his writing krishna sobti independence of India. Even as two of the Shah life, he wrote a continuous sequence of love poems brothers return from the British army, the women addressed to a mythical woman named Neera. These of the village, suffering its iron-fisted patriarchy, look Translated from the Hindi by poems became the mantra of two generations of young for guidance towards the childless Shahni, the eldest women and men. From ardent, sexually charged Shah’s previous wife. And in the quite corners of the neer kanwal mani & verses of early infatuation, through the demanding haveli, an impossible love sprouts between Shahji moyna mazumdar and sensual rhythms of a full-blown relationship, to and young Rabeya, a mere servant of the household. the mellowing middle-age memories of romance, the It is a desire poised on a razor’s edge. Neera poems are a pulsating testimony to the cycle of One of the most controversial novels of the last passion, desire, and, inevitably, unrequited longing. century, Zindaginama is a magnificent portrait of This is a selection of the most stunning of Sunil India on the brink of its cataclysmic division. you are Gangopadhyay’s Neera poems, most of them translated for the first time, and as capable as ever of sparking off neera a hundred love affairs when recited aloud. Krishna Sobti won the Sahitya Akademi Award in 1980 for Zindaginama and in 1996, she was sunil gangopadhyay awarded the Sahitya Akademi Fellowship. She Sunil Gangopadhyay was one of India’s finest is most well known for her 1966 novel Mitro writers and poets, writing in Bengali. His novels Marjani, an unapologetic portrayal of a married Translated from the Bengali by and their translations, Shei Shomoi (Those Days), woman’s sexuality. arunava sinha Prothom Alo (First Light), Moner Manush (The Fakir), among others, have all been bestsellers. He won the Sahitya Akademi Award for Shei Shomoi.

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