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The Nest
₹300.00Pakhibsa is a story of the decadence of a family and their dream. This multi-dimensional novel includes a downtrodden family saga and the socio-economic picture of Odisha. The novel portrays a chain of events of an untouchable, downtrodden cattle bone collector, called Satnemis (through the protagonist Antaraa) and his family in western Orissa. Antaraa, the head of the family; his wife Sarasi; their three sons Sanyaasi, Daaktar, and Okil; and their daughter Parabaa.
A downtrodden man dreams of seeing his sons established in their lives. So, he names them Collector, Doctor (Daaktar), and Lawyer (Okil). He dreams of seeing his only daughter, Parabaa, as a bride, but was it ever possible?
The elder son, Sanyaasi, became a bohemian artist. The second son Daaktar became a bonded labourer. The third son Okil joins the Naxals. Days of hunger force Parabaa to be raped for a plate of rice by a forest guard, and later, she adopts the profession of prostitution. The novel ends with the death of Okil. The author juxtaposes lines from Bhagavat (a holy book in every Odia family) to build melancholy and generate intense emotional outages for the characters.
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The Odia Story
₹350.00We present before you a platter full of delightful and enchanting Odia stories, written by past and present masters, translated into English. We start with the ‘Father of Odia nationalism and Odia Short Stories’, Fakir Mohan Senapati, who is believed to have laid the foundation of Odia short stories with his ‘Rebati’ in 1898. Fifteen stories have been included in this anthology. Most of the writers included here were either born in the first half of the twentieth century or shot to prominence during that period. Among the writers Fakir Mohan Senapati, Gopinath Mohanty, Surendra Mohanty, Kishori Charan Das, Achyutananda Pati, Mohapatra Nilamani Sahoo, Akhila Mohan Pattnaik, Chandrasekhar Rath, Manoj Das, Rabi Pattanayak, Binapani Mohanty, Pratibha Ray and Ramachandra Behera were born in the pre-independent India whereas Tarun Kanti Mishra and Gourahari Das were born after India attained independence. Together, these masters have been awarded with twelve Central Sahitya Akademi awards, eleven Odisha Sahitya Akademi awards, seven Sarala Puraskars, five Atibadi Jagannath Das awards, two Jnanapitha awards and one Moortidevi award. Besides, the list includes four Padma Shri and two Padma Bhusan awards. The numerous awards reflect their excellence in the field of Odia literature and their invaluable contribution to it.
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The Painted Voice
₹250.00The kaleidoscopic earth and sky saturated with colours, sounds and perfume, are packed into his capsule-like poems ever glittering, humming, exuding sweet fragrance. However, one can’t help noticing an elegiac tune thrumming at the heart of the poems, of some intimacy found and lost, some moments of togetherness gone with the wind, a longing for renewal of life in love beyond time and space. Many of the poems testify to an aching heart seeking the healing balm from the benign Nature. That is why, perhaps, the poet sings with birds, yet grieves at a falling one; smiles with budding blooms; grieves at the wilting ones; rejoices at a quiet dawn propping a young sun. He too longs to offer his life to the fire of love, to lose the self to win liberation. All these speak volumes for the mind and heart that shaped the poems. Some are earthy, some skyiee, heavenly and some are exquisite fusion of both.
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The Penance
₹380.00Prayaschita (The Penance) is the last of Fakir Mohan Senapati’s four novels and the third and the last in his ‘trilogy of crime and justice’, to use the epithet coined by the eminent Senapati scholar John Boulton. The first two novels of the trilogy are Chhamana Athaguntha (1902, Six Acres and a Third) and Mamu (1913, The Maternal Uncle). Prayaschita was published in 1915, just three years before the death of the novelist. The novel is of value for the light it casts on Fakir Mohan Senapati’s increasingly dark and tragic vision of life lived under the shadow of colonialism. He wrote it to defend the traditional values of the Hindu way of life which he saw as being gravely threatened by the alien value system of the British that had made huge inroads into the Indian society. In fact, it is a telling assault on the English education that is perforce mounted in the form of a defense of the traditional Indian society.
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The Quill Pen
₹250.00Rural Odisha’s modernization and the birth pangs of a sound political structure resolving all ethical binaries is the primal theme of Gopal Chhotray’s Academy Award winning play Para Kalam(The Quill Pen). The realism of proscenium drama was given a technical facelift by the dramatist and can safely be called innovative and the introducer of post realist dramaturgy into the Odia stage. The Quill Pen being the first political play in Odia has several layers of meaning. The change in socio-intellectual awareness in rural Odisha apart, the fight for food security stymied by bureaucratic corruption tacitly supported by the political masters also has been dramatized with artistic fervor. The hero of the play is the Chief Minister of the state but is torn between his political aspirations and ethical compulsions. Finally the arc of the play bends towards moral energy and the Chief Minister rises above petty mundanity to sacrificial heroism. Love, although not the main thrust of the play has a fair measure of sophistication. The composition of scenes like the stringing of a pearl necklace is masterly. At the same time the dramatist’s understanding of the rural milieu, modern aspirations and his grasp of the economic and political realities of Odisha are a touch above the ordinary. Gopal Chhotray’s deep moral sense and his hope for the development of Odisha are discernible despite the impersonal dramatization of a very complex theme. The Quill Pen is majestic on stage and gripping on the study table.
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The Red Woman
₹280.00These Poems are a Tribute, Ode and Stories of Womanhood, portraying Women’s complex lives in India as well as around the world. These are composed in diverse as well as specific poetic forms with modes of configuring female thoughts, feelings and experiences. Women themselves, as well as Female Trajectories and Historiography through the ages are known to have been purposefully, strategically and mindlessly marginalized in our largely Patriarchic societies. Their Voicelessness, Untold Stories need much wider audiences than ever before in our 21st Century. The World now claims to be more advanced, more knowledgeable and civilized than ever before. We are now reaching out to the sun, moon and stars in the galaxy, but ironically a very significant part of Humanity is still ignored and needs to be explored and understood much more. Women have been overtly and covertly traumatized, mutilated, raped, dishonoured, silenced, and humiliated for too long. These poems trace many female spaces and times of reprehensible acts as well as their stories of unassailable fortitude and courage, their spheres of positive effervescence to rise like the phoenix from the ashes, which continue to stimulate our world. These women-human-centric poems are beyond labels and categories, without any discrimination or borders. THE RED WOMAN promises to inspire and provoke us with echoes reverberating across the roof of the world with hopes and dreams of a better world of compassion and justice. An engaging must-read book for one and all.
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The Refugee
₹250.00Gunen Sarkar, a riot victim, comes to Assam in 1964 as a refugee from East Pakistan. He is separated from his wife, son, and one-year-old daughter in a forest. He settles in a small village. Despite his poverty and adverse situations, he never stops searching for his family. The NRC, which is compulsory for all citizens of Assam, creates new problems for him those who are unable to produce valid documents and get their names registered in the NRC will be put in detention camps and deported. But he has no legacy data, the most important document. What will happen to him? Will he ever find his family?
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The Rhythm Eternal
₹160.00ଏହି ସଂକଳନରେ ସ୍ଥାନିତ, ଯାହାକୁ ଗଳ୍ପ ବୋଲି ବର୍ଣ୍ଣନା କରିବା ବ୍ୟତୀତ ଅନ୍ୟ ଉପାୟ ନାହିଁ, ସେହି ଆତ୍ମାନୁଭୂତିଭିତ୍ତିକ ଲେଖା ବ୍ୟତୀତ ବେଳେବେଳେ ଆଉ ଏକ ଏକ ମହତ ସ୍ପନ୍ଦନ ଏ ଲେଖକକୁ ତନ୍ମୟ କରି ରଖେ । ଦିବ୍ୟ ଜୀବନର ସାଧକ ଶ୍ରୀଅରବିନ୍ଦଙ୍କର ତପସ୍ୟା ସହିତ ନିଜକୁ ଏକାତ୍ମ କରି ଦେଇଥିବା ଶ୍ରୀମା ମୋ ଜୀବନର ଶ୍ରେଷ୍ଠ ପ୍ରେରଣାଦାୟିନୀ ଶକ୍ତି । ପଣ୍ଡିଚେରୀ ଶ୍ରୀଅରବିନ୍ଦ ଆଶ୍ରମରେ ସେ ଯେତେବେଳେ ଥିଲେ ସାଧନାମଗ୍ନ, ସେତେବେଳେ ଯେଉଁ ସାଂସ୍କୃତିକ କାର୍ଯ୍ୟକ୍ରମଗୁଡ଼ିକର ଆୟୋଜନ ହେଉଥିଲା, ସେଥିରେ ପରିପୂର୍ଣ୍ଣ ହୋଇ ରହିଥିଲା ଏପରି ଏକ ସୂକ୍ଷ୍ମ ତରଙ୍ଗ, ଯାହାର ଉତ୍ସ ଅବସ୍ଥିତ ଅଦୃଶ୍ୟ ସୂକ୍ଷ୍ମ ଜଗତରେ । ଶ୍ରୀମାଙ୍କ ପ୍ରେରଣାରେ ‘ଦି ରିଦମ୍ ଇଟରନାଲ୍]’ ନାମରେ ଯେଉଁ କାର୍ଯ୍ୟକ୍ରମଟିର ପରିକଳ୍ପନା ହୋଇଛି ଓ ନାଟ୍ୟ-ମଞ୍ଚ ଉପରେ ତାହାର ଅଭିନୟ ପ୍ରକାଶ କରିଛି ଚିରନ୍ତନ ସଙ୍ଗୀତର ଧ୍ୱନିକୁ, ତାହାର ଆଧାରରେ ରଚିତ ହୋଇଛି ଏହି ଗଳ୍ପଟି । ପୁସ୍ତକଟିର ନାମକରଣ ସମ୍ପର୍କରେ ଅତ୍ୟନ୍ତ ନିବିଡ଼ ଭାବରେ ଯେତେବେଳେ ମୋର ଅନ୍ତଃସତ୍ତା ସମାଧିସ୍ଥ, ସେତେବେଳେ ହିଁ ଅନ୍ତଃପ୍ରେରଣାର ଏକ ବିରଳ ସଂକେତ ସମୁଜ୍ଜ୍ୱଳ ହୋଇଉଠିଲା ମୋ ଭିତରେ । ଯାହାର ଅନୁପ୍ରେରଣା ଦ୍ୱାରା ପରିଚାଳିତ ହୋଇ ଏହି ନାମ ରଖିବା ପାଇଁ ମୁଁ ଥିଲି ଏକ ନିମିତ୍ତ ମାତ୍ର । ଇଂରାଜୀ ନାମ ବୋଲି ଓଡ଼ିଆ ଗଳ୍ପ ସଂକଳନର ନାମକରଣ ଯେ ହୋଇପାରିବ ନାହିଁ, ଏପରି ଚିନ୍ତନ ମୋତେ ଆଦୌ ବିଚଳିତ କରିଦେଇ ନାହିଁ । ସମଗ୍ର ସଂକଳନଟିରେ ଯେତିକି ଗଳ୍ପର ଭାବବିନ୍ୟାସ ହୋଇଛି, ସେସବୁ ଯଦି ଗୋଟିଏ ସୂତ୍ରରେ ଗୁନ୍ଥି ଦିଆଯାଏ, ତା’ହେଲେ ତାହା ହେବ – ଦି ରିଦମ୍ ଇଟରନାଲ୍ । ଗୋଟିଏ ଗଳ୍ପର ନାମକରଣ ମଧ୍ୟରେ ସଂକଳନସ୍ଥ ସବୁ ଗଳ୍ପର ଭାବ-ବ୍ୟାପ୍ତିକୁ ସହୃଦୟ ପାଠକମାନେ ନିଶ୍ଚୟ ଅନୁଭବ କରିପାରିବେ ବୋଲି ମୋର ସୁଦୃଢ଼ ବିଶ୍ୱାସ । ଏଠାରେ ଭାଷା ଶାଶ୍ୱତ ଭାବରାଶିର ଏକ ଉଜ୍ଜ୍ୱଳ ସଂକେତ ମାତ୍ର । ଏହି ଭାବଧାରା ଅନୁସରଣରେ ଭାବଗ୍ରାହୀ ପାଠକପାଠିକାବର୍ଗ ଉଦ୍]ବୁଦ୍ଧ ହେଲେ ନିଜକୁ ଭାଗ୍ୟବାନ ମନେକରିବି ନିଶ୍ଚୟ ।
– ପ୍ରଫେସର ମଣୀନ୍ଦ୍ର କୁମାର ମେହେର
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The Sacred World of Temples
₹250.00The author’s fascination with temples began when she was a child. This book is a collection of the author’s reflections of her travels to different temples and temple towns over time in India, Sri Lanka, Malaysia, Indonesia, Myanmar, Egypt etc. The author has attempted to understand spiritual spaces form the cultural tourism perspective. A helpful read for the off-beat traveller, “The Sacred World of Temples”, contains an interesting account of the known and lesser-known temples and religious sites.
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The Scent of Odisha
₹400.00The Scent of Odisha ought to travel far and wide, not only because the Odisha musk needs olfactors but the universe requires it to live better. Overwhelming naturalness & credulity, which is why some believe that it is a mystic land. Has to be. The unimaginable & incredible happens in Odisha, defying calculations, assertions and wily aggressions. Odisha carries a great mystery within itself which has to be realised and a great potentiality which has to be actualised. Hence the Scent of Odisha is peculiar and quite different and yet not mulish. Scent knows no border and Odias know no delimitation. This cosmopolitanism of Odisha has a fragrance which has both the high and low notes, the steadfast & discursive narratives, the ingenue & chic souls and all the variants to make it a full-bodied fragrance. The enormity & diversity of Odisha canvas is daunting, and the Scent is a whiff around the wood. Much lies inside it. The dedication of the book to Koraput celebrates the simplicity and richness of the indigenous community. It is here that everything has started, even fourteen billion years ago and it is here that the next centuries are being crafted. The author’s reflection in the essay, Origin of the Origin will speak more on this. Akshaya Mohanty deserved more from his fans, Madhu babu’s nationalism should be made au courant, a Ministry of thinking is perhaps essential now and the unscrupulous Officers can’t be allowed to derail progress. Many more waves rough out in the tranquil Buddha land, a gem in the east, where the Sun rises a bit early, every day. Every day Odisha has a new story and every day Odisha fetes the past. This swing is the romance of the Scent, the mystic spirit, maverick, uncorked but also corked. Inclusive of all shades but much beyond the ideas of right & wrong.
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The Seven Queens
₹400.00There is much in these stories that our modern mindsets will find hard to accept. But having struggled with this myself, I believe that these folktales are timeless for a reason; they hold a mirror to the one thing that has not changed over the centuries – human nature. These are stories of love and lust, greed and humility, patriotism and deceit, weakness and strength of character – everything that defines our lives as individuals and as communities. That’s why I believe they continue to be relevant.
They are also an integral part of the rich legacy of Sindhi culture that we began to lose when the Partition of the Indian sub-continent took place. Few Sindhis of my generation in India have grown up listening to these stories. For that reason alone, I believe they deserve to be resurrected
Menka Shivdasani
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The Silence Between Two Words
₹180.00I am that perennial cursed self of ‘Vishwakarma’ who has not seen the ‘Vishnu Pratima’ he has sculpted. He might have, but has he had that ‘Inner Vision’ (antardrishti) to see the darkness of light, know the depth of Eternity. These profound questions beg no answers. There lies the hallowed mystique of these celestial metaphors.
I am that blessed Self of ‘Indradyumna’ to proclaim with the courage of humility that this temple of poems is not mine.
Poetry loses its poetic echo when the lap of the mother, nudity of the nude, oozing blood of the wound, angst of the anguish, innocence of the child, trembling lips of the beloved, the fragrance of the flower, the murmur of the bee, dew drops on the grass in an Autumn morning et al are defined in words. Should they be treated in such prosaic way? Can any Poet as such excepting The Great Poet theorize such Poetic concepts of sensibilities?
