On Sympathy and Empathy

 

While watching a movie today, an emotional scene came where someone was pained and while watching the scene, I started choking up too. At times like these, I just look away and tried to distract myself. It was just a regular thing happening on a regular day. But later, somehow my subconscious mind recalled this, and I pondered it over.

I remembered that this was not a new phenomenon for me. I have read some people asking, “do you cry whil watching a movie?” and I knew I did. While watching movies in a theatre, if there is an emotional scene, I get tears in my eyes and I have to distract myself to avoid crying. Why does it happen like that?

I had read this before, but I think I understood this only today. I had read somewhere on the topic of the difference between sympathy and empathy that sympathy means feeling sorry for someone in trouble and empathy means actually “feeling” someone else’s pain ourselves. I remember that a trainer in one of my previous companies had explained this to us. At that time, I had just known the concept; but did not internalize it. Somehow, I have fully understood it only now. I do start feeling other people’s pain and I start choking up on the inside. Of course, I have to stop doing this; so I force myself to stop thinking about the person in pain and I look away or try to act numb in order to control myself. Since when did I become like this? I have vivid memories of my childhood and I clearly remember that I was not like this earlier. I think I became sensitive and developed empathy during/after college days. Earlier, I hardly understood things of the world and minded my own business i.e. studies. Did my reading hobby made me do that? I don’t know, because I had started reading fiction/non-fiction books massively during college days and each writer and his book did have an impact over me.

While everyone must be feeling empathy towards others to some extent; I think I have excess of it. Due to this, I start “feeling” too often.

I had read somewhere that having empathy is good because such people can really help others. But how about the pain such a person has to endure oneself? At the same time, I don’t think having empathy is a ‘curse’ because we can always control it by stopping or distracting ourselves. In a way, if we have natural empathy, we may feel more vulnerable and humane than others. At times it may not feel like a blessing, but it is not a bad thing either. It makes us what we are, and it must make our ‘inner life’ more interesting. Others around us won’t be able to know what volcano would be erupting inside us. Perhaps it makes us a bit more self-aware and self-centered or introverted too.

Having empathy may not be a blessing or a curse. But I think it is definitely like having “more” inside us. I think it is like having two hearts instead of one. After that, our life situation would be deciding more about us than anything else.

As a conclusion, I don’t know whether having empathy is a good thing or a bad thing. If we think of it as a bad thing since it makes us vulnerable, we should remind ourselves that we have the ability to control ourselves and not become slave of our empathy. If we think of it as a good thing, we can remind ourselves about the pain we are subjected to because of our empathy while those lacking it are seemingly not affected and hence happier. Therefore, I think empathy is one of those complex things which are difficult to be judged fairly and fully.

- Rahul

What is so Special in Ghadi Detergent TVC featuring Amitabh Bachchan and Divyanka Tripathi?

A few days back, I noticed that the Ghadi Detergent TV Commerical has changed and a new Ad has come featuring Amitabh Bachchan and Divyanka Tripathi. It might have come on air some time back, but I was not watching TV last few months. Here it is [Link1]: 

This Ad highlights that if we use Ghadi detergent, we do not need to keep the clothes soaked in water + detergent for 30 minutes before washing, a practice we are always used to. We can directly do washing and it will save time for us, something of importance in this high paced world. 

Before this, there was a hugely popular Ad featuring both Amitabh ji and Divyanka ji. Here it is:

This ad talked about virtues like trust (bharosa), responsibility (jimmedari) and excellence (behtar ko aur behtar banane ki koshish), all of which are imbibed in the image of Amitabh ji. Amitabh Bachchan has a "grand old, elder family man" image now in the minds of the public. He also anchored KBC (Kaun Banega Crorepati), and his brand image consists of intelligence and wisdom. And never forget that he also represents excellence; being the greatest superstar of Indian cinema. I think these are the reasons why Amitabh ji was chosen for Ghadi detergent Ad. 

In this Ad, Divyanka says, "mere paas bhi ghadi hai", as if symbolically she is asserting her own position as an expert and the fact that when it comes to awareness and expertise, women are now equal to men. She says, "ham sab ne mil kar banaya hai Ghadi ko..." and Amitabh ji completes it by saying, "Bharat ka number one detergent powder", and symbolically they taking the public along and the viewer gets an impression that we are also responsible for making Ghadi as #1 brand. This is a perfect example of "influencing" by TV commercials. 

This TVC was so successful that the original tagline "Pahle istemaal karen, fir vishwas karen" was almost forgotten. This old, original slogan could have been relevant during the initial years, but not now, since Ghadi has been in the detergent market for years, it is not so relevant. 

Ghadi detergent ads appear on TV so often and it is difficult to ignore those. But there are so many other ads which are also repetitive and those do not have the same "recall value". I had noticed some time back that I especially liked watching Ghadi detergent ads. I asked myself why it should be like that? 

When I tried to analyze, I thought that my interest in this ad was mainly due to these two stars: Amitabh ji and Divyanka ji. Now, I am not really a diehard fan of either of them, but I liked this Ad since these two have made some kind of "magic" in it.  

If we think about it, what is amazing is how Divyanka Tripathi being mainly a TV star, "matches" the huge charisma of Amitabh Bachchan. Finding a real "pair" opposite AB must always be a huge challenge. Somehow, she plays the role so comfortably, that it does not even feel surprising. It seems Divyanka's charisma complements Amitabh ji's charisma and that must be what makes this ad so magical. I think if any moviemaker makes a movie using them as pair, it would be successful too. 

Also, somehow the portion in older Ad where Divyanka said, "ham sab ne mil ke bayana hai Ghadi ko...", followed by a flick of pause, and then Amitabh ji completes it by saying, "Bharat ka #1 detergent powder", has some "magic" in it. I wait every time she says "Ghadi ko.. and then AB says, "Bharat ka #1" as if this is some kind of a "game". This flick of pause between both their statements is tricky and my brain can't get over it. Hence, I find this ad interesting every time I watch. Both Amitabh ji and Divyanka also appear so cheerful and generate some positive vibes, which can also be a reason.  

If you read the history of Ghadi detergent and the company which manufactures it, it is nothing less than a great Indian success story. And success is what is also naturally represented by Amitabh Bachchan and Divyanka Tripathi. Perhaps above all, that is what makes this Ad so wonderful. 

- Rahul Tiwary 

Book Review: 'कुछ आपबीती, कुछ जगबीती' by Anumita Sharma

'कुछ आपबीती, कुछ जगबीती' is a Hindi story collection from author Anumita Sharma. Published in 2019 by भारतीय ज्ञानपीठ, it is beautiful hardbound book. As the title suggests, the stories in this collection are inspired by life experiences of the author as well as of others. Social touch in the stories is clearly visible; and many of these stories touch the challenges brought upon by modern lifestyle in metro cities. 

At the very beginning, I loved the way the author wrote about "क्या कुछ" phrase from TV news channels in the introduction of this book as a pretext to explain the word "कुछ" in the book's title. I am sure you would find it interesting too. 

The first story in the collection is titled 'रामचरित्तर की दुल्हन' and tells the story of a marriage under complex circumstances. When young people are made to write "essays" in the school on social topics, they often take very clear stands by denouncing some customs while appreciating some others. Growing up also consists of looking at the other side of the coin and appreciating the fact that most people are not totally evil or totally good. The male lead Ram Charittar or his wife and son are interesting characters. The climax of this story is surprisingly non-predicable. 

The second story is 'चन्दर की बिलाई' and loved it too. This story has elements of tragedy and irony in it. Loved the reference to a 'cat' in this story. It is symbolic but so inherently woven into the story, that a mere village-cat has become a prime character in this story. Things like these show the power of writing skills of the author. Such stories are expert level.

The third story 'पाया' is about finding love and rejection in the metro cities and the dilemma people face when choosing a path 'less traveled'. It has a happy ending and I liked it. The next story 'जड़ों की जड़ता' took a similar plot to a different level and though it is based on a very relevant topic of finding the right partner for marriage; it is a difficult path to tread since there are too many variables involved and each person is bringing a different set of stuff on the table. By the end of the story, the lead character who is a strong woman made a decision which looked like a 'mistake'. One mistake we do in our life is to burden our partners with our own baggage of expectations. Just because we are very sensitive about something does not mean our partner would also be sensitive about it. Everyone grows up in a different environment, not everyone goes through the same life experiences which shape us, and hence expecting some differences is necessary to do justice with any relationship.  

The next story 'उसकी सर्वश्रेष्ठ कलाकृति' abruptly brings us to a different genre. It is from the genre of 'magical realism' and the writer has a great knack for it. This story and its symbolism have come up excellently. It started like a tragedy but ended on a different note. 

I think the best story of this collection came up next in the form of 'अतीत का नया मोड़'. This story has the depth and soulfulness of highest quality and depicts emotions like sorrow, loss, irony and love very well. It is written in a descriptive manner which only this author can write in. A few small portions are mentioned below:

"मैं जानती थी कि वो फिल्म देखने गयी है पर मुझे उसके रोज आने की आदत थी। पूरी शाम मन बहुत विचलित रहा और अँधेरा तभी छँटा जब वो उसकी अगली शाम फिर आयी। मगर वो तो जैसे कोई और रेखा थी। उसके अंदर का प्रकाश बुझ सा गया था, बस एक चिंगारी शेष थी। वह अपनी भींची हुई मुट्ठियाँ कभी बंद करती, कभी खोलती और जब कुछ बोलती तो उसके शब्द लड़खड़ाने लगते। 

"ये शहर, ये भी कोई रहने की जगह है? यहाँ कोई क्यूँ रहे? जहाँ देखो वहाँ गंदगी। सभी लोग लालची। पैसों की होड़ है। यहाँ मुझ जैसे गँवार की कोई जगह नहीं। सभी चमक-दमक के पीछे लगे हैं। मैं, मैं, मैं यहाँ क्यों आयी?"

"साफ़-साफ़ बता क्या हुआ?" मुझसे उसकी ये दशा देखी नहीं जा रही थी। दिल जैसे तार-तार हो रहा था। 

"कल शाम..." वो बोलते बोलते रुक गयी और बाहर मुरझाए हरसिंगार के फूलों को गौर से देखने लगी.... (continued).

This tells how matters of heart and no small matters and those cruel people who can easily "move on" will never understand what crimes they do against people who are sensitive in nature. 

After a while following paragraph comes touching the magic of childhood:

"हम एक साथ इसी मोहल्ले में बड़े हुए थे। वो बस मुझसे साल-भर बड़ी थी। मैं हिरणी की तरह कुलाँचे मारती चंचल और बिजली की तरह कौंधती चपल थी, तो वो चाँदनी सी शांत सुन्दर और रेशम सी कोमल। हम दोनों हमेशा साथ रहते और एक साथ जहाँ भी जाते लोग बस हमें ही देखते। हमारी जोड़ी आस-पास के गली मोहल्लों तक मशहूर थी..."

And look at the wonderful allegory below:

"राख जैसे मटमैले आकाश में जब सूरज धधकते कोयले की तरह उगा तो उसकी रोशनी खून सी लाल थी।"

I liked the second-last story 'राजाराम' also very much. It sounds like a real-life story of a young boy from a village. In villages, each boy is a hero and has a tale of adventures to his own credit. This story has come up so very well and even the ending is perfect. 

The last story is titled 'कुछ आपबीती, कुछ जगबीती' and I realized it is the flagship story of this book. It is a kind of 'master-story' where six stories are imbedded in it; some of which are fascinating, e.g. the one which was told by Chandrabhan. But the six stories are so diverse that the reader is made to do time-travel too often and I think while this idea of a master-story was novel and fantastic, stories could have been set in the same time/era, to make it more appealing. The setup of this story in the form of a mysterious palace is wonderful.   

As a conclusion, 'कुछ आपबीती, कुछ जगबीती' is a wonderful book and it clearly displays the author's brand of writing. Several of these stories concern with women's point of view or cover different aspects of lives of modern women. Whenever author delves into the past and tells stories about the folk life, the stories become magical. The book is highly recommended for a soulful read.  

- Rahul 

Thoughts: Are We Really 'One Person"?

I happened to come across one of my older blog posts from about 9 years ago. I remember having written that piece, but when I started reading it now, I could not believe having written a few sentences in it. Those sentences sounded silly and childish and frivolous. Did I really write those? I must have! But for me, as a person, I can't relate to it anymore. That is the power of "time" and how time changes us as we age. 

Since I have been on blogging platform for long, I have been writing and sharing thoughts on many social issues over many years. On many of these topics, my opinion now is starkly different than what used to be earlier. It is pretty normal and must be happening with everyone as we age. But, on a level, it is scary too. If my opinion on something 10 years ago was not "final"; is my opinion "now" also not final? Will I keep changing and evolving with time even further? On this note, are we even "one person" in our life?

The thought is even more scary if we think about others. It is likely that in our life we must have discarded or judged some people harshly. What if that person has also changed with time and now the person is no longer like he or she used to be, say 10 years ago? We can say, "who cares?" and move on; but on one level, it does not look okay! 

We have been told that looking back in life is mostly unproductive and risky. But, if we are changing with time 'unconsciously', will it not create problems for us? At times, it may be a good idea to have a look at how we have changed over time. For that, looking back may be necessary. 

At the same time, it is also comforting that we do not entirely change. A lot of my thoughts, values and habits are still the same as before. But a lot has changed. I think when it comes to opinions and my understanding of this world, there are more changes than what has remained the same. But when it comes to the "inner me", things have remained the same more times than the changes. So, we may be really "one person" after all! 

On a serious note, this phenomenon of us changing with time presents good as well as bad opportunities. I know I am no longer as disciplined as I used to be in my teenage and I would love to be like that again. I also sometimes recall how motivated I used to be earlier, in contrast to what I am now. Life experiences make, break or change us, for the better or the worse. It is part of nature's 'grand design'. 

When it comes to linear time, we may always think that the "youthful us" were the "best ever us"! I think I would agree with this thought. Even if we become wiser with age and can understand more aspects of any subject than we did earlier, there is something very magical in the teenage years which we shall always cherish. If asked to choose between wisdom and youth, I guess a lot of people will choose the latter over the former, even though the former may be more useful and beneficial for us. Perhaps there is something interesting in being "foolishly young", and one can't be without the other. 

To the time gone by; and to the time ahead of us. With a secret wish that somehow it does not come after all. 

- Rahul Tiwary 

Travelogue: Muzaffarpur Railway Station

Below is the panoramic view of Muzaffarpur Jn. Railway Station as seen currently from a foot over bridge: 

It may look pretty regular. 

But Indian Railways has plans to redevelop this railway station on the lines of international standards as the city is part of central govt's Smart City project. You can read about it here. 

If you visit Muzaffarpur Railway Station now, you will find a beautiful model of "to-be" railway station on display at Platform# 1:

Hope to see the new developed railway station soon. 

- Rahul 

Dog Eats Dog Scene

I had heard the phrase “dog eats dog world” before. But never did I image that this would be literally true also. Recently, I came across a sad and disgusting scene at our village.

It started sounding like a nice story. Sometime back, four or five puppies were born in our neighborhood. Somehow, most of them were females. Two of them started living near a relative’s house. They were lean and fit female dogs. They roamed around the house and followed any person who came out of it, especially a girl. Whenever she went out of her house, one of the two female dogs would follow her. These two dogs had superbly emotional eyes. If they came near our house and I would try to scare them away, they would just look at me in the eye and when I looked into their eyes, I found no fear at all. Instead, I found only a question in those innocent eyes; asking me what was I doing? At that moment, I would get confused and leave them.

By now, these two female dogs which had remained in the neighborhood had become adults (dogs grow too fast). And I never noticed when they had become pregnant. Last month, one fine morning, the neighborhood was awaken with a curious sight.

We realized that the two female dogs or bitches who were sisters; both had delivered babies on the same night. And how many? There were ten puppies in total! It was assumed that both of them had delivered five each. Now, both were seen taking care of those ten puppies, without any differentiation or discrimination. When the mother dogs walked, ten tiny puppies used to follow them. No one had ever seen so many little puppies at one place before.

Over the days that followed, none of the puppies were lost which was a miracle. Small kids would come to play with the puppies and the mother dogs would allow them to play. Small kids on their way to the school would spend few minutes daily watching the puppies or playing with them. One day, three small girls were passing by on their way to the school. Suddenly, they were seen running scared. After reaching safe distance, one of them told the other two a formula: “never run, otherwise the dog would chase and bite you. Just stand still of walk slowly”. These little girls were scared of those tiny puppies! Few boys were much braver who would play with the puppies by picking them up and moving here and there.

A month passed by, and the ten puppies were still ten. Then two of them were taken away by a relative to their home in the city to be raised as pets. After that, one puppy was hit and killed by a car and another by an auto rickshaw. Now six remained.

After a few days, one of the mother dogs appeared to be too thin and she started sitting far away from the puppies. It was so because whenever the female dogs would come near the puppies, the puppies would chase them and start drinking their milk. This mother-dog was perhaps not well or not in a condition to feed the puppies and hence she made herself unavailable. After a few days someone commented that she was perhaps going to die! I did not take it seriously, until after a few days she was never seen again. Perhaps she went to some other place?

The remaining and only mother dog now, was still feeding the puppies. The six puppies that were left, were now growing up at different paces. Three of them had grown taller and stronger while three others, who also had black spots, were much smaller. It was clear that they were from two different sets of parents. By now, the remaining female dog was also seen training the puppies to run and jump. Then, the final episode came.

One afternoon, I saw a disgusting scene. The female dog had brought some other dog’s partial-carcass at some distance and the puppies were all eating it! The carcass was already eaten by some other dogs as it had mainly bones remaining now. After leaving the carcass with the puppies, she went to some distance and sat down, watching them. It seemed she was now training the puppies to eat meat and other rotten food; and moving them away from her milk as their only diet. As the puppies ate the carcass, it stared smelling bad and hence I went nearby and tried to scare the puppies; but the puppies won’t even look at me! After much efforts, a few smaller puppies went away while two bigger puppies won’t leave their food. I threw some stones towards them, but each stone missed the target. Then I decided to give up and left the puppies have their meals; thinking that after they finish it, the smell would also go away. But then a realization hit me.

The carcass which the puppies were eating, was surely of a dog. How could I tell? It constituted only bones or skeleton but the face still had skin over it and face had not been eaten by anyone. And the face was clearly of a dog. But what had become clear to me by now was the fact that it was the face of that other female dog which had gone missing a few days ago!

The innocent eyed, fearless mother dog which had given birth to five puppies, and later withdrew herself to a distance after she was not well, while watching over her kids being taken care by her sister-dog, had died and her body was being eaten by her own …? The realization was revolting, and I tried not to think about it again.

But now I have put this episode on my blog, feeling guilty of the crime. The crime of having seen the “dog eats dog world”.

- Rahul Tiwary

Travelogue: Club Road Mithanpura, Muzaffarpur (Bihar)

 

Auditorium, Club Road, Mithanpura, Muzaffarpur (Bihar)

The Park Hoel, Muzaffarpur (Bihar)

Kumar's Dharfari Enclave, Mithanpura, Muzaffarpur (Bihar)

West Side store, Mithanpura, Muzaffarpur (Bihar)

MDDM College, Muzaffarpur (Bihar)

Grand Mall, Mithanpura, Muzaffarpur (Bihar)

(C) Rahul 

Picture: Shri Krishn and Radha by Unknown Artist

 

I found above picture randomly on the internet. This picture of Shri Krishna and Radha is so nice and the artist must be so good. But, apart from loving this picture big time, I could not stop myself from noticing the similarity in the faces of these two!

During the recently undergoing IPL Cricket tournament, I heard someone saying that MS Dhoni does not have a large number of ‘shots’ in his arsenal like some other veteran batsmen. I think the idea is that if we watch any player play multiple times, after a while we can notice his style of playing and shot selection and can even make a list. Understood. After looking at above picture, I could see a parallel. How many “different” faces of kids can an artist draw? It seems as if the artist first drew Krishna and then when he/she started drawing Radha, she started looking “same to same”; and hence the artist stretched the cheeks and now it seems she is holding “rasgullas” in her cheeks, like kids do.

I had also read somewhere that giving right size to fingers in portraits is often a challenge to artists; and here too I think his right hand fingers are slightly longer than the left?  

In this picture, their smiles, the way they are sitting, the way Radha is a little bent towards Krishna is so adorable. Or the way Krishna’s belly is a bit bulged, like it happens in kids. Or the way Radha and Krishna both appear to be “looking at” the “photographer” (viewer) is so adorable too.

I am sure every time we see this picture, we can smile and feel their love which is an expression of divinity.  The artist has become immortal with this picture. Hats off and lot of respect to the anonymous painter.

- Rahul  

Picture: A Different Butterfly

 

(C) Rahul 

Maalik!: Conclusion

 

Last year, I wrote about a small kid whom I came across in our village and I was touched by the way he greeted me with so much respect. After that, I came across him 2-3 more times and now I have finally found the secret behind the kid!

A few months ago, the kid came visiting our home again and he brought two of his other friends with him. All were so small; and kids of this age always secretly remind me of my son. So, he was showing “me” to his friend and telling him something while looking at me. As soon as I caught their eye, they would try to run away. I could not understand what was happening and why they were so curious about me. So, the mystery which started last year, continued.

For once, I flattered myself with the imagination that perhaps he was baby Bhagwan Krishna checking up on me!

Next time again, he came with two of his friends. This time, my father saw then wandering around our home and asked what they wanted. He replied that they had come just to greet us! Well, that seemed to be their “formula” and it was again so sweet.

Next time, the mystery was finally solved. This time, I was sitting at our verandah alone and I saw the same kid slowly walking up to me. He came near the door and said something. I asked him what it was about; he answered again and I still could not understand him. So, I went near him and asked again. “Chocolate”, he said. So, for all these days, he wanted chocolates from me?! I asked him to wait, went inside our home and brought few pieces of Cadbury Gems and gave those to him. He collected all pieces in his hand and I noticed that he had such tiny hands!

One of my uncles saw this episode and asked what was happening and I told him that it was some random village kid asking for chocolate, so I have just given him some.

He came back after a week or so, in a hot summer afternoon. He again caught me sitting in the verandah; and asked me the same as last time and I brought remaining pieces of Gems again for him which he collected in his tiny hand. He went away quickly after getting it.

So, how did I feel? On one hand, I was a bit disappointed that he was just “using me” to get chocolates. But given the sweet little boy he was, I did not mind being used like that. On the other hand, again there was a bit of disappointment that he was not baby Krishna after all! That I can’t be sure about, since all kids are godly. Just like we can’t have real two-way conversation with God and all we can do is to feel and hope, we can also not have a real conversation with small kids and all we can do is to feel the bundle of love and affection they are made of and reciprocate. I also wondered if he would keep coming back to look for me even after I am gone and would be disappointed at not finding me.  

Thus concludes a mysterious encounter with a curious little angel boy.  

- Rahul Tiwary

Two Musketeers

On a railway station, I noticed a conversation and realized that someone was giving directions to two kids. One boy was of around 10-12 years and the other of around 10. Both were carrying big backpacks on their backs, indicating that they had gotten down from some long-distance train. Their faces were sober and expressionless. Clearly, both were child laborers working in some big city. After they got the information they had sought from a stranger sitting on a bench, they went towards the stairs on the railway platform. While they walked, I noticed that the elder boy was limping in one leg. It was either due to some accident or some ailment.

I could not decide whether this scene was of pity or of courage.

- Rahul

Book Review: Pratyaasha by Anumita Sharma

 

‘प्रत्याशा’ (Pratyaasha) is a Hindi story collection from the talented writer Anumita Sharma. It is a collection of stories set in different times, genre and taste. The beautiful book of about 160 pages is published by Hind Yugm.

‘Pratyaasha’ means hope or wait. The back cover of the book expresses a hope that this book would become a 'best seller'. It is a recently launched book and I am trying to give my review or opinion on it in this blog post.

The front cover of the book contains a modern art of a woman standing and facing dusk in the background, with sky in red and the surface appearing in shadows. There are sketches of women freely talking and having a good time immersed into it. I think the cover picture tries to depict the aura of freethinking women in a modern world when faced with the realities of this world.    

So, what to expect when you read this promising book?

The book has total eleven stories.

The first story titled ‘दीवार पर लटकती लड़की’ is horror story. This is a superb story with elements of unpredictability, shock, subtlety and horror, all in right places and proportions. After reading this story in the evening, when I went to sleep, I realized next morning that I had seen a horror story in my dream. And even my dream ended with a twist and shock on the pattern of this story. I shall post the story from my dream some other time.

The next story titled ‘सत्तर के प्यार का भूगोल’ is a fantasy. It tells the story of a mysterious woman and her short fling with a neighbor. The manner in which this story is written is unique and I don’t think anyone else could have written this story other than this author.

Next story ‘गरजन-तरजन’ is a literary gem. The story is set in real time but describes a rich landlord from the bygone era who is struggling to come to terms with the realities of the present time. As the cover page of this book depicts, there is a young woman, his daughter, who is mysterious and evokes strange emotions; but by the end, she will get imprinted into the reader’s mind forever. This is an immortal story and I would rate this as the best story of this book. I hope this and some other stories from this book go for nominations of best stories awards in Hindi and I am sure this will be a winner.

The fourth story titled ‘सिरंडिपिटी’ brings forth a wonderful character called ‘Mrinalini’ who is repeated in a few more stories in this collection. She is a writer and a bit disillusioned with this world; as sensitive people are prone to feel, and one day she just vanishes in the mountains. The story is set in the aftermath of global pandemic of year 2020. One of her friends goes in her search and you need to read the story to find out what happens next.

The fifth story ‘वो कहीं नहीं थी’ is again a literary gem. It touches the soul of large complex families and politics behind the close doors and weaves a story which evokes several emotions in the minds of the readers.

Next story ‘सतह के नीचे’ tells the story of a promising writer from the past era who is now lost and forgotten, and what happens when he finds one of his big fans.

The seventh story ‘गुलटेनी को किसने मारा’ is a mystery thriller which depicts the sad story of a man aging alone in a modern city. This is another story which definitely deserves an award. One should buy a book even if it contains just one story of this caliber.

‘एक परिकथा’ is a story capturing the soul of a teenage girl growing up in a city amidst other interesting people. I think this is a story which can’t be written by anyone other than this author. The story appears so real, has so many twists and turns and it is so rare that we read such powerful stories where protagonist is a teenage girl. This story is also written in a great humorous style which makes it very entertaining.

'चेतना के अद्भुत तमाशे', 'आत्मा या आजीविका', and 'प्रत्याशा’ are last three stories in this collection. Some of these stories are ‘conjoined’ where an event from one story is also mentioned in the climax of another story. I don’t know what this style of writing is called, but in this book it is displayed wonderfully. 'आत्मा या आजीविका' has 'magical realism', a talent in which the author holds a strong hand. 

Here is an excerpt from the story ‘गरजन-तरजन’:

Notice how beautifully this is written. Merely the event of a "sun set" is given this magical expression! That sun is looking "अस्त-व्यस्त सा", that clouds were about to be set free of its weak "grip" (निर्बल पकड़), what is this language other than magic? 

After a while in the same story, ".. जीप लड़खड़ाती हुई कंकड़-पत्थर से बिछे एक खुले अहाते में पहुँची। अगल-बगल अँधेरे में प्रेतों जैसे प्रतीत होते विशालकाय पेड़ थे जिनकी बाँहों से बारिश का पानी टपक रहा था।" Here, a tree has been imagined as a ghost and water can be seen dripping from the ghost's "arms"! 

After a while, "फूफाजी के सामने खाने में कई तरह के पकवान परोसे जाते और बासमती चावल के खुशबूदार पुलाव का तो पहाड़ होता। वे ऊपर से कोई सब्जी-तरकारी या भात-पूरी दुबारा नहीं लेते इसलिए पूरा टाल एक बार में ही लगा दिया जाता। Now, Phuphaji who is being described here, is not really a character in this story. He is just being described in order to describe the "family background". But the level of detail mentioned where each word has been placed to perfection is mesmerizing. Wonder why the author mentioned this interesting detail that he did not take any food item after the initial offering. Even I have this habit and now I realize that this Phuphaji was like me. Notice the word पहाड़ to describe a pile of पुलाव! Every word mentioned in this story has a higher purpose and it pays to give a second read of many paragraphs in order to enjoy the 'magic' properly. 

Below portion is from 'चेतना के अद्भुत तमाशे':

I am amazed at how deeply this is written. The ailing man first hears a voice; like someone is panting or grappling to stop a cry... and after some time he realizes that it was he himself who was suffocating! And the colors of teenage loves and infatuations are painted in this tragic story so beautifully. 

To conclude, ‘Pratyaasha’ is a book you don’t want to miss. If you want to spend a few days reading such wonderful stories whose characters and events you are going to remember for a long time, you must buy and read this book. The book is available on Amazon here as well as on Padhega India (Bodhi Tree) at this page. 

- Rahul

About Peter Lynch