Ve log
Translated title: Those People
Author: Lal, Sumati Saxena
Genre: Social Novel
Year: 2024 | Pages: 184 | Origin: IND | BA Seq Num: 87201
Those people - Amma raised her head and looked at me, then at Mama, 'Dadda, keep them with you and educate them like your own children and make them human beings. Otherwise, if they had stayed in the village, they too..' and tears welled up in her big eyes.
'I've tolerated my own, but I can't bear theirs'. Amma seemed to be begging Mama. Years later, I had brought Chander with me - to educate him and make him a human being. Amma often said, 'Son, you and Dadda have freed us from the curse of being a rustic village'.
Today, I think that in her final days, Amma was even more cursed - alone and abandoned in that dark village. Perhaps she had fallen far behind her children in the race of life. Despite living in the village for so long, she continued to deny her presence there. How strange it is that when both her children began living successful lives in the city, her circumstances had completely driven her back to the village.
She had run out of options. How would one feel when all possibilities in life were gone? How would one feel when no dreams remained? Perhaps then, nothing remained except the mind becoming wood. I know that Amma had gradually become wood - like the tables, chairs, windows, and doors in the house
Kajar ki kothri
Author: Khatri, Devki Nandan
Genre: Social Novel
Year: 2022 | Pages: 104 | Origin: IND | BA Seq Num: 87213
Penned by one of Hindi literature's esteemed authors, 'Kajar ki Kothri' delves into the saga of the affluent zamindar Lal Singh and his family. Lal Singh, a benevolent and caring patriarch, intends to pass on his wealth to his daughter Sarla and her future spouse, Harnandan Singh. However, this decision unsettles Lal Singh's nephew, Parasnath, a cunning individual who resorts to slanderous tactics to seize the inheritance. As accusations of adultery surface against Harnandan, will Sarla call off her impending marriage? And will Parasnath finally attain the riches he covets?
Vande Mataram
Author: Limbale, Sharankumar
Genre: Social Novel
Year: 2026 | Pages: 210 | Origin: IND | BA Seq Num: 92889
Here, Saraswati Colony wasn't accepting us. There, the Dalit community wasn't accepting us. We were caught in the middle. Our bodies were living with the Brahmins, but our hearts were with the Dalits. It was a very strange situation. If we met someone from Saraswati Colony, we would say, 'I am yours'. We would say 'Jai Shri Ram'. If we met a Dalit, we would say, 'I am yours', and say, 'Jai Bhim'.
Dalits kept us away. Brahmins kept us away. We were living on two stones. Brahmins would say, 'These are from Jai Bhim,' and Dalits would say, 'These are from Samrasta Manch.' We were just defending ourselves. This had become our life. Siddharth says, 'I never believed we were Hindus. On paper, we were known as 'Hindu Mahars'. Instead of being Hindus, being Mahars seemed more real. Our caste is untouchable. Therefore, Hindus harassed us.
Despite being Hindus, we were not treated like Hindus. We were considered untouchable'. We are not allowed to enter the temple. We are not allowed to go to the public well and not even to the cremation ground. We are considered impure and inferior. Dalits are subjected to injustice from time to time.
That is why we are Dalits. This has been sown in our minds. That is why we feel scared when we see the saffron flag. Instead of appearing to be a religious person, the person hoisting the saffron flag appears to be caste blind. I told you what I feel. I cannot trust Hindus because they have never considered me a human being
Lal teen ki chhat
Author: Verma, Nirmal
Genre: Social Novel
Year: 2024 | Pages: 256 | Origin: IND | BA Seq Num: 87195
'Lal Tin Ki Chhat' tells the story of a girl who lives with her younger brother in a hill town. During the long winter holidays, she roams around aimlessly, lost in her thoughts. She's trapped in a web of illusions, often unsure of what's real and what's not.
She stands at a crossroads between childhood and an uncertain future, feeling both fear and fascination. The novel explores the dark maze of emotions that lies between these two extremes, touching upon its corners before moving on
Gramkahani
Author: Kumar, Avinash
Genre: Social Novel
Year: 2026 | Pages: 112 | Origin: IND | BA Seq Num: 92886
Village life remains in many people's memories, but how many actually write about it? This was the first thought that came to my mind while reading young author Avinash Kumar's debut novel, Gramkahani. The village in Gramkahani isn't in the 'oh, what a village life!' sense; rather, it exists in its own changed context. It has village politics, the fabric of society, and education, but nothing is perfect. It's been many years since I've read such an honest and witty account of rural life. It's a blend of both 'Maila Aanchal' and 'Raag Darbari'.
Avinash Kumar's novel reflects the tradition of Hindi regional novels, but breaks free from it, telling a vivid story of the distortions of that society. It's not without reason that it also tells the story of hypocritical religious figures - the story of Swamiji. It's the story of water becoming toxic and scarce. This is the current reality of the villages in that region. Areas that were once considered flood-prone are now grappling with water shortages or toxic water.
The village depicted in this novel is inherently problematic, and its story is told in a satirical style. The story is told in the narrative style of village society, making Gramkahani a readable novel. A short novel that, in the style of a casual conversation, introduces us to a village that is experiencing problems
Master - nasheele padaarthon ka badshah aur uski khurafaten
Author: Rai, Chand
Genre: Thriller / Crime
Year: 2024 | Pages: 170 | Origin: IND | BA Seq Num: 87221
Taking place against the backdrop of the scenic Somalia coast, the story follows the Master, a notorious criminal who operates a tourism front to conceal his drug-related activities. Among the intriguing characters is Usman, a pirate who both pillages ships and operates an NGO to aid the less fortunate. When Angelina, Angel, and Robert Pearson are recruited to uncover each other's secrets, the plot thickens. The true tale unfolds when a plan is devised to ensnare the Master, the elusive drug lord. With suspense and excitement mounting, the Master falls into the trap.
Discover what unfolds next as the story delves into how the Master is ultimately apprehended and brought to justice
Pratinidhi Kahaniyan - Mrinal Pande
Author: Pande, Mrinal
Genre: Short Stories
Year: 2024 | Pages: 168 | Origin: IND | BA Seq Num: 87187
Short stories
Kasaibada
Author: Tripathi, Manoj Rajan
Genre: Romance / Historical
Year: 2026 | Pages: 311 | Origin: IND | BA Seq Num: 92888
Upon receiving the news of Major General Henry Havelock's departure with a massive army, under the orders of Lord Canning, stationed at Fort William in Calcutta, Ajijaan Bai wiped the love-stained alta from her feet. Now, Ajijaan neither accepted Shamsuddin's anklets nor her request to adorn her hairline with vermilion. Shamsuddin, commander of the East India Company's cavalry, had resigned from the job that was love. A job he had spent every penny of waiting for Ajijaan.
This unrequited ghazal of love could never be completed because its refrain was missing, and the entire responsibility rested solely on the rhyme. There was only a single dot separating love and marriage, but the revolution hadn't allowed the meter or meter of this ghazal to be changed by dropping the vowels of even a single word. In sharp contrast to the helplessness of Ajijan and Shamsuddin on the pages of the love story, the infatuation between Margaret Wheeler, daughter of Company Commander General Hugh Massey Wheeler, and the humble cook Ali Khan had transcended love, devotion, worship, and passion, reaching the point of death.
It wasn't certain whether the East India Company would allow this love to survive, but the two lovers had certainly prepared their shrouds to sacrifice themselves for love. In this story, flowing along the Ganges, both couples were sacrificing, but one was sacrificing for love, the other for revolution
Atar
Author: Pratyaksha
Genre: Short Stories
Year: 2024 | Pages: 144 | Origin: IND | BA Seq Num: 87189
In their entirety, Pratyaksha's stories feel like the warm winter sunshine - they don't sting or cause irritation, but they fill the skin with warmth so thoroughly that you don't want to leave the open and go into the shade. Their warmth lingers for a long time, lingering far and wide. Whatever the characters' backgrounds, whatever the surroundings, she weaves together each story with such skill that, by the end, it becomes a work of embroidery, its every detail coming alive.
There's a special slowness to these stories, as she doesn't overlook even the smallest detail within the visible realm. Similarly, she conveys the characters' behavior and moods through words. Pratyaksha's patience for capturing the visible and invisible in its entirety is rarely found elsewhere
Mansarovar-Part 5
Series: Book 5 of 8
Author: Premchand
Genre: Short Stories
Year: 2024 | Pages: 240 | Origin: IND | BA Seq Num: 90043
Manasarovar is a masterpiece compilation of stories by the legendary Hindi-Urdu writer Premchand, curated by him into eight volumes. Renowned as one of the greatest works of Indian literature, this collection offers a profound glimpse into the lives, struggles, and aspirations of the people of northern India. With its compelling narrative style and keen social insights, Premchand's stories resonate deeply with readers, capturing both the complexity of human emotions and the harsh realities of life. Timeless in its relevance, Manasarovar remains a powerful reflection of the human spirit, continuing to captivate hearts with its heartfelt storytelling and thought-provoking themes
