Valay (वलय) by Va. Pu. Kale (व. पु. काळे)

"Valay (वलय)" by Va. Pu. Kale (व. पु. काळे). This edition of the book is published by  Mehta Publishing House in 2012 (First publication 1966) and has 146 pages. This is a collection of twelve short stories. Interestingly author has dedicated this book to the production of song 'Mera kuch saman (मेरा कुछ सामान)' from film 'Ijazat (इजाज़त)'.

'Swapnawedi (स्वप्नवेडी)' is about a young girl who travels by train in Mumbai for her job. 'Nar Madi (नरमादी)' is a incredible love story of a husband towards his wife. 'Vishwas (विश्वास)' is a story of a person who can not stand unfaithful behavior but has tremendous empathy. 'Sukh vikne ahe (सुख विकणे आहे)' tells us about a person trying to sell happiness and loses everything in the process. 'Ardhyawar virle geet (अर्ध्यावर विरले गीत)' is a story of a husband who does not consummate his marriage till his wife is cured of ill health. 'Laat (लाट)' is a story of a lady who loves, adores and worships an actor selflessly. 'Shekhar wargat basla ahe (शेखर वर्गात बसला आहे)' shows us how guilty conscious can change everything. 'Dishabhul (दिशाभूल)' talks about issues created by money in a friendship. 'Piun vij mi, phule phulawli (पिऊन वीज मी, फुले फुलवली)' is about a lady who refuses to be defeated by impending death.

Three of the stories have female protagonist who turns out to have lost her mind. Five stories have or are related to death. But all the stories are eventually about human emotions.

The thoughts of the characters take various motions. Sometimes they are in simple harmonic motion, some times in a zigzag, sometimes like waves, sometimes like ripples and sometimes like a mud slide. Author has written very well.

What do I think is the central theme of the book? I think it is the uniqueness within the normal. Although all characters are normal human beings, thay have a steak of uniqueness that makes them stand apart from the crowd.

This book was written in 1966. Almost 50 years ago. However the stories have not become irrelevant with time. Except the sums of money, which seem paltry today, the stories could have happened in today's world.

A good book. Recommend reading.

Half a rupee stories by Gulzar

"Half a rupee stories" by Gulzar. Translated from Urdu to English by Sunjoy Shekhar. This book is published by Penguin in 2013 and has 232 pages.

This book consists of 25 stories. The stories are divided into eight sections and each section has a theme. First section has stories about cine personalities, second is for stories from slums and footpath. One section is for stories about Indo-Pak border. One section is for Naxalite movement. Another section is for miscellaneous stories.  And so on....

'Dusk' and 'The adjustment' are old age love stories, 'Ghugu and Jamuni' is the love story of a bird, 'Kuldeep Nayyar & Pirsahib' is mystique, 'LoC' depicts futility of war, 'The stench' gives slum dwellers perspective on redevelopment, 'The charioteer' shows how change of surrounding makes a king out of a lowly man, 'The search' provides a Kashmiri angle of the story of terrorism.

In the story titled half a rupee, bhau tells Chandu that he counts everything in athanni (Half rupee) because common man like us eats half plate, half night sleep, half laughing, half crying and half living.

Of all these stories I liked 'Ghugu and Jamuni', 'Pickpocket', 'Sahir & Jadu' the most.

I felt that some of the stories were too short. Since they were too short they did not create the intended impact. In some, author appeares to have left a lot unsaid and to readers imagination; deliberately.

The stories cover wide range of emotions, wide range of strata of the people and various cities. However the common theme is human emotions. Gulzar's ability to see the story in the most unlikely places, where a common man can not see it, is amazing. The stories intrigue you, make you wonder, laugh and pity. It is a light book that makes you think and introspect.

When I first read the title of this book it felt strange. After reading the book I realized that 'Half a rupee' is title of one of the stories and the book takes name after it.

A good book. Recommend reading.