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For Now, It Is Night: Stories
17 lively short stories provide an irreverent examination of exile, drawn from the ever-observant pen of one of Kashmir's most celebrated writers
Hari Krishna Kaul, one of the most celebrated Kashmiri writers, published most of his work between 1972 and 2000. His short stories, shaped by the social crisis and political instability in Kashmir, explore – with a keen eye for detail, biting wit, and deep empathy – themes of isolation, individual and collective alienation, corruption, and the social mores of a community that experienced a loss of homeland, culture, and language.
In these pages, we will find friends stuck forever in the same class at school while the world changes around them; travelers forced to seek shelter in a battered, windy hostel after a landslide; parents struggling to deal with displacement as they move away from Kashmir with their children, or loneliness as their children leave in search of better prospects; the cabin fever of living through a curfew . . .
Brilliantly translated in a unique collaborative project, For Now, It Is Night brings a comprehensive selection of Kaul’s stories to English readers for the first time.
Hari Krishna Kaul, one of the most celebrated Kashmiri writers, published most of his work between 1972 and 2000. His short stories, shaped by the social crisis and political instability in Kashmir, explore – with a keen eye for detail, biting wit, and deep empathy – themes of isolation, individual and collective alienation, corruption, and the social mores of a community that experienced a loss of homeland, culture, and language.
In these pages, we will find friends stuck forever in the same class at school while the world changes around them; travelers forced to seek shelter in a battered, windy hostel after a landslide; parents struggling to deal with displacement as they move away from Kashmir with their children, or loneliness as their children leave in search of better prospects; the cabin fever of living through a curfew . . .
Brilliantly translated in a unique collaborative project, For Now, It Is Night brings a comprehensive selection of Kaul’s stories to English readers for the first time.
208 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2024
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February 28, 2024
I received a review copy of this book from Archipelago Books via Edelweiss for which my thanks.
For Now It Is Night (2024) is a collection of 17 short stories written originally in Kashmiri by author Hari Krishna Kaul and translated in this collection by a team of four translators, among them his niece Kalpana Raina and Tanveer Ajsi, Gowhar Fazili and Gowhar Yakoob, all of whom as Raina points out in her introduction worked together discussing, debating and revising before the stories took the form in which they’ve reached us. Another interesting facet of the translation comes from Raina’s own approach—fluent in spoken Kashmiri but not able to read the script, she worked from recorded versions of the stories (the first time I’ve come across this style of translation), which also as she writes, helped her appreciate the strongly dramatic quality of the tales and reflected the author’s work writing radio and TV plays.
The stories in the volume are taken from across four volumes of short stories Kaul published in Kashmiri (he also wrote in Urdu and Hindi) between 1972 and 2001 and reflect a range of shades and themes. One sees family dynamics and tensions, love and longing, whimsy and humour, death and despair (some taking a dark turn), the effect on people of the biting cold of the winter, place and culture, belonging and displacement as also political and communal tensions and equations.
The opening story, ‘Sunshine’ one of my favourites is one that reflects a few of these but largely remains lighthearted. Poshkuj is in Delhi staying with her younger son and daughter in law who have done very well for themselves (compared to his older son Gasha with whom she lives in Srinagar and Gasha’s wife who for Poshkuj is a fishwife and shrew) but soon finds things in Delhi are very different from what she is accustomed to—whether it is how her son and daughter-in-law live (they are welcoming and do try to make her comfortable), or those they socialise with, the language that she can hardly speak or even unfamiliarity with the city. We see her reactions and thoughts to all these, the feelings of belonging and not at the same time, but all the while the warm sunshine giving her much respite from the cold Kashmir winter.
Weather more severely is present in some of the other stories like ‘To Rage or to Endure’ where the unnamed narrator’s grandmother (Dĕd) prepares garlands of dried aubergine and gourd for Shēnĕ-Budhĕ or old man snow as grandmother and narrator must contend with the cruellest face of Shēnĕ-Budhĕ caught with none to aid them; likewise in the titular ‘For Now It Is Night’, a group of travellers must stop part-way on their journey in the night because of a landslide, facing bone chilling cold, to which two different fellow travellers of the narrator react very differently.
Many of the characters struggle to make ends meet like the narrator in ‘Curfew’ who earns what little he makes by tutoring while sharing a difficult relationship with his father as the family lives through a curfew, with tensions between different family members escalating much like in the recent lockdown. Nathji and his wife Pyari in ‘The Lights on the Other Side’ live in a house in need of repair (as also a relationship), while the narrator in ‘A Song of Despair’ too has no job. Relationships stand out in these stories too, whether the father–son in ‘Curfew’ as also differently in ‘A Song of Despair’ (the musically talented family the narrator tells of) or between ‘Twins’ assuming much darker shades. In ‘The Saint and the Witch’ a widow repenting what she thought was a sin committed many years ago comes upon an unexpected truth.
Politics is satirised in ‘The Tongue and the Egg’ a story I felt I could have appreciated more with perhaps more background, as was the case in ‘That Which We Cannot Speak Of’ which looks at communal tensions which changed the face of relationships. ‘One Sahib and the Other’ is again set around this theme with two politicians on opposite sides who are also good friends discussing work and family while the realities of their political differences unfold around them both in ridiculous/humorous and tragic ways.
But there is lighter humour too, whether in ‘Sunshine’ or the whimsical ‘Tomorrow: A Never-ending Story’ where the world moves and things change yet Makhan and Suleh remain in class IV struggling with their mathematics tables (besides the observations on society, this one too I felt had more layers than I have peeled back on the one reading).
Displacement and loss of home as the author himself was one who had to leave Kashmir in 1990 are explored in the stories—evoking deeper emotions in ‘A Moment of Madness’ where Jawe Lal whose son has left for a job in America unexpectedly finds something in common with a rickshaw driver and in ‘A Late Winter’ where an older couple is visiting their son working in Delhi, the father finding not only difficulties from age-related problems in the face of the living arrangements there but also resentment in his son for having sent him away to Delhi in the first place.
Amidst all these themes and relationships, place and culture stand out too in most, in some way or other, as does the landscape for instance in the story ‘Dogs’.
This is an excellent collection of stories making for a wonderful introduction to the author’s work and the range of themes and emotions he explores. Many stories leave much to the reader’s interpretation; and while I felt some would benefit form a second or further reading to get at the underlying threads and a few would have fared better with a little more background of the time (one does get an idea of the rough setting from the things referred to), most were distinctive and all of them very readable.
For Now It Is Night (2024) is a collection of 17 short stories written originally in Kashmiri by author Hari Krishna Kaul and translated in this collection by a team of four translators, among them his niece Kalpana Raina and Tanveer Ajsi, Gowhar Fazili and Gowhar Yakoob, all of whom as Raina points out in her introduction worked together discussing, debating and revising before the stories took the form in which they’ve reached us. Another interesting facet of the translation comes from Raina’s own approach—fluent in spoken Kashmiri but not able to read the script, she worked from recorded versions of the stories (the first time I’ve come across this style of translation), which also as she writes, helped her appreciate the strongly dramatic quality of the tales and reflected the author’s work writing radio and TV plays.
The stories in the volume are taken from across four volumes of short stories Kaul published in Kashmiri (he also wrote in Urdu and Hindi) between 1972 and 2001 and reflect a range of shades and themes. One sees family dynamics and tensions, love and longing, whimsy and humour, death and despair (some taking a dark turn), the effect on people of the biting cold of the winter, place and culture, belonging and displacement as also political and communal tensions and equations.
The opening story, ‘Sunshine’ one of my favourites is one that reflects a few of these but largely remains lighthearted. Poshkuj is in Delhi staying with her younger son and daughter in law who have done very well for themselves (compared to his older son Gasha with whom she lives in Srinagar and Gasha’s wife who for Poshkuj is a fishwife and shrew) but soon finds things in Delhi are very different from what she is accustomed to—whether it is how her son and daughter-in-law live (they are welcoming and do try to make her comfortable), or those they socialise with, the language that she can hardly speak or even unfamiliarity with the city. We see her reactions and thoughts to all these, the feelings of belonging and not at the same time, but all the while the warm sunshine giving her much respite from the cold Kashmir winter.
Weather more severely is present in some of the other stories like ‘To Rage or to Endure’ where the unnamed narrator’s grandmother (Dĕd) prepares garlands of dried aubergine and gourd for Shēnĕ-Budhĕ or old man snow as grandmother and narrator must contend with the cruellest face of Shēnĕ-Budhĕ caught with none to aid them; likewise in the titular ‘For Now It Is Night’, a group of travellers must stop part-way on their journey in the night because of a landslide, facing bone chilling cold, to which two different fellow travellers of the narrator react very differently.
Many of the characters struggle to make ends meet like the narrator in ‘Curfew’ who earns what little he makes by tutoring while sharing a difficult relationship with his father as the family lives through a curfew, with tensions between different family members escalating much like in the recent lockdown. Nathji and his wife Pyari in ‘The Lights on the Other Side’ live in a house in need of repair (as also a relationship), while the narrator in ‘A Song of Despair’ too has no job. Relationships stand out in these stories too, whether the father–son in ‘Curfew’ as also differently in ‘A Song of Despair’ (the musically talented family the narrator tells of) or between ‘Twins’ assuming much darker shades. In ‘The Saint and the Witch’ a widow repenting what she thought was a sin committed many years ago comes upon an unexpected truth.
Politics is satirised in ‘The Tongue and the Egg’ a story I felt I could have appreciated more with perhaps more background, as was the case in ‘That Which We Cannot Speak Of’ which looks at communal tensions which changed the face of relationships. ‘One Sahib and the Other’ is again set around this theme with two politicians on opposite sides who are also good friends discussing work and family while the realities of their political differences unfold around them both in ridiculous/humorous and tragic ways.
But there is lighter humour too, whether in ‘Sunshine’ or the whimsical ‘Tomorrow: A Never-ending Story’ where the world moves and things change yet Makhan and Suleh remain in class IV struggling with their mathematics tables (besides the observations on society, this one too I felt had more layers than I have peeled back on the one reading).
Displacement and loss of home as the author himself was one who had to leave Kashmir in 1990 are explored in the stories—evoking deeper emotions in ‘A Moment of Madness’ where Jawe Lal whose son has left for a job in America unexpectedly finds something in common with a rickshaw driver and in ‘A Late Winter’ where an older couple is visiting their son working in Delhi, the father finding not only difficulties from age-related problems in the face of the living arrangements there but also resentment in his son for having sent him away to Delhi in the first place.
Amidst all these themes and relationships, place and culture stand out too in most, in some way or other, as does the landscape for instance in the story ‘Dogs’.
This is an excellent collection of stories making for a wonderful introduction to the author’s work and the range of themes and emotions he explores. Many stories leave much to the reader’s interpretation; and while I felt some would benefit form a second or further reading to get at the underlying threads and a few would have fared better with a little more background of the time (one does get an idea of the rough setting from the things referred to), most were distinctive and all of them very readable.
March 5, 2024
This collection of short stories, spanning the career of Kashmiri writer Hari Krishna Kaul, reflects the changing currents and tensions in Kashmir as well as the sense of dislocation experienced by the Pandit community following exile from their homeland in 1990. What makes this project especially interesting is the collaborative nature of the translation. Four translators, including Kaul's niece worked together to bring his work to life in English.
A more detailed review can be found here: https://roughghosts.com/2024/03/04/ca...
A more detailed review can be found here: https://roughghosts.com/2024/03/04/ca...
October 25, 2023
I’ve been trying to read more of short stories and surprisingly, this is the third collection I’ve read in the last two months. Hari Krishna Kaul’s For Now, It Is Night paints a vivid picture of Kashmir spanning across the decades. This collection of 17 stories was selected by his niece Kalpana Raina who sought out expert help from Tanveer Ajsi, Gowhar Fazili and Gowhar Yaqoob in having them translated. Kashmir and its troubled history has been written by various authors but what sets it apart is the nuanced and metaphorical manner in which Kaul writes. He highlights the mundanity of the people who live in this beautiful land, at times of friends and of growing hostilities. But more than anything, Kaul lets you read in between the lines to understand what he’s truly trying to say.
These 17 short stories capture the lives of people pre and post exodus. We see people displaced, now living in cities but unable to find peace without their motherland beneath their feet. We see aged parents abandoned or neglected by their children who move abroad or to metropolitan cities. We watch friends turn into enemies as the exodus nears. It almost feels like you’re seeing two sides of a coin. We see friendships spanning generations but some breaking easily as tensions rise between Hindus and Muslims. We see an old woman moving to Delhi to be in a non-Muslim society only to miss the land she grew up on. Kaul captures fragile emotions of ordinary people brilliantly.
Kaul leaves many stories to our imagination. He pushes us to read between the lines, to understand the gentle truth of humans and dissect the meaning that they carry. And he does so gracefully. The translation is quite good too. My favourite ones were A Late Winter in which see a father worried about his son who has moved abroad. He misses his son but also misses his homeland that he had to leave during the exodus. Other favourites were Sunshine, woes of an old lady trying to adjust to the modern times and The Lights on the Other Side which captures the hostility between two religions.
Bonus points for the wonderful cover. I recommend this. Thank you for the copy @harpercollinsin ✨
These 17 short stories capture the lives of people pre and post exodus. We see people displaced, now living in cities but unable to find peace without their motherland beneath their feet. We see aged parents abandoned or neglected by their children who move abroad or to metropolitan cities. We watch friends turn into enemies as the exodus nears. It almost feels like you’re seeing two sides of a coin. We see friendships spanning generations but some breaking easily as tensions rise between Hindus and Muslims. We see an old woman moving to Delhi to be in a non-Muslim society only to miss the land she grew up on. Kaul captures fragile emotions of ordinary people brilliantly.
Kaul leaves many stories to our imagination. He pushes us to read between the lines, to understand the gentle truth of humans and dissect the meaning that they carry. And he does so gracefully. The translation is quite good too. My favourite ones were A Late Winter in which see a father worried about his son who has moved abroad. He misses his son but also misses his homeland that he had to leave during the exodus. Other favourites were Sunshine, woes of an old lady trying to adjust to the modern times and The Lights on the Other Side which captures the hostility between two religions.
Bonus points for the wonderful cover. I recommend this. Thank you for the copy @harpercollinsin ✨
March 10, 2024
If you are an Indian, you will love this book more. If I have to review this short story collection in a line, I will say this.
Because we know what the characters are actually talking about and what they are referring to in each story when it’s actually not written.
A collection of seventeen stories which I feel is a really good read. You will get the original story vibes and you will not get any familiarity with any of the stories or characters. Each story has a different meaning and feel to it.
I liked all the stories and none of them appear to be hurriedly written or otherwise.
I feel the translation is perfect and the stories are quite original/unique.
The stories and the characters reflect how people from diverse cultures and communities survive or thrive today. You will get to meet characters which we can’t categorise in a conventional sense.
I will tell you that you won’t be able to ignore any of these stories. Most of them are thrilling and suspenseful while others feel like they are trying to pull you into an alternate universe where you can’t escape from. But they are stories which is contemporary and quite realistic. The writing is really good!
Thank you, Aechipegalo, for the advance reading copy.
Because we know what the characters are actually talking about and what they are referring to in each story when it’s actually not written.
A collection of seventeen stories which I feel is a really good read. You will get the original story vibes and you will not get any familiarity with any of the stories or characters. Each story has a different meaning and feel to it.
I liked all the stories and none of them appear to be hurriedly written or otherwise.
I feel the translation is perfect and the stories are quite original/unique.
The stories and the characters reflect how people from diverse cultures and communities survive or thrive today. You will get to meet characters which we can’t categorise in a conventional sense.
I will tell you that you won’t be able to ignore any of these stories. Most of them are thrilling and suspenseful while others feel like they are trying to pull you into an alternate universe where you can’t escape from. But they are stories which is contemporary and quite realistic. The writing is really good!
Thank you, Aechipegalo, for the advance reading copy.
March 15, 2024
A delightful collection of short stories. Of course having to leave Kashmir is the emotion behind many of the stories, but other aspects of the social issues the corruption, the faults of education system, the politics behind the prevailing issues have been brought out beautifully and the best part is no final message given, leaving the reader to draw their own conclusions. Many messages- let me take a little sunshine, what is worse getting your throat slit or being abandoned, to rage or to endure, touch deeply.
Wish more works of the author could have been retrieved. And for this book I can strongly say “nothing lost in translation. “
Wish more works of the author could have been retrieved. And for this book I can strongly say “nothing lost in translation. “
December 22, 2023
"For Now, It Is Night" is a collection of 17 short stories written by Hari Krishna Kaul and translated by Kalpana Raina, Tanveer Ajsi, Gowhar Fazili, and Gowhar Yaqoob. Spanning from 1972 to 2001, these stories offer glimpses into different time periods, presenting a mosaic of life experiences.
One notable aspect of the book is its thought-provoking nature. Each story is open-ended, leaving readers to ponder the outcomes and implications. This approach adds a layer of complexity to the narratives, inviting readers to engage actively with the material. However, the lack of proper closure may leave some readers yearning for more conclusive resolutions.
Read the full review on:
https://readreactreview21.wordpress.c...
One notable aspect of the book is its thought-provoking nature. Each story is open-ended, leaving readers to ponder the outcomes and implications. This approach adds a layer of complexity to the narratives, inviting readers to engage actively with the material. However, the lack of proper closure may leave some readers yearning for more conclusive resolutions.
Read the full review on:
https://readreactreview21.wordpress.c...
December 18, 2023
Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
I wish i could learn every language in the world so that i could read works in the languages they're written in.
I wish i could learn every language in the world so that i could read works in the languages they're written in.
January 1, 2024
The first story in this collection is about an older Kashmiri woman trying to accommodate to Delhi winters. The sun falls obliquely in her son’s Delhi home, reminds her of the sun in their Kashmir home. A home they cannot return to. But a home that exists, not only as memory, but also as painfully as a ghost limb.
Another story in the collection is about a man walking into his friend’s house to find him gagged on a chair, with some strangers overturning the house to find eggs. They need six million eggs—special order by the government/elites. They want to add the eggs to the material used to construct palatial buildings (on stolen lands, seemingly). Since all eggs are being confiscated, soon the ordinary people run out of them. So they resort to licking floors of the rich and powerful to satiate their hunger.
There’s a numbness to these stories. The dialogues within are often non-sequitur. Characters, forgettable. Language is often simple, even dry. But each one, read one after the other, digs deeper into your heart, and bores into it a gaping hole.
In delicate metaphors, these stories pry open your mind and the world around you, and in that attempt, reveal not only its fragile core, but also its diminishing light. And yet these stories are not about despair. This is masterful writing, really. Nothing is as it seems. Simple everyday objects like wool stand in for a universe of meaning and its loss.
There is a slowness to these stories, a calmness. The taste and splendour of Kashmir, but also the chaos and confusion. And its transformation from a land of peace to a land of desolation and disquiet.
As I read these stories, I thought that it must take a brilliance of a different kind to unravel issues as dense as these stories do, without having to name them.
Translated for the first time in English—in what I hope becomes a timeless, treasured collection—these are stories that you should read simply because they will never leave you alone once you have read them. Also because they have survived genocide and exile.
Another story in the collection is about a man walking into his friend’s house to find him gagged on a chair, with some strangers overturning the house to find eggs. They need six million eggs—special order by the government/elites. They want to add the eggs to the material used to construct palatial buildings (on stolen lands, seemingly). Since all eggs are being confiscated, soon the ordinary people run out of them. So they resort to licking floors of the rich and powerful to satiate their hunger.
There’s a numbness to these stories. The dialogues within are often non-sequitur. Characters, forgettable. Language is often simple, even dry. But each one, read one after the other, digs deeper into your heart, and bores into it a gaping hole.
In delicate metaphors, these stories pry open your mind and the world around you, and in that attempt, reveal not only its fragile core, but also its diminishing light. And yet these stories are not about despair. This is masterful writing, really. Nothing is as it seems. Simple everyday objects like wool stand in for a universe of meaning and its loss.
There is a slowness to these stories, a calmness. The taste and splendour of Kashmir, but also the chaos and confusion. And its transformation from a land of peace to a land of desolation and disquiet.
As I read these stories, I thought that it must take a brilliance of a different kind to unravel issues as dense as these stories do, without having to name them.
Translated for the first time in English—in what I hope becomes a timeless, treasured collection—these are stories that you should read simply because they will never leave you alone once you have read them. Also because they have survived genocide and exile.
September 8, 2024
Sunshine -4 stars
A mother/ mother- in-law is in a city that is new to her. It is almost a world away from what she is used to. This is an apt story about the grass being greener elsewhere, although the realisation is slow.
The Saint and the Witch – 4 stars
This story might be my favourite. A pious man dies and everyone gathers to remember him. How the story ends is a twist that is both unexpected but not surprising given all that we hear before.
Twins -2 stars
Although it’s a short and well written one, I couldn’t enjoy the plot itself about a twin talking and thinking about the other.
Tomorrow – a never-ending story – 3 stars
I might not like the language used but this is an interesting story of two boys who seem to be in school forever. They never learn despite every punishment. They are from different parts of their city and this does not impact their own friendship. I think one could dig deep into this chapter to find multiple meanings.
Curfew 3 stars
Once again with unlikeable characters, but the story gives us a very wide look at life at that time and place which is quite important in the context.
One Sahib and the other – 5 stars
I already claimed another to be my favourite but this is a more serious story. Two politicians ( although not named as such) discuss the people. They are from opposing viewpoints whose followers probably are ready to harm the other but the peace with which they scheme and interact is scary and fascinating. It is probably a timeless tale.
For now, it’s night – 4 stars
This is a story of passengers on a bus who are forced to spend a night in an uncomfortable location. There are some existential conversations that come up while the more prosaic and practical conversations happen as well.
Death and despair – 4 stars
What begins as a callous passing of information about the death of someone’s mother, especially because of a cricket match on that day, turns into a commentary of how the society functioned at the time.
Song of despair -2 stars
Compared to the other stories this tale of varying issues in a family that started off different from the rest of their clan was not as attractive. It did provide a very detailed account of the time and place, but that was about it.
The tongue and the egg – 2 stars
This story was almost entirely different from the rest. There was more symbolising here than actual facts or events. Although the introspective questions and grandstanding were entertaining, it wasn’t a story I favoured.
A late winter – 2 stars.
This rating is not because the story was not well written or good in any form. It just made me too sad. There was so much dissatisfaction in the tale that it left me morose.
That which we cannot speak of – 3 stars
A very complex narrative that brought the draught situation in the city to the forefront while seemingly rambling.
The news -2 stars
A slightly shorter tale which looks at the realistic behaviour of people but it was a little too random for me.
Dogs – 2 stars
Petty personal issues are discussed with no conclusion.
The lights on the other side – 4 stars
Old parents and with a son abroad, another sad outlook.
A moment of madness – 4 stars
This begins with a man planning to do one thing but ends up doing another.
To rage or to endure – 3 stars
Mystical winter tale, with conversations with elements.
This book brings a time and place into focus. Some stories caught my interest, but not all. I would recommend it to anyone interested in Kashmir and its history.
I received an ARC thanks to Netgalley and the publishers but the review is entirely based on my own reading experience.
A mother/ mother- in-law is in a city that is new to her. It is almost a world away from what she is used to. This is an apt story about the grass being greener elsewhere, although the realisation is slow.
The Saint and the Witch – 4 stars
This story might be my favourite. A pious man dies and everyone gathers to remember him. How the story ends is a twist that is both unexpected but not surprising given all that we hear before.
Twins -2 stars
Although it’s a short and well written one, I couldn’t enjoy the plot itself about a twin talking and thinking about the other.
Tomorrow – a never-ending story – 3 stars
I might not like the language used but this is an interesting story of two boys who seem to be in school forever. They never learn despite every punishment. They are from different parts of their city and this does not impact their own friendship. I think one could dig deep into this chapter to find multiple meanings.
Curfew 3 stars
Once again with unlikeable characters, but the story gives us a very wide look at life at that time and place which is quite important in the context.
One Sahib and the other – 5 stars
I already claimed another to be my favourite but this is a more serious story. Two politicians ( although not named as such) discuss the people. They are from opposing viewpoints whose followers probably are ready to harm the other but the peace with which they scheme and interact is scary and fascinating. It is probably a timeless tale.
For now, it’s night – 4 stars
This is a story of passengers on a bus who are forced to spend a night in an uncomfortable location. There are some existential conversations that come up while the more prosaic and practical conversations happen as well.
Death and despair – 4 stars
What begins as a callous passing of information about the death of someone’s mother, especially because of a cricket match on that day, turns into a commentary of how the society functioned at the time.
Song of despair -2 stars
Compared to the other stories this tale of varying issues in a family that started off different from the rest of their clan was not as attractive. It did provide a very detailed account of the time and place, but that was about it.
The tongue and the egg – 2 stars
This story was almost entirely different from the rest. There was more symbolising here than actual facts or events. Although the introspective questions and grandstanding were entertaining, it wasn’t a story I favoured.
A late winter – 2 stars.
This rating is not because the story was not well written or good in any form. It just made me too sad. There was so much dissatisfaction in the tale that it left me morose.
That which we cannot speak of – 3 stars
A very complex narrative that brought the draught situation in the city to the forefront while seemingly rambling.
The news -2 stars
A slightly shorter tale which looks at the realistic behaviour of people but it was a little too random for me.
Dogs – 2 stars
Petty personal issues are discussed with no conclusion.
The lights on the other side – 4 stars
Old parents and with a son abroad, another sad outlook.
A moment of madness – 4 stars
This begins with a man planning to do one thing but ends up doing another.
To rage or to endure – 3 stars
Mystical winter tale, with conversations with elements.
This book brings a time and place into focus. Some stories caught my interest, but not all. I would recommend it to anyone interested in Kashmir and its history.
I received an ARC thanks to Netgalley and the publishers but the review is entirely based on my own reading experience.
July 5, 2024
Liked that the stories were translated by a group of people, that they were presented in chronological order. Good humor came through in parts; Krishna Kaul is especially adept at using satire (politicians being openly, jovially hypocritical in stories like "One Sahib and the Other"). Throughout, heavy and consistent themes of suffocation, isolation, entrapment, stemming from (young men's) particular position of dispossession in 20th century Kashmir ("Curfew"; "A Song of Despair"; "A Late Winter", reminded me of Nayi Kahani writing), disillusion with religion, politics, and the educational system ("Tomorrow-A Never-Ending Story"), strong critique of people's willingness to be silent in the face of injustice ("Complicit"; "The Tongue and the Egg"; "The News"). Lots of hateful language towards/about women (yes, I recognize Krishna Kaul was 'reflecting' misogynistic society back at itself probably in order to criticize/change it, but I still don't care to read it, e.g. in "The Mourners"). I liked that two of the later stories that focused on an older man's separation from his son, due to his son's immigration ("A Moment of Madness" and "The Lights on the Other Side", both from his 2001 collection Zool Apaerim). And "For Now, It Is Night" is quite good and moving.
Wish that there was more context provided by the translators. Kashmiri history and religious politics is clearly so important for Krishna Kaul's stories, so I was missing a lot (like in "Sunshine," where tensions between Hindus and Muslims are at the forefront of the story, or in "That Which We Cannot Speak of", or really, most prominently: "The Lights on the Other Side"). Of course, the reader can go and look stuff up, but I think historical/political/religious context for the stories in a preface or additional translator's note would have added so much.
From my own searching, this becomes relevant (from Mohamad Junaid's article on Adi Mag): "According to this Partition logic, Kashmir should have gone to Pakistan, as the state has a close to 77 percent Muslim population. In September and October 1947, Hindu militias and Dogra troops attack Jammu’s Muslims, killing tens of thousands. In Poonch, along the border with newly-created Pakistan, rebels create an independent state called “Azad (Free) Jammu Kashmir (AJK).” As ethnic cleansing of Jammu Muslims continues, many flee to AJK and to Pakistan. Much of Muslim Conference leadership and members are displaced. According to census reports from the time and later research, upwards of 200,000 Muslims are dead and an equal number become refugees. After what will come to be known as the “Jammu Massacre,” Jammu becomes a Hindu-majority city." In 1948, "India takes the case of Kashmir to the United Nations. Kashmir is officially recognized as a disputed territory."
Wish that there was more context provided by the translators. Kashmiri history and religious politics is clearly so important for Krishna Kaul's stories, so I was missing a lot (like in "Sunshine," where tensions between Hindus and Muslims are at the forefront of the story, or in "That Which We Cannot Speak of", or really, most prominently: "The Lights on the Other Side"). Of course, the reader can go and look stuff up, but I think historical/political/religious context for the stories in a preface or additional translator's note would have added so much.
From my own searching, this becomes relevant (from Mohamad Junaid's article on Adi Mag): "According to this Partition logic, Kashmir should have gone to Pakistan, as the state has a close to 77 percent Muslim population. In September and October 1947, Hindu militias and Dogra troops attack Jammu’s Muslims, killing tens of thousands. In Poonch, along the border with newly-created Pakistan, rebels create an independent state called “Azad (Free) Jammu Kashmir (AJK).” As ethnic cleansing of Jammu Muslims continues, many flee to AJK and to Pakistan. Much of Muslim Conference leadership and members are displaced. According to census reports from the time and later research, upwards of 200,000 Muslims are dead and an equal number become refugees. After what will come to be known as the “Jammu Massacre,” Jammu becomes a Hindu-majority city." In 1948, "India takes the case of Kashmir to the United Nations. Kashmir is officially recognized as a disputed territory."
October 24, 2023
For Now, It Is Night is an ensemble of 17 short stories from four different collections of short stories by Hari Krishna Kaul, one of the eminent modern Kashmiri writers. The translation from Kashmiri to English is a collaborative project undertaken by Kalpana Raina (the author's niece), Tanveer Ajsi, Gowhar Fazili and Gowhar Yaqoob. The joint translation effort most probably means a greater analysis of the original and finer output. That the reader gets to sample the author's writing trajectory over decades in a single work in a space of 200 pgs is the most rewarding aspect of this collection as the stories here picked from his collections published in the years 1972, 1985, 1996 and 2001 reflect a shift in themes and writing styles.
For instance, the 3 stories from Zool Apaerim (published in 2001, post exodus of Hindus from Kashmir valley) reveal, either clearly or subtly, the underlying, undying agony of displacement from one's home, culture, language, identity & the difficulty in settling down in a new place.
The 7 stories from Haalas Chhu Rotul (published in 1985) excel in portraying how slowly the communal tinge overpowers the interpersonal sphere. If the Hindu-Muslim camaraderie is written with flourish, so is the menacing doubt and unease that exists between them, giving us accounts that aren't myopic or partisan. The social crisis and political instability of this period is reflected both literally and metaphorically as in stories - That Which We Cannot Speak Of and The Tongue and the Egg respectively.
Though the stories are deeply ingrained in everything related to Kashmir, they stay relevant outside its boundaries. They are studded with wit, irony and humour ranging from deadpan to morbid. For example, the author says in a story that a govt school was called 'shitty school' because it was built in the spot that once had been a lavatory, only to deride the entire system stating "the stench that emanates from our education system makes one think that all schools and colleges have been built to in sites that were previously lavatories".
The metaphor in writing is such that communal violence and political tumult the state is known for come to the fore in surreal silence without bloodshed.
An excellent collection, the more we dwell on its lines, the more it dazzles.
For instance, the 3 stories from Zool Apaerim (published in 2001, post exodus of Hindus from Kashmir valley) reveal, either clearly or subtly, the underlying, undying agony of displacement from one's home, culture, language, identity & the difficulty in settling down in a new place.
The 7 stories from Haalas Chhu Rotul (published in 1985) excel in portraying how slowly the communal tinge overpowers the interpersonal sphere. If the Hindu-Muslim camaraderie is written with flourish, so is the menacing doubt and unease that exists between them, giving us accounts that aren't myopic or partisan. The social crisis and political instability of this period is reflected both literally and metaphorically as in stories - That Which We Cannot Speak Of and The Tongue and the Egg respectively.
Though the stories are deeply ingrained in everything related to Kashmir, they stay relevant outside its boundaries. They are studded with wit, irony and humour ranging from deadpan to morbid. For example, the author says in a story that a govt school was called 'shitty school' because it was built in the spot that once had been a lavatory, only to deride the entire system stating "the stench that emanates from our education system makes one think that all schools and colleges have been built to in sites that were previously lavatories".
The metaphor in writing is such that communal violence and political tumult the state is known for come to the fore in surreal silence without bloodshed.
An excellent collection, the more we dwell on its lines, the more it dazzles.
January 22, 2024
-Of lost homes & found pain-
Review of ‘For Now It Is Night’
🖋️📖
For now it is night is a collection of short stories by prominent Kashmiri writer, awarded with Sahitya Akadami Puraskar and translated from Kashmiri by Kalpana Raina, Gowhar Fazili and Gowhar Yaqoob.
These stories have grief buried in between the lines. They tell tales about homes lost and pain that oozes through words. Skilful translation doesn’t let you miss the texture of original language and that’s also a hat tipped towards the original storyteller whose stories are still relevant and will be for a long time.
Hari Krishna Kaul (1934–2009) was born in Kashmir and lived there for most of his life. He taught Hindi literature in various colleges of the University of Kashmir until he was forced to leave in 1990. Kaul started his literary career writing short stories in Urdu and Hindi but switched to writing in Kashmiri later on.
Most of the stories are short which not only helps keep the reader’s attention, they are incisive, sometimes teetering towards magical realism with a strong political undertone (curfew) The tongue and the egg) and sometimes just funny with a flavour of sadness (Tomorrow- A never ending story). Sunshine, the story that starts the book, is about Poshkuj who has moved to Delhi with his son but continues to miss Kashmir, her son, grandson and even to some extent her daughter-in-law (she calls her witch but ultimately decides to buy an ordinary saree for her).
The imagination of the writer is strongest in The Mourners, where the humorous tone suddenly shifts to pathos.
Have a look at these lines-
‘From now on, he would neither get on anyone's nerves, nor would he be missed by anyone. He would mourn for no one, and his death would not be mourned either. He was alone in the world now, and the world was cruel.’
My favourite, however, is The Saint and the witch. A man has died and the mourners are lamenting the loss of such a saintly personality while secretly cursing the wife, calling her barren and a witch. The story has a twist in the end that shows how much we don’t know about the people who put up a face for the world.
A big thanks to the translators for bringing these stories back to the world in a new form.
Review of ‘For Now It Is Night’
🖋️📖
For now it is night is a collection of short stories by prominent Kashmiri writer, awarded with Sahitya Akadami Puraskar and translated from Kashmiri by Kalpana Raina, Gowhar Fazili and Gowhar Yaqoob.
These stories have grief buried in between the lines. They tell tales about homes lost and pain that oozes through words. Skilful translation doesn’t let you miss the texture of original language and that’s also a hat tipped towards the original storyteller whose stories are still relevant and will be for a long time.
Hari Krishna Kaul (1934–2009) was born in Kashmir and lived there for most of his life. He taught Hindi literature in various colleges of the University of Kashmir until he was forced to leave in 1990. Kaul started his literary career writing short stories in Urdu and Hindi but switched to writing in Kashmiri later on.
Most of the stories are short which not only helps keep the reader’s attention, they are incisive, sometimes teetering towards magical realism with a strong political undertone (curfew) The tongue and the egg) and sometimes just funny with a flavour of sadness (Tomorrow- A never ending story). Sunshine, the story that starts the book, is about Poshkuj who has moved to Delhi with his son but continues to miss Kashmir, her son, grandson and even to some extent her daughter-in-law (she calls her witch but ultimately decides to buy an ordinary saree for her).
The imagination of the writer is strongest in The Mourners, where the humorous tone suddenly shifts to pathos.
Have a look at these lines-
‘From now on, he would neither get on anyone's nerves, nor would he be missed by anyone. He would mourn for no one, and his death would not be mourned either. He was alone in the world now, and the world was cruel.’
My favourite, however, is The Saint and the witch. A man has died and the mourners are lamenting the loss of such a saintly personality while secretly cursing the wife, calling her barren and a witch. The story has a twist in the end that shows how much we don’t know about the people who put up a face for the world.
A big thanks to the translators for bringing these stories back to the world in a new form.
October 17, 2023
To read translated literature is to give a voice to the marginalised.
Kashmir of India would find mention in every book written on the marginalised. But is Kashmir only about her conflict? No. It's also about the bustling streets, it is about the festivals they celebrate, about the ruins of temples that are going to resurrect in the future, it is about the school going kids, it is about her humans.
'For Now it is night' by Hari Krishna Kaul is one such humane collection of short stories of Kashmir and her people. It is a unique collaboration of translation by Kalpana Raina, Tanveer Ajsi, Gowhar Fazili, Gowhar Yaqoob from the Kashmiri into English. Picked from 4 of Kaul's books this book has 17 short stories based in Kashmir or at times on Kashmiri people living outside Kashmir.
So what are these stories about? There is a Kashmiri woman living in Delhi & her experience in her non-muslim neighborhood which she is happy about, there is Tara Chand a very noble man who has died & his ex-tenants are on their way to his funeral, there are 2 boys who are best friends and how things change in Kashmir while they remain in the same class year after year haha, and yes, there are stories about the political nature of the land. For Kashmiris - the political will always be personal.
My top pick is 'That We Cannot Speak Of,' exploring a Kashmiri Pandit's inner struggles pre 1990, dealing with his estranged Muslim friend's growing animosity, in silence. It reflects the challenges of a marginalized minority. Other favorites include 'One Sahib and the Other,' offering concise yet insightful political commentary through a conversation between two sahibs, 'A Song of Despair,' delving into the complex relationship of a rebel son and conservative father, and 'The Tongue and the Egg,' which uses a tale of a tongueless friend of a person to comment on power dynamics in the world.
I won't say these stories surpassed my expectations because I was barely expecting from them, but they are just so good, just so humane.
Kashmir of India would find mention in every book written on the marginalised. But is Kashmir only about her conflict? No. It's also about the bustling streets, it is about the festivals they celebrate, about the ruins of temples that are going to resurrect in the future, it is about the school going kids, it is about her humans.
'For Now it is night' by Hari Krishna Kaul is one such humane collection of short stories of Kashmir and her people. It is a unique collaboration of translation by Kalpana Raina, Tanveer Ajsi, Gowhar Fazili, Gowhar Yaqoob from the Kashmiri into English. Picked from 4 of Kaul's books this book has 17 short stories based in Kashmir or at times on Kashmiri people living outside Kashmir.
So what are these stories about? There is a Kashmiri woman living in Delhi & her experience in her non-muslim neighborhood which she is happy about, there is Tara Chand a very noble man who has died & his ex-tenants are on their way to his funeral, there are 2 boys who are best friends and how things change in Kashmir while they remain in the same class year after year haha, and yes, there are stories about the political nature of the land. For Kashmiris - the political will always be personal.
My top pick is 'That We Cannot Speak Of,' exploring a Kashmiri Pandit's inner struggles pre 1990, dealing with his estranged Muslim friend's growing animosity, in silence. It reflects the challenges of a marginalized minority. Other favorites include 'One Sahib and the Other,' offering concise yet insightful political commentary through a conversation between two sahibs, 'A Song of Despair,' delving into the complex relationship of a rebel son and conservative father, and 'The Tongue and the Egg,' which uses a tale of a tongueless friend of a person to comment on power dynamics in the world.
I won't say these stories surpassed my expectations because I was barely expecting from them, but they are just so good, just so humane.
June 24, 2024
3.5/5 stars
FOR NOW, IT IS NIGHT by Hari Krishna Kaur is a short story collection set mostly in the contested land of Kashmir that includes stories written over the course of forty years, from the 1970s to the 2000s. The stories range in topic and scope, including displacement, family squabbles, religious discrimination, and politics.
I read FOR NOW, IT IS NIGHT immediately after finishing Rabindranath Tagore’s COLLECTD SHORT STORIES, and while Kaur’s writing isn’t quite as smooth or transportive as Tagore’s, it was a lovely way to continue exploring short stories from the Indian subcontinent. Though I don’t know if Tagore directly influenced Kaur, I heard echoes of Tagore’s style and themes in the stories here, though several of them have a noticeably more modern approach. A more cohesive theme may have helped strengthen this collection as a whole, but each story on its own gave me insight into the concerns of ordinary Kashmiris.
Some of my favorites include:
☆ “Sunshine,” in which a mother who moves from Kashmir to Delhi to live with her son and daughter-in-law, but has trouble adjusting to the new rhythms
☆ “The Saint and the Witch,” in which two women mourn a man after he dies
☆ “Tomorrow – A Never-Ending Story,” in which two boys get stuck in a Groundhog Day-like cycle of never aging even as the world around them moves on
☆ “That Which We Cannot Speak of,” which explores class and religious divisions from a sly angle
I’d recommend this to readers who are interested in Kashmiri literature, translated fiction, and short stories from around the world. Thank you @archipelagobooks for the gifted copy.
FOR NOW, IT IS NIGHT by Hari Krishna Kaur is a short story collection set mostly in the contested land of Kashmir that includes stories written over the course of forty years, from the 1970s to the 2000s. The stories range in topic and scope, including displacement, family squabbles, religious discrimination, and politics.
I read FOR NOW, IT IS NIGHT immediately after finishing Rabindranath Tagore’s COLLECTD SHORT STORIES, and while Kaur’s writing isn’t quite as smooth or transportive as Tagore’s, it was a lovely way to continue exploring short stories from the Indian subcontinent. Though I don’t know if Tagore directly influenced Kaur, I heard echoes of Tagore’s style and themes in the stories here, though several of them have a noticeably more modern approach. A more cohesive theme may have helped strengthen this collection as a whole, but each story on its own gave me insight into the concerns of ordinary Kashmiris.
Some of my favorites include:
☆ “Sunshine,” in which a mother who moves from Kashmir to Delhi to live with her son and daughter-in-law, but has trouble adjusting to the new rhythms
☆ “The Saint and the Witch,” in which two women mourn a man after he dies
☆ “Tomorrow – A Never-Ending Story,” in which two boys get stuck in a Groundhog Day-like cycle of never aging even as the world around them moves on
☆ “That Which We Cannot Speak of,” which explores class and religious divisions from a sly angle
I’d recommend this to readers who are interested in Kashmiri literature, translated fiction, and short stories from around the world. Thank you @archipelagobooks for the gifted copy.
March 25, 2025
While picking a book translated from Kashmiri for the #2025indiantranslationreadathon, I was acutely conscious of the fact that any modern author I pick would provide only a single perspective of what is happening in the region. What made me pick this collection of 17 short stories is the fact that the stories have been selected from four separate collections the first of which was published in 1972, and the last in 2001.
Each of the stories is about the ordinary experiences of ordinary people. They are people living in cities and longing for for home. There are parents waiting for their children to return home, and children dealing with the loss of their parents. There are stories of friendship, and stories of relationships that are tested by the escalating political tension. There are wise men who believe that everything is Maya, and rich people who polish their floors with egg white while others starve. There are politicians who pretend to be antagonists, while remaining friends. And there are school teachers who make students from impoverished families do their household chores.
Each story is nuanced and told with empathy, and together they paint a portrait of a Kashmir that fills the heart of every Kashmiri regardless of where they currently live.
Four separate translators worked on this collection, often collaboratively. One of them was the authors's niece who, because she can't read Kashmiri fluently, translated by hearing a reading of the stories!
Each of the stories is about the ordinary experiences of ordinary people. They are people living in cities and longing for for home. There are parents waiting for their children to return home, and children dealing with the loss of their parents. There are stories of friendship, and stories of relationships that are tested by the escalating political tension. There are wise men who believe that everything is Maya, and rich people who polish their floors with egg white while others starve. There are politicians who pretend to be antagonists, while remaining friends. And there are school teachers who make students from impoverished families do their household chores.
Each story is nuanced and told with empathy, and together they paint a portrait of a Kashmir that fills the heart of every Kashmiri regardless of where they currently live.
Four separate translators worked on this collection, often collaboratively. One of them was the authors's niece who, because she can't read Kashmiri fluently, translated by hearing a reading of the stories!
May 10, 2024
These stories were written before, during, and after the author’s exile from Kashmir to Delhi (and language switch from Kashmiri to Hindi), and they’re collected here chronologically via multiple translators. The upside of that structure is that we get to sort of follow the author from familiarity to displacement to reimagining a new life in a new place. Most of these stories take a quotidian, slice-of-life approach, starting and ending in the middle of some relatively small-scale interpersonal concern. For a foreign reader like me, it’s refreshing to read literature written during a major regional conflict that foregrounds everyday life. The downside of the chronological organization is that the earliest stories are by far the weakest. I read this with a book club, and most of us agreed that we might not have continued reading past the first few stories if we didn’t have to, but that we were ultimately glad we did. There are a handful of real gems in the middle and end. Some of my favorites were “The Lights on the Other Side,” “A Song of Despair,” “For Now It Is Night,” “Tomorrow – A Never-Ending Story,” and especially “The Tongue and the Egg.” Those all veer darker and more surreal than the overall tone of the book, but that kind of material registered with me the most here. If you only read one story from this collection, “The Tongue and the Egg” is something special.
July 10, 2024
The book is quite unique in its themes and how they are put forth. HK Kaul’s works have been beautifully tranlated and compiled by the authors.
***I would recommend that readers read the afternote of ‘PS’ before reading the book, as it enables you to understand Kaul’s work better and truly appreciate them.*** The book is not so much about Kashmir (as I had expected), but about lives set there. Initially, this had led to a bit of confusion for me, and I had to set the mindset aside that I am reading stories of Kashmir. I would say, the idea i had was different from the book.
Nevertheless, the book is splendid. It explores mundane themes in a mundane manner (this is a compliment) and allows you to reflect on day-to-day human lives, behaviors, and feelings. It gradually peels off the upper layers of humans to reveal complex interiors that catch your interest and keep you intrigued. Once I consciously realised this theme, I found myself following the ‘just one chapter,’ simply because of the interest in knowing what themes will the stories explore next, and how will human layers be peeled and what will they reveal.
TL;DR : An excellent read, this is light yet very impactful and eye-opening. IMO, read the ‘PS’ section first.
***I would recommend that readers read the afternote of ‘PS’ before reading the book, as it enables you to understand Kaul’s work better and truly appreciate them.*** The book is not so much about Kashmir (as I had expected), but about lives set there. Initially, this had led to a bit of confusion for me, and I had to set the mindset aside that I am reading stories of Kashmir. I would say, the idea i had was different from the book.
Nevertheless, the book is splendid. It explores mundane themes in a mundane manner (this is a compliment) and allows you to reflect on day-to-day human lives, behaviors, and feelings. It gradually peels off the upper layers of humans to reveal complex interiors that catch your interest and keep you intrigued. Once I consciously realised this theme, I found myself following the ‘just one chapter,’ simply because of the interest in knowing what themes will the stories explore next, and how will human layers be peeled and what will they reveal.
TL;DR : An excellent read, this is light yet very impactful and eye-opening. IMO, read the ‘PS’ section first.
July 11, 2024
For Now, It Is Night; is Hari Krishna Kaul’s brilliantly compiled anthology that portrays the ordinary and regular life of Kashmir in minute detail, where political instability leads to a social crisis for those who lack power and influence.
The struggles to make ends meet, isolation, corruption, loss and helplessness, losing out on growth opportunities in life while staying in a curfewed Kashmir bring out the frustrations due to imposed confinement. Living in privilege and the lack of it are evident distinctions that Kashmiri citizens endure with nature showing its moods.
This collection of 17 short stories is gentle, evoking and gripping, one can feel grief, the threat of being harmed for being a minority- for the Kashmiri Hindu community. A struggle between holding on and letting go to move ahead in life in a stagnant or slow moving pace of growth, portray clashes of thoughts, preferences and ideologies.
For Now, It Is Night; paints a picture that is unseen by the world at large but lived by those surrounded by the high mountains under complex political situations.
Don’t miss this book for anything! ✨
⭐⭐⭐⭐
The struggles to make ends meet, isolation, corruption, loss and helplessness, losing out on growth opportunities in life while staying in a curfewed Kashmir bring out the frustrations due to imposed confinement. Living in privilege and the lack of it are evident distinctions that Kashmiri citizens endure with nature showing its moods.
This collection of 17 short stories is gentle, evoking and gripping, one can feel grief, the threat of being harmed for being a minority- for the Kashmiri Hindu community. A struggle between holding on and letting go to move ahead in life in a stagnant or slow moving pace of growth, portray clashes of thoughts, preferences and ideologies.
For Now, It Is Night; paints a picture that is unseen by the world at large but lived by those surrounded by the high mountains under complex political situations.
Don’t miss this book for anything! ✨
⭐⭐⭐⭐
December 5, 2024
17 stories from acclaimed Kashmiri author Hari Krishna Kaul, taken from four collections written between 1972 and 2001 and translated here into English for the first time. I’m woefully ignorant about Kashmir and feel I would have benefited from a good introduction to the stories explaining the historical and political background, but even so I did enjoy most of them even though I frequently felt I was missing out on the context. They do work without prior knowledge on a human level however, and are all worth reading. Some I related to more than others, which is usual in any collection of short stories, but they all seemed to me to be worth reading and thinking about. They reflect the issues facing Kashmiri society – political instability, displacement, social mores and expectations, loss of homeland, culture and language – which of course are issues that face so many societies today. This volume is an excellent introduction to Kaul’s writing and offers an insightful and often poignant window into a culture and way of life that may be unfamiliar to many readers.
January 19, 2024
This collection of stories, translated to English for the first time, introduced me to Kashmir’s vibrant culture and complicated history. These stories assume different points of view—occasionally those of the sun or snow—but primarily everyday people. Kaul is his best within the mundane, although his playful veers into surreality were memorable. Schoolboys never age, opposing politicians delight in sharing tea, a man departs from his story brandishing an umbrella like a sword. My only true critique is about the translator notes. I wish these had been included before the stories as a preface, alongside Raina’s intro. Some of the political context would have been a helpful framework to have right away, rather than at the end.
April 19, 2024
Hari Krishna Kaul's "For Now, It Is Night" is a collection of short stories published between 1970 and 2000, reintroducing Kaul's writings and featuring collaborative translations by Kalpana Raina, Tanveer Ajsi, Gowhar Fazili, and Gowhar Yaqoob. The collaborative effort reflects the Kashmiri Pandit experience in exile, with translators relying on aural clues to decipher meaning. The collection transcends linguistic borders, reaching readers of all ages. Kaul's works explore issues of identity, nostalgia, and the human condition, providing emotional insights into the collective psyche of Kashmiris regardless of their religious or ethnic connections. The collection serves as a light of introspection, revealing the universal search for meaning and belonging in the midst of uncertainty.
February 18, 2024
Stories written before the Kashmir exodus of hindus. Beautiful, human and compassionate. Most of the stories made me want to pause and reflect. I wanted to internalize what I had read.
The loneliness of an older couple as they wait for their son to visit.
The friends who kept trying to memorize mathematical tables while all their batchmates progressed out of school.
The wait of passengers as they pass the night while stranded due to a natural disaster.
These are just a few which made me wish there will be other stories which will be translated so we can see some more into the heart and mind of such an accomplished writer.
The loneliness of an older couple as they wait for their son to visit.
The friends who kept trying to memorize mathematical tables while all their batchmates progressed out of school.
The wait of passengers as they pass the night while stranded due to a natural disaster.
These are just a few which made me wish there will be other stories which will be translated so we can see some more into the heart and mind of such an accomplished writer.
February 16, 2025
3.75 stars. I love reading books—especially fiction—in translation from places I know very little about. This book is interesting that regard, and it's very evocattive of Kashmir as a unique and special place. The strongest aspect of the stories is the emotional connection of the characters to their sense of place, or displacement. That said, there was a lot I just didn't understand. There were a number of places where I understood that something was supposed to be meaningful but I didn't know enough to understand the meaning. I'm glad I read it, but not sure I'd really recommend it, unless you know more about Kashmir, or at least the subcontinent in general, than I do.
September 19, 2024
This is a terrible book, and I couldn’t finish it.
The prose is elementary, the dialogue is difficult to take seriously, and the characters are cartoonish. I imagine that much of my frustration comes from the fact that I’m an American reading a satire of Kashmiri life and missing the context that would make these stories funny and worth celebrating. While reading, I felt lost, confused, frustrated, and ultimately regretful of losing the time I spent with For Now, It Is Night.
I enjoyed feeling motivated to learn about Kashmir. Otherwise, there was not much to call home about.
The prose is elementary, the dialogue is difficult to take seriously, and the characters are cartoonish. I imagine that much of my frustration comes from the fact that I’m an American reading a satire of Kashmiri life and missing the context that would make these stories funny and worth celebrating. While reading, I felt lost, confused, frustrated, and ultimately regretful of losing the time I spent with For Now, It Is Night.
I enjoyed feeling motivated to learn about Kashmir. Otherwise, there was not much to call home about.
September 25, 2024
these stories gave me a glimpse into the lives of Kashmiris, which i didn’t know much about beforehand. they definitely challenged me; there is a lot to be read in between the lines - things left unsaid, but there still. as i read, i drew parallels between kashmiris and palestinians, two occupied, oftentimes displaced peoples. the relations between different religions and cultures were obviously a big feature as well. i enjoyed them overall
September 30, 2024
A good read.
An anthology of Kashmir's real incidents penned by Sh Hari Krishna Kaul in his loving times and penned down by his granddaughter Smr. Kalpana Kaul.
Kashmiri, a not so easy to translate, is a language as delicious to listen to as the Kashmiri food and traditions.
This anthology is a wonderful account of how a land full of culture was also a victim of ignorance by many and only being used for political gain by the system.
An anthology of Kashmir's real incidents penned by Sh Hari Krishna Kaul in his loving times and penned down by his granddaughter Smr. Kalpana Kaul.
Kashmiri, a not so easy to translate, is a language as delicious to listen to as the Kashmiri food and traditions.
This anthology is a wonderful account of how a land full of culture was also a victim of ignorance by many and only being used for political gain by the system.
December 14, 2023
Most stories lacked depth but can still be considered realistic, Although some of the latter part had more food for thought, the collection itself as a whole isn't very exciting or enriching. Some of the stories also seemed to be cut off abruptly but the occasional comedic bits were enjoyable. My favourite among these would be Death and Despair, The Tongue and the Egg.
3.25/5 stars
3.25/5 stars
December 30, 2023
An excellent collection of short stories that harks back to a dead past but written and translated with finesse. With an underlying humour in depicting human relationships and character in day to day situations. Being a Kashmiri one appreciates the flavour of the Kashmiri language retained so well in a crisp English translation!🌹👏👏👏
December 5, 2025
Stunning and gorgeous, a wonderful reminder of why I love reading translated fiction, especially for languages less frequently translated. I particularly loved the way each short story started off by dropping the reader in the middle of the events happening and then slowly revealed the true nature of things. Each felt a bit like a dream sequence in some way.
December 10, 2023
A nuanced translation that reminds me of the works of Orhan Pamuk and Khushwant Singh in its unpretentious raw quality.
The stories are a treasure trove that keep calling you back to read and ponder over.
The stories are a treasure trove that keep calling you back to read and ponder over.
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