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Hivro: Stories from Rajasthan
Hivro, a collection of stories invites readers into the enchanting world of India's desert state, where stories of tradition, resilience, and profound wisdom unfold against Rajasthan's rich cultural tapestry. This collection intricately weaves together narratives that capture the essence of Rajasthan—its majestic landscapes, vibrant festivals, and deeply-rooted values. From Rafiq, the bansuri maestro whose haunting melodies by Lake Pichola in Udaipur evoke serenity amidst the chaos of life, to Mrs. Bhardwaj, whose steadfast faith shakes during times of trial, each story resonates with evocative prose and vivid imagery. Rajasthan emerges as a character, steeped in history and tradition, from the labyrinthine alleys of Jaipur's bazaars to the tranquil shores of Udaipur's lakes and the spiritual fervor of Ajmer's dargahs. Through characters like Panditji and Maharaja Virendra Singh, Hivro explores universal themes such as love, loss, and identity, inviting readers to reflect on their journeys and the enduring truths that unite us all.
136 pages, Kindle Edition
Published August 2, 2024
About the author
Rose Garg
6 books5 followersRose has recently launched a collection of short stories, 'A Moments of Indulgence' on Kindle. Inspired by the positive reviews this book is getting, Rose is now working on the second volume in this series.
http://www.amazon.com/Moments-Indulge...
Some of her favourite writers are Arthur Conan Doyle, Guy De Maupassant, O. Henry, Charles Dickens, William Shakespeare, Fyodor M Dostoyevsky, Jules Verne, Rabindranath Tagore, Premchand, Leo Tolstoy, Agatha Christie, Jack London, Joseph Conrad, R. K. Narayan and Charles Dickens.
http://www.amazon.com/Moments-Indulge...
Some of her favourite writers are Arthur Conan Doyle, Guy De Maupassant, O. Henry, Charles Dickens, William Shakespeare, Fyodor M Dostoyevsky, Jules Verne, Rabindranath Tagore, Premchand, Leo Tolstoy, Agatha Christie, Jack London, Joseph Conrad, R. K. Narayan and Charles Dickens.
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February 13, 2025
I have been following Rose Garg on the site previously known as Twitter for a very long time and have read many of her short stories on Substack where she writes as Short Stories by Rose. In her fourth book, Hivro: Stories from Rajasthan (India, 2024), Rose continues her momentum into the realm of classic storytelling. Her writing is superb. I’m not sure how she is able to accomplish it, but every story pulls you in with its playful, true-to-life characters, its rich descriptions of the surroundings, historical palaces and even the village huts with their dirt floors. Her use of metaphor is subtle but effective. So I’ve been telling vs. showing. Below, I chose a few sections to share examples of her writing and story themes.
In her story Bansuri-Walla, like most of her stories, begins with establishing the setting, “In the heart of Udaipur, where the first rays of dawn kissed the waters of Lake Pichola, there existed a melody that stirred the deepest recesses of the soul.” This story is about Rafiq, a flute player who played every day as an offering, “it was not wealth that compelled him to return day after day, though coins eased the burden of his modest existence. No, his devotion lay in the sacred act of creation, in the transcendence of self that occurred when his breath merged with the flute’s song.” Rafiq had a son named Imran, “But fate, as capricious as the desert wind, had chosen a different path. Imran’s life had been fleeting, a fragile flame extinguished too soon by illness that swept through the city like a silent specter.” We learn how playing the flute is also a way for Rafiq to deal with his grief and which he hoped would comfort other troubled souls.
In The Man of Alwar we meet 62-year-old Mohan, a beloved samosa seller who sold his freshly-made samosas to the double-decker train that ran from Alwar to Jaipur. “Mohan’s journey into the world of samosas was not born out of culinary passion but necessity. Years ago, after a layoff from a factory job he’d held since youth, Mohan found himself adrift. The need to support his family and the absence of viable work drove him to tap into his mother’s recipes, a legacy of flavors passed down through generations.” Mohan’s samosa’s had become a tradition and when he took a week off the train passengers were worried and saddened not knowing what had become of him. Upon his return, they applauded him, and “Mohan found validation for his role, a humble conduit of joy in a world often rushing past.
The Jamdoli Project where we learn of Chunnu Lal who “stationed himself outside the weathered post office in his village, displaying unwavering determination amidst the relentless heat.” This one is a significant story of the power of hope.
Scam Treatment which highlights a comedy-filled visit to the dentist where “What started as a nerve-wracking dental appointment had transformed into a whirlwind of mishaps, featuring a charismatic dentist and an impromptu crash course in finding silver linings.”
In Maasa, we are reminded of the struggle in society about daughters vs. sons. Where wife Leela, “was bringing a daughter into a world that valued sons (…) the weight of that knowledge pressed down on her, heavier than the pain of childbirth.”
In The Last Stand, we learn of the tug of war between the past and progress, between tradition and transformation. I was delighted to meet the old schoolmaster, “With a heart as vast and enduring as the desert, he dedicated himself to his school with a fervor that could make even the blazing sun blush with envy.” “Ma’am, this school isn’t just bricks and mortar. It’s the soul of this village, the heartbeat of these kids.”
In Ustaad we meet Ustad Madan Lal and his troupe of musicians, “They understood the transient nature of their audience’s interest, yet they played on—not for applause or recognition, but out of a profound sense of duty to their art and their ancestors who had passed down these melodies trough centuries of hardship and triumph. (…) That true greatness lies not in the accolades of men, but in the hearts of those who dare to share their souls with the world. (…) Outside, the desert spread vast and unending under a moonlit sky, its sands a silent custodian of history.”
The above is a brief of seven of seventeen stories shared by Rose in her book Hivro: Stories from Rajasthan. I found something vibrant and wonderful in all of her stories in this book. I recommend it for anyone interested in India's culture amidst hardships and especially so you can meet its people through the eyes of Rose who so generously shares her soul and love of her country through her stories.
In her story Bansuri-Walla, like most of her stories, begins with establishing the setting, “In the heart of Udaipur, where the first rays of dawn kissed the waters of Lake Pichola, there existed a melody that stirred the deepest recesses of the soul.” This story is about Rafiq, a flute player who played every day as an offering, “it was not wealth that compelled him to return day after day, though coins eased the burden of his modest existence. No, his devotion lay in the sacred act of creation, in the transcendence of self that occurred when his breath merged with the flute’s song.” Rafiq had a son named Imran, “But fate, as capricious as the desert wind, had chosen a different path. Imran’s life had been fleeting, a fragile flame extinguished too soon by illness that swept through the city like a silent specter.” We learn how playing the flute is also a way for Rafiq to deal with his grief and which he hoped would comfort other troubled souls.
In The Man of Alwar we meet 62-year-old Mohan, a beloved samosa seller who sold his freshly-made samosas to the double-decker train that ran from Alwar to Jaipur. “Mohan’s journey into the world of samosas was not born out of culinary passion but necessity. Years ago, after a layoff from a factory job he’d held since youth, Mohan found himself adrift. The need to support his family and the absence of viable work drove him to tap into his mother’s recipes, a legacy of flavors passed down through generations.” Mohan’s samosa’s had become a tradition and when he took a week off the train passengers were worried and saddened not knowing what had become of him. Upon his return, they applauded him, and “Mohan found validation for his role, a humble conduit of joy in a world often rushing past.
The Jamdoli Project where we learn of Chunnu Lal who “stationed himself outside the weathered post office in his village, displaying unwavering determination amidst the relentless heat.” This one is a significant story of the power of hope.
Scam Treatment which highlights a comedy-filled visit to the dentist where “What started as a nerve-wracking dental appointment had transformed into a whirlwind of mishaps, featuring a charismatic dentist and an impromptu crash course in finding silver linings.”
In Maasa, we are reminded of the struggle in society about daughters vs. sons. Where wife Leela, “was bringing a daughter into a world that valued sons (…) the weight of that knowledge pressed down on her, heavier than the pain of childbirth.”
In The Last Stand, we learn of the tug of war between the past and progress, between tradition and transformation. I was delighted to meet the old schoolmaster, “With a heart as vast and enduring as the desert, he dedicated himself to his school with a fervor that could make even the blazing sun blush with envy.” “Ma’am, this school isn’t just bricks and mortar. It’s the soul of this village, the heartbeat of these kids.”
In Ustaad we meet Ustad Madan Lal and his troupe of musicians, “They understood the transient nature of their audience’s interest, yet they played on—not for applause or recognition, but out of a profound sense of duty to their art and their ancestors who had passed down these melodies trough centuries of hardship and triumph. (…) That true greatness lies not in the accolades of men, but in the hearts of those who dare to share their souls with the world. (…) Outside, the desert spread vast and unending under a moonlit sky, its sands a silent custodian of history.”
The above is a brief of seven of seventeen stories shared by Rose in her book Hivro: Stories from Rajasthan. I found something vibrant and wonderful in all of her stories in this book. I recommend it for anyone interested in India's culture amidst hardships and especially so you can meet its people through the eyes of Rose who so generously shares her soul and love of her country through her stories.
Displaying 1 of 1 review