ट-टा प्रोफेसर

by Manohar Shyam Joshi

A thin, short man with illusions of grandeur, Khashtivallabh Pant, Dubbul MA, is a school teacher in a remote Kumaoni village, where he is mockingly referred to as T’ta Professor. A great admirer of the Englishman’s attire, T’ta is also deeply in awe of the white man’s language. He always carries a notebook to jot down English words that he hears for the first time, acknowledging a word as acceptable only after he has consulted his Oxford Dictionary. His vanity makes him a terrific target for lampooning and the narrator in this novel, a writer who never manages to finish the stories he sets out to write, is determined to produce a ‘biting satire’, and wastes no time finding out more about T’ta’s life.

When T’ta starts to tell his tale, what begins as an innocent idyll turns quickly into an erotic and scatological romp, and T’ta turns from a ridiculous comic character into a pathetic pervert. As the story unravels, the multiple narratives reveal a complex figure, comic and tragic by turns, and the novel changes gear and darkens into a gothic bleakness of unimaginable dimensions.

Genres: Fiction

91 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2006

About the author

लखनऊ विश्वविद्यालय के विज्ञान स्नातक मनोहर श्याम जोशी ‘कल के वैज्ञानिक’ की उपाधि पाने के बावजूश्द रोजी-रोटी की खातिर छात्र जीवन से ही लेखक और पत्रकार बन गए। अमृतलाल नागर और अज्ञेय - इन दो आचार्यों का आशीर्वाद उन्हें प्राप्त हुआ। स्कूल मास्टरी, क्लर्की और बेरोजगारी के अनुभव बटोरने के बाद 21 वर्ष की उम्र से वह पूरी तरह मसिजीवी बन गए।

प्रेस, रेडियो, टी.वी. वृत्तचित्र, फिल्म, विज्ञापन-सम्प्रेषण का ऐसा कोई माध्यम नहीं जिसके लिए उन्होंने सफलतापूर्वक लेखन-कार्य न किया हो। खेल-कूद से लेकर दर्शनशास्त्र तक ऐसा कोई विषय नहीं जिस पर उन्होंने कलम न उठाई हो। आलसीपन और आत्मसंशय उन्हें रचनाएँ पूरी कर डालने और छपवाने से हमेशा रोकता रहा है। पहली कहानी तब छपी जब वह अठारह वर्ष के थे लेकिन पहली बड़ी साहित्यिक कृति तब प्रकाशित करवाई जब सैंतालीस वर्ष के होने को आए।

केन्द्रीय सूचना सेवा और टाइम्स ऑफ इंडिया समूह से होते हुए सन् ’67 में हिन्दुस्तान टाइम्स प्रकाशन में साप्ताहिक हिन्दुस्तान के संपादक बने और वहीं एक अंग्रेजी साप्ताहिक का भी संपादन किया। टेलीविजन धारावाहिक ‘हम लोग’ लिखने के लिए सन् ’84 में संपादक की कुर्सी छोड़ दी और तब से आजीवन स्वतंत्र लेखन करते रहे।

प्रकाशित कृतियाँ: कुरु-कुरु स्वाहा, कसप, हरिया हरक्यूलीज की हैरानी, हमज़ाद, क्याप, ट-टा प्रोफेसर (उपन्यास); नेताजी कहिन (व्यंग्य); बातों-बातों में (साक्षात्कार); एक दुर्लभ व्यक्तित्व, कैसे किस्सागो, मन्दिर घाट की पैड़ियाँ (कहानी-संग्रह); आज का समाज (निबंध); पटकथा लेखन: एक परिचय (सिनेमा)। टेलीविजन धारावाहिक: हम लोग, बुनियाद, मुंगेरीलाल के हसीन सपने, कक्काजी कहिन, हमराही, जमीन-आसमान। फिल्म: भ्रष्टाचार, अप्पू राजा और निर्माणाधीन जमीन।

सम्मान: उपन्यास क्याप के लिए वर्ष 2005 के साहित्य अकादेमी पुरस्कार सहित शलाका सम्मान (1986-87); शिखर सम्मान (अट्ठहास, 1990); चकल्लस पुरस्कार (1992); व्यंग्यश्री सम्मान (2000) आदि अनेक सम्मान प्राप्त।

Reviews

[Atharva · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have to believe now that little books, slim novels which run just over a few hundred pages pack a massive punch. They could have been composed by authors for years, every page being written, rubbed, written, rubbed, until it shines bright. The objective of such books, I think, is to destroy, with every passing page. And in that they hardly ever fail, never, if they are composed by masters who know that theirs is going to be a long story told short. Take for example Manohar Shyam Joshi’s ‘T’ta Professor’ , first published by the prolific Hindi writer in 1995, and translated by Ira Pande two years after his death in 2006. Joshi is the author of what not- soap operas (Hum Log), humorous stories which have gone on to become Hindi phrases (Mungerilal ke Haseen Sapne) love stories, plays, tragedies, and of course, fiction. He received the Sahitya Akademi in 2005, thus putting a final stamp on him as one of the most important Hindi writers in India post-Independence.

To the book in question, T’ta Professor is very slim; a few pages shy of 150, but it is also very disturbing. Profoundly disturbing. Not because it has highly disturbing episodes written without a tinge of emotion on the part of the author (Remember 2666) nor because it uses terrific language to churn out a terrific plot. No. As far as highly disturbing episodes are concerned, the novella offers them in the form of erotica, incest, rather; but they aren’t graphic- the atmosphere in which they are conducted and the atmosphere which it in turns creates is what comes down as disturbing. As for the terrific story- it is terrific, and disturbing (I suppose I used this word for the third or fourth goddamn time) and, well, disgusting but what affects the reader more is the fact that at first a story which made me laugh my ass off, was also the story which made me think my ass off, and that’s commendable considering that all this happened within the span of an evening. My initial smiles, laughs, were gently rubbed off as the story changed gears from a comic character exploration to a dark fable of sex and betrayal. In the last few pages, Joshi managed to pull off a life which was both comic and tragic, simple and complex, light and yet very dark.

The book’s translated by Ira Pande, who is the daughter of another great Hindi novelist Shivani. This is a truly great translation effort; one which strengthened my belief that translated literature in India can still lurch forward provided it has translators like Pande working on them. Hats off to her, really.

I will read this book again, because the complexities of the book will open gently and reveal many more layers, ignored, I am sure, in the first reading. T’ta Professor is a short, brilliant book, both a disturbing portrait and a comic exploration of a life gone wrong.

[Abhaga · Rating 3 out of 5]

I am a total fan of the self aware, self deprecating narration style of Manohar Shyam Joshi. Which he continues to use with aplomb even here. And his entertaining dialogues - always in a language appropriate for the character. And his constant mixing up of western and eastern literary references. Looking forward to reading Kasap and Kyap.

[Charmi Badlani · Rating 4 out of 5]

I loved the metaphors and every minute detail in the book. I also cried a bit in the end. I could relate to the character as if he was my own.

[Svasti Pant · Rating 1 out of 5]

The worst book I’ve read so far

[Divya Pal · Rating 3 out of 5]

प्रारम्भ में कथा हास्यास्पद है, किन्तु अंत में यह दुखद पहलू में परिवर्तित हो जाती है।

[Rajiv Choudhary · Rating 2 out of 5]

किताब कि विषयवस्तु उत्तराखंड के सुनौलीधार गाँव के एक स्कूल से शुरू होती है. जहाँ स्कूल के केन्द्र में शिक्षक, क्लर्क, हेडमास्टर, प्रिसिंपल आदि मौजूद है और स्कूल की आंतरिक राजनीति और उनकी दिनचर्या. लेकिन कहानी इस स्कूल के प्रमुख पात्र से षष्टीवल्लभ पंत उर्फ 'ट-टा' से जुड़ी है.

पात्र का संवाद कॉमिक से होकर कामुकता तक पहुँचता है. जहाँ मिजाज लड़कपन से आशिकाना होते हुए काम-वासना के सवालों और जीवन में उसके प्रयोग पे खत्म होता है. लेकिन किताब की अंतिम की कड़ी कहीं-न-कहीं चोट करती है.

92 पन्नों की इस पुस्तक को पढ़ना शुरूआत में थोड़ा बोझिल-सा लगा. जब आप पहले लेखक के 'कसप' जैसी रचना को पढ़ चुके है. लेकिन किताब को जल्दी खत्म करने की होड़ में एक वक्त ऐसा आया जब कॉमिक से गुजर कर कामुकता के बीच से निकलता हुआ लेखन पात्र के त्रासदी पर आकर सिमटता है. तब कहीं-न-कहीं एक झटका अवश्य लगता है. तब कॉमिक 'कॉस्मिक त्रासदी' नज़र आने लगती है... पढ़ना चाहिए. ट-टा जैसे पात्र विरले है उनसे लेखक के मार्फत उनसे और उनके जीवन से रू-ब-रू होना संयोग रहा.

[Muskan · Rating 3 out of 5]

Mr Joshi, a teacher at a small village, studies the people around him. As a youngster, all characters that seemed to him comical gained gravity as he aged. This book is about how the stories in our head age when we do.

The main character, as one could have already guessed, is T'ta Professor. The many encounters with him gave a comical edge as the professor seemed bent on English language and English. His ideal life was of an Englishmen. To distinguish himself from the rest of the crowd, this man took up the attire and language of English and quite obsessively.

But as the both of them grew closer, Mr Joshi realised there is more to this man than his obsession over English. He learns about his life amongst widows, about his various affairs, his take on matters related to sex and love. And now the comical man was no more comical but rather grave.

Keeping aside Professor and his story for years together, it gains the wisdom and gravity of age. The untold story now demands to be put down on pages. Despite his attempts, it fails any exposure of paper until one day, an old acquaintance speaks again of his time with the professor.

Written smoothly and simply, it was very easy to read. Light and young at first, it becomes hard by reality only at the very final stage. If not for the last few pages, the rest of the book would have no meaning (to me, at least). A bare account of an ordinary man's life, it opens your life up as well with its honesty. But the question is, is it really necessary? As a 20 year old, I might have enjoyed this more, but now... I understand it, but having grown out of that phase, it doesn't talk to me anymore.

[Prayash Giria · Rating 5 out of 5]

An extremely funny yet absurd and provocative novella, T’ta Professor upends conventionally held wisdom about regional Indian writing leaning conservative in its themes and tones. Instead, Joshi assaults us with wicked humour and compelling perversions while also managing to talk about youth, disenchantment, idealism, and desire in a newly independent India. All this is navigated through the gradually unfolding story of the titular character, a comically eccentric school teacher with a tragic and sordid past, as narrated to an impressionable young writer trying to find his feet in a newly independent India. The ending is a bit abrupt, but there’s enough in the plot that nudges us to join the dots and draw our own inferences. If nothing else, the book will definitely give you a solid laugh or ten through its first half.

[Bookworm · Rating 3 out of 5]

I don't know what to say about this book. I liked the translation -done so well though I haven't read the original. But I felt that the writing flowed smoothly. What i didn't like was the plot and characters. It just seemed to be so nauseating. I just thank the author for not having tortured me by writing more than what he has. Though it started off in an okayish manner, it disintegrated into an account of depressing episodes, rife with erotic romp and scatological details.

I would have given this book a rating of 2.5 if it weren't for the great translation

[Manish Kumar · Rating 2 out of 5]

I have read this 90 page book in a train journey. The setting is present Uttaranchal - A school where Prof T Ta is a double MA teacher along with author, principal Shoban Singh & Ms. Yen, a Chinese beauty with mixed breeding. The story revolves around Prof T Ta, about his inflated ego, superiority complex & his sexual exploits. Author says that it is real story etching in his mind for too long & he was not sure weather he should write about it or not. Autobiographical in style it is nothing extraordinary but a so so novel.

[Varnika · Rating 3 out of 5]

I have been laughing ever since I started this book. And I have been in a reflective mood since I finished it. Funny and self-aware, it is everything that classic Hindi literature is about. To Ira Pande’s credit, the book is so well translated that it did not even feel like it was not written in English as first language - for which she won the 2010 Sahitya Akademi award for translation.

A short breezy read, perfect for hitting any year-end book reading goals!

[Prashant · Rating 2 out of 5]

Book starts beautifully capturing politics of a school in a Himalaya village but later devolves into an erotic bunkum.

[naveen gupta · Rating 4 out of 5]

3rd book in a row. MSJ has different style...again an abrupt and sad ending.. interesting storyline..

[Mukesh Kumar · Rating 4 out of 5]

Initial feelings :मनोहर श्याम जोशी जी का फेन हो गया हूँ, पहले नेताजी कहिन, और अब ये…क्या satire उनकी हर कहानी का अहम हिस्सा होता है ? ट्रेजेडी तो होती ही है। और ऊपर से इसमें तो ठेठ ( भुस-गंवार, लेखक के शब्दों में ) किस्म का eroticism भी है, जो मैंने पहले नहीं देखा था :)

Short but powerful, the story is an intellectual exercise,a comic-erotic, but aches with overwhelming tragedy, or as the author puts it cosmic-tragedy, made all the more intense because of the characters being 'real'.

[Manoj Karki · Rating 4 out of 5]

My Rating 4/5 is for original Hindi version of book written by Shri M.S.Joshi ji
This is a story of a story. From Comic to lusty to tragedy to what not, it keeps on rolling. Your state of mind will change in various intervals as story paces.
Without doubt, Joshi ji unbearable and unputdownable at the same time.

I will, someday, like to read the English translated version as well.

[Balasankar C · Rating 3 out of 5]

The book passes through all the major phases of emotions - Boring, Hilarious, Twisted, and Tragic.

I am not sure if I like this book as a good work or as a disturbing-yet-hilarious (as someone else commented) joke.

[Khyati · Rating 3 out of 5]

It began as something lighthearted and funny, but slowly took an unexpected turn leading to serious zone. I was fine up until a certain point, but then it started to feel off, leaving me feeling confused.