Narayan Gopal Dharap ( August 27 , 1925 - August 18 , 2008 ; Pune , Maharashtra ) was a Marathi language writer, dramatist. It is mainly known for horror stories and mystery stories. The fictional character "Samarth" created by him and the mystery stories based on him became particularly popular.
बऱ्यापैकी रटाळ कथा. विशेष असे काही नाही. बराचसं न पटण्यासारखे जसे या कथेत जे सोनालीने शेवटी केले, तेच तिची आजी आधीच करून त्याच वेळी हा विषय संपवू शकली असती .
मी नारायण धारप यांची ही गाजलेली भयकथा खूप अपेक्षेने वाचायला सुरुवात केली पण वाचून झाल्यावर माझा खूप मोठा अपेक्षाभंग झाला. माझ्यामते या पुस्तकाचा सर्वात मोठा दोष हा की या मध्ये चेटकीण नाहीये तसेच चेटकीण या शब्दाचा कुठे उल्लेख ही नाहीये. पुस्तकाला चेटकीण नाव देण्यामागे काय विचार होता हे लेखक आणि प्रकाशकालाच ठाऊक! परदेशात शिकायला गेलेली सोनाली वापस भारतात आल्यावर आपल्या कोकणातल्या कुटुंबासोबत वाडीवर येते. त्यांच्या राहत्या घरासमोरच एक भुताने पछाडलेले घर असते आणि त्याबद्दल घरातले कोणीच काही तिला नीट सांगत नाही आणि त्यामुळे तिचे घराबद्दल कुतूहल जागे होते.पुस्तकात ती यामागील रहस्याचा मागोवा घेते आणि शेवटी त्याचा बंदोबस्त करून भुताटकीचा शेवट करते अशी नेहमीच्या पठडीतील ही भयकथा आहे. सोनालीची आजीला त्या दुष्ट शक्तीला कसे संपवायचे हे आधीपासून माहित असूनही ती त्याला न संपवता आयुष्यभर त्या वाईट गोष्टीचे अनावधानाने राखण करत राहते हे आजकाल च्या सुजाण वाचकांना पटण्यासारखे नाही. कथा नारायण धारप यांनी त्यांच्या नेहमीच्या शैलीप्रमाणे लिहिली असून भय आणि सस्पेन्स यांचा सुरेख समन्वय साधला आहे. पुस्तक लहान तसेच रंजक असल्याकारणाने वेगवान आहे. पण शेवट हा अपेक्षापूर्ती करण्यात यशस्वी होत नाही याची खंत वाटते.
It’s a must read. It was so thrilling that I could not keep it down to read what happens next. Finished reading in one day. I hope there will be sequel to this.
I remember reading this book ages ago in a Dhananjay Diwali Ank. Since then I have been searching for this story but could not recollect the title or the author.
But the memory of certain scenes was so strong that I was constantly hoping to find it again and read it.
Years later someone recommended this as a must-read book.
Narayan Dharap needs no introduction. His stories are a very unique experience that leave you feeling uncomfortable and uneasy. His writing especially ensures that all scenes stand before your eyes as if it were playing out on film.
A must-read if you enjoy tales about haunted houses.
The story revolves around two bunglows set up in a remote location near Shrivardhan and one of the bunglows is haunted. The protagonist Sonali is gifted with some special powers wherein she can see ghosts and like her grandmother is capable of destroying them. She comes to know about this and the process of destroying it through various incidences when she comes to India to attend her grandmother’s funeral. The process of destroying the ghost by burning a plant which grows only with her blood is one of the innovative concepts in the story. The end is very obvious that she destroys the ghosts but the unravelling of the mystery is worth reading.
The language and the flow of the book is lucid. The way the protagonist conquers her fear and deals with the situation at hand is something that I found as a strong character trait. The description of the Konkan region is picturesque and that of the houses invokes some mystery and fear. The climax of the book is described in a way which brings goosebumps. (The reason I could not imagine reading another horror book!!)
I would recommend this book to all the people who love reading horror.
Read the complete review by clicking on the following link.
Engaging storyline but many questions remain unanswered like why he chose this title. Also the purpose and beginning of the evil is unknown. There was a simple solution to the problem and they knew it all along. Then why they didn't take care of the problem long ago? Why did granny choose to suffer than destroy it once and for all? Other than that the storytelling is good. Keeps an ominous feeling alive throughout the book. Small but not very unexpected shoks are well spread out. All in all an OK book for a 'Fattu' reader like me who can't take a full blown attack of horror 😉
I thoroughly enjoyed the experience of reading this! Very atmospheric and vivid - I could visualise every detail, every place, every person and every action.
This is my first brush with Dharap's work. I'll surely look into more of his books. Loved the writing. I couldn't point out a single unnecessary sentence that didn't tie in with the story.
What made my experience even better was a Youtube channel I found that had a playlist of this book. I enjoyed having the audiobook playing while I read the physical book. The narration, with all the scary sound effects made it feel super vivid!
Starts as a simple story but turns into so much more. I read it in a day, and couldn't sleep the entire night. The protagonist goes through so much character development throughout the entire story. The dreary description of the locations and the atmosphere is on point and sets the correct mood.
The ending was fantastic and if I may say, a little feminist!
अगदीच निराशाजनक कथा.. पुस्तकाचं नाव चेटकीण आणि कथेत चेटकीणच नसावी? संपूर्ण कथेचा पायाच फार डळमळीत वाटतो. बरेचसे धागे ओढूनताणून जुळवत कथानक अतिशय संथ गतीने पुढे चालत राहतं आणि अतिशय थंडपणे, अगदीच अपेक्षित तऱ्हेने संपतं. काही भाग खूपच रटाळ पद्धतीने मांडले आहेत, उदा. आजीचे हस्तलिखित वाचताना खरंतर सोनालीलाही झोप यायला हवी होती.. असो. नारायण धारप माझे आवडते लेखक, आणि त्यात पुस्तकाचं रेटिंग इतकं चांगलं असल्यामुळे मी हे पुस्तक वाचायला घेतलं होतं मात्र कदाचित त्यामुळेच जास्तच निराशा झाली.
Good read. Finished in couple of days. Story repeats few moments again n again. Somethings in story aren't justified. I wonder if such a location is present near Srivardhan. Been to those places few times. Ok type read, not great looking at other writing done by author.
My first book from the Narayan Dharap's horror universe! A must watch for Slow Burn lovers! Mystery shrouded and chilling tale of a supernatural entity!