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Katha: Short Stories by Indian Women
Whether it is in the kitchen or elsewhere, Indian women's stories have been handed down from generation to generation, enriched and embroidered along the way.
But with the coming of political change and print culture many women's voices were silenced. It is only in more recent times that these voices can again be heard, in all their confidence and variety.
This collection covers many languages and cultures and reflects the vast and complex cultures of India.
Part of a series showcasing contemporary women writers from around the world.
Urvashi Butalia is a publisher and writer based in India. She is co-founder of Kali for Women, India's first feminist publishing house, and is now director of Zubaan, an imprint of Kali. She has published many books, including the award-winning The Other Side of Silence: Voices from the Partition of India. She has co-edited In Other Words: Women's Writing from India, Truth Tales: Stories from India and The Slate of Life. She is also editor of The Inner Line: Women's Stories from India.
But with the coming of political change and print culture many women's voices were silenced. It is only in more recent times that these voices can again be heard, in all their confidence and variety.
This collection covers many languages and cultures and reflects the vast and complex cultures of India.
Part of a series showcasing contemporary women writers from around the world.
Urvashi Butalia is a publisher and writer based in India. She is co-founder of Kali for Women, India's first feminist publishing house, and is now director of Zubaan, an imprint of Kali. She has published many books, including the award-winning The Other Side of Silence: Voices from the Partition of India. She has co-edited In Other Words: Women's Writing from India, Truth Tales: Stories from India and The Slate of Life. She is also editor of The Inner Line: Women's Stories from India.
250 pages, Paperback
First published November 1, 2007
24 people are currently reading
183 people want to read
About the author
Urvashi Butalia
26 books86 followersUrvashi Butalia is an Indian feminist and historian. She is the Director and Co-founder of Kali for Women, India's first feminist publishing house.
Butalia was born in Ambala India in 1952. She earned a B.A. in literature from Miranda House, Delhi University in 1971, a Masters in literature from Delhi University in 1973, and a Masters in South Asian Studies from the University of London in 1977.
She worked as an editor for Zed Publishing and later went on to set up her own publishing house. Her writing has appeared in several newspapers including The Guardian, The Statesman, The Times of India and several magazines including Outlook, the New Internationalist and India Today. Butalia is a consultant for Oxfam India and she holds the position of Reader at the College of Vocational Studies at the University of Delhi.
Recently, she was also conferred a Padmashree by for her contribution to the nation.
Urvashi Butalia started Zubaan, a renowned publishing house in 2003. Zubaan is an imprint of Kali for Women.
Taken from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Urvashi_...
Butalia was born in Ambala India in 1952. She earned a B.A. in literature from Miranda House, Delhi University in 1971, a Masters in literature from Delhi University in 1973, and a Masters in South Asian Studies from the University of London in 1977.
She worked as an editor for Zed Publishing and later went on to set up her own publishing house. Her writing has appeared in several newspapers including The Guardian, The Statesman, The Times of India and several magazines including Outlook, the New Internationalist and India Today. Butalia is a consultant for Oxfam India and she holds the position of Reader at the College of Vocational Studies at the University of Delhi.
Recently, she was also conferred a Padmashree by for her contribution to the nation.
Urvashi Butalia started Zubaan, a renowned publishing house in 2003. Zubaan is an imprint of Kali for Women.
Taken from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Urvashi_...
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Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews
June 18, 2022
4.5 stars
Another stellar collection of stories by women from Saqi’s anthology series that focuses on different countries around the world. Featuring stories translated from seven different Indian languages, from names I recognized and love like Mahasveta Devi and Geetanjli Shree as well as many others I’d never heard of, from those writing decades ago to contemporary writers. Some of the stories are well over 30-40 pages, others only a few but the quality is consistently high throughout. All of course speak about the experience of women and their position in society, what is expected of them and how they can often circumvent that. Many also touch on the issue of caste and others look at religious prejudice, both ironic in the case of Nightmares and violent in Ambai’s ‘A Movement, A Folder, Some Tears’.
My favorite stories tended to feature older female characters which included the stories by Mahasveta Devi and Geetanjali Shree, who often focus on such women, as well as Bulbul Sharma’s Mayadevis London Yatra but there is a wide range of age and experiences portrayed. There are tragic stories like ‘Numoli’s story’ or ‘Lotus’ which is short but heartbreaking, darkly humorous stories like ‘Cast-offs’ and ‘The Thief’, unsettling stories like ‘Teaser’ and a couple of fables bookending the collection. A collection that really illustrates the breath and range of Indian women’s writing and Indian women’s experience from yesterday to today.
Another stellar collection of stories by women from Saqi’s anthology series that focuses on different countries around the world. Featuring stories translated from seven different Indian languages, from names I recognized and love like Mahasveta Devi and Geetanjli Shree as well as many others I’d never heard of, from those writing decades ago to contemporary writers. Some of the stories are well over 30-40 pages, others only a few but the quality is consistently high throughout. All of course speak about the experience of women and their position in society, what is expected of them and how they can often circumvent that. Many also touch on the issue of caste and others look at religious prejudice, both ironic in the case of Nightmares and violent in Ambai’s ‘A Movement, A Folder, Some Tears’.
My favorite stories tended to feature older female characters which included the stories by Mahasveta Devi and Geetanjali Shree, who often focus on such women, as well as Bulbul Sharma’s Mayadevis London Yatra but there is a wide range of age and experiences portrayed. There are tragic stories like ‘Numoli’s story’ or ‘Lotus’ which is short but heartbreaking, darkly humorous stories like ‘Cast-offs’ and ‘The Thief’, unsettling stories like ‘Teaser’ and a couple of fables bookending the collection. A collection that really illustrates the breath and range of Indian women’s writing and Indian women’s experience from yesterday to today.
November 27, 2021
Katha - short stories by Indian women' is an anthology of 17 short stories written by eminent & well versed Indian woman authors across the length & breadth of the country. I was acquainted to some of the authors' works here while I had my first brush of experience with many of their exquisite writings. This anthology outshines iridiscently with stories of Mahaswetha devi , Ambai & Arupa Patanga Kalita, the rarest confluence I have ever chanced upon. Each & every story in this book refracts prismatically discreet characteristics & maneuvers of women lucidly.
This intriguing & eclectic set of collection starts & ends with fable showing how a man overtook ultimate charge of the universe taking advantage of her weakness. Though they seem mere fables, yet they give a sensible reasoning at the end drawing nods of acceptance.
'March, Ma & Sakura' by Geethanjali Shree ( sister of our Jayanti @andsoiread) and 'Mayadevi's London Yatra' by Bulbul Sharma are about age old mothers who travel abroad to visit their sons. The former shows a mother discovering her happiness out of her son & his house surpassing her limitations whereas later shows an eccentric & grumpy mother stripping off her orthodox & embracing her daughter in law, a foreigner.
There are three stories on 'wife' citing three dimensions. There is a wife who hides her sexual identity with her husband forever in ' A Large Girl' by Mrudula Koshy ; and then in 'The Wife' by Vandana Singh, a middle aged woman, a day before her divorce discovers things anew in her very own house she had lived since decades long. B Chandrika's protogonist in ' The story of poem' never dares to disclose her eloquent romantic poetry skills to the world crushing it into the bin every single time she attempts to spill it out(my favourite from the lot).
Teaser' by Manjula Padmanabhan is a through & through story of dark humour blended with overdose of adultery talking about a very very less outspoken topic- 'mastrubation' in public places by men. I really appreciate the author's boldness in selecting such topic. The deatailed descriptions & objectification of women cringed me at many places but the end brought me all laughs that I had felt missing out reading the story.
'Spartacus & the dancing man' by Tishani Doshi is about a dysfunctional family dealing with mentally ill. 'The thief' by Shakti Bhatt , The Mother' by Urmila Pawar &'Caste-offs' by Wajida Tabassum target the women from lower rungs of the soceity mirroring their financial helplessness. 'Lotus' by Aiswarya Subramanyam is a moving tale of female infanticide which had a lasting impact on me.
'Rudali' by Mahaswetha Devi is an exquisite piece of literary fiction which focuses on unorganised & marginalised sect of the soceity. Having read a novella by Mahaswetha Devi earlier, its absolutely evident how she shreds light on the much obscured professions & pens down giving voices to muted tales.
Numoli is a crafted handloom weaver who designs intricate motifs on mekhla chadors for the women of her village. On a fateful day, those motifs were replaced by her own blood stains! This unapologetic touching tale by Arupa Patanga Kalita shakes us out from our senses reminding once again the insurgency terrors that had quaked north eastern states.
Ambai's episolatory story & Meena Dave's Nightmare coincidentally complement each other with communal violence , suspicious identity & credibility on one's credentials trailing horrific riots. Whereas Ambai's story is filled with grief & condour, Meena Dave's wisely tackles the issue with mundaneness.
This intriguing & eclectic set of collection starts & ends with fable showing how a man overtook ultimate charge of the universe taking advantage of her weakness. Though they seem mere fables, yet they give a sensible reasoning at the end drawing nods of acceptance.
'March, Ma & Sakura' by Geethanjali Shree ( sister of our Jayanti @andsoiread) and 'Mayadevi's London Yatra' by Bulbul Sharma are about age old mothers who travel abroad to visit their sons. The former shows a mother discovering her happiness out of her son & his house surpassing her limitations whereas later shows an eccentric & grumpy mother stripping off her orthodox & embracing her daughter in law, a foreigner.
There are three stories on 'wife' citing three dimensions. There is a wife who hides her sexual identity with her husband forever in ' A Large Girl' by Mrudula Koshy ; and then in 'The Wife' by Vandana Singh, a middle aged woman, a day before her divorce discovers things anew in her very own house she had lived since decades long. B Chandrika's protogonist in ' The story of poem' never dares to disclose her eloquent romantic poetry skills to the world crushing it into the bin every single time she attempts to spill it out(my favourite from the lot).
Teaser' by Manjula Padmanabhan is a through & through story of dark humour blended with overdose of adultery talking about a very very less outspoken topic- 'mastrubation' in public places by men. I really appreciate the author's boldness in selecting such topic. The deatailed descriptions & objectification of women cringed me at many places but the end brought me all laughs that I had felt missing out reading the story.
'Spartacus & the dancing man' by Tishani Doshi is about a dysfunctional family dealing with mentally ill. 'The thief' by Shakti Bhatt , The Mother' by Urmila Pawar &'Caste-offs' by Wajida Tabassum target the women from lower rungs of the soceity mirroring their financial helplessness. 'Lotus' by Aiswarya Subramanyam is a moving tale of female infanticide which had a lasting impact on me.
'Rudali' by Mahaswetha Devi is an exquisite piece of literary fiction which focuses on unorganised & marginalised sect of the soceity. Having read a novella by Mahaswetha Devi earlier, its absolutely evident how she shreds light on the much obscured professions & pens down giving voices to muted tales.
Numoli is a crafted handloom weaver who designs intricate motifs on mekhla chadors for the women of her village. On a fateful day, those motifs were replaced by her own blood stains! This unapologetic touching tale by Arupa Patanga Kalita shakes us out from our senses reminding once again the insurgency terrors that had quaked north eastern states.
Ambai's episolatory story & Meena Dave's Nightmare coincidentally complement each other with communal violence , suspicious identity & credibility on one's credentials trailing horrific riots. Whereas Ambai's story is filled with grief & condour, Meena Dave's wisely tackles the issue with mundaneness.
October 28, 2014
Poignant... If I have to use one word to describe these stories – it has to be ‘Poignant’.
Webster defines Poignant as: painfully affecting the feelings : deeply affecting : designed to make an impression : pleasurably stimulating : being to the point Being a collection of Short Stories it could be either of these defining characteristics, but what if I say each story is poignant. They are real, affecting, apt and touching. Women are real, their stories are real, their narration is real. Each story affects you deeply and you develop a deep respect for the women in the stories, the women who wrote them and the women gender in general. These stories are not only a collection of stories by women writers in India, they recognize their efforts, they show glimpses of the life of an Indian woman, they ode to their simplicity and underline their greatness. With this book I not only discovered the wealth of women literature but also the wealth of Indian women authors and their works. Ambai and Mahashweta Devi were two such discoveries.
To read more:
http://storywala.blogspot.in/2012/06/...
Webster defines Poignant as: painfully affecting the feelings : deeply affecting : designed to make an impression : pleasurably stimulating : being to the point Being a collection of Short Stories it could be either of these defining characteristics, but what if I say each story is poignant. They are real, affecting, apt and touching. Women are real, their stories are real, their narration is real. Each story affects you deeply and you develop a deep respect for the women in the stories, the women who wrote them and the women gender in general. These stories are not only a collection of stories by women writers in India, they recognize their efforts, they show glimpses of the life of an Indian woman, they ode to their simplicity and underline their greatness. With this book I not only discovered the wealth of women literature but also the wealth of Indian women authors and their works. Ambai and Mahashweta Devi were two such discoveries.
To read more:
http://storywala.blogspot.in/2012/06/...
August 5, 2022
Really disliked this
September 15, 2024
This was a fantastic collection of short stories written by an impressive array of female Indian intellectuals. Some of the stories at the beginning were long-winded and a bit esoteric - by that, I mean that I felt like I missed many of the cultural indicators, because I am not as familiar with Indian small village culture. The stories progressively improved, however. My favorite was the story about Mayadevi, a old matriarch who goes on a trip to London to visit her prodigal son. It was an absolutely perfectly written story with superbly drawn characters and a perfect story arc. I would have loved to teach this story with high school or university students.
I wish I could have read these stories in a university class with a professor who would supplement the stories with historical lectures and readings. All the same, I really enjoyed these stories overall, and I think they were not the typical Indian narratives that tend to populate the Indian literary market.
I wish I could have read these stories in a university class with a professor who would supplement the stories with historical lectures and readings. All the same, I really enjoyed these stories overall, and I think they were not the typical Indian narratives that tend to populate the Indian literary market.
December 2, 2018
Katha: short stories by Indian Women Edited by Urvashi Butalia contains stories by noted Indian women writers. A reader can understand the psyche of women in relation to women, men, members of the family and society as a whole. Story Cast off by Wajada Tabassum and other stories by Mahashewta Devi impress the reader as he can connect with the similar situations in their life. It is a must read book for all.
May 22, 2023
I got this book quiet sometime ago in my first trip to Kathmandu 10 years back. I just find it on my piles recently and never doubt the editor choice: Urvashi Bhutalia for this short stories collections. I felt my love for Indian literature replenish and I am absorbing it all through this collection of women writers. Such marvelous, brave, eccentric characters moving through all stories and style. The richness of this collection make me hungry for more.
April 13, 2015
Reading this books required a lot of courage and determination from me as a reader. Not beacuse the book is not good or I dont understand what the author wants to say. Its because everytime i read a story out of it, it makes me realize that the world has become a very cruel, emotionless and abode of aimlessly wandering cannibals. i have read three stories by these wonderful women writers and the way they put down the suffering and pain leaves me pained and irritated at the mere fact that "how can anyone do such things to a fellow human being?" have the race, religion,greed and selfishness completely destroyed compassion, humanity, love and faith?? A great read till now that left me deep into thoughts every time I read it.
Now that i have finished reading this book, i have mixed reviews about it.Some of the stories like the mahashweta devi's Rudali makes you believe the hard realities in life. numoli's story is sad enough to bring tears to your eyes. we hear news like this everyday in news. but dont get to relate to it. Happened with me too. but when i read it and actually felt what the characters might have felt it was moving. some of the stories are a marvel whereas some just pass the line as mediocre.
The book brings us face to face with the actualities of our society which we sometime either turn a blind eye to, or close our eyes just because its too harsh and scary to face.
Now that i have finished reading this book, i have mixed reviews about it.Some of the stories like the mahashweta devi's Rudali makes you believe the hard realities in life. numoli's story is sad enough to bring tears to your eyes. we hear news like this everyday in news. but dont get to relate to it. Happened with me too. but when i read it and actually felt what the characters might have felt it was moving. some of the stories are a marvel whereas some just pass the line as mediocre.
The book brings us face to face with the actualities of our society which we sometime either turn a blind eye to, or close our eyes just because its too harsh and scary to face.
August 27, 2013
Katha has a very attractive cover page and so are the stories. It is a collection of short stories and most of them are very good.
But there is a special attribute attached to this book. All the stories have been written by women.
In most of the stories a woman is protagonist and the way she has been described for her feelings and emotions is very daring attempt by the author. I must say most of the stories in this collection is very brave considering the times they were written.
It was a good read.
But there is a special attribute attached to this book. All the stories have been written by women.
In most of the stories a woman is protagonist and the way she has been described for her feelings and emotions is very daring attempt by the author. I must say most of the stories in this collection is very brave considering the times they were written.
It was a good read.
November 3, 2012
Katha was a good collection of short stories..spoke from different facets of life,different eras and different regions.
It was not the typical 'women centric/feminist' coolection of stories that one usually comes across..
I am really happy that I got to know so many awesome women writers in india!I liked the stories of Tabassum,Bulbul Sharma and Shakti Bhatt
It was not the typical 'women centric/feminist' coolection of stories that one usually comes across..
I am really happy that I got to know so many awesome women writers in india!I liked the stories of Tabassum,Bulbul Sharma and Shakti Bhatt
June 17, 2014
I like the variety of stories.
April 28, 2015
Lucky to lay my hands on this book. It showcases reality and kindles the spirit to glance at the world through 'her' eyes in each and every 'katha'.
Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews