Lovely Pan House

by Dhruv Bhatt

ગુજરાતની વિવિધ બોલીઓમાં 'સવાર ','સાંજ ,'સારું' વગેરે બોલતી વખતે 'સ' નઉચ્ચાર એક ખાસ પ્રકારે થાય છે જેમાં 'સ' અને 'હ'બેઉનો ધ્વની સંભળાય છે મજૂરો અને કારીગરો કામ કરતા એવું જ બોલતા। લેખકને એમની સાંભળેલી વાતોમાંથી આ કથાના પાત્રો મળ્યા છે સાહિત્ય અકાદમી તથા ભાવનગર યુનિવર્સિટીના ગુજરાતી વિભાગ સાથે સંલગ્ન રહીને આ પુસ્તક લખાયું છે।

240 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 2012

About the author

Dhruv Bhatt was born on 8 May 1947 in Ningala village of Bhavnagar State (now Bhavnagar district, Gujarat) to Prabodhray Bhatt and Harisuta Bhatt. He studied at various places, standard 1 to 4 at Jafrabad and Matriculation from Keshod. After studying commerce for two years, he left further studying[1] in 1972 and joined Gujarat Machine Manufacturers as Sales Supervisor. He voluntary retired and started writing career.[2]

His novel Akoopar has been adapted into a play directed by Aditi Desai.[3] Tattvamasi was adapted into the 2018 Gujarati film Reva.[4]

Reviews

[Nitin Limbasiya · Rating 4 out of 5]

ધ્રુવદાદા હંમેશા સંવેદનાઓ પર વધુ લખે છે અને લવલી પાન હાઉસ એ સંવેદનાઓના તાણાવાણા માં ગૂંથાયેલી એવી જ એક વાર્તા છે. એક આખું જીવન બનવામાં કેટ કેટલા લોકોનો પ્રત્યક્ષ અને પરોક્ષ ફાળો હોઈ છે તે અતિ નાજુક શબ્દોથી વર્ણવ્યું છે. અને આ બધાની વચ્ચે રાબીયાનું પાત્ર કે તેની સાથે વાંચકને પ્રેમ થઈ જાય એ ખુશી અને પીડા લાવે છે.

[Vipul · Rating 4 out of 5]

બહુ જ સરસ , એકી બેઠકે પુરી કરવાનું મન થાય તેવી બુક. બુક માં વર્ણવેલું નજર સમક્ષ સહજ જ ઉભું થતું દેખાય.. આ બધી ઘટના ઓ મારી સાથે જ થઈ રહી છે તેવું લાગે..બુક માંહ્યલી પીડા, આનંદ, બધું જ તમારું લાગે..અને ક્યારેક આંખ ભીની પણ થાય..

[Munjal Dalwadi · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a book! The way it starts you will never expect the end but that it should be in novel. Its page turner and will shake you from within.This Novel is not about heroism but and sensibility and humanity of humans. Definitely it will shake your soul. Simple light, engrossing and soul shaking characters, Story is secondary but Dhruv kaka put immense effort to develop characters. Its different from other stories, lead or main character is not hero but around him you will find lot many heroes. Some thing unanswered but that is up to you to connect the dots. I know the pain when you want to visit places where you spent your childhood and after many years you are planning to visit it and some how, you couldn't.

I got chance spent some time with Dhruv kaka in my childhood and I didn't realized what I was getting. I might had taken it granted that time but really grateful now that I got chance to spent time with creator of this magnum opus. A must read for all who can read.

I really want Yatrik visit that place again and we can read his emotions but I am sure he will not visit it again as I am not going read book again though my strong desire says otherwise.

[Bela · Rating 5 out of 5]

In a way it's not a travelogue that signature style of Dhruv Dada, but his insight and celebrating good around people and life is here as well. I found similarities between his another book 'Karnlok' also 'Akupar' to some extent with 'Lovely Pan House' here.

As always one lines by him.... Mashaaalaah...
"ગન (હથિયાર) કાયર છે."
"અલ્લા ભી હૈ."
"કામ કામને શીખવશે."
"ભાષા જ્ઞાન સાથે અને બોલી તમારી પોતાની સાથે સંબંધાય છે." Many many more such Beautiful and universally truthful lines...

For the 1st time in any of his books I found a glimpse of mean woman character in 'lovely Pan House' which is impossible to find anywhere his writing.
As always strong women characters : Reva, Rabiya, Zoya, Ira, Suhasini, Mandakini pure golden heart and treat for us to meet.

[Narendra Phanse · Rating 5 out of 5]

The novel keeps the reader so deeply engaged, that it is, in a layperson's slang, unputdownable! If the readers have ever lived in or have visited Bhavnagar, can relate to the culture of the city. The characters and interaction between them is so realistically drawn that readers feel as if they are present with them all the way through. This is one of the best novels in Gujarati and can easily rank alongside those like the 'Deep Nirvana'.

[Naren Bakshi · Rating 5 out of 5]

Like everytime, this book of Dhruv Dada is gripping and full of multidimensional characters with their peculiarities and effortless wisdom with a superb storyline.
The description of sea and the beach hear and there teleports you there right away. It felt like I was also staying in the same guest house along with everyone and now it's time for me to checkout. The story takes many surprising turns and won't allow you to put this gem down.

[dunkdaft · Rating 5 out of 5]

Engrossing read. Keeps you engaged at every twist and turn. Swiftly keeps leaping the time frames and mood. Didn't think the story starting at a railway platform would end up like this. Though some questions are kept unanswered even at the end, it is upon us to find out and connect the dots. My second book by Dhruv Bhatt, and he is certainly on my top list now.

[Piyush Bhuva · Rating 5 out of 5]

Dhruv Bhatt has always been great with his story telling but a little stories and language about life is just amusing and unparallel. The end is a little sad but you can visualize every word of novel and that is a gurrantee.

[Bhumika Shah · Rating 5 out of 5]

The flow of story and narration is super amazing. Humanity, coincidence, society, people- it talks about values, religion, beliefs, myths and all. Simple yet soulful.
A soul soothing read for sure.

[Ankit · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wonderful

[Deval G Bhavsar · Rating 4 out of 5]

ધ્રુવ દાદા ના પુસ્તકો હંમેશા પ્રકૃતિ અને ગ્રામ્ય સંસકૃતિ ની નજીક હોઈ, આ પુસ્તક થોડું અલગ છે, વિચારો હચમચાવે તેવું બહુ ઓછું છે પણ એટલા બધા પાત્રો સાથે સાદગી અને સંવાદો ખુબ સરસ છે

[Manisha · Rating 4 out of 5]

Pleasant reading experience. The story is simple but the way writer has depicted emotions of various characters is amazing!! What a beautiful example of 'show and tell' feature of fiction!! Without going into much details of surrounding description, writer has concentrated on dialogues. Just a few lines spoken by characters are strong enough to explain the feelings and the situation. End is also written very well. Without saying a word about it, writer reveals the interconnection of all the characters.

[Sparsh Hardik · Rating 2 out of 5]

Again, seems the unfinished book. it has around 242 pages, going good through 200 pages but after it, a DISASTER. He needs no explanation for important things of that chapter and the whole story FALLS. I want to request the writer to write last 50 pages again, please.