Thunderstorm: Dalit Stories

by Ratan Kumar Sambharia

In fifteen stories that are at once grim, wryly ironic, humorous and affecting, acclaimed Rajasthani writer Ratan Kumar Sambhria portrays with rare acuity the injustices rampant in a caste-driven society and the triggers that spark rebellion. Poverty and greed degrade blood ties; money plays a dramatic role in changing equations between oppressor and oppressed; livestock and land become precious beyond measure. Yet, love ? between men and women, mother and child, a man and his land, and human beings and the animals they nurture ? underlies such dark overtones, and integrity and honour shine through in the bleakest moments. Remarkable for their craft and rendered here in an authentic translation, these deceptively simple stories are narratives of love and anger, hope and fortitude, and subtly negotiate equality in a society inherently marked by inequity.

Genres: India, World Literature, The World, International, Cultural, Fiction

204 pages, ebook

Published December 10, 2015

Reviews

[Nanditha · Rating 5 out of 5]

Beautifully written short stories with realistic characters full of grit, pride, rebellion, and dignity, subverting the common Dalit narratives we often come across in literature.

[Sudharsan]

Excellent set of short stories really well translated. Really enjoyed reading this.

[Tanmay · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book has a collection of some excellent short stories. Ratan Kumar Sambharia's translation by Mridul Bhasin is crisp to read and profound. The stories have well-crafted narratives infused with systemic problems faced by Dalits in the society. However, the first story does start with a clear positive message of how education and relative affluence as a result of it has helped challenge the power structure enforced by the orthodox caste based society.

Overall, a great read!