Anubandh

by Shanta J. Shelke

Datarbai got up very carefully when she realised that her daughters were sleeping soundly. She took out Subhatai`s letter. She tried to get more light from the lantern by pulling out its wick a bit. She wanted to answer the letter but was not able to do so. She was wondering how to write and moreover, what to write. She took the pen in her hand. She dipped the nib in the ink-bottle. The blank paper was looking at her expectedly, the ink was getting dried up.She was just observing the dark corners one by one, blankly, wearily.

209 pages, Kindle Edition

Published June 2, 1905

About the author

Also see शांता शेळके
Shanta Janardan Shelke (12 October 1922 – 6 June 2002) was an Indian poet and writer in the Marathi language. She was also a noted journalist and academic. Her work included song compositions, stories, translations, and children's literature. She presided over many literary gatherings. Some of her compositions were noted either as stand-alone poetic works or as songs sung.

Reviews

[Priya Kale · Rating 4 out of 5]

Shanta Shelke is best known for her poetry, but this collection of short stories grips you from the very first page. Each story feels as though it has emerged from a simple moment in the protagonist’s life, yet it is written with remarkable beauty and sensitivity. There is nothing overly dramatic about these stories; they are quiet and ordinary

What I loved most was the way the stories end. It’s as if I’m sitting on a bus next to the protagonist, listening to them recount one small but significant episode from their life. Then suddenly their stop arrives, they get up, leave, and the story ends. No dramatic climax, no neatly tied-up conclusions. Just a glimpse into a life, ending as naturally and abruptly as real conversations often do.

The stories are quiet, ordinary, and deeply human. And perhaps that’s exactly what makes them so relatable.

[Aditya Sathe · Rating 5 out of 5]

Shantabai is most famous as poet and lyricist but her non-poetic writing is equally amazing. Anuband is an amazing small anthology of short stories (just 123 pages) which touch your heart and you just can't stop reading until you finish the book.