The Twilight Moment & other short stories

by Ashapurna Devi

A collection of selected short stories by Ashapurna Devi including Nibaran Chandra’s Last Rites, The Twilight Moment and The Georgette Saree.
These stories bring to life the state of women in rural and urban Bengal during those times. Often ironical, a touch satirical, these stories are eminently readable, both from a social as well as a literary standpoint. Most of her stories carry a twist in their tail, making the reading experience an adventure in itself. Her characterisations are convincing while her dialogues are crisp and smart.

Genres: Short Stories

47 pages, Kindle Edition

Published December 10, 2017

About the author

Ashapurna Devi (Bengali: আশাপূর্ণা দেবী), also Ashapoorna Debi or Asha Purna Devi, is a prominent Bengali novelist and poet. She has been widely honoured with a number of prizes and awards. She was awarded 1976 Jnanpith Award and the Padma Shri by the Government of India in 1976; D.Litt by the Universities of Jabalpur, Rabindra Bharati, Burdwan and Jadavpur. Vishwa Bharati University honoured her with Deshikottama in 1989. For her contribution as a novelist and short story writer, the Sahitya Akademi conferred its highest honour, the Fellowship, in 1994.

Reviews

[Tejaswini · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sometimes by reading just a whole 50 pages of short story collection showcases the exemplary writing skills and eloquency in narrating and incite a want to read more of the author's works.This is what had happened to me with one of the stalwarts of Bengali literature Ashapurna Devi with ' Twilight moment and other stories'. This book has three simple yet thought provoking tales.
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'Naibaran Chandra's Last rites' discusses about neglect shown by grown up children towards age old parents' health when they are alive. But after their death, they blabber about arranging funeral in grand scale so that the dead soul reaches heaven. The author tells us sharply that it is irrational in offering favourite meal of the dead parent(s) on his/her funeral feast instead of looking after their basic needs when they are alive.
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The title story ' The twilight moment' is about Supriya who lives helplessly as a maid in a distant relatives' house and also struggling to get over a fake relationship . She waits for a sliver of twilight showing her way of escapade from the hell she is living in.
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The third story ' Georgette saree' opens with Anil going to his home town to celebrate his 10 th marriage anniversary with his wife and son.. But something unexpected happens on his train journey when he meets his adolescent crush Anupama! What's that !? What situations make Anil leave with guilty at the end ?
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I did enjoy reading all three stories, couldn't pick one as my favourite and all three are open ended leaving to reader's imagination . This book is a very very short read as I said and one could read in a single sitting. It is available on Kindle unlimited.

[Anbukarasan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very well written short stories
Pro feminism. Also... The right way..

[Premanand Velu · Rating 4 out of 5]

Besides bringing the male dominated Bengali society and the exploitation of women at the bottom of the family structure, Ashapurna Devi brings the irony and hypocrisy of the society and specifically, the reader himself. In fact this is the most striking feature in each of her stories where the viewer is challenged for his or her social bias. Be it the old and frail but freshly emancipated Hemangani, the Silent and toiling Supriya or the vocal and outgoing Anupama, through all of them Ashapurna Devi questions our own social and gender biases directly. These stories are not remarkable just for the picturization of the family lifestyles, their society or the settings in which these events takes place but for the shock and awe the reader faces when his slowly accepting mentality is questioned which is least expected.

[Devika Das · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of the classics that must feature in your reading list. I loved the short story "The Georgette Saree' featured in this collection. I have read the Kindle edition. There are several paragraphs that have stuck in my mind. Overall, a wonderful reading experience :)