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The Engaged Observer: The Selected Writings of Shanta Gokhale
A collection of writings by an incandescent and gloriously eclectic intellectual of contemporary India.
For over four decades, Shanta Gokhale has entertained, informed and challenged us with her insightful, witty and forthright writing in both English and Marathi. With rare objectivity and consistency, Gokhale has tried to decode our unique social etiquette while subtly exposing our hypocrisies, and celebrated tradition-defying women while forcefully criticizing the patriarchal and misogynistic structures of society.
Her essays on theatre not only illustrate its evolution in India, but also provide arresting portraits of theatre personalities such as Satyadev Dubey, Vijay Tendulkar and Veenapani Chawla. And her detailed yet accessible articles on Indian classical music are a delight to read.
In her short stories, she shapeshifts effortlessly from old men to teenage boys and college students. And finally, her two takes on Shakespeare show us how the Bard’s ideas continue to remain relevant and, more importantly, how little attention he paid to his women characters.
Candid, intense and often humorous, The Engaged Observer is also an invaluable record of the social, political and cultural changes that have taken place in Bombay, Mumbai and beyond.
For over four decades, Shanta Gokhale has entertained, informed and challenged us with her insightful, witty and forthright writing in both English and Marathi. With rare objectivity and consistency, Gokhale has tried to decode our unique social etiquette while subtly exposing our hypocrisies, and celebrated tradition-defying women while forcefully criticizing the patriarchal and misogynistic structures of society.
Her essays on theatre not only illustrate its evolution in India, but also provide arresting portraits of theatre personalities such as Satyadev Dubey, Vijay Tendulkar and Veenapani Chawla. And her detailed yet accessible articles on Indian classical music are a delight to read.
In her short stories, she shapeshifts effortlessly from old men to teenage boys and college students. And finally, her two takes on Shakespeare show us how the Bard’s ideas continue to remain relevant and, more importantly, how little attention he paid to his women characters.
Candid, intense and often humorous, The Engaged Observer is also an invaluable record of the social, political and cultural changes that have taken place in Bombay, Mumbai and beyond.
- GenresIndia
312 pages, Kindle Edition
Published September 10, 2018
4 people are currently reading
126 people want to read
About the author
Shanta Gokhale
35 books17 followersShanta Gokhale, is an Indian writer, translator, journalist and theatre critic.
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Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews
July 9, 2021
The Engaged observer' is an eclectic collection of selected writings by Shanta Gokhale spanned over her career as a writer, critic & columnist edited by Jerry Pinto. This book is divided into various sections into which her works are categorised & catalogued.
Placing Maharashtra at an epicenter her writings talk about its theatre, culture, literature , music , cinema & a lot more.
Centring herself in the cultural diaspora of Mumbai, Mrs Gokhale's observations are extremely sharp & immaculate. Mrs Gokhale's writings seem packed with bounty of information sprinkled with her own style of wit & humour wherever necessary. The evolution of theatre in Mumbai; Marathi cinema making its mark, quirks of Puneikar & Mumbaikar; various Marathi traditions; crescendos & notes of Hindustani music; from comfort food to feminsit issues- her range of works are vast & aplenty. This book appeals people of Maharashtra a tad bit more definitely as they would slide on nostalgic ride.
A couple of topics which seems otherwise bland appears interesting thanks to her quintessential skills of engaging a reader.
Majority of the works jotted here are about eminent personalities who had execelled in their bodies of work. Of them many are obituaries- by mourning their deaths with garland of her words , she reminisces her experiences with them & recounts their sublime arts & crafts.
With footnotes annotating the date & name of the news paper the article was published, each work of hers is arranged in the finest structure reading which enlightens a reader's knowledge. Mrs Gokhale has an art of choosing words- picks it with dextrourity & polishes with dignity & elegance. This method of constructive criticism seems her secret of success in executing her job as a critic/columnist. She never proclines to any form of superlative even when a politician/celebrity passes some immature rubbish comments, rather articulates in a measured tone & responds in a composed demeanour.
Reading her lucid, & vivid text flowing with eloquence is an experience in itself.
In the present age of astute rants and outright boycotts, reading Mrs Gohale’s work which contemplates and convinces there is surely another version of one's beliefs & axioms is my absolute takeaway from this chunk of her selected writings. With this my respect has increased immensely towards her intellect and her persomality as a whole.
Placing Maharashtra at an epicenter her writings talk about its theatre, culture, literature , music , cinema & a lot more.
Centring herself in the cultural diaspora of Mumbai, Mrs Gokhale's observations are extremely sharp & immaculate. Mrs Gokhale's writings seem packed with bounty of information sprinkled with her own style of wit & humour wherever necessary. The evolution of theatre in Mumbai; Marathi cinema making its mark, quirks of Puneikar & Mumbaikar; various Marathi traditions; crescendos & notes of Hindustani music; from comfort food to feminsit issues- her range of works are vast & aplenty. This book appeals people of Maharashtra a tad bit more definitely as they would slide on nostalgic ride.
A couple of topics which seems otherwise bland appears interesting thanks to her quintessential skills of engaging a reader.
Majority of the works jotted here are about eminent personalities who had execelled in their bodies of work. Of them many are obituaries- by mourning their deaths with garland of her words , she reminisces her experiences with them & recounts their sublime arts & crafts.
With footnotes annotating the date & name of the news paper the article was published, each work of hers is arranged in the finest structure reading which enlightens a reader's knowledge. Mrs Gokhale has an art of choosing words- picks it with dextrourity & polishes with dignity & elegance. This method of constructive criticism seems her secret of success in executing her job as a critic/columnist. She never proclines to any form of superlative even when a politician/celebrity passes some immature rubbish comments, rather articulates in a measured tone & responds in a composed demeanour.
Reading her lucid, & vivid text flowing with eloquence is an experience in itself.
In the present age of astute rants and outright boycotts, reading Mrs Gohale’s work which contemplates and convinces there is surely another version of one's beliefs & axioms is my absolute takeaway from this chunk of her selected writings. With this my respect has increased immensely towards her intellect and her persomality as a whole.
April 9, 2019
The Engaged Observer is an anthology of letters, articles, writings by Shanta Gokhale, edited by Jerry Pinto.
Here you will find a collection of works about theatre in Maharashtra - artists, playwrights and their influences. She has observed and engaged with them closely and writes with respect, authority and bares her thoughts in the open. I wouldn’t have known so much about the likes of Vijay Tendulkar, Satyadev Dubey, Habib Tanvir and writers such as Baburao Bagul, Dhasal. Although I have read Jerry Pinto’s translations of some of the Marathi works, I am yet to read Baburao Bagul’s When I hid my caste. The anthology also has some endearing articles on Mumbai, my home city, on feminism, and some of her short stories.
Her writings are effortless, accessible and reflective at the same time. Jerry painstakingly provides references to works she mentions in her articles, for those interested to read more. As someone growing up in Maharashtra, I miss the culture, the homeliness and warmth I have felt, this was a book I wished didn’t end. It was a comfort hug, by a distant aunt on a cold dreary January evening. I am glad she continues to write. P.S. Shanta Gokhale is Renuka Shahane, one of my favouritest actor, whom I have adored since I have been a child.
Here you will find a collection of works about theatre in Maharashtra - artists, playwrights and their influences. She has observed and engaged with them closely and writes with respect, authority and bares her thoughts in the open. I wouldn’t have known so much about the likes of Vijay Tendulkar, Satyadev Dubey, Habib Tanvir and writers such as Baburao Bagul, Dhasal. Although I have read Jerry Pinto’s translations of some of the Marathi works, I am yet to read Baburao Bagul’s When I hid my caste. The anthology also has some endearing articles on Mumbai, my home city, on feminism, and some of her short stories.
Her writings are effortless, accessible and reflective at the same time. Jerry painstakingly provides references to works she mentions in her articles, for those interested to read more. As someone growing up in Maharashtra, I miss the culture, the homeliness and warmth I have felt, this was a book I wished didn’t end. It was a comfort hug, by a distant aunt on a cold dreary January evening. I am glad she continues to write. P.S. Shanta Gokhale is Renuka Shahane, one of my favouritest actor, whom I have adored since I have been a child.
February 12, 2024
Through a serendipitous find in a library, I discover Shanta Gokhale. A columnist, fiction writer, playwright, translator, drama and music critic, Gokhale is truly 'mercury' as Jerry Pinto describes her in the introduction to this eclectic collection of her writings. This collection spans decades (70s to the 2010s) and brings together her articles on theater, on the changing face of Mumbai, on Hindustani classical music, on feminism, on Dalit literature, on Marathi culture. It also includes a few examples of her fiction through some short stories. It is a smorgasbord of views and opinions and one is left amazed at the breadth of her knowledge and interests and the relationships she has sustained with creative people. The writing itself is impeccable (a lot of the pieces are translations from Marathi) - it has humour, wit, empathy and her intelligence shines through brilliantly.
I will treat this as a taster and promise myself that I will explore more of this remarkable woman, especially through her fiction.
I will treat this as a taster and promise myself that I will explore more of this remarkable woman, especially through her fiction.
October 10, 2019
What a grand life. What an attitude. What a lovely person.
Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews