Separate Journeys: Short Stories by Contemporary Indian Women

by Geeta Dharmarajan (Editor), Mary Ellis Gibson (Introduction)

The most diverse collection of stories by contemporary Indian women available to American readers

This collection, which gathers fifteen stories by contemporary Indian women representing the varied languages and regions of their subcontinent, is now available to an American audience for the first time. Western readers have come to recognize the names of Indian writers such as Arundhati Roy and Salman Rushdie. But there is great diversity in Indian fiction, and to refer to all literature produced in India or by Indians under a single rubric suppresses rich differences. The region's vibrant literary tradition comprises diverse cultures and writing styles. The array of stories in this collection brings out linguistic, regional, ethnic, and class-based variety in the manner of anthologies of any nation's literature, but with a range and depth rarely matched elsewhere.

The stories included in Separate Journeys powerfully evoke Indian women's lives in diverse settings, from urban to village to rural. Unfolding the complex interplay of gender, language, class, and ethnicity characteristic of this part of the world, and running from the passionate to the poignant, from the personal to the universal, the stories are a moving testament to the human spirit.


Mahasweta Devi
Anupama Niranjana
T. Janaki Rani
Anita Desai
Mamoni Raisom Goswami
Ashapurna Devi
Urmila Pawar
Mrinal Pande
Kamala Das
Viswapria L. Iyengar
Qurratulain Hyder
Jeelani Bano
Rupavati
Rajee Seth
Varsha Das

Genres: Short Stories

126 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2004

Reviews

[Manjul Bajaj · Rating 5 out of 5]

Like there is comfort food, this was comfort literature for me. I took many days reading this slim volume simply because I didn't want it to finish anytime too soon. The emotional and physical landscape of these stories was deeply familiar and felt like a homecoming after wandering through foreign lands. Many of the authors in the collection are stalwarts from the different Indian languages - Mahashweta Devi, Ashapurna Devi, Qurratulain Hyder, Indira Goswami, Kamala Das, Mrinal Pande, Anita Desai, while others were new voices to me (though probably well-known to readers of that language). I was particularly taken by The Widows of Tithoor by Vishwapria L Iyengar written in English and am still trying to figure out through Google search why I haven't heard more about this author.

Recommended if you are a fan of Indian Fiction in translation. One warning though - its a very nice looking volume with paintings/sketches by Thota Vaikuntam on the cover and as separators between stories adding to its beauty BUT the printer's devil has had a field day with this book....lots of silly little errors like Capital letters popping up in the middle of sentences which mar an otherwise perfect read.

[Mathi · Rating 3 out of 5]

In these 15 stories collected from all over India, the diverse styles and cultures made an interesting study - some I could understand, some I could resonate with, some completely felt like an unknown language!

[Anne · Rating 3 out of 5]

Some of the short stories are fascinating

[Shrila Mitra · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thought provoking short stories by Indian authoresses on the Indian way of life. Worth a good read.

[Brynn Eiffler · Rating 4 out of 5]

Really beautiful collection of short stories written by Indian women.

[Sriya · Rating 5 out of 5]

An incredible collection of short stories. I’m inspired to find the stories and books of all of these authors.

[Abby · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 Some of these stories are very good, others are completely incomprehensible.

[Mehjabin Biva · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.75

[Fatema · Rating 4 out of 5]

Separate journeys is a mosaic of short stories which are unique and exotic and are all written by Indian female authors. it's underlying theme of the faceless, mute and unsung heroism of ordinary women is so infectious that it succeeds as a platform in a journey undertaken that surely has a destination. fourteen short stories including Anita desai's 'Private tuitions with Mr bose', two Urdu translations 'The sermons of Haji Gul Baba Bektashi by Qurratulain Hyder and 'I' by Jeelani Bano and many more. I highly recommend this book for it's range and vitality.

[Meera Srikant · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very touching stories.