I love short stories and this is a treasure house packed in a small chest.
First the shortcomings: some stories force the moral onto the readers. They are not evident directly.
But the good things easily overcome the drawbacks. No where will you find staunch Hinduism. The writing is lucid and teachings are subtle. The best part is that these stories convey a strong message that mar the social stigma prevalent in our times.
A butcher can attain highest divinity, fruitless devotion to work (nishkama karma), a saint learning a lesson from untouchable, a woman having equal rights in the court, among others. If our scriptures are so profound, then these must be taught to right-wing extremists.