Modern Hindi Short Stories

by Bhisham Sahni

When a society changes, it is the people who bear the weight of it the most. This book brings together stories from people’s lives, as they carried on their cultural legacy, weaving it with modernity and growth.Handpicked gems of stories by veterans in the genre of short story – such as Amarkant, Bhisham Sahni, Kamleshwar, Nirmal Varma and Mohan Rakesh – have been combined with works of younger writers who became the torch-bearers of the forward movement of the people.Of special interest are the works of women writers such as Krishna Sobti and Mannu Bhandari, who made sure that women were heard and read – loud and clear.A collector’s delight, MODERN HINDI SHORT STORIES, spans almost half a century of literary endeavour in the field of Hindi fiction – a period of intense literary activity, varied in its approach and wide in its scope.

243 pages, Kindle Edition

First published August 24, 2020

Reviews

[Vishnu Chevli · Rating 3 out of 5]

A comfy sofa-chair, center table with books & coffee strongly suggests that the book would be a good companion for a nice reading journey. The plain sky-blue background suggests an uninterrupted interest quotient. My assumptions were right when I read the book, "Modern Hindi Short Stories" which was indeed a nice try to bring classic Hindi literature to English readers.

The short book consists of 14 beautiful short stories in less than 230 pages. Each story from a different author, hence touching different notes with narration. Though it is not possible to bring out the same level of the emotional connection while translating, here translator has done a pretty good job. My personal favorite stories are
1. The Mark of Man by Himanshu Joshi
2. Miniature Tajmahals by Rajendra Yadav
3. Sargam Cola by Asgar Wajahat

The best part of short stories is you can read at leisure and without depending upon the previous chapter. I haphazardly read a book.

I will give 3.5 out of 5 to this book.

[Jyotsna · Rating 3 out of 5]

Rating - 3
NPS - 5 (Detractor)

This was really meh collection of short stories.

My only favourite stories in this collection are - The Mark of Man, The Devotee and The Encircling Clouds

[Pep Bonet · Rating 3 out of 5]

Some stories are better than others. None of them, in my view, reaches the level of Manto's stories, although Manto wrote in Urdu, not in Hindi. Nevertheless, I found it interesting, given the tradition of Hindi short story writing. This looks like a good collection of some of the best authors in the 20th Century.

[Swati · Rating 4 out of 5]

Modern Hindi Short Stories
Published by Srishti Publishers

This book is a collection of gems by most renowned Hindi authors and of their famous works. Short stories by the likes of Amarkant, Bhisham Sahni, Nirmal Verma, Krishna Sobti and many more make for a delightful read.

Most of these are set in times of 1950s -1980s but are so modern in their outlook which is astonishing and worthy of applause of visionary -literary and mindset growth.

My favourites are:
O haramzade- a story about Indians living abroad and what they miss about their country
Not by flesh alone - story of a prostitute who questions her customers’ loyalty and her worthiness when adversity strikes

The Mark of a man- A rape has been committed. How three different people sarpanch, police and patwari treat it and the whole village is impacted...

Lovely stories- deep rooted and with a hidden message for the ones who are not only reading- but assessing and relating..

I would have loved to read the original Hindi versions.. But the translation here is superb and done by the renowned Jai Ratan...

Lovely publication.. Do read it..

[Nirbhay Kanoria · Rating 2 out of 5]

I've barely read any Hindi literature - translated or in Hindi. I was excited to discover new Hindi authors with this book, even if it were through translation, but was left fairly disappointed. I didn't care for any of the works except the age-old and better reputed Bhisham Sahni, Krishna Sobti and Kamleshwar.

Maybe it was a translation issue but all the stories seems emotionless and prescriptive almost. Sadly the most interesting part of the book was the foreword.

[Ravinder · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved this collection of stories translated from Hindi.
Makes me want to read the writings of a few of the authors in Hindi itself. Would be a slow project given that I wouldn't be able to read easily.

[Amit · Rating 1 out of 5]

Misleading title

Modern Hindi Short Stories....translated in English. Are these still Hindi short stories, even after they have been robbed of their linguistic spirit and aroma? I don't think so. Tasteless.

[The Queen of Toads · Rating 2 out of 5]

Translation is not good.

[Bibliophile Talks · Rating 3 out of 5]

The collection features stories by renowned Hindi literature authors, each offering a unique perspective and style. Every story begins with an introduction to the author, adding depth and context to the narrative.
While the stories are captivating, I feel the translation somewhat diminishes their original charm. These tales, crafted in Hindi, carry a depth of emotion and cultural essence that may resonate more profoundly in their native language. However, if you're keen on exploring Hindi classics but prefer reading in English for any reason, this book is worth considering. It serves as an accessible window into the richness of Hindi literature.

READ THE FULL REVIEW HERE:
https://www.bibliophiletalks.in/book-...