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short takes
Stories from abode of Gods
Randeep Wadehra
Mafia
by S.R. Harnot, translated by Saroj Vasishth. Sanbun.
Pages 116. Rs 125.
 THESE stories pertain to a world that is real, yet
seemingly ethereal: The idyllic countryside of Himachal Pradesh, where
people and birds and animals understand each other’s language and
communicate mutually. Shades of Hugh Lofting’s Dr. Dolittle? Hardly.
This collection of short stories is about real, normal people who have
been living in harmony with Mother Nature nestled in the Himalayan
valleys. The characters in these stories exude a zest for life and
innate innocence. But materialism is slowly but inexorably destroying
this idyllic world. Consequently, in Mafia, Chunni finds his
forest-guard father joining a gang that indulges in illegal trade of
timber and skins of rare animals. The denouement comes when Chunni’s
favourite peacock disappears. Chunni empathises with the peahen’s
pain. In other stories we have dadis and ammas talking to
birds and animals, yet finding themselves out of sync with fellow human
beings; and sons abandoning their widowed mothers for city life and
pelf.
Harnot has come up with eminently readable stories that pull at our
heartstrings, haunt us and make us sit up and introspect. And full marks
to Saroj Vasishth’s impeccable translation that has made the book ‘unputdownable’.
A little more diligence would have taken care of the few typos that have
crept in.
Verse that could have been better
 Song of Maize
by Gurdev Chauhan. Writers Club International. Pages
96. Rs 100.
Poetry, when translated, often loses its punch
because the creative message gets a bit hazy and convoluted. But,
occasionally, one does get to savour the original aroma. Since Chauhan
has translated his own poems from Punjabi, the flavour remains largely
intact as reflected in The Song of Corn on the Cob. There’s a
haunting quality to That Girl of my Childhood. Yet, one feels
that the poet needs to hone his craft to make an impact while rendering
his verse in English. For example, a line ending with a preposition or
conjunction is considered weak in prosody; Chauhan does it quite often
e.g. in This Poem is for Her one comes across lines like eyes
downcast in sync with, Talkative and etc. There’s also the
problem of syntax, e.g., Does the poem has any relationship (Poem
and the Gun); or in an nondescript room (That Girl of my
Childhood) etc.
A good attempt but there’s scope for improvement.
Skilled support
Private Secretary
by Onkar Thakur. Minerva. Pages 183. Rs 250.
Contrary to popular perception, a private secretary is hardly a
pretty face complementing the office d`E9cor. It’s a skilled job with
its own hierarchy. On top of the heap are the bureaucrats who act as
secretaries to the Prime Minister and other ministers. Then there are
topnotch secretaries who manage the affairs of CEOs and other big cats
in the corporate sector. Down the line there are private secretaries to
assorted professionals and businesspersons. It is a complex profession
that entails a substantial degree of responsibilities. Thakur has, apart
from explaining their duties, devoted separate chapters to various
qualities and attitudes that a good secretary must have. You’ll find
this book both enjoyable and informative.
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