Ranjeet Desai

"...MY HUSBAND WAS IN THE ARMY, FAR AWAY FROM HOME. BUT IT NEVER STRUCK ME THAT HE COULD BE BOOZING OUT THERE, OR DOING THINGS EVEN WORSE I COULD SEE ONLY THE FIRE OF THE BATTLEFIELD...CONTINUAL WORRY.. " BUT IN THIS WORLD, IT TAKES HARDLY ANY TIME FOR A WOMAN TO BE LABELED AS 'FALLEN'. IT ONLY TAKES SOME GOSSIP BY A WASHER-MAN FOR OUR RAMCHANDRAS TO ABANDON THEIR PREGNANT SITAS.. A PHYSICALLY HANDICAPPED PERSON CAN WALK AFTER AN OPERATION OR WITH THE AID OF A WALKING STICK; BUT IF SOMEONE WERE TO BECOME PARALYZED MENTALLY, WHO CAN HELP HIM? - THIS IS THE HARSH REALITY OF LIFE.

WHAT IS LIFE? IT IS A GAME OF CHANCE AND CHOICE. WE OFTEN HEAR THIS SAYING. HAVE YOU GIVEN A THOUGHT TO IT? HAVE YOU CONCLUDED ANYTHING FROM YOUR THOUGHTS? RANJIT DESAI HAS WORKED ON THIS LINE IN HIS NOVEL ABHOGI. THIS IS A STORY OF A DEDICATED PERSONDE.

THE AGRICULTURE TENANCY ACT 1948 A LAW WAS PASSED IN FAVOUR OF THE PEASANTS. IT BROUGHT A DEVASTATING CHANGE IN THE SOCIETY. FOR HUNDRED YEARS, THE SOCIETY HAD DEVELOPED A PARTICULAR SYSTEM, BASED ON IT EVERYTHING WAS RUNNING SMOOTHLY. BUT THIS LAW SHATTERED EVERY THING IN EVERBODY S LIFE. THE EFFECT ON THE SLOW AND SLEEPING MINDS WAS DEVASTATING. IT RESEMBLED THE BARREN LAND WHICH WAS PLOUGHED FOR THE FIRST TIME. EVERYTHING WAS CENTRED AROUND THE LAND AND EVERYTHING CHANGED. THE INAMDARS, THE WATANDARS, PEASANTS, POOJARI, BARA BALUTEDARS, DESAIS, DESHMUKHS, DESHPANDES, KULKARNI, KHOTS ALL WERE SHAKEN IN GOOD TERMS AS WELL AS BAD TERMS. LABOURES WHO WERE LIVING IN BIG CITIES HAD SAVED AMOUNT OVER YEARS, HAD BOUGHT LAND IN VILLAGES, HAD GIVEN IT TO THE PEASANTS FOR CULTIVATION, THEY ALSO LOST IT TO THE PEASANTS BECAUSE OF THE ACT. THESE WERE THE DAYS WHEN EVERYTHING AROUND WAS CHANGING FAST. THE DEMOCRACY CHANGED INDIA IN MANY WAYS. THE REFORMATION WAS TAKING PLACE ALL OVER, IN ALL CLASSES AND MASSES, AND AT ALL LEVELS. THE MOST SHATTERED WAS THE JOINT FAMILY SYSTEMS IN THE VILLAGES. THE TENANCY ACT GAVE RISE TO DIVISION THAT OF HOUSE, THAT OF LAND AND THAT OF HUMAN BEINGS. THERE WERE DISPUTES BETWEEN ALL POSSIBLE RELATIONS. NOBODY WAS SPARED. FATHERSON, BROTHERBROTHER, FAMILIES LOST THEIR LOVE AGAINST THE LUST. THE RURAL LIFE SUFFERED HEAVILY. THEIR LIFE WAS SHATTERED BEYOND MEASURES. THESE CHANGES ARE PENNED DOWN IN THE TWO LONG STORIES PERAUGAWALA & PANDHUR UTHALI. THEY WILL LEAVE YOU IN TURMOIL.

THIS IS A COLLECTION OF SHORT SHORIES BASED ON RURAL LIFE. THE URBAN PEOPLE OFTEN FEEL THAT THE RURAL LIFE, THE VILLAGE LIFE IS VERY CALM, QUIET AND PEACEFUL. FROM A FAR DISTANCE IF WE TRY TO JUDGE IT, THEN THIS WILL BE OUR FIRST IMPRESSION. BUT IF ONE GOES CLOSER TO FIND OUT WHAT LIES BEHIND THIS CALM AND QUIET VILLAGE LIFE THEN ONE S BELIEFS WOULD BE SHATTERED. THE VILLAGE LIFE ALSO HAS TREMENDOUS UPS AND DOWNS; ITS OWN TURMOIL. IT TAKES PLACE ANYWHERE, ON THE "CHAWADI, ON A RIVER BANK, IN A HUT, ON A FARM, ON A HILL TOP, AMONG THE TREES.. WE SEE A VARIETY OF MENTALITY AMONG THE VILLAGERS. THEY ARE SMART, CUNNING, SWEET, INNOCENT, RARELY RICH, MOSTLY VERY POOR, OPTIMISTIC, PESSIMISTIC, BELIEVERS AND NONBELIEVERS IN GOD, MANY A TIMES THEY HAVE BLIND FAITH IN THINGS AROUND THEM. THEIR LIFE IS INCOMPLETE WITHOUT NATURE AND ANIMALS. THEY ARE SUPERSTITIOUS. THEY HAVE A DESIROUS, A LOVING, A CARING, YET AN INDIFFERENT MIND. THEY SUFFER, THEY CARE, THEY LOVE, THEY HATE... THEY DEAL WITH URBAN PEOPLE. THEY LIVE THEIR LIFE CONTENTLY. THEY ARE BLENDED HARMONIOUSLY WITH THE NATURE AND THEIR CATTLES. RANJIT DESAI HAS VERY SUCCESSFULLY PICTURED ALL THESE FINE QUALITIES IN HIS VARIOUS STORIES. EACH STORY MAKES US THINK IN AN UNIQUE WAY

GLORY TO YOU, SHASTRIBUVA KILLING ONE'S SIBLINGS OR FAMILY FOR GRABBING THE THRONE IS A MUGHAL FAILING. THIS EVIL ENTERED THE MARATHA DOMAIN, AND THE ENTIRE KINGDOM BECAME ANXIOUS. BUT THANKFULLY THERE WAS AT LEAST ONE SELFLESS, DETERMINED VOICE THAT THUNDERED THAT SUCH VICES WILL NOT BE TOLERATED IN THIS LAND, AND THE MARATHA EMPIRE COULD CONTINUE TO HOLD ITS HEAD HIGH THE SWORDS DRAWN TO SALUTE THE THRONE, SHALL OFFER YOU THE FIRST SALUTE TODAY& HELLIP; THIS PLAY PORTRAYS THE UNCOMPROMISING PRINCIPLES OF JUSTICE PRACTICED BY RAMSHASTRI.

THE BOND OF WEDLOCK IS LIKE THE WELDING THAT BINDS TWO PLATES OF STEEL TOGETHER. AS A RESULT, TWO BEINGS BECOME STRONGER. LIFE GOES ON RELENTLESSLY. IT DOES NOT PAUSE FOR ANYBODY. CHILDREN GROW UP. WE LOSE THE COMPANY OF OUR FRIENDS; WE EXPERIENCE TIMES OF HAPPINESS AS WELL AS SORROW. BUT THROUGH ALL THESE UPHEAVALS THE COUPLE IS ALWAYS WITH EACH OTHER, ENJOYING THE PLEASURES OF THIS BOND. IT IS HERE THAT WE CAN EXPERIENCE HEAVEN ON EARTH. WHEREVER THERE IS SUCH ONENESS, WEDDED LIFE REMAINS UNSCATHED DESPITE THE CONFLICTS OR UPHEAVALS IN THE WORLD AT LARGE, JUST LIKE THE PHOENIX THAT RISES FROM THE ASHES. IF YOU CAN ACQUIRE THIS STRENGTH, YOU CAN LET THE WORLD BE. YOU CAN SMILE AT CRITICISMS. AS LONG AS YOU ARE SURE THAT THERE IS SOMEONE FIRMLY BACKING YOU, THERE IS NO REASON TO FEAR ANYTHING, UNDERSTAND'

THIS COLLECTION INCLUDES THE SHORT STORIES BY RANJIT DESAI WHICH HE PENNED DOWN DURING HIS EARLY YEARS AS A WRITER. THESE STORIES WERE PUBLISHED IN STANDARD MAGAZINES LIKE MAUJ, SATYAKATHA, KIRLOSKAR, ABHIRUCHI, JANWANI ETC. RANJIT DESAI REVEALS HIS SECRET ABOUT THESE SHORT STORIES, WHATEVER COMES TO MY MIND TAKES FROM OF STORY. WHATEVER I WRITE IS WRITTEN WITH ALMOST HONESTY. THERE MIGHT BE MANY DRAWBACKS, MANY FAULTS, MANY A TIMES I MIGHT HAVE GIVEN MORE WEIGHTAGE TO RURAL LIFE THAN THAT COMPARED TO URBAN LIFE, BUT NO WHERE I HAVE BEEN DECEITFUL. I HAVE ONLY ONE REQUEST TO THE READERS, IF EVER YOU DECIDE TO CHECK THE TRUENESS OF MY STORIES, REMEMBER MY HONEST AND FRANKNESS.

THE YOUNG ONE OF THE KOEL DOES NOT FORGET HIS SONG EVEN AFTER BEING RAISED IN A CROW'S NEST. BUT HUMAN BEINGS BROUGHT UP IN GOOD HOUSEHOLDS OFTEN FORGET THEIR HUMANITY. NEITHER LOVE NOR COMPASSION CAN HOLD THEM. IN WHAT DIRECTION WILL THE INDIFFERENT PARENTS, IRRESPONSIBLE TEACHERS, AND IMBALANCED YOUTH TAKE THIS WORLD?

SHEKARA IS AN EXCELLENT AND THE LAST SPECIMEN OF RANJIT DESAI S NOTEWORTHY INGENUITY. SHEKARA IS A KIND OF SQUIRREL, GREY COLOURED, WITH A BLACK FURRY TAIL. IT IS FAMOUS FOR JUMPING FROM ONE TREE TO ANOTHER. THE MAIN CHARACTER OF THIS NOVEL IS A LONELY SQUIRREL. THIS STORY TAKES PLACE IN THE MIDST OF A DENSE FOREST. SHEKARA ROAMS THROUGHOUT THE JUNGLE FOR ITS FOOD, THROUGH ALL THE REGIONS AND SEASONS. WHILE DOING SO IT OBSERVES OTHER ANIMALS, THEIR HABITS, THEIR EFFORTS TO FIND FOOD, THEIR HELPLESSNESS WHILE STRUGGLING TO STAY ALIVE. SHEKARA OFTEN WITHESSES THIS, AND ITSELF BECOMES THE PREY TO HELPLESSNESS. RANJIT DESAI HAS PICTURED THE WHOLE STORY THROUGH SHEKARA S EYES AND MIND. AFTER READING THE THE BOOK READER ALSO FEELS THAT HE/SHE IS AS LONELY AS THE SHEKARA. IT COMPELLS A DISCREET READER TO INTROSPECT ONCE AGAIN.

EACH NATION HAS HISTORICAL FIGURES TO WORSHIP. APART FROM THIS, MANY A TIMES EACH STATE OF EACH NATION HAS ROLE MODELS FROM THE PAST BUT NOT FORGOTTEN HISTORY. MAHARASHTRA HAS ITS OWN IDOLS. THE GREATEST AND MOST LOVED OF THEM ALL IS SHIVAJI MAHARAJ.

SNEHDHARA: THE FINAL, PLEASANT MANIFESTATION OF THE DIVINE TALENT OF THE LATE RANJIT DESAI A PERSON'S LIFE IS SHAPED BY HIS FATE, HIS CHARACTER AND HIS CIRCUMSTANCE. IN THIS COLLECTION OF CHARACTERSKETCHES - HIS LAST SUCH WORK - RANJIT DESAI GRATEFULLY REMINISCES ABOUT THE DIFFERENT HUMAN BEINGS ­- SIMPLE BEINGS AS WELL AS GREAT ONES - THAT TOUCHED HIS LIFE AND WITH WHOM HE DEVELOPED SOME SORT OF BOND. THIS IS NOT A CONTINUOUS AUTOBIOGRAPHY. AS IT HAPPENED, DIFFERENT MINOR OCCASIONS HAVE SERVED TO TRIGGER RECOLLECTION OF INTENSE MEMORIES OF CERTAIN PEOPLE. THIS IS AN EMOTIONAL RECOLLECTION OF EACH SUCH INDIVIDUAL AND THE EVENTS ASSOCIATED WITH HIM, WRITTEN BY A SENSITIVE PEN. THE CHARACTERS DESCRIBED HERE ARE NOT 'COMPLETE' BEINGS. THESE MEMOIRS AND SKETCHES TELL US ABOUT THE ENCOUNTERS DESAI HAD WITH EACH OF THESE INDIVIDUALS AND THE WAY THESE ENCOUNTERS MADE A LASTING IMPRESSION ON HIM. OUR JOY AT PRESENTING THIS COLLECTION WRITTEN BY THE LATE RANJIT DESAI TO THE READER IS TINGED WITH SADNESS...BECAUSE THIS IS THE LAST OF HIS UNPUBLISHED WORK THAT WE ARE PRESENTING IN BOOK FORM...

LITERATURE IS NOT AN INDEPENDENT ENTITY. IT IS A SORT OF CONSORT OF SOMETHING ELSE. HUMAN LIFE IS BASED ON CERTAIN BELIEFS AND VALUES. LITERATURE IS BASED ON THESE VERY BELIEFS AND VALUES. BUT AN AUTHORS OWN EXPERIENCES AND HIS VISION OF LIFE IS NOT ENOUGH FOR THE BIRTH OF LITERATURE. HE IS NOT JUST A PRESENTER OF REALTY. IT IS NOT AS IF EVERY ASPECT OF REALITY APPEALS TO HIM. SOME THINGS TOUCH HIM DEEPLY AND AWAKEN HIS MIND. IT IS SUCH A MIND, PRIMED BY A PERSONAL INSIGHT INTO REALITY THAT CREATED LITERATURE WHEN IT IS TOUCHED BY IDEALISM. THE RAYS OF THE SUN FALLING UPON THE SURFACE OF WATER DO NOT PRODUCE A RAINBOW. IT IS ONLY WHEN THE RAYS, REFLECTED BY THE CLOUDS PASS THROUGH THE MYRIAD DROPLETS OF DEW IN THE ATMOSPHERE, THAT WE SEE THE BRILLIANT HUES OF THE RAINBOW. WHEN REALITY GETS THE MAGICAL TOUCH OF IDEALISM, ONLY THEN LITERATURE REACHES A DIFFERENT DIMENSION... AS THE CHIEF GUEST OF VARIOUS LITERARY MEETS, RANJIT DESAI HAS DELIVERED MANY SPEECHES THAT HAVE TOUCHED UPON CLASSIC LITERATURE AND THE INSPIRATIONS BEHIND IT. THIS IS A SELECT COLLECTION OF SOME OF HIS SPEECHES

A RECITAL IS LIKE THE FULL-MOON NIGHT, BILAS. THE RAGA THAT IS RENDERED IS THE MOON OF THAT NIGHT. AT SUCH TIMES, THE DULLER STARS CANNOT EVEN BE SEEN. ONLY THE BRIGHT ONES ARE THE MOON'S CONSORTS. THE REST DISAPPEAR IN THE MOONLIGHT. WE SEE ONLY THOSE STARS THAT HAVE THE CAPABILITY TO ACCOMPANY THE MOON. IT IS THE SAME WITH THE RAGA THAT WE SING. WE MUST LOOK ONLY AT THE VAADI AND SAMVAADI NOTES. ONLY THEN DOES THE RAGA BLOSSOM'. ...GULSHAN, IT IS INDEED DIFFICULT TO FIND A GURU LIKE ABBAJAAN HIS FIRST NOTES ARE ENOUGH TO BRING CONTENTMENT TO ONE'S EARS A PLAY THAT PAYS TRIBUTE TO THE RECITALS OF TAANSEN - THE VOCALIST PAR EXCELLENCE.

THIS COLLECTION OF SHORT STORIES ONCE AGAIN REVEALS THE STRENGTH DESAI S WORDS POSSESS. IT REVEALS VARIOUS FEELINGS. THIS IS A COLLECTION OF HIS STORIES DURING HIS EARLY YEARS AS A WRITER WITH A MOSTLY A RURAL BACKGROUND. EGO, PRESTIGE, CLASS, HOSTILITY ARE BEAUTIFULLY WOVEN INTO EACH OTHER THROUGHOUT THE COLLECTION. THEY TOUCH OUR HEART LIKE NEVER BEFORE. WRITER IS SUCCESSFUL IN REVEALING SIMULTANEOUSLY TWO TOTALLY DIFFERENT ASPECTS OF LIFE; LOVE AND HATRED. IN HIS STORIES WE FIND PEOPLE WHO GIVE AWAY THEIR LIFE, SACRIFICE EVERYTHING THEY HAVE FOR THE PRESTIGE OF THEIR ANCESTRY AT THE SAME TIME WE COME ACROSS PEOPLE WHO DO NOT HESITATE TO TAKE AWAY SOMEBODY S LIFE FOR THEIR SELFISHNESS.

KINGS ARE EAGLES YOU SAID.EAGLES DO NOT BUILD NESTS ON THE GROUND; THEY BUILD THEM HIGH UP IN THE CREVASSES OF THE MOUNTAINS. ONCE HER FLEDGLINGS DEVELOP WINGS, THE FEMALE EAGLE PUSHES THEM OUT OVER THE EDGE OF THE NEST. ONLY THE ONES WITH STRONG WINGS SOAR AND RETURN THEY ARE TRUE EAGLES. IF THE KING IS INDEED AN EAGLE HE WILL RETURN TO THE NEST. OTHERWISE, ONE WILL HAVE TO SADLY CONCLUDE THAT THIS HOUSE NEVER GAVE BIRTH TO AN EAGLE. - THE HUNTER WHO WOULD CATCH THIS EAGLE IN HIS NET IS YET TO BE BORN

ONE IS BOUND TO RETURN TO SOBRIETY SOME TIME OR THE OTHER, AFTER THE INEBRIATING HIGH OF ALCOHOL, POWER, OR MONEY WANES. BUT THE HIGH OF RELIGION IS THE WORST FORM OF ADDICTION. ONE SHOULD NOT TEMPT IT, MR.... WHY IS RELIGION 'BAD'? WHO SAYS SO? RELIGION IS INNOCENT, IGNORANT. WHEN RELIGION GOES HANDINHAND WITH HUMANITARIAN VALUES, IT IS LIKE HEAVEN ON EARTH. BUT RELIGION DEVOID OF HUMANISM IS THE ROAD TO HELL, NOT HEAVEN. NOT ONLY ONE'S BELONGINGS BUT ALSO ONE'S COMPANIONS ALONG THIS ROAD FIND IT NEARLY IMPOSSIBLE TO REACH THEIR DESTINATION UNSCATHED... THIS HIGH DRAMA CAPTURES THE INSEPARABLE BOND BETWEEN TWO FRIENDS, AGAINST THE BACKDROP OF THE PARTITION.

THE INTRINSICALLY TRAGIC STORY OF KARNA HAS ALWAYS INSPIRED CREATIVELY MANY A LITERATURERS. THIS IS ANOTHER SUCH OCCASSION. THE AUTHOR HAS ATTEMPTED TO UNIVERSALISE THE KARMAKATHA IN THIS NOVEL. HE TRIES TO SEE INTO IT THE ETERNAL PROBLEM OF VICTORY.

THIS IS A COLLECTION OF STORIES BASED ON FAMOUS HISTORICAL FIGURES. THE NAME INDICATES THAT THIS IS A SET OF STORIES HAVING IT S OWN FRAGRANCE. IN THE BEGINNING THE AUTHOR ADMITS THAT 'WORDS HAVE NO FRAGRANCE. THEY HAVE ONLY MEANINGS. BUT A COMBINATION OF MANY WORDS PRESENT A PERSON AND THE ATMOSPHERE MAY BE AFTER READING THESE STORIES READER WILL FEEL THE FRAGRANCE TOO THEN IT WILL GIVE ME IMMENSE SATISFACTION. THE AUTHOR SHOWS HIS CONFIDENCE AND FAITH IN THE READERS. ALL THE STORIES IN 'GANDHALI ARE BASED ON THE LIVES OF FAMOUS PERSONALITIES AND THE INCIDENCES FROM THE PAST. HE HAS SLECTED EACH ONE CAREFULLY. EACH STORY IS A HOMOGENOUS MIXTURE OF VALOUR, COMPASSION AND ROMANCE. EACH ONE REFLECTS THE AUTHOR S COMMAND OVER LANGUAGE AND TAKES THE READER TO THE HISTORY ITSELF. THE SUCCESS OF 'GANDHALI IS INTENSE ON THE BACKGROUND OF NOVELS FROM THE SAME AUTHOR, BASED ON HISTORICAL FIGURES.