A Word from Me 7
For the month of September, I uploaded two stories. “The Escaped Parrot” by
Acanta Saradadevi, underscores a universal value, freedom. The intense
dsire for freedom in human beings is the same for the animals. In the
process, the author ridicules how we tend to speak of higher values such as
peace and quiet yet pass by them. For the protagonist the lesson becomes
obvious only after the bird had flown away.
In the second story, “Revisiting the childhood,” by Kandukuri Venkata
Mahalakshmi, the value of home ownership is illustrated. It is significantly
different in Indian context. In America, it is an investment and also a mark of
one’s own success in society. On the other hand, in our culture, home is a
piece of property that is passed on to the next generation. There is pride in
doing so. Selling one’s own home viewed as a matter of shame and failure. In
that, the protagonist’s zeal to repossess the home they had sold earlier is
depicted beautifully. The story gives us an explanation of how the changing
times were factors in selling the house in the first place and getting back later.
On a different note, I would like explain some of the decisions I have taken
now. As some of you may have noticed, links to some the stories publishers
were removed. At the time, my reason was their inclusion in some of the
upcoming anthologies. As it turned out, one of the anthologies is still in the
process, four years after getting accepted. For the stories published in
another anthology, I still have the copyrights.
Accordingly, I am posting the translations again. To start with, now you have
access to the following stories.
Beenadevi. A Piece of Ribbon
Kalyanasundari Jagannath. A Fleck of Cloud
Lata [Tenneti Hemalata]. Kites and Water Bubbles
Madhurantakam Rajaram. Drama of Life
Racakonda Viswanatha Sastry. Marigolds, Illusion, the Window.
Vasundhara. Dairy
Viswanatha Satyanarayana. The Soul Wills It.
I will be uploading the other files also as soon as possible.
Recently, my book, a critical study, Telugu Women Writers, 1950-1975,
Andhra Pradesh, India, a unique phenomenon in the history of Telugu fiction
has been published. The book discusses in detail the historical, social and
familial conditions which contributed to their success unheard of. I also
discussed their themes and technique which captured readers in record
numbers.
I believe it helps immensely to make some of the stories which were
discussed in the book, available here. I am aware that translations may not
do full justice to the originals. However, it is second best and needed for
those who are not knowledgeable in Telugu language.
For all these reasons, in the next week or so, I will be making all the stories, I
have referred to in my books, available here.
The most important of all for my renewed vigor is the increasing readership
for and the validation from the academic circles of this site. I am grateful to
all those who keep coming back and those who are coming for the first time,
a big thanks to all of you.
Malathi N.
September 2008.