Book Review (English): THE DHONI TOUCH by Bharat Sundaresan

Review of "AHING AMA" (One night)

enre: Fiction/Literature
Language: Manipuri
Price: Rs. 50
Publisher: Suchita Printing Works

If you want to know about a society or a culture, what will you do? You may read about the exotic culture, its history, its geography and its tradition. You can enlighten this way. But there is another simpler and more enjoyable way to learn about the exotic culture and tradition. The innovative way is to study its literature. Like when you study foriegn writers you picks the ways of the foreign society. It has been rightly said that literature is the mirror of a society. 

"AHING AMA" is a collection of Manipuri short stories written by Binodini Phurailatpam. The book contains 20 interesting short stories. She has also written "PHIJINUNGDA" IN 1996. It is thin book which has 100 pages. However, don't go by the thickness or rather the thinness of the books. If you can go through it, you will be entertained and educated about the society of Manipur.                 

The book opens with the short story titled "MARAL KHANGDE"(Don't know the crime). It is a story about a simple labourer named Musuk who is a daily wage earner. He is a reticent as well as a hard working fellow. One day he was found murdered. Nobody knows the reason for killing him and who had killed him. It is one of the story that reflect the current situation of the world. People are being killed. Almost everyone doesn't know the reason for all the killing and who the murderers are. This story also highlights the negative role of the media. Another story worth mentioning is the "WAKAT" (Proposal). It is the story of a old lady who is bedridden. She need the help of someone to move about. Though she is being look after by her son and the daughter in law, there is something wanting on her part. It shows the plight of the old man and woman of the world. Their voices are often neglected and they are kept in a corner room. Besides this, the other stories are interesting and beautifully written . 

Almost all the stories reflect the current problem of the society particularly the society of Manipur. The stories "LANGDAI ANIGI TAINAPHAM" discusses the difficulties faced by the widows. The story "ASISU PUNSINI" (This is also life) states the universal facts that Education is not for job but to make you a better person. The short stories touch upon the problem of AIDS, drug addict, problem faced by the working women, etc. 

The special characteristics of the book is that almost all the stories have a widow in its plot. As it is written by a woman, the story is being told from the perspective of a woman. There are less dialogues between the characters. Instead there are the internal dialogues of the characters. This makes it a unique. 

So read it, learn it and enjoy it.  

Review of "Fungawari Shingbul" (A Collection of Folktale)

Genre :Literature/Fiction/Myth
Publisher :Sahitya Akademi
Price :Rs. 110
Rating :9/10

I have a fond memory of the time when I would anxiously wait for our father, mother, gradnparent and aunt to narrate folktales after the day's work. I have enjoyed those moments very much. I didn't realise the significance of those great instances until I grew up. It has helped me to shape my character, my behaviour, my belief and, above all, my value. Folktales are an integral part of any culture in the world. It was a form of entertainment when the world doesn't have television. Grandparents/parents would often narrate stories to small kid when they are waiting for dinner. It is often narrated around the fireplace. The children would enjoy the stories. This traditions remain in practice until the advent of television, computer, internet. Now, folktales, especially those narrated by our forefathers, seem to have extinct in the city area.
The lost art of folktales need to survive if we are to know what our forefather did and believe. There were many efforts in this direction. Books have been written to keep the tradition alive. One such book is B. Jayantakumar Sharma's Fungawari Singbul (A Collection of folktales). He was born in 1953. He is a lyricist, playwright and author. He has written the book called Jatakki Sheirol. He is also member of Writer Forum (Manipur), Sangeet Mandal, Manipuri Sahitya Parishad.
Fungawari Singbul contains 127 folktales stratified into 6 sections. The sections are divided based on the theme of the tales such as Sha Uchekki Wari (Tales of animals and birds), Jadu Mantragi Wari (Magic tales), Fagi Jugai Wari(jokes), Lounam Namthakki Wari (Stories of Conspiracies), Thoudok Masam Masamgi Wari and Paotak Paorougi wari (fables). Almost all the stories have a lesson or value. We know the proverb "Pride hath a fall". This saying is shown in the stories "Pabetna Shamu Lamshada Laman Khumba"(Revenge of Pabet against the wild elephant). Values like never trust someone before knowing his character by the tales "Lairenna wask Ngakpa"(Keeping of vows by python) and unsolicited advice aren't welcome is displayed by the "Achumba Nganglubagi Mahei" (Fruit of telling the truth). Further, there are tales based on myth such as "Minna Tanawa Onba"(Man turning into parrots) and "Mina Uthum Onba". So the topic are appealing.
The tales are written in such a way that it keeps the readers interested. The tone of the book is funny and direct. Both modern and old languages have been utilised.
I would suggest everyone to read it and narrate the tales to the little ones. The experience you will feel in reading and in narrating the tales are simply great.
So, go out get a copy and gobble it. 

Review of "Nungshitombi" written by Rajmani Ayekpam

Publisher: Ashangba Communications

Price : Rs. 150 (Paperback)

Rs. 200 (Hardbound)

Nungshitombi is a collection short stories which was written by Rajmani Ayekpam. He was born in 1964 to A. Bheigyachandra and A. Ongbi Leimahal Devi of Sagolband Loukrakpam Leikai. Besides this, he has also penned two short stories (Natheiraba Echel and Ebudhougi Thang), two prose (Chumthanggi Machu and Thaktoklakpa Mamising). He is also a playwrighter. A number of his plays has been broadcasted in the All India Radio, Imphal as radio plays. Prominent among them are Atithi Thunglabada, Athouba Kajao, Paithokkhraba Cheklana. 

The book is a collection of 19 short stories written over a period of 9 years between 2006 to 2013. The stories in Nungshitombi are tragedies.Though the stories are not as interesting as the ones written by Sommerset Maugham and O Henry but the topic it covered are wide and diverse. It took over 9 years to write all the stories as such the topic are divergent and encompassing. The writer handled the new and controversial topic like surrogate mother in such a delicate way that you can't decide whether to support it or to ban it. Homosexuality, their misery, the way the society treat them and its impact on the society are also discuss at length. The issue of fake encounter has been also highlighted in two stories. Recently the Government of India has validated the issue of fake encounter at the Supreme Court. However, after reading the stories on fake encounter you will realise the pain that the victim's parents have to go through. Not only this the stories of two best friends divided by the corruption is also there.

The stories pertains to contemporary time and the language used is also modern nature. Most of the narration in the stories are done either by a character in the stories or a narrator. The common theme in most of the stories is that the actors or the protagonists are put in unhappy circumstances beyond their control which makes their lives miserable. The stories are not emotionally engaging however due to the variety of the subject makes it interesting to read. It depicts the modern maladies of homosexual, destitute women forced into flesh trade, fake encounter, corruption, men having sex with men and the contemporary problem of taboo love. Most of the stories begin with the end/consequences then it retraces the beginning or the cause. The style of writing are simple, straighforward with little use of metaphor, symbol and conceit.   

If you are looking are an interesting book then you may skip this one.  

REVIEW OF MEE SUMNABA KOLLU

There are many emotions which a person feels on a daily basis. Some of these feelings are either that of happiness or of sadness.  Predominantly, most of the people are haunted by sad feeling.  Moreover, the unhappy emotions have uncountable forms. The forms of unhappiness are the basis of the book "MEE SUMNABA KOLLU". It is written by Shri. Nongthombam Biren. He is the Sahitya Ratna of Manipur. He has been awarded the Sahitya Akademi award for his book 'Mapal Naidabasida Ei'. He is a renowned poet, short story writer and playwright. He has written beautiful book such as , 'Tollaba Sha-dugee Wakhal (Thought of that hapless animal)' and 'Masina Imphalgee Wareeni (This is the story of Imphal)'. 

MEE SUMNABA KOLLU influenced the reader through varied forms of gloominess. The book opens with an emtional narration of a lady singer who is suffering from abject poverty. She has only an old mother for relation. The narrator of the story has an acquaintance with the lady singer. The narrator narrates the suffering of the singer in a lucid and easily understandable forms. You will surely feels for the woman. Next story titled KHONG TEKPA NUPA ( A LAME MAN) described the helpless condition of a lame person. Once he was a useful person but now a burden to everyone. He is often the targets of everybody's anger. Moreover, it highlights the sorry feelings of disabled person.

The third story reflects the sorry state of affairs of the present society. In it, two school teachers-one very rich and other poor one- are dealt with. It highlights the humiliation, the sorrow, as well as the forlorness of being poor. Moreover, it also teaches us the benefit of small family. AMMAMBA KUYOMMANUNG depicts the sorrow of a timid husband.  He suffers in silence even though he knows that his wife indulged in adultery. But due to lack of courage he has to tolerate the unfaithful wife. You will surely feels angry or sorry for the husband. The books ends with the ultimate sorrow that is DEATH. It tersely deals with the subject of death through one of the character. It shows the ordeal of a person on the verge of death. What are the things that our forefather used to do when a person is about to die has been realistically depicted in this story.

Though all the stories are tragic themes but you will be compelled to read it. You won't realised the charm that the writer has put upon you until you finished the book. That is the special character of this book. So, go ahead and gobble it.

REVIEW OF "KHADANGGI SAMBRU (A MOLE ON THE CHIN)"

    There is  something unique about a good book. The book can take you anywhere, can make you feel any emotion that it wants you to feel and make you think what it wants you to think. All these features are incorporated in KHANDANGGI SAMBRU ( A MOLE ON THE CHIN). The book is written by Hijam Guno Singh.  He is a novelist, poet, as well as short story writer. He has  written numerous book like " BIR TIKENDRAJIT ROAD, LAMAN, EIKHOIGI TADA, etc.  He  has been awarded the Sahitya Akademi award for his book titled "BIR TIKENDRAJIT ROAD".  He has won numerous accolades including Dr. Ambedkar fellowship, Sahitya Akademi awrd for translation and others prizes.

   

    KHADANGGI SAMBRU is a collection of short stories. It was first published in the year 1985.  Although it was written a long time ago it is still interesting an enjoyable even today. What makes this book interesting as well as enjoyable is that it deals with varied themes. It contains stories that appeals to both young and old men alike. KHADDANGI SAMBRU and RICHSHAW BHARA (THE RICKSHAW FARE)  are the stories that will hold the attention of the youth while LAMBIGI CHAYOM and EMUNG AMA CHATNABI AMA (ONE FAMILY ONE TRADITION)  will charm the mature persons. Moreover, most of the stories contain graphical descrition of characters. Stories like "KHADANGGI SAMBRU, LAMBIGI CHAYOM,   fall in this category. There are stories like "NAHAK KAODEDANA (YOU HAVEN'T FORGET), MERAGI THA (THE MOON OF MERA) which are symbolic. The symbols add to the beauty of the story. They signify different things to different persons.  "KUNOORGI HELLOI (THE FAIRIES OF KUNOOR) and MAMMING THONDRIBA WARI (THE STORY THAT HAS NOT BEEN CHRISTENED) are ghost stories. Further, tales such as TAMPHA KHUDOP YAI OIBA and KHUDOLPOT  describe the condition of Manipur and poverty  ridden families.

    The book KHADANGGI SAMBRU contains stories of diverse subject matters. It contains stories which are appealing to the old as well as the young alike. There are supernatural stories and the stories which are based on reality. It also has tales which are sensous as well as sexual in character and it also has tale which is very sanguine. Besides these, the descriptions of characters are stupendous. The characterization are really wonderful. Manner of wrting stories are beautiful . Lots of old Manipuri words are used appropriately. So, it is one of those books that you may look for.

I will rate it 7 out of 10.

Review of "REVIEW OF "ANGAOBA CHITRAKAR MOUNAHA"

    It is often said that the art or literature is the mirror of the society. If you want to know what is happening in a society then just study its literature and you will learn a lot about that society. This word is equally true in the case of the book" ANGAOBA CHITRAKAR MOUNAHA". You will understand a lot of things about Manipuri society by going through this book, written by Ch. Ningomba.

    The book is a collection of eleven interesting and unique short stories. Each story offers a different taste of human emotion. You will suffer along with the characters in ASIBAGI HIDEN and HIYANGEIGI TARANI PANBA. You will laugh your heart out in ASIBA HAKCHANG (Dead body) AND TATOMBAGI KALEJA(The vanity of brother Tomba). You will be thrilled by the dramtic twist and turn of the story "MISTER JOHN". The horror of the war is graphically described in  HIYANGEIGI TARANI PANBA. This tale also highlights the futility of war and the pang of sufferings of those who survived it. The present state of Manipur society is described in a very real manner in ASIBA HAKCHANG, TORBANGI EFOOT, etc. Thus, almost all the stories deal with the various mode of human emotion which you will enjoy.

    These captivating stories have been written in simple and day to day language. Moreover, most of the stories underscore the shortcomings of the society. However, they don't offer any solution to the problem. Most of the stories are based in and around Imphal city. You will become familiar with the nook and corner of Imphal after going through the stories. The unique thing about the stories is that most of the protagonists don't have a name.  They are common and unknown man in our society who is trying to let both ends meet. Moreover, almost all of them are either drunkard, drug addicts or those who smoked pot. They are not perfect characters. They are very human with all the goodness and ill of a human being. Through them the author shows the ills of our society, particularly of Manipur. The message of the stories useful. Tthe message of good always win in the end is delivered in the story "SWARGGI LEIRANG NARAKKI TIL". Moreover, you should not blame others as you are also liable to be blamed is preached in the story TORBANBGI EFOOT. Thus, all these qualities makes these book very readable.