The Tiger's Share by Keshava Guha | Published by Hachette India

 

Title – The Tiger’s Share
Author – Keshava Guha
Genre – Contemporary Literature
Publisher – Hachette India (2025)
ISBN – 978-1399813389
Hardback – 246 pages
Buy – Amazon  

“Well, let me tell you. We - we humans - have decided that we are apart from life. Above life. Nature, after all, has rules that we don't set. It has limits. It has its own law of Karma. Everything you do has its consequence, has its response. We used to know all this. We have forgotten.”

The Tiger’s Share is a quiet storm of a novel. The multilayered story is set in present-day Delhi. A family's private conflicts become a lens through which we observe social and political shifts in India. 

The book opens with a jarring scene: a father resigns. Brahm Saxena, a retired accountant, calls a family meeting. He tells his children—Tara, a brilliant lawyer, and Rohit, a drifting son—that he is done. Done being a father. He wants to serve something larger now. The planet. The country. Maybe even the truth.

His personal choice ripples outward. It begins to mirror the novel’s core themes—ecological, political, and generational. One strange declaration turns into a story about the cost of ideals. 

This is the central storyline of The Tiger’s Share. We witness it all through Tara’s perspective. She sees the city clearly. Smog in the sky. Garbage on the streets. Thick air and how sweetness of a city gone bad. Tara narrates it all with a sharp eye. She is ambitious and restless. She wants to believe in something. But doubt creeps in. Maybe she isn’t who her father hoped she’d be.

There is another pair of siblings: Kunal and Lila. Rich, well-known, always at war. Kunal, the adopted son, believes he is “the chosen one.” He wants control, especially of the family business. Lila, born into the family, resists. She calls him entitled. Their fight exposes something raw: how power hides in gender and class.

Guha writes with sly observation. His sentences don’t shout. They smoulder. “You can lose a house in an earthquake, you can lose any investment in a recession, but education, you can’t lose. I believe,” there are layers of insight. 

His narration is elegant and witty. Every character feels made of bone and flesh—especially Brahm, a man shaped by loss and old ideals. He keeps a photograph of Bhagat Singh on his desk. Even in silence, he demands more of the world. His son Rohit, in contrast, turns angry, rants on YouTube.  

In Guha’s novel, Delhi is not just a city—it’s a character, a breathing place. And it is falling apart. The trees, the air, the light—everything is fading. The city decays, and we watch. Guha renders this decline. And what it feels like to live in its slow collapse.

'Delhi,' my father continued, 'well, there is no better place to see this than Delhi. What was Delhi? A perfect oasis. In the middle of a near-desert, a slice of green heaven, fed by a strong river. What have we made of Delhi? A place unfit for life. The river is a dry garbage dump. The water in our pipes is liquid refuse. The air- I won't tell you about the air. Every park is a monument to what we have done. What is a park? A temple of life. Our parks are temples of sickness. Every tree, every bird suffering, as if it has been told it must live but is stuck in a place no longer fit for living. Come to the mandi and you won't be able to show me one tomato that isn't sick and decaying.'

A strange coincidence: Ranthambhore, the national park, is the crown of my hometown. And it appears in the book. I won’t spoil the plot, but remember: the park matters and it holds weight in the story. The Tiger’s Share is a book about what we owe to each other, to our country, to the future. 

 About the Author

KESHAVA GUHA was born in Delhi and raised in Bangalore. He studied history and politics at Harvard, and writing at Goldsmiths, University of London. He writes regularly on politics, literature and sport for a host of publications. 

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Gulzar’s Caged: Memories Have Names | Translated by Sathya Saran

 

Title – Caged: Memories Have Names
Translated by – Sathya Saran 
Publisher – Penguin Hamish Hamilton
ISBN – 978-0670098231
Hardcover – 256 Pages
Buy – Amazon | Padhega India 

“I was trying to catch a butterfly. She escaped, but left her colours on my fingers.”

Gulzar opens his autobiography with a delicate image: a butterfly escapes from the poet’s grasp, but leaves its colours behind on his fingertips. Like a memory or trace of a loved one, the poet gathers its fleeting hues, whatever he can, and weaves them into verse.

Doesn’t the title Caged mislead at first? When I first heard it, the image of a prison came to my mind, a sense of forced confinement. But Gulzar, as always, reshapes the metaphor. The cage becomes an archive, a vessel for memory, and fragile memory needs to be preserved. These poems carry the names, the voices, the colours he refuses to let go.

Published as a bilingual edition, this book is a quiet gift to readers who know that to read Gulzar in the original is to hear the music whole. Sathya Saran has translated the book with grace. In her words, the process was “a journey through changing light,” a phrase that captures both the nature of memory and the pulse of his poetry.

Those who have read Actually, I Met Them... will recognise the theme: portraits, tributes, vignettes. But where that book offered prose, Caged is composed of more distilled and intimate poems. It’s less an autobiography than a play of light and shadow—part elegy, part celebration. The book is divided into four sections, the first anchored mainly in literary figures.

The first piece on Rabindranath Tagore — "a poet who stands like a crop, growing across all of Bengal." Gulzar recalls learning Bangla simply to read him. His lifelong reverence is no secret.

 

Then, Ghalib.

"ज़माना हर ज़बाँ में पढ़ रहा है अब,  तुम्हारे सब सुख़न ग़ालिब
समझते कितने हैं, ये तो वही समझें, या तुम समझो।"

 

Gulzar adds that he has read poets in every Indian language, but has never found another like Ghalib.

Across these pages, Shakespeare, Rumi, Jibanananda Das, and Nazim Hikmet emerge not merely as literary giants but as living presences, folded into the fabric of Gulzar’s memory. Neruda, Faiz, and Sunil Gangopadhyay each evoked not just for their words, but for the echo of their voices in his life. Take Namdeo Dhasal’s funeral, for instance: “even the flames from his pyre could not reduce the intensity of his poetry to ashes.” He was the people’s poet. A flag holder for the Dalit cause.

Gulzar is not just what he remembers, but how he remembers. There’s an anecdote with Kedarnath Singh: upon seeing the printed lyrics of Hamko Mann ki Shakti Dena, Singh was surprised. “Is this also written by you?” he asked. “This is sung in schools.” I bowed my head in acceptance. Then he said, “What a lucky man you are—tumhara kaam tumhare naam se aage nikal gaya.”

There is a poem dedicated to a girl with terminal cancer who once requested: “मुझको एक छोटे से शेर में सी दो / ‘अंजल’ लिखना / शायद मेरी आख़िरी शब है” And Gulzar, as promised, stitched her name into a verse. The gesture is tender, his writing shaped not by experience, but by empathy.

The book is rich with friendships—Javed Akhtar, Bimal Roy, Naseeruddin Shah. Of Shah, he writes: “Main adaakar hoon lekin / sirf adaakar nahin / waqt ki tasveer bhi hoon.” Gulzar also remembers Jagjit Singh: the very spirit of the ghazal, settled in him like musk in the navel of the deer. His voice, yes—but more than that, his thehrav, his ache.

Who can forget what he gave to Ghalib — Gulzar directing, Naseeruddin Shah inhabiting the poet, Jagjit giving voice to his wounds. Gulzar still calls it his most complete work. Perhaps because, for once, everything aligned. The finest artists, unguarded. And then—something like magic unfolds.

“उतरो आओ आँखों से काग़ज़ पर

तुम्हारी धुन पर कुछ अल्फ़ाज़ रख दूँ!”  

Pancham, Salil Chowdhury, Kanu Roy, all remembered not just as co-workers but as co-dreamers. Friends: in creation, in mischief, in melancholy. He remembers Asha Boudi—Asha Bhonsle—not with formality but with fondness, a sapling of musical notes, he calls her.

There are other memories, quieter, more aching. Of Meena: shutting her eyes, she fell asleep/ and died/ did not even take a breath afterwards/ after a long eventful life / filled with torturous trials/ how simple and easy her death!

‘Caged’ is a gallery of elegies, love letters to the departed. Some of the most piercing are reserved for Amjad Khan and Sanjeev Kumar. Gulzar writes not merely of their absence, but of what lingers. In his verses, death is not an end but a bond beyond flesh.

A sketch of a friend—Amjad Khan—whom he is about to bury: “Main neem-andheri qabr mein / sula raha tha jab use / woh neem-v-nigaah se / dekhta raha mujhe... / hatheliyon se aankh ke chirag bhi bhuja diye / ke do jahaan ke silsile / zameen par hi chuka diye.”

Gulzar does not mourn—because even in the silence of the grave, he listens for his breath.

The metaphysics of death, of what remains, and what must be buried, flicker through these verses. Sanjeev Kumar, too, appears as a confidant, someone Gulzar could tell what he couldn’t tell anyone else. Later, the lens widens, and more artists come into the light: Birju Maharaj and Hariprasad Chaurasia. And then a portrait of Van Gogh, whom he first encountered through Irving Stone’s Lust for Life, and he becomes a mirror to his own artistic struggles. In moments of despair, that biography was his guiding light.

The final chapter, the most personal one. Gulzar turns inward to his family. Rakhee, Meghna, and his grandson Samay. Pali, his dog, whom he never once called ‘Dog’. And, finally this brief poem, like a breath caught in the chest: "गिरह ऐसी लगी है जैसे कि नाभि का रिश्ता हो / जो कट जाने पर भी उम्र भर कटता नहीं है."

How does one write about Caged? It is not a memoir.  It is not poetry. It is a book of farewells and of bonds that refuse to loosen. A butterfly’s trace on the fingertips—never caught, never forgotten.  

About the Author

Gulzar, one of India's leading poets, is a greatly respected scriptwriter and film director. He has been one of the most popular lyricists in mainstream Hindi cinema, gaining international fame when he won an Oscar and a Grammy for the song 'Jai ho'. Gulzar received the Sahitya Akademi Award in 2002, the Padma Bhushan in 2004, the Dadasaheb Phalke Award in 2014 and the Jnanpith Award in 2024. He lived and works in Mumbai.

Translator
After 12 years as Editor of Femina which was declared a Superbrand, Sathya Saran chose to be a full-time author, part time teacher and a columnist. Her books include the acclaimed biographies, Ten Years with Guru Dutt Abrar Alvi’s Journey, Baat Niklegi toh Phir: The Life and Music of Jagjit Singh, Sun Mere Bandhu Re: The Musical World of SD Burman and Hariprasad Chaurasia: Breath of Gold. She also has a book of short stories The Dark Side. Caged is her first book as a translator. 

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Book Review: World Within Worlds by Ajay Navaria | Translated by Nita Kumar | Published by Niyogi Books

Title: Worlds Within Worlds 
Author: Ajay Navaria
Translated by: Nita Kumar 
Publisher: Niyogi Books 
ISBN: 9789391125806
Pages: 318 
Buy Link: Amazon 

“As soon as someone asks for their rights, of course, there will be bitterness. No one gives away their share willingly.”

Ajay Navaria’s Worlds Within Worlds takes readers into the lives of Dalits, an oppressed community in India. The book was originally written in Hindi as Udhar Ke Log and is translated into English by Nita Kumar.

The story is about Masterji, a Dalit professor, who struggles with his past and present. His first wife, Vandana, dies by suicide. His second wife, Sangita, leaves him. Masterji tries to win Sangita back. Along the way, he meets Ayesha, a sex worker, and they share a quaint bond. These relationships are at the centre of the story. Through them, Navaria explores caste, gender, and social issues.

“The next six months were the most humiliating and challenging days of my life. At first, there was just the pain of the loss of Vandana. Then it was intensified by the accusation that I had pushed her towards suicide. An elephant-like weight fell on me. A single page of Vandana's diary was responsible for a six-month term in jail. She had written that I had beaten her when drunk. 

On the basis of that, I was called an alcoholic and wife-beater. My character was stained, my illegitimate relations were bounced around. I lost my job. I could not even see Amresh sir. He himself had been unable to understand the event. I could not figure out how Vandana, who was so afraid of death, had taken poison and killed herself? She had not left a suicide note. People had told me that she was found at the front door of the house. The door was open. She must have waited for me, and thought that I would come back in time to save her. That did not happen.”

The book looks closely at the caste system in India. It shows how love, jealousy, and mistrust affect people across caste lines. It questions the idea of a single Dalit identity and reveals divisions within the community. Nita Kumar’s foreword adds helpful insights to the story.

Tradition and modern life clash in the novel. Navaria critiques how capitalism is erasing cultural diversity, especially through wedding rituals. Education is also a big theme. It offers hope but does not fully erase discrimination.

“I understood that there could be no re-establishing of trust between these two people. The best thing would be for them to voluntarily divorce. Otherwise, it was quite possible that one day there would be a murder or suicide. And the other person would waste his or her life in and out of court. The children, even if one parent was alive, would be like orphans, and have mental health problems. They would be afraid to get married. and if they did, would ruin one more family. If families were ruined, would the nation survive? Should divorce not be made simpler? When a man or a woman ceases to want to live with their man or woman, why does the other wish to continue tolerating insult and injury to stay on? I was like an insect caught in a spider's web with my net of questions, and they were strangling me.”

World Within Words pushes readers to think—about caste, identity, and loyalty. It is a small book but leaves a lasting impact. For those curious about Dalit lives and their modern realities, this book is a good place to start.

 

About the Author  

Born in 1972 in Delhi, AJAY NAVARIA has a BA and MA from University of Delhi, and MPhil and PhD from JNU. His stories have been widely translated. Unclaimed Terrain, a story collection translated by Prof. Laura R. Brueck, 2013, was critically acclaimed. He has published story collections Patkatha aur Anya Kahaniya and Yes Sir, in Hindi.

He has been invited as a speaker at various universities and literature festivals. His works have been included in the syllabus at Harvard University, Michigan University and University of Delhi. He is a Professor of Hindi at Jamia Millia Islamia University, New Delhi.

 

About the Translator 

NITA KUMAR is the retired Brown Professor of South Asian History at Claremont McKenna College, California. She is the author and editor of several books. She has scripted the movie Shankar's Fairies. She publishes essays and blogs, and her plays have been performed in various places. She runs NIRMAN, which works for children, families, education, and the arts, and the school Vidyashram the Southpoint, in Varanasi.

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Dinesh Pathak's Mrs. Simon is Waiting and Other Stories | Translated by Sneha Pathak

Title: Mrs. Simon is Waiting and Other Stories
Author: Dinesh Pathak
Translator: Sneha Pathak
Publisher: Antika Prakashan
Genre: Fiction, Short Stories
ISBN: 978-8196206376
Paperback: 160 Pages
Buy the Book: AMAZON

In "Mrs. Simon is Waiting and Other Stories" by Dinesh Pathak, the complexities of human nature take center stage and paint a vivid picture of small-town India. With each narrative, the author brings to life the sights and sounds, weaving a mosaic of emotions.

Within these tales, characters, regardless of age or social status, grapple with universal themes such as love, loss, dreams, and resilience. Amidst the chaos of life, these stories offer solace through their honest depiction of everyday experiences. Whether it's a father's quest for a suitable suitor for his daughter or an elderly man's poignant recollections of enduring love, these narratives provoke introspection.

The first story, "Homecoming," revolves around a young man facing parental disapproval due to his unemployment. He resists the idea of mundane clerical work, but fate has other plans, leading to an unexpected twist.

Simplicity is the essence of this collection. Each story serves as a window, offering social commentary on various themes. "Siyabar Babu and the Suitable Boy" delves into the societal ill of dowry demands, and how sacred bonds become transactions. Pathak introduces a diverse array of characters, each portrayed with their flaws and virtues. These characters come alive on the page, drawing readers into their journeys.

In "Birthday Party," a mother yearns to celebrate her son's birthday to prove their worth to neighbours, but in-laws have differing ideas, highlighting generational conflicts. Here, author presents a fresh perspective, more vividly realized than the last. His characters are not mere sketches but fully developed individuals, flawed yet relatable, all seeking meaning in their lives. 

"Mrs. Simon is Waiting" unfolds in Simon's Villa, where a homeopathic doctor offers free treatments. When tragedy strikes, the clinic's future hangs in the balance, posing questions about who will carry forward the doctor's legacy.

The stories shine through Sneha Pathak's beautiful translation, preserving the essence while making them accessible to a wider audience. Pathak's prose is both simple and profound, ensuring that readers from all backgrounds can connect with the themes presented.

"Mrs. Simon is Waiting and Other Stories" is a perfect weekend read, celebrating the art of storytelling.

About the Author

Dinesh Pathak was born in Uttarakhand in May 1950. He has been writing for close to fifty years, and his stories have appeared in all leading Hindi publications. He has published ten short-story collections and three novels. He has also edited an anthology. His stories have been translated into various Indian languages. He retired from the post of Associate Professor and now dedicates his full time to writing. 

Translator:

Sneha Pathak has a PhD in English Literature and has taught at college and university level. She currently works as a freelance writer/translator. Her writings have appeared various publications such as Muse India, Purple Pencil Project, The Wise Owl Magazine, The Curious Reader etc.

CONNECT:  INSTAGRAM

 

P.S. Received a review copy in exchange for an honest review. 

Smoke and Ashes: A Writer’s Journey Through Opium’s Hidden Histories by Amitav Ghosh

Title: Smoke and Ashes: A Writer’s Journey Through Opium’s Hidden Histories
Author: Amitav Ghosh
Publisher: HarperCollins India, 2023
Genre: Non-Fiction, History, Culture
ISBN: 978-9356992757
Hardback: 408 Pages
Buy the Book: AMAZON

‘The stamp of the past sometimes sinks so deep into the fabric of everyday life that its traces are difficult, if not impossible, to erase.’  

Amitav Ghosh’s Smoke and Ashes is a blend of travel diary, life memories, and history. Ghosh explores opium's impact on Britain, India, China, and the world. This book sheds light on our intertwined history with the tea and opium trade during the 18th and 19th centuries. The British Empire pushed the opium trade, vital for survival.The impact in India was tragic. 

Seven years ago, reading "Sea of Poppies," I missed its extensive research. "Smoke and Ashes" now discloses that around twenty years ago, when Ghosh started working on the Ibis Trilogy, he was surprised to discover that the lives of the sailors were influenced by a valuable thing they carried - opium. Along with, its surprising connection to his family's history. 

The blurb says Moving deftly between horticultural histories, the mythologies of capitalism, and the social and cultural repercussions of colonialism, Smoke and Ashes reveals the pivotal role one small plant has played in the making of the world as we know it - a world that is now teetering on the edge of catastrophe.  

Ghosh's memoir links his ancestry to opium's influence. His father's tales from Bihar, show opium's dual force: – both destructive and life-giving. Ghosh writes, that in the East, the British ran a heavy-handed Opium Department, all under its thumb, dictating planting, auctions, and farmers' pay.

Smoke and Ashes, highlights the collective memory and recognizes our role in shaping of cultural history. The account travels globally – from Mumbai's Parsis, then to China's artisans, weavers, and potters in bustling Guangzhou.  

‘Had eastern travellers entered the home of a poppy farmer, they would have noticed, to their further surprise, that in this harvested poppy region, the latex was stored not in pots of water, as was the practice in the east, but in containers filled with linseed oil. Had curiosity compelled them to visit a production facility, they would have been astonished to find themselves not in a huge fortress of a factory, like those of Patna or Ghazipur, but in a small shed, filled with flat cakes laid out to dry in the shade.’

In Ghosh's non-fiction style, research combines with storytelling. While tracing opium’s history, the author exposes the truth behind capitalism. Each chapter offers captivating narratives. To sum up, Ghosh's book delves into the depths of opium history, its detailed research and compelling prose lingering. A recommended read!

About the Author 

Amitav Ghosh was born in Calcutta in 1956. He studied in Dehra Dun, New Delhi, Alexandria and Oxford and his first job was at the Indian Express newspaper in New Delhi. He earned a doctorate at Oxford before he wrote his first novel, which was published in 1986.

The Circle of Reason won the Prix Medicis Etranger, one of France's top literary awards, and The Shadow Lines won the Sahitya Akademi Award and the Ananda Puraskar. The Calcutta Chromosome won the Arthur C. Clarke Award for 1997 and The Glass Palace won the Grand Prize for Fiction at the Frankfurt International e-Book Awards in 2001. The Hungry Tide won the Hutch Crossword Book Prize in 2006. In 2007 Amitav Ghosh was awarded the Grinzane Cavour Prize in Turin, Italy. Amitav Ghosh has written for many publications, including the Hindu, The New Yorker and Granta, and he has served on the juries of several international film festivals, including Locarno and Venice. He has taught at many universities in India and the USA, including Delhi University, Columbia, the City University of New York and Harvard. He no longer teaches and is currently writing the next volume of the Ibis Trilogy.

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Behind Latticed Marble: Inner Worlds of Women by Jyotirmoyee Devi Sen | Translated from Bengali: Apala G. Egan | Niyogi Books

 

Title: Behind Latticed Marble: Inner Worlds of Women
Author: Jyotirmoyee Devi Sen
Translated from Bengali: Apala G. Egan
Publisher: Niyogi Books (2023)
Genre: Literature, Translated Fiction 
Pages: 216, Paperback
ISBN-13: ‎ 978-9391125332
Buy the Book: Amazon 

Jyotirmoyee Devi Sen’s Behind Latticed Marble is a collection of 10 intriguing tales, originally written in Bengali, and translated into English by Apala G. Egan. It offers a glimpse into the life of women behind closed doors – the life of royal harems - in early 20th-century Rajasthan. Set against the backdrop of Rajput grandeur, these narratives resonate with contemporary issues as well.

Through the timeless stories, Sen presents a nuanced perspective on struggles, social expectations, and the nature of human interaction, especially between men and women within this particular setting.

Each story sheds light on the gender and caste norms that restricted their experience. In the first story, ‘Beneath the Aravalli Hills’, a young girl from a village mysteriously vanishes into the city and finds herself in the harem, and at last dies in prison. This is an unsettling tale where the father sells his own daughter.

‘Sell my daughter? Did I not raise her all these years? It costs money to feed and clothe children? Why should His Highness get her for free?’   

In the story, ‘The Child Bride’ we witness the tragic journey of a young widow and an unjust act of her in-laws. ‘Kesar was widowed, shortly afterward, her husband’s brothers and his second wife sent the young woman on a long visit to her stepmother’s home. She would recover from grief better there, they indicated. They also said, ‘Leave your jewellery in our family vault. It will be safe here…’ As a result, Kesar endures a life of utter poverty, she serves along with other impoverished widows at Vrindavan.  

‘The Princess Baby’ delves into the theme of dowry, whereas, ‘The Queen and the Concubine’ explores the challenges faced by women living in the harem, as well as those living in the palaces. These stories reflect on the present society and prompt readers to ponder upon the battles yet to be fought.

Born into a prosperous upper caste family in Jaipur, Jyotirmoyee Devi married at young age and widowed by 25, she returned to her mayaka and embarked on a prolific writing career. Despite not pursuing a formal education, she found solace in her grandfather’s library.  

‘Behind Latticed Marble’ contains 10 translated stories, each of which had previously been published in international journals and gained recognition. Apala G. Egan brilliantly captures the essence of Sen’s work. Seamless prose allows readers to fully immerse in the vibrant world of Rajasthan.  

With its timeless themes, this collection provides a unique insight. An important read.

 

About the Author

JYOTIRMOYEE DEVI SEN was born in 1894, in the kingdom of Jaipur, during the time of the British Raj in India. Her grandfather, who had emigrated there from Bengal, rose to the position of dewan, or prime minister, to the Maharaja of Jaipur. The lives of the queens and concubines in the royal harems made a deep impression on her. She married Kiran Chandra Sen of Guptipara, Bengal, who passed away during the influenza pandemic of 1918. Returning with her children to her parents' home, she wrote under the pen name Jyotirmoyee Devi during her long widowhood. Jyotirmoyee Devi Sen is among the earlier women writers of modern Bengal, when most women were not allowed educational opportunities. She won the prestigious Rabindra Puraskar for Bengali writing and her work is part of the Women's Studies curriculum at Jadavpur University, Kolkata.

 

About Translator

APALA G. EGAN grew up in India and currently lives in the US. She is fluent in Bengali and English and also speaks Hindi. A former community college instructor in the United States, she devotes her time to translating and writing. She has attended the Community of Writers Conference, formerly named 'Community of Writers at Squaw Valley', where she was awarded the Jeanne Wakatsuki Houston Scholarship.

 

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Book Review: The Witch in the Peepul Tree by Arefa Tehsin

 

Title: The Witch in the Peepul Tree 
Author: Arefa Tehsin
Publisher: HarperCollins India (2023)
Genre: Contemporary Literature, Mystery
Pages: 344
ISBN-13: ‎ 978-9356992405
Buy the Book: Amazon

‘The Witch in the Peepul Tree’ is a genre-bending tale that unfolds within the course of a single day. It immerses readers in a captivating world of mystery and darkness. It sets in the enchanting city of Udaipur, Rajasthan. 

The story begins with the introduction of an old peepul tree. It unravels the labyrinthine plot, blurring the lines between reality and fantasy, and plunging readers into a shadowy world, they never knew existed.

From the pov of Ahad, Dada Bhai’s son, ‘From the jharokha on the front wall above the main entrance, he could see the peepul tree outside. Every time his aunts visited, they swore that the jeevti dakkan-the living witch-danced under it, long after the lamps were dimmed and the night was dark as a clogged drain. They said she was invisible during the day, hanging upside down in the tree. Perhaps she lay suspended right now, giving him a secret, saw- toothed smile.’

As the book delves deeper into the enigma of the murder, eventually more characters come into spotlight. From a young Bhil Nathu to the attractive night soil worker Parijat, each individual adds another layer to the story, keeping readers guessing at their identities. Also, skillful characterization creates an atmosphere of constant tension, making every twist and turn all the more exhilarating.

‘Parijat preferred to walk through the brass utensils and clothing shops, not those of grains and spices. The upper castes didn't want her ilk close to their uncooked fare. She was polluted by birth. Her proximity could foul their food. Her touch, their frail purity.’

Udaipur, with its rich history and mystical aura, serves as the perfect backdrop for this dark tale . On Makar Sankranti in the year 1950, the lifeless body of Sanaz, a sixteen-year-old, is found in her father Dada Bhai's residence in Bohrawadi. The setting itself becomes a character, its hidden secrets seep into the narrative, adding an air of palpable mystery and vivid descriptions transport the reader through the winding lanes and history. 

What sets ‘The Witch in the Peepul Tree’ apart is its ability to seamlessly blend multiple genres. It traverses the realms of mystery and psychological thriller, often leaving readers uncertain of what lies around the next corner. The narrative employs a gripping structure, jumping between characters and perspectives, further heightening the suspense.  For instance, the widow Sugra, who rolls a rosary and wishes for the jeevti dakkan to be her secret ally.

‘She swore she had seen the jeevti dakkan there on a few nights; a dark shadow flitting purposefully between the branches when everyone was drunk on sleep. Sugra wanted to make her acquaintance—a powerful, supernatural ally who was not weighed down by human morality.’

As the day progresses, the story takes a chilling turn, delving into the darker recesses of human nature and the price one must pay for unearthing secrets. 

‘Tapan's path of progression was laid clearly before him, he had to reach the top. And now, Dada Bhai's daughter Sanaz's mysterious murder presented him an opportunity to rise in the ranks in this new epoch, which was the offspring of the forced marriage of the princely states into a nation.’ The author's atmospheric prose evokes a sense of impending doom.

In conclusion, ‘The Witch in the Peepul Tree’ is an enthralling journey, with its immersive setting, and intriguing characters. If this genre interests you, then it can definitely be your next weekend read. 

About the Author

Arefa Tehsin is the author of several fiction and non-fiction books, both for children and adults, and contributes columns and features (to various national dailies and magazines like The Indian Express, The Hindu, Deccan Herald, Outlook, The Wire and The Times of India. Her books have been taken up as textbooks and supplementary readers in schools in India and Sri Lanka.

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Book Review: Change Your Habits Change Your Life by Ashdin Doctor

Title: Change Your Habits Change Your Life
Author: Ashdin Doctor
Publisher: HarperCollins India
Genre: Self-help
Paperback: 208 Pages
ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-9356295384
Buy the Book: Amazon link
 

“Change Your Habits Change Your Life” by Ashdin Doctor is a thought-provoking and practical book that explores the valuable principles of habit formation and provides guidance for creating positive change in one's life. Through engaging storytelling and insightful analysis, the book emphasizes the importance of consistency, practice, and creating systems that work for us. At the end of each section, it offers actionable strategies for reshaping our habits.

Ashdin presents a three-golden-rules process for habit change, which includes – Make it stupidly small, Make it extra easy, and Never miss two days in a row. He explains how we could break up habits that no longer serve us and then substitute a new routine that satisfies the same craving.

One of the book's most compelling sections is the role of practice, Practice is a powerful tool that enables individuals to improve their skills and abilities. Consistent practice leads to mastery and expertise and individuals can overcome obstacles, developing perseverance.

Ashdin argues that habits are not about the goal alone, habits are about the journey.  The daily practice of positive habits can lead to personal growth and a greater sense of purpose. He suggests that, instead of relying on sheer willpower, we can create a “system" that has a positive ripple effect on other areas of our lives. For example, by establishing a regular exercise routine, we have more focus throughout the day. 

Besides this, it highlights the role of an accountability partner, by providing support and encouragement, a partner can help individuals stay committed to their goals. This book points out that staying within your comfort zone limits your potential and pushing yourself too far beyond your comfort zone can lead to burnout. You can expand your capabilities by gradually stretching your comfort zone.  It insists that habit tracking is a powerful tool for monitoring progress and identifying areas for improvement. Along with this, setting a clear intention is crucial in the process of habit change. Intention directs focus to take action toward their desired outcome.

Basically, we all have habits we wish to alter. As a personal habit coach, Ashdin shares numerous analogies and relatable instances from his life account, whether you're looking to break a bad habit or establish a new one, this book can be helpful.

Overall, " Change Your Habits Change Your Life" is a fascinating and practical book that offers a wealth of insights and strategies. It is written in an engaging and accessible style that makes complex concepts easy to understand, and it ended with five success stories that bring the ideas to life.

About the Author

Ashdin Doctor is a Mumbai-based popular habit coach who has been transforming the lives of many who feel stuck by creating habits that can be easily incorporated into daily life. He is the founder of Awesome 180, a habit coaching programme. He also hosts a popular podcast, The Habit Coach.

 

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Anukrti Upadhyay's The Blue Women: Stories | HarperCollins India

Title: The Blue Women
Author: Anukrti Upadhyay
Publisher: HarperCollins India
Genre: Contemporary Literature, Short Stories
ISBN: 978-9356291164
Paperback: 276 Pages
Buy the Book: Amazon Link   

‘Autumn is a good time to forget, to let everything flare in brilliant colours one final time and then extinguish after the turbulence of spring and summer.’ – The Satsuma Plant

"The Blue Women" is a captivating collection of 12 short stories that delve into the complexities of human relationships and the human psyche. The collection primarily focuses on the theme of love, determination, and resilience, providing richly textured observations of contemporary life and the ways in which individuals navigate routine challenges.

From the first story to the last, Upadhyay weaves together diverse themes and characters, creating thought-provoking tales that challenge the reader's perspective and engaging narratives that transport them to another world.

Upadhyay's prose is clear and concise, displaying skillful use of language that ranges from lyrical to poignant, reflecting the diversity of the characters and settings portrayed in the stories.

The stories vary in tone, from moral struggles to uplifting, from melancholic to insecure, yet they all share a common thread of humanity that makes them relatable and resonant.

The collection includes a story about a young girl who develops an intimate bond with a bat, a golden girl with a complex relationship with her stepfather, and a standout story titled "The Big Toe," which tells the devastating story of a man whose existence is ruined solely because of his big toe. ‘I was intrigued. I am always on the lookout for stories. You could say I am a sort of collector of curious tales. It irritates my wife. She considers it one of my small-town vices. ‘You and your plebian nosiness,’ she says.’

The title story, "The Blue Women," is another standout, with evocative descriptions and keen insights into fears, wounds, and toughness, making it a powerful read. ‘Decisions about what I should do about the blue women. You see, I couldn’t go on like that. I had to do something to stop the blue woman from haunting my taxi.’ Through her stories, Upadhyay portrays ordinary women who persevere and embrace their flawed existence.

"Dhani," This story is told from a unique perspective that gives readers a glimpse into the character's inner world and desires. Upadhyay's deft handling of the narrative makes this a story that lingers in the mind long after the final page. “I ate in silence. Some people are proud of their ability to converse, I am proud of my ability to be silent. I prefer silence to the chatter people fill it with. You would, too, if you spent entire days in an audiometry lab listening to sounds at different frequencies and pitches and shouting instructions into deaf ears. Still, it is true that sitting next to that silently smiling woman, I felt an urge to talk.’  

Upadhyay's intricate storytelling, vivid imagery, and philosophical insights have earned her much praise, and it seems that many of her stories are based on real-life characters that she imbues with a sense of mysticism and wonder. Readers can expect to encounter a unique and diverse range of narratives that offer insight into the human psyche.

This collection showcases the author's artful storytelling and emotional depth, leaving readers fully immersed in each story and rooting for the characters. It's definitely worth exploring!

About the Author 

Anukrti Upadhyay writes fiction and poetry in both English and Hindi. Her Hindi works include a collection of short stories titled Japani Sarai (2019) and the novel Neena Aunty (2021). Among her English works are the twin novellas, Daura and Bhaunri (2019), and her novel Kintsugi (2020); the latter won her the prestigious Sushila Devi Award 2021 for the best work of fiction written by a woman author. Her writings have also appeared in numerous literary journals such as The Bombay Review, The Bangalore Review and The Bilingual Window. Anukrti has post-graduate degrees in management and literature, and a graduate degree in law. She has previously worked for the global investment banks, Goldman Sachs and UBS, in Hong Kong and India, and currently works with Wildlife Conservation Trust, a conservation think tank. She divides her time between Mumbai and the rest of the world, and when not counting trees and birds, she can be found ingratiating herself with every cat and dog in the vicinity. 

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Aayush Gupta's My Name is Not Devdas | HarperCollins India

Title: My Name is Not Devdas
Author: Aayush Gupta
Publisher: HarperCollins India
Genre: Contemporary Fiction
Paperback: 150 Pages
ISBN: ‎ 978-9356292826
Buy the Book: Amazon Link

 

‘There are two kinds of dead people. The first are remembered fleetingly, of course-for the things they did when they were alive. Made money. Travelled. Loved Lost. The second are remembered for the things they did not do in life. Never cheated anyone. Never committed a crime. Never hurt a fly.’

“My Name is Not Devdas” by Aayush Gupta is a captivating retelling of an Indian classic. The novel sets in Delhi and weaves an imaginative world around intriguing characters – Paro, Chandramukhi, and Dev. It takes us on a sweeping journey through modern reality.   

At its core ‘My Name is Not Devdas” is a story about bruised egos, frame-ups, and quaint obsessions. The characters are incredibly relatable to contemporary India. The portrayal of characters is nuanced and moving, as they struggle through intense human emotions.

‘I honestly don't know. My love for Dev didn't have a when. It didn't happen at a time, or a place, or a moment or a word. It happened to me much like life. Constantly. Inevitably. He was the cigarette smoke corroding my very being. I knew it would kill me, but in this moment, the smoke was the air that I breathed in and out. How does one stop breathing?’

Aayush Gupta’s prose is elegant and crispy, immersing readers in the rich details of the current scenario. The story deals with key elements such as student politics, outrage over gender-biased assault, and corruption. Dishonesty and desire work as prime driving forces. Besides, he wisely blends classic chords and complex power dynamics of present society, offering a fresh perspective on the beloved story that has been told-retold for decades. 

‘Devdas. Such an apt name for him. Beaten. Lovelorn. Chaotic. The maddest in a mad world. The only one who made sense.’  

Devdas is not the typical tragic lover who is misunderstood by society, Basically, Dev is a Marxist and holds principles that motivate him to become a reformer.  Paro is not the typical beloved who is rejected by her lover and withdraws from the world, and Chandramukhi is not the stereotypical prostitute, who is kind-hearted. As the plot unfurls, the characters make tough choices and, that leads to a shocking revelation. 

Overall, ‘My Name is Not Devdas” is pacy and thought-provoking read, perfect for the young generation seeking to explore the complexities of identity and relationships. It’s a slim and stunning book, that can be your perfect weekend read.  

About the Author

Aayush Gupta is an author-screenwriter. He's been a part of writers' rooms in Eros, Zee and is currently associated with Yash Raj Films. He's produced and presented shows for All India Radio's External Services and National channels. Under his own banner, Guddi Productions, he has directed and co-produced multiple nonfiction shows and documentaries.

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