Namak Swadanusar

Namak Swadanusar
Image source: Google

Rating: 4.6/5

Author: Nikhil Sachan

Publisher: Hindi Yugm

Publishing Date: 2013

Language: Hindi

Genre: Fiction

ISBN-10: 9381394504

ISBN-13: 978-9381394502

Format: Paperback

Pages: 165

Plot:

Namak Swadanusar is a compilation of short stories that are varied in nature. It is inspired heavily by the life of the author and the instances, places and people around him. The tales range from dark fantasies to childhood stories and are narratively and conceptually unique from one another. People seek inspiration from any possible source to boost their efficiency, focus and perception.

This book proves to you that inspiration is in fact quite freely available all around you in the form of the life we live.

Review:

Namak Swadanusar is a collection of 9 short stories written in Hindi. It features some of the finest short stories that are written with a fresh perspective and a testing outlook.

The subjects of the stories range from nostalgia of childishness to ‘irritability’ to growing up. Along the way there are honorable mentions of super heroes like Nagaraj, super commando Dhruv and Doga. The background momentarily mentions dancing on Ole-Ole. One story deals with a prostitute battling the Mughals. In the second one, there is a girl who tells the story of the first husband. The themes or the subject matters has a wide horizon with indications of Amitabh and Rajesh Khanna, Marxism and Socialism. The story 'Bajre ka Rotla' seems like a tale of two children in a village but it is a distressing portrayal of poverty. The author has written the story in children's language and in a unsophisticated manner.

It is very rare when Hindi fiction is seen to be bringing up the bold and controversial topics to the surface. However, one of the stories in the book- ‘Peeli Pencil’ talks about a young boy's interpretation and thought process when he accidentally encounters his parents while they are having sex.

It is not seldom that one sees the Hindi literature going so popular. About the Hindi-English demarcation, Nikhil says;

“There is no difference in English-Hindi, but there is no comparison. It is not possible to make Hindi a living. There is no market for original book in Hindi. Having 10,000 copies is also a dream. Our fight and desire is that Hindi books reach the millionth phase.”

Those who are reading such a book for the first time may find this language a bit strange, but such a language is probably in demand for these stories. But nowhere it seems that the things have been deliberately forced or ‘in the face’.

Milestones of the book:

  • It was listed in BBC Hindi's 'Top 10 Books of The Year'
  • It was rated as 'Remarkable Hindi Book of 2013'
  • It was titled as 'Best Literary Minds' by Infibeam

About the Author:

Nikhil is an engineer from IIT BHU and a management graduate from IIM - Kozhikode. However, these days he is the Head of Marketing of a firm by 'Occupation' and a writer by 'Choice'. His childhood was spent in Kanpur and presently he lives in Gurgaon (Call it an occupational hazard). He has lived a few chapters of his life in the city of lights and God's own country too.

Sachan has been interviewed by nearly every newspaper for the success of his book and has also been on National Television, he has also been regularly sought after to represent Hindi literature at lit-fests, which is quite rare for a young Hindi author.

His book 'Namak Swadanusar' was widely appreciated by both critics and readers. Rated as 'Remarkable Hindi Book of 2013' by BBC and 'Best Literary Minds' by Infibeam; Namak Swadanusar has been the talk of the town since its release in August 2013.