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Literary Review
Soul stories
ANCIENT books like the Kathasaritsagar and Panchatantra confirm how good Indians are at telling tales. Manoj Das, the Oriya writer, has edited a collection of such stories, but with a spin: these are mystics' tales that "elucidate a philosophical proposition". The book is an anthology of moral fables told by mystics such as Ramakrishna and Ramana Maharshi: an interesting idea for a collection. In a sweet, old-fashioned manner, each story is followed by an editorial note on its moral and meaning.
All very worthy and improving until you encounter language and spelling such as this: "At down the Seths' sleep slowly terminated at the sound of the Cobbler's song. He would set up and listen to the song with concentration. Like a miraculous elixir it worked even on his body, what to speak of its effect on his mind." Pidgin English and bad spelling apart, other than the sententious moralising at the end there is no information on the stories. An Amar Chitra Katha comic would at least have had colourful pictures.
Tales Told by Mystics, Sahitya Akademi, Rs. 180.
ANURADHA ROY
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