Premendra Mitra uses a combination of science, geography, adventure and fantasy in his Ghanada stories. Though associated with tall tales, the protagonist Ghanada commands a grudging respect from fellow boarders who are not convinced about the authenticity of Ghanada’s narration. But at the same time, they hang on to every word he says - sometimes going to extreme lengths to prod him into narration, other times barely able to suppress disbelieving remarks, laughter or even sarcasm.
What makes this collection an absolute page turner is the audacity, inventiveness and nonchalance of Ghanada while spinning his tall tales. Another striking aspect is how the mundane and familiar life of a boarding house (where all the stories are situated) is contrasted with the exotic and unfamiliar locales of Ghanada’s so-called adventures.
Ghanada’s character is best summed up in the author’s own words. In ‘Hole’ Mitra describes how Ghanada’s trunk is a subject of speculation for the other boarders who had ‘endlessly debated and quarreled about what it might contain’ as no one had ever seen Ghanada open it. “The more evil minded have been heard to say that the trunk was a visible symbol of Ghanada himself. There was nothing that Ghanada couldn’t produce from inside it, but in fact it was absolutely empty!”
The dozen short stories in this volume combine several narrative styles and techniques as Ghanada regales his audience with accounts of his numerous adventures in varied geographical settings. The names of places in the tales oscillate between genuine and make-believe but are romantic sounding nonetheless. It’s hard to keep track of what’s real and what’s fake while getting carried away by Ghanada’s riveting narrative style.
What makes this collection an absolute page turner is the audacity, inventiveness and nonchalance of Ghanada while spinning his tall tales. Another striking aspect is how the mundane and familiar life of a boarding house (where all the stories are situated) is contrasted with the exotic and unfamiliar locales of Ghanada’s so-called adventures.
Ghanada’s character is best summed up in the author’s own words. In ‘Hole’ Mitra describes how Ghanada’s trunk is a subject of speculation for the other boarders who had ‘endlessly debated and quarreled about what it might contain’ as no one had ever seen Ghanada open it. “The more evil minded have been heard to say that the trunk was a visible symbol of Ghanada himself. There was nothing that Ghanada couldn’t produce from inside it, but in fact it was absolutely empty!”
The dozen short stories in this volume combine several narrative styles and techniques as Ghanada regales his audience with accounts of his numerous adventures in varied geographical settings. The names of places in the tales oscillate between genuine and make-believe but are romantic sounding nonetheless. It’s hard to keep track of what’s real and what’s fake while getting carried away by Ghanada’s riveting narrative style.
Crisply put review. Very well worded too. I would certainly pick up this book at my next visit to the bookstore.
ReplyDeleteThanks for the positive feedback, 'introspection'. It was a pleasure writing the review. And a big thank you to the Penguin people for coming up with a novel idea in order to promote the Indian classics. Keep up the good work.
ReplyDeleteShabana Ansari's review is a breezy and enjoyable read. I picked up the book after reading her comments here. Looking forward to more reviews from you, Shabana. Do keep writing.
ReplyDeleteThank you for the clear and crisp review, Shabana. I've never read Premendra Mitra before. But now that you have said some good things about this Ghanada of his, I would like to sample some of Mitra's work.
ReplyDeleteThank you for the encouraging words, J. You made my day :)
ReplyDeleteI assure you, Rashida, Ghanada will not disappoint. Do let me know your thoughts after you have read the book.
ReplyDeleteYou have a way with words and great clarity of thought, Ms. Ansari. Of all the reviews listed on this blog so far, yours stands out for its simple and lucid language. Keep it up!
ReplyDeleteSound like a very interesting book. I wonder if the entire series is as good. Will definitely pick one off the bookshelf next time.
ReplyDeleteDoes Landmark carry this series?
Thank you for the lavish praise, Harry. It feels nice to know that the review is being read and appreciated.
ReplyDeleteThanks for your comments, Johnny. I am glad you are interested in reading the book. I am not sure if the Penguin India Classics series have hit the bookstores yet. I think the publishers will be able to answer that one better.
ReplyDeleteGhanada sure is a delightful character. What I like about him is that he does not take offense to all the wink-wink-nudge-nudge that goes on while he is busy spinning his yarns.
ReplyDeleteGhanada can't really afford to take offence, can he? He needs his eager audience as much as they need their daily dose of fantastic tales.
ReplyDelete