Continuing with the tradition [pick from year 2010], this year’s loot include:
In This Metropolis
by Hari Krishan Kaul.
Translated by Ranjana Kaul.
2011. Rs. 75.
It’s a collection of short stories by a Kashmiri writer (b 1934) known for his kafkaesque style. This is the translation of his year 2000 Sahitya Akademi Award winning collection ‘Yath Raazdaane’. This was the first time a Kashmiri won the award for short stories. The book starts with writer’s re-working of a Lal Ded saying rendered as:
My wooden bow has but arrows
made of grass
This metropolis (of my mind),
has been entrusted to an unskilled carpenter’
Kashmir Hindu Sanskars: Rituals, Rites and Customs
by S.N. Pandit
2006.Rs 475
Published at Kashmiri Pandit run Gemini Computers, Jammu
Sponsored by Indian Council of Historical Research, New Delhi
Based on year 1982 research paper by the author “Kashire Battan Hindi Rasim ti Rewaj”, this book is a definitive guide to living and dead rituals and festivals of Kashmiri Pandits. Peppered with arcane Kashmiri folk lyrics associated with various rituals and festivals, this book is a treasure. My mother, much to her delight, actually managed to recall and sing some like ‘Diri diri honya, yati kyo yati kyah’, ‘Go away; go away dog, what is here? Who is here?’, Kashmiri lyrics reserved for times when inauspiciously dogs start howling.
A History of Kashmiri Literature
by Trilokinath Raina
First published by Sahitya Akademi in 2002.
2005. Rs.100
Trilokinath Raina’s erudite and precise contribution to Kashmiri Literature, its History. A must have!
Abdul Ahad Azad
by G.N. Gauhar
First published 1997. Rs.25
In the ‘acknowledgements’ to this biography of the great Kashmiri poet, we read ‘ The prevailing situation in Kashmir caused total damage to the approved typed manuscripts’ and about the poet we read that he was more of a Subash Chandra Bose fan than a Gandhi fan (unlike Mahjoor).
Zinda Kaul
by A.N. Raina
First published 1974.
1997. Rs.25.
Life sketch of a man who was perhaps the last of the ‘saint-poet’ of Kashmir.
Children’s Literature in Indian Languages
by Dr. (Miss) K.A. Jamuna
1982. Rs. 18
Al though Trilokinath Raina’s ‘A History of Kashmiri Literature’ does does upon children’s literature in Kashmiri language but given there isn’t much to right about, the section in actually only a paragraph. However, in this book we have a complete essay (not too detailed as compared to some other languages) by Ali Mohammad Lone on this oft ignored but important subject. And we get to read (in brief) about work of Naji Munawwar, perhaps the only dedicated Children’s writer from Kashmir.
Tales from The Tawi: a collection of Dogri Folk Tales
Suman K.Sharma
First published 2007. Rs. 60
Have no clue what to expect from this neat book for children. A good reason to get in Dogri folk tales!
Folk-Tales of Kashmir
by Rev. J Hinton Knowles
Second Edition
First published 1893
This famous book starts with a Shakespeare quote,’Every tongue brings in a several tale’. I have read most of the tales in this book online, now I have a hardbound copy. Hopefully someone will come with a Amar Chitra Katha version of these engrossing tales someday.
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Forgot ti add: Also bought a docu-film on Rehman Rahi.
Hi Vinayak..Looks like a great collection of books. If you don't mind sharing,where do you get these books from?
These were bought at Delhi Book fair which is going to be on till 04 Sept 2011.
The Author of last book is J.H Knowels , I remember as a kid in Tyndale Biscoe..that J.H. Knowels was a great friend of Tyndale Biscoe. It was Knowels who wanted to set up a school in Srinagar , finally actualised by Biscoe.