Short Stories by Vishal Bhadani

         In 21st century the literary genre of Short Story holds the attention of audience. In general, short story is a fictional prose,  which has self contained event with the help of fiction. As we all know that in this hustle and bustle of life people have not enough  time to read bulky books, but one can read short story in single sitting, which has literary elements and effects like exposition, climax and resolution. 

           Moreover, in current time these short stories have not traditional ending. These short stories are open ended, which makes this form more interesting. 

           Here I would like to share my interpretation of the short stories written by Vishal Bhadani. 

1-  " Mara Hathni Vaat Nathi "

• Significant Title : 

    This story has an interesting title. Because whole story moves around the word ' hath'. Here we can see how writer tries to play with the word. For example...

- Hath : Hand, An organ of the body 

- Hath ni vaat nathi : Incapable Of doing something 

           But what we find is that narrator is able to give justice to his work. 

• Subject : 

        The subject of the story is also minutely observed. What we think is that we never think about a hand, or rather the work of hand. According to us it is like a trivial things to think about the process of a hand. But here writer turns these simple process into 'golden arm'. 

        There are many modernist writer who has used these kinds of subject in their works. For example, the character of Estragon trying to take off his boot in the play 'Waiting for Godot' by Samuel Beckett. 

         Altogether what we find is the literary skills of writer. Almost all the words has a deep meaning in it. 

• Symbolism by the different parts of hand :

- નખ 

- ટેરવા 

- કાંડુ

- હથેળી 

- ખોબો 

- કોણી 

- ખભો 

- આંગળીઓ 

- અંગૂઠો 

• Representation of current situation :

     As the main aim of literature is not to merely entertain the audience but to unfold the pitfalls of society. And that thing we can see in this story. 

Let us go word by word : 

  

~ " ઉફાળો દિશા બદલી નાખે અેવું મને ઘણીવાર થાય છે ."

By reading this sentence what we get is, over excitement is not good. There are such kinds of impulse which may leads towards the fall. The best example of it, is the current situation of BJP. 

~ Nail  : Most of the time we never think about nail. But how dangerous it is,  that we can get by reading the play, 'The Birthday Party' by Harold Pinter.  How scratching of the nail becomes irritating and weird, so again this trivial things becomes more serious.

~ Wrist and Syria : Here we can interpret that because of the Syrian civil war many peoples are dying.  By going with traditional sense Syrian women are becoming widows, and as a result of it they are not able to wear ornaments.

~ ' Ram Mandir' :  Yes, well needed satire.  In contemporary time we see that people have no time to think on basic problems of nation. But if the issue is of religion then suddenly they all will rush to the bandwagon. People are yet not learning from the history. e.g. Jerusalem Issues

~ ' Tilak' / Tikka : When we hear the word 'Tilak', then suddenly we recall the 'Akho'. So the questions arises in our mind  is that why people do tikka on their foreheads...? Does it increases beauty? Or because of scientific reason...? Or is it for mere boasting ... ?

~ પ્રેમ વિશે કેમ લખાય ?
As we all know that literature should be universal. All human beings have a right of freedom of expression. But these so called bureaucrats and custodians are like a frog in the Well. They considers this 'Prem ' as  a western ghost. But they have not read the history properly. e. g. : Kama Sutra by Vatsyayana, Kama & Rati, Shakuntala & Dushyant,  Menaka & Vishwamitra, etc. What we find is that we are becoming more narrower. And as a repercussion of it we have lost so many writers and journalists.

~ Binaries : If there is no #other then there is no superiority complex. But here narrator has shown the binaries which prevails during rituals. Like one can not use left hand in the rituals, but reality is that either you use right hand or left hand nothing happens. The another great example is of palmistry. Here narrator satires on astrology. Because if by accident person might loose the palm lines, so it doesn't mean person will not get success.

~ Gun and Riots :  It reminds us about the Gujarat riots. This reference is direct satire on the people. Because people are supposed to be intellectual but they are becoming violent and sheeple.

~ ' મેં જેવી પેન ઉપાડી કે આંગળીઓ હડતાળ પર ચાલી ગઈ.'
In India most of the time we find people on strikes. But this idea is indirectly supports the faineant. It looks more regressive. In a way it affects the progress of nation. Yes, one should protest against the power but this method more suits to them. As a solution of it people should insist to keep all the offices open for 24/7. This idea of strike will not protect us from the menace of scrimshanker.

           Eventually here we can say that writer has shown the great skills of literature. Because here you have to give effect of an ocean in the form of lake. An interesting thing is that narrator seems pessoptimist. As he has portrayed so many things related to a hand, but yet at the end he tells that ....."હાથ વિશે વાત કરવી એ મારા હાથની વાત નથી."

2 - ' Spring ' 

         What a work of fiction ! (It may have real life event) When we read the title of the story suddenly so many thoughts starts running in our mind. As there are so many meanings of the word 'Spring'.
      It is the title which makes us more curious to read the story. Like is it refers to season or to an elastic device...? But what we get in the story is totally different.

• Narrative Technique :

        All stories have different narratives. But yes,  it is it's narration which makes this story more interesting. It looks like Frame Narratives or we can say story within story. As in the story, after arranging the stage, Protagonist (Dharamshi) himself narrates the story. Within this narration protagonist subconsciously reveals his past. Here Dharamshi thinks that whatever he has done in the past that his friends and relatives came to know by watching ( In waiting room display)  this balloon angioplasty (Stent in heart) or spring retractor. But they knows nothing.

• Creative writing : 

         This story shows us creative insight of writer. Here a tool becomes the reason of person's confession. Which reminds us robotic (Scientific) achievements. And also the menace of it. e. g. :  Bollywood movie Robot and 'Frankenstein' by Mary Shelley. 

• Conscience / Confession / Mystery :

        After reading the story what we find is that ' Dharamshi ' subconsciously  describes his past events. Like his visit of maternal home, where he secretly peeps somewhere,  stealing, fighting between him and his brother, betrayal to his friend Mulji, his secret meeting with lover 'Ajwali', etc.
        Altogether 'conscience ' becomes more powerful over person and  starts revealing his crimes as same as Poe's characters (Protagonist) does in his mysterious short stories.
         Another interesting element of this story is ' confession'. Because without confession of the past, life becomes difficult for the protagonist and as a result of it he suffers from heart attack. Which reminds us about the character of Arthur Dimmesdale. 

          At the end of the story again we stuck in  the meaning of the word spring. Because for a while it seems story is about a stent in the heart,or about deep desire for homeland but suddenly it seems that his conscience springs and as a result of it life becomes difficult for him.

3 - ' સાંસાઈ અને રમજાના ' :

          Another great piece of work. The title of the story makes us more imaginative. In the beginning we just get confused about the characters. And that's the complexity ! It looks like flashback narratives.

• Blanks : 
          Writer has used the unique technique of leaving blanks in the story. Which provides an opportunity to the readers to think on their own.

•     We have seen the behavior of person, and the minute process of hand in his previous stories. Now writers takes us near to the nature. How nature and human are connected with each other that we observe  in this story.
       
•  Real Issue : 
              This work seems satire on the translocating of the Gir lions to Madhya Pradesh. Yes, there are some drawbacks which becomes the reason of lion's death. But main cause is the environmental change. There are some environmentalists who says that to keep them on a single place may be disastrous but there are more negative points in translocation. Like it may be detrimental to their breeding and survival.

• In short, story is about a girl named 'Sansai'. Who tells narrator ( A Painter - that we come to know at the end ) about her dream, that ' Ramjaana ' is not well. ( Name of Lioness !) While moving further 'Sansai' suffers from some kind of psychological trauma and as a result of it she roars/ yells. In the reply of it ' Aaima' Says " ખમા............. ને!" Which reminds us about Exorcism. Yes,  still these kinds of superstitions prevails in rural India.
           Phew ! but here story is different. Suddenly a lion cub comes and starts playing with her, and then leaves to the forest.

          In nutshell, one must should not interfere in the lives of animals, or in natural place. But yes,  writer deserves the praise because technique of story telling is an excellent one.

4 - ' Museum of Innocence ' : 

            Besides some serious stories this story is comparatively comic one. We can consider this story as a Didactical story too.

           When we start reading the story we feel humour in every dialogues. But suddenly Pinteresque style comes in our mind. Because there are so many dialogues which has deep meanings in it.

~  Envelope / Paper / Letter  : From the starting of the story this letter remains in the center. (Don't forget the story 'The Purloined Letter' by Poe !) Don't worry this story is totally different. As we all know that an envelope always creates so many assumption. As in the story people assumes that "Police no dakho hashe," "Light bill baaki lage se (chhe)," and "Kaagal khota gamama aavi gyo se (chhe)," {thanks to Google Map } etc. It looks  humorous but if the situation is real then what we will do...?  For example , you have paid the electric bill but yet you get fined through this letter then what will you do..?  You receives letter late, you can't filed a petition because dates are gone....Now think?

         Fortunately this letter is different. Here Sarpanch of the village ( Sanosra ) receives this letter from Istanbul. They wants some " Innocence " for museum. What a creativity !

• The Dying Humanity / Increasing of Violence : 

         Day by day we find the increasing level of violence.  And as a result of it,  "Istanbul"  wants to built a museum of "innocence." Because it seems that innocence will die soon... As in the story people are not able to find the innocence. But what they say is : "આઘડીએ ખાટકી વસ્તુ ગોતવાનુ કયો લ્યો. ગાડેે ગાડા ભરી દઈએ ! "

• Banyan Tree : 

        In the story people doesn't find any "innocence" in the village.  After a while "Kadavima" shows the innocence in the form of that banyan tree. Here banyan tree represent the firmness, holiness,  altruism and, etc.

• Why " Istanbul " ....? 

           Yes, why only Istanbul...?  mainly it is famous for natural harbor and as a connecting nation of Europe and Asia , or it represents anything else...?
(Wikipedia)

• Rustic Language : 

           Almost whole story is in rustic language. As it represents the social connotation.

• " નાડાછડી  અને સૂતરનો ત્રાગડો " : 

            At the end of the story narrator mentions these words.  Which is connected to the rituals as a sacred / protective thread. But what we get from it is we need to protect Humanity so we can establish peace.... 

           Apart from all these stories,on  his visit he talked about translation studies. Where, In funny way he satired on poor condition of the B. A. course. He used a word: 'Academic Dalit.'
               In addition he discussed various approaches which he has used in his stories. How building a hypothesis about creating a story helps in giving more effect. Meanwhile,  he gave some important tips to ponder over.  Like, how to develop an interest in writing translation,  one needs to do deep reading,  English usage,  How to put surprise element in story,  research perspective in translation studies and etc. 
             In nutshell he discussed various myths related to translations and also gave some good examples of translation.  Like "Sudharo" : Civilization not reform, "Daam Devo" : Cauterize not burning bar on back. Thus,  we came to know about how well dictionary you needs in translations. Further he gave a feedback paper in which students had to translate the paragraph. Overall it was wonderful session to attend.
          At last I would like to thanks  Dr Dilip Barad Sir for making us aware about these kinds of stories. Most importantly it helps reader in developing the imagination power and thinking ability too.

                                                    Thank you ...
                                                    Courtesy ...