The Greatest Gujarati Stories Ever Told by Rita KothariMy rating: 3 of 5 stars
Hooter: Selection of translated Gujarati works covering abject poverty to unsatiated lovemaking.
I have heard of these authors from parents and relatives through the journals and periodicals where their short stories have been published. To find a translated anthropology is a goldmine to start with. I am not sure if these stories haven't aged well or lost in translation - a lot of them feel like empty shells devoid of character or emotion or maybe the color is in the vernacular.
There are a few that do capture the essence even in the translation like Sowbhagyavati ( the untold violence of marital sex) , Maajo ( the fleeting nature of external beauty), Jumo Bhisti ( the unconditional love of a pet parent and pet) and the light hearted Vaadki ( the missing bowl unravelling mysteries of the society)
That said - Rita had managed to capture a diversity of topics treading across caste, gender, open defecation, loyalty, economic inequality, friendship and infidelity and captures the wider diaspora of Gujarat beyond certain stereotypes that mainstream media have propagated.
An honest attempt at curating these short stories - some shine and some have lost their lustre in the translation.
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