Monsters, miracles, margins

ONE DOZEN STORIES (Puffin, Rs 199) by Satyajit Ray brings together a handful of unforgettable gems by the master of suspense and surprise. Of the 12 stories, three had been beautifully rendered into English by Ray himself, while Gopa Majumdar has elegantly translated the rest from the Bengali. This volume is introduced, oddly enough, by Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni, who waxes eloquent on how these stories take her back to “the magical days” of her childhood. What follows is a beady-eyed outpouring on the supposedly infantile wonders that Ray’s tales inspire. While it is true that Ray wrote largely for children and young-adults, it would be unfair to his genius to reduce him merely to a ‘children’s writer’. The monsters and beasts that appear, the supernatural events that take place in these stories are not just what Ray shows them to be — they are also riddled with symbols and darkly psychological references. Ray’s grotesquery comes out of a rich tradition of Gothic horror (Coleridge, Poe, Conan Doyle). So, to go by the rosiness of Divakaruni’s tone is to be left clueless by the fate of Bipin Babu, the victim of a witty, though sinister, intrigue by his friend, Chunilal. Divakaruni does point out, quite astutely, Ray’s innate sympathy for the underdog like Banku Babu. Patol Babu, Anath Babu, the Hungry Septopus and, of course, Feluda and Topshe are some of the other enduring characters.

Encounter with men of miracles (Jaico, Rs 295) by Mayah Balse is summed up by the needlessly sensational sub-title, “Experiences of Faith-healers, Black Magicians, Yogis and Death Defiers”. Balse has a richly psychic life, so much so that “every third person” she has encountered “in the normal course of day-to-day living had had direct experiences with ghosts and spirits”. Mumbo-jumbo in correct English may be an amusing diversion, but in a woefully bad style it is merely a pain.

Writing on the wall (Penguin, Rs 225) by Sanjoy Hazarika includes an expert’s “Reflections on the North-East”. Written with evident passion, these 15 essays capture an insider’s impressions of the long-standing historical problems that beset his native region. Although Hazarika examines the fate of his people objectively, his tone is informed by lived emotions. Covering a range of issues — from the peace talks in Nagaland to the Centre’s inability to repeal the Armed Forces Special Powers Act to environmental change — this is a richly rewarding read for those interested in the North-East.