Brigadier Kathakal

Review will be there shortly

VELLAPPOKKATHILUM MATTU PRADHANA KATHAKALUM

Review will be there shortly

Sherlek

Review will be shortly published

Janmadinam (Birthday)

Birthday is a collection of short stories by the Famous author Vaikom Muhammed Basheer(1908-1994). Before he became, only in the memories on July 5th 1994, he had contributed many literature , of which many were translated to English and various Indian regional languages.

The book contains 8 short stories which pleases our mind as if we had a sumptuous and delicious supper. One thing we should keep in mind while reading this book is, all the story narrates the incidents and social system existed before 1945.

In Janmadinam (Birthday), the author was struggling to make his Birthday a real memorable incident by having three times. He went to a hotel to had his breakfast, just to get disappointed, since he had some previous dues. Then he thought of going to Hameed to had his lunch, for which the author had been invited. However, he missed that too. At 3:30 pm, he had been lend 2 anas by a boy, who were working as a servant in Bank clerk Krishna Pilla's house, when he reached the author for a match stick. The author kept one ana for later purpose and with remaining one ana he ordered for Dosa, Tea and Beedi (local cigar). At night 9 pm when he laid for sleep with an empty stomach, he could not. Later, he stealed food from near by room. Through out the story, the author underscored the starvation many people were undergoing then. The author made us to think, there were thousands, who found it difficult to foothold of one time meal.

Aishukkutty: The story of a house wife AishaKutty, who were undergoing labour pain. She could have delivered normally but she wanted a doctor's presence as she considered it as a prestige issue. She postponted her delivery, till the doctor to reach. Her husband and in-laws did not have money to bring a doctor. At last, she was about to deliver, the doctor reached. Then, she delivered normally. She was happy that, she could tell to her neighbours that she had been delivered with the help of a doctor.

Tiger: delineate the story of a police dog, who was the luckiest dog. When the whole place was under poverty and even when people were starving, Tiger was lucky to had food. For, Tiger, there were only two categories of people. One is Police and the others are Culprits. There were 45 culprits in the jail, including politicians. But for Tiger, everybody was equal. It did not differentiate the politicians from others.

Nairashyam: is the story of a man who reached high status of an Admistrator of a country and respected by many. Just before his death, when people asked: what was his last wish, and why he was looking so disappointed. He revealed that, the world considered him as the luckiest man, however, the fact was that, he did not get a glass of water who he loved in his early life. His early life started as a street boy then became a soldier. Somewhere in his life he met a lady and admired by her. He wanted only a glass of water from her which she did not gave him then.

Kallanottu (Counterfiet note/currency): delineate a mother who sold her daughter against a counterfeit Currency without knowing that it was a counterfiet. A policeman who had an infatuation on her, later found her dead body in a lonely place, with a bunch of counterfeit on her chest.

Oru Chithrathinte Katha(A Story of a Picture): The story started with, the son of a doctor stabbed the Lecturer's son, who were close friends. It was a mystery, what happened between the two best friends. Later the Judge is sentenced him to death. Later, the same Judge killed her daughter by bifurcated her head from body, who shared bed with her servant. Meanwhile, the Judge found out that she had a hand in the mystery happened between the two friends. He surrendered infront of Inspector with the servant and his daughter's head and revealed that, prostitution is not the symptom of starvation.

Second Hand: is the story of Sharada her ideology was: she could not love anybody since she had been cheated by a famous poet and gave birth to baby who died immediatey after the delivery. She revealed to Gopinath, who wanted to marry her. After their marriage, Gopinath met that famous poet during a function and he told to Gopinath, she was a second hand. Gopinath retorted, that he knew all of Sharada's flash back.

Oru Jailppulliyude Chithram(The picture of a prisoner): is the story of a lady Mariamma who happened to be love with handsome Joseph who was convicted and put into a special cell for culprits who must be sentenced to death. The story is all about, the letters they were communicating and later Joseph stopping her from loving him since his future was uncertain.

EMS-um Penkuttiyum (EMS And The Lady)

The book "E.M.S and The Girl" published by D C books, is a collection of 9 short stories by the same author of famous book "Aadujeevitham". The Design and the naming of the book attract any Malayali (Language spoken by populace from Kerala) readers. It hardly takes 4 to 5 hours continuous reading to finish this 116 pages book.

In this book too Benyamin kept his natural humour in two short stories "Vasthu Purushan" and "Tao Manushyan(The Tao Man))". In "Vasthu Purushan" Ramesh who did not believe in any superstitions became a blind believer of it by his wife's(Geetha) influence; who believed strongly, all unfortunate happenings were due to improper Vastu(Vastu Sastram is a technology which has a set of rules to construct buildings). In the other story, "Tao Manushyan" in which, the wife was not happy with the rented house they were staying and finding faults in each and everything, just to persuade the husband to shift the house. However, husband found answers to all those from books onTao Phylosophy(Taoism).

The story "EMS-um Penkuttiyum(E.M.S and The Girl)" had a good starting. However, this does not any thing to do with E.M.S(Veteran communist leader E M S Namboodiripad, who was elected chief minister when Communist Party won the 1957 assembly elections in Kerala). Jose who was narrating an incident to his friends, while having drinks with his friends, which happened in his life in US, by accidently meeting a Lady name "Pakavoo Sayang" in his car after returning from shopping.This strange lady liked to be call "Pakavoo", who was not clear of her own origin,creating troubles to Jose who is a jobless man and supported by the mercy of his wife “Sini”. “Pakavoo Sayang”, who born and brought in US, eloped with his boy friend since she did not like the orthodox way of marriage which her parents ardently believed in. “Jose” told "Pakavoo" as if he was EMS to stop her from creating any further trouble(Jose did not want to reveal his real name). However, the end could have improved with some twist to make it more interesting.

The most I liked is story:"Kumari Devi". That was bit heart touching. “Chanku” had been looking for a maid for “Gopi Ettan” and “Geeta Auty” At last they got "Suninya Shakya Devi" as their maid. Later the story revealed that, she hailed from Nepal who had been promoted to the level of Goddess Devi under Kumari Devi Tradition at the age of 4 followed by different levels of test to confirm by Pundits( The Scholars), if she had those rare power of Goddess and when she reached 8 years and the day she had to be canonized, she deprived her post due to the blood seen on her body since she reached puberty. Later, she received the loath of all her “Kith and Kins” and choosing the life of a maid.

"Oru(Mun) Kalla Kadathu Karante Athmakada(The Autobiography of a (Old) smuggler)": The story is about "Beeranikka" who is an adorable smuggler in ancient times who used to bring perfumes and VCD and transistors from Gulf Countries. The story ends with telling, had there been a "Beeranikka" in this modern age he would not have been so adorable since those things he used to smuggled, are easily available in modern times.

"Javed Enna Mujahid (Javed:The Mujahid)" is wonderful story of a Javed who had been victimized as a terrotist and even the police released him as innocent, still the people out cast him as terrorist. This story also narrates the migration of Kashmiri Pandits.

"Gezante Kallukal(Stones of Gesan) " shows the supression Palestinians are undergoing.

" Aadis Ababa ", which also delineates the corruption and reasons of poverty in Ethiopia.

The Other story " Randu Pattalakkaar Mattoru Arabikkathayil(Two army men in another Arabic Tale) " show the fear and hope of each soldier under deputation in Iraq after the war and how they made pre-emptive attack as a way of self-protection and how many innocent has been protect by GOD!!!(As Edward Said).

Each Story starts with great interest, however, somewhere we are loosing out the ends which writer himself admitted at the end of story "Javed Enna Mujahudeen(Javed:The Mujahid)"—That is the problem of second hand stories”.