Odia Books

Manoj Das was born in 1934.He is a prominent writer in odia and English. In his career as a student he was attracted towards the leftist political philosophy. A deep humanistic note is noticed in all his works. Prominent among his short story collections are Manoj Dasanka Katha O Kahani (winner of the Sahitya Akademi award in 1972), Dhumrabha Diganta O Anyanya Kahani, Abu Purusha O Anyanya Kahani and Laxmira Abhisara. The Crocodiles Lady and Fables and Fantasies for Adults are his two short story collections in English.

With a keen observation of human nature he brings out the pathos and predicaments of life. Through subtle irony and often through comic extravaganza, he communicates a vision of life where various existential compulsions weigh on man making him take, at times, very ridiculous steps. There is a strong undercurrent of sadness in almost all his stories which springs often from a nostalgic yearning for a lost world of love or innocence.

This intimate loss is either of a childhood experience as in Dhumrabha Diganta or of an innocent culture as in Farewell to a Ghost. Yet there is often a beatific side of life as has been illustrated in Sesa Basantara Chithi. The little girl Rina comes forward to share the common sorrow of the loss of a mother in the intimate human understanding. Das speaks of the agony and ecastasy of life as well. He penetrates into the psyche of the individual and focuses on the perversions and miseries of life. His technique is mainly ironic and his irony is always marked by an affectionate understanding of life’s various urges.

In Abu Purusha the lump of Sarma symbolises the perversion of values in a highly commercial society. In Madhubanara Mayor the vanities of the mayor pale into insignificance before the small girl who helps him cover his naked body with her torn and soiled frock. In many of his stories Das subtly focuses on the modern man’s loss of innocence, on the false ego and vanity, and on the artificial values which ultimately lead him to his own destruction.

Das drives home his point through well-developed plots. In his stories one finds a poetic reality lurking behind the reality of facts. Thus Lili’s death in Dhumrabha Diganta becomes an abiding symbol that at once communicates to the reader a tender agonising sense of the eternal sorrow of man. He conveys the predicaments of life largely through allegorical narration.

In the story Bagha, the tiger takes up multiple meanings of fear, jealousy, revenge and ambition. Das makes us accept even incredible things because these ultimately exist in their symbolic planes. Panchantantra for Adults, Semananka Samparkare Sesha Khabora, Byaghrarohan, illustrate this aspect of his art. While the fantasy of the story provides entertainment to the reader, its symbolic significance focuses on the quintessential reality of our instincts and urges.

The comic vein is a noteworthy feature of Das’s technique. His characters are often put in such situations where they appear ridiculous and hence provoke laughter. Here lies the satire of the sensitive humanist who rarely offends, but only focuses on the pathetic plight of man through the criss-cross of humour and pathos.

The comedy here compels us to see the tragedy of our lives in a close perspective. Even in their failings, the characters are recognizably human, deep-rooted in life’s myriad compulsions. Das weaves the traditional pattern of story-telling into the symbolic exploration of the theme. Herein lies Manoj Das’s uniqueness as a short-story writer.

Odia Books By Manoj Das

Tandralokara Prahari
Aakashra Isara
Amruta Phala
A Tiger at Twilight
Bulldozers
Cyclones
Prabhanjana
Godhulira Bagha
Kanaka-Upatyakara Kahani
Sesha Tantrikara Sandhanare

Travelogue

Keta Diganta
Keta Diganta
Antaranga Bharata
Dura-durantara
Adura Bidesh

Poetry

Tuma Gaan O Anyanya Kabita
Kabita Utkala

Short Story

Upakatha Sataka
Abu Purusha
Sesa Basantara Chithi
Manoj Dasanka Katha O Kahani
Abupurusha O Anyana Kahani
Lakshmira Abhisara
Abolakara Kahani
Aranya Ullasha