Teesta Review: A Journal of Poetry, Volume 1, Number 1. May 2018. ISSN: 2581-7094
The compelling
Story Teller – Dr. Usha Sridhar
(Women’s
Corner-A Collection of Short Stories)
Women’s Corner-A Collection of Short
Stories, Dr. Usha Sridhar, Authorspress,
New Delhi Rs. 695/$35, pp 475
Dr.Usha
Sridhar by profession is an independent researcher, an entrepreneur now
involved in developing mathematical models to study group decision making in
co-operative social networks and a poet and story teller by passion. The book under review is a collection of
eight stories, all women-centric subjects as the title aptly suggests.
Feminism
in Indian English stories is not a new-fangled concept. Many writers have delved into the literary
circuit projecting the social inequality, created a reader-base and made a
niche for themselves. Usha says being a woman herself, it would be easier for
her to focus on the lives of women and the readers would find this amply
convincing once they finish reading
these stories.
After
a health set-back she quit her mainstream career to follow her heart’s call to
become a writer. At a time when more
than ever before women’s issues are discussed from all corners, it is heartening
that Usha digs deep into the subject and has come out with various issues in their
life, how
they conduct themselves to come out successful and establish their identity. She says it all with exemplary zeal. The
notable aspect in all these stories is that one can see positive vibes
emanating through the protagonists’ attitudes towards life and all of them end
up tasting success in their lives.
In
her own words, “I have endeavoured to capture a few snapshots of how women think,
perceive, behave and act in different situations. I’m painfully aware that this
is a limited picture – but this book is just a beginning! “ So let’s hope that many such endeavours can
be expected from this writer.
Usha’s voice as a feminist, if I can call her
such, can be heard loud in her verse, which she has included in her preface to
the book:
To be a woman I am
indeed proud
over the years, my true
identity I have found.
I know I have a long way
to go
but I have begun my
journey of discovery to grow.
I am now up to any task
assigned to me
completing it well I can
surely guarantee.
I am in no competition
with my male counterparts
I too wish to rise up in
my life chart;
so I will revolt against
any biased rulings
that goes against my
spirit and my being.
So
please, don’t be the jury
and curb my voice and
liberty;
I will not take it lying
down anymore.
My dignity in full, I
plan to restore
so that my victory I can
ensure.
In return, to you, I
wish to assure
I will in situations
behave mature
I will act without fear and always be fair
I will discharge my duties, responsibilities
with care.
Women by nature are able to undertake multi-tasking
as home-makers and professionals and they do this quite naturally and effortlessly. The
stories in this collection are varied in themes, situations and the characters
chosen are from various stratum of society.
The author has taken care in character sketch and has avoided repetitive
subjects and she deserves to be lauded for this.
The first story ‘A Rare
Retake’ is about Rama, an ambitious career woman, who places her professional
life above her personal life for most part of her life, in the course of which
she faces lot of problems in both the phases, and at the end when she wanted to
make amends, it was too late, but with patience and perseverance she could
achieve it with the support of her sympathetic parents. But her son was the silent sufferer as a
child who did not get parent’s love and care and made to suffer psychological
trauma and societal apathy, which he could not even disclose to his
grand-parents, who were caring to the core and everything for him.
The second story ‘Spring
In Life’ tells that age is just a number and is not a hurdle for change. Here in this story, Jaya, a home-maker all
through her life, discovers what she is
capable of and proves her worth in her sixties after her husband’s demise, to the surprise of even her sons and
daughters. In spite of being single, she
converts her house to paying guest accommodation to working girls and she
literally turns into a motherly figure for all those girls. While
being independent and is on her own, she helps the deserving girls in all ways
possible, enjoying a self-worth. Those
in similar situations can take inspiration from the life of this entrepreneur
turned home-maker.
In ‘Reverse Swing’, Maya
the central character affected by Alzheimers in her old age is being abandoned
by her children. She as a mother does
everything possible to bring up her children, but the children fail to take
care of her. Of late, we come across
these types of ungrateful attitudes towards elders in many families,
irrespective of financial standing, educational standards or societal
status. Many elderly people suffer
silently within the confines of their houses.
This is a grave issue which needs to be addressed urgently. Here Usha
has rightly dealt with the ugly side of deteriorating family values.
Four
women meet during a train journey and exchange views and become good
friends. Kavitha, an Economics Professor;
Shoba alias Ammani, a columnist and novelist, who fought hard against challenges
in life and once settled writes under the pen name Samiksha; Indira
from a middle class conservative family, who had high ambitions, but
unfortunately had to fight at every stage even to pursue higher studies; Rekha, born female who later realizes that she
is a transgender on account of which she faces so much of struggles in spite of
which she emerges successful, sets up her own dance troupe and gives
performances. This is the background of
the story ‘A Train Sojourn’ that gives
the readers the trials and tribulations of these women and the positive
vibes each one of them spreads. A journey otherwise could have been boring and
dull turns into a fulfilling experience to these women, and at the same time they
realize that life is an open book of lessons .
The fifth one ‘A
Mother’s Remorse’ is the story of Prema, who in spite of having two children of
her own, takes to her fold another one, Geetha.
It so happens that Geetha outshines her own kids which the mother in her
is unable to take in good spirit and she tries to repeal Geetha’s dreams. Paradoxically life has its own ways and
lessons and Prema is full of regrets and repentance, but too late as it was only after she loses everything
dear to her, she learns a lesson the hard way.
The story gives a message to the mothers who are over-possessive, as a
result of which they become selfish
and narrow-minded.
‘A Somber Silence’, the
sixth in this collection depicts the life of a couple happy and contented, but
unexpectedly tragedy strikes one of them in their old age. The good thing was that Sashi the surviving partner gets the full support of friends and relatives. This is a heart-warming tale.
The seventh story “A
Collective Resolve’ tells the tale of forward thinking youth, a few women bent
upon changing the age old customs and practices rigorously followed by the
rural population without asking, not even thinking why and what for. With
consistent efforts and sincere approach, they are able to see results and
improve the life situations and social status of the villagers, upon which they
get their due share of support, encouragement and appreciation from the local
men folk. These men go the extra mile to
spread words of appreciation to these progressive thinking women and their acts
far and wide enacting plays in various parts of the country. Deepa, Rahul, Shyam, Smitha and others, as
also the people in Nandipura in this story become familiar to the readers after
reading this story. A collective resolve can lead to the desired
benefits to the entire society is the message being imparted here.
The last story in this
collection is ‘A Rainbow Reunion’. This
story is unique telling the experiences of six women who meets after several years
and recollects their nostalgic past, precisely their school days. They decide to meet for three days in a
resort away from the hustle and bustle of city life and there unfurl the
cascading memories of their good old days.
Readers can enjoy some lighter moments here and one is sure to hunt
their own chest of memories, relate to them and sink into those cozy corners at
least momentarily.
The story teller in Usha
should be proud having brought out a collection of short stories of this nature
on a subject of global importance. Though
this book is called a collection of short stories, most of the stories are longer
enough to be called Novellas. I wish
Usha’s pen more might to delve in other subjects as well.
Personally I should
thank Usha giving me an opportunity to review this book, wherein she has also acknowledged
my encouraging comments on her poems.