Hindi version of

Sarojini Sahoo's renowned

novel 'Pakshibas' released

in Raipur, Chhatisgarh

छत्तीसगढ़ की प्रतिष्ठित साहित्यिक संस्था प्रमोद वर्मा स्मृति संस्थान द्वारा प्रेमचंद जयंती के अवसर पर देश के दो मूर्धन्य रचनाकार अज्ञेय और शमशेर की जन्मशताब्दी वर्ष को राष्ट्रीय स्तर पर मनाये जाने के अवसर पर मूर्धन्य कथाकार सरोजिनी साहू के बहु चर्चित उपन्यास " पक्षी-वास " (मूल उडिया से हिंदी अनुवाद : श्री दिनेश कुमार माली) का रायपुर के ट्यूलिप होटल में ३१ जुलाई को श्री नंदकिशोर आचार्य-जयपुर, डॉ. दिविक रमेश-दिल्ली, डॉ. धनंजय वर्मा-भोपाल आदि , श्री ज्योतिष जोशी-दिल्ली, श्री मधुरेश-कानपुर, , श्री त्रिभुवन नाथ शुक्ल-भोपाल तथा छत्तीसगढ़ के पुलिस महानिदेशक एवं कवि विश्व रंजन के कर कमलों द्वारा विमोचन हुआ

Title Pakshivasa

Original Author Sarojini Sahoo

Hindi Translation: Dinesh Kumar Mali

Genre: Novel

Format: Hardcover

Edition: 1st Edition, 2010

Publisher Yash Publication,

X/999, Chand Mohalla

Gandhinagar

Delhi- 110031

ISBN 81-89537-45-8

Length 116 pages

Price: 195 INR

Information: The novel was originally written in Oriya (2006) and translated in to BenPublish Post

gali and published from Bangladesh by Somoy Prakashani in 2009 and has been translated in to Hindi in 2010.

Pakhibas (Synopsis)

Pakhibas is the saga of the declination of a family, a dream, and a future. This multi-dimensional novel includes a downtrodden family saga; the Communist guerilla war (Maoist movement ) in current India; and the socio-economic picture of Orissa. All these subjects are combined with a symbolic representation of a mythical story from the Hindu Vaishnavite holy book Bhagwat. In every aspect, the author’s tone is bold and spiky and heightens the awareness and senses of the reader.

The novel is the saga of an untouchable, downtrodden cattle bone collector, Satnemi and his family, and takes place in western Orissa. It is not a story of an individual person but of an entire family. Antara, the head of the family himself, his wife Sarasi, his three sons Sanyasi, Daktar, and Okil, and his daughter Paraba demonstrate the development of restlessness and frustration regarding the ongoing crisis of mankind.

A downtrodden man has a dream to see his sons established in their lives. So he names them “Collector” (Administrative Officer), “Daktar” (Doctor), and “Okil” (Lawyer). He dreams to see his only daughter, Paraba, as a bride in a respectable and rich family. But where the traditional occupation of cattle bone collection is the only way of living, could this ever be possible?

The elder son, Sanyasi, becomes a bohemian artist adopted by a white-skinned priest and has been lost in Japan where he has gone to perform his folk art. His illiterate wife awaits her husband’s return in an alien city.

The second son Daktar became a bonded labourer as the local youths of western Orissa usually prefer to make their living.

The third son Okil , who is considered by his father to be a lazy good-for-nothing, joins the Communist Guerilla movement, locally known as the Maoist Party.

Three days’ hunger forces Paraba to be raped for a plate of rice by a forest guard who the only representative of the Government in the jungle for the people and who also works as an agent for sex trafficking. Later she adopts the profession of prostitution.

The novel ends with the death of Okil.