'Sarhul' breathes a fresh life in Hindi Literature. The fourteen stories of this book follow the simple trajectory of human life around us which often goes unseen. The simple language of a common man's interaction used in the book is reminiscent of the heartfelt sweetness that the words of Premchand and Renu carried with ease. Stories of 'Sarhul' reflect the author's quest to understand the human nature and to voice the unheard of the society. The heart wrenching stories move from commentary on social disparity to the depiction of human innocence, from satire to tragedy and in its wake evoke unparalleled emotions of the readers. These stories set in the present times bring to light the invisible section of the society whose tireless presence keeps the social machinery running.
About the Author: In his career of over three decades in administrative service, Ashok Banka has found himself at close quarters with the people in the remotest tribal villages to the bustling cities, which gave him firsthand account of the lives of the ordinary people and their plights and delights. From villages in 1980s to Naxals movement in the state of Jharkhand, to modern cities, his journey as an administrative officer and an artist coincided with the trajectory of the nation. This reflects in his sensitive words and oil paintings which find beauty where no one even looks. His encounters with the citizens as a public servant give him an insight into the situation of the common people and the innumerable anecdotes and incidents in his life of over six decades, across the two centuries, make his stories an unadulterated depiction of real life, which is already brimming with enough dramatics that he needs no fictional elements to weave the magic of his simple words.
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