English translation of ‘Contemporary Urdu Short Stories from Kolkata’ released

New Delhi, Dec 28 (PTI) “Contemporary Urdu Short Stories from Kolkata”, translated into English by author Shams Afif Siddiqi, is a collection of 19 stories encompassing the whole gamut of human experience, seen through the eyes of current Urdu writers from the City of Joy.

The book, co-edited by Siddiqui and Fuzail Asar Siddiqi, deals with love and loss, dreams and reality, as well as history and violence. It is published by Niyogi Books.

“These writers, who still walk the streets of Kolkata to pen their stories, sometimes violate all conventions of short fiction.

“Yet their narratives satisfy the curiosity of the human mind and its urge to hear tales of love, hatred, and violence, together with the ups and downs of daily existence, and provide an opportunity to view the world from a different perspective,” said Shams Afif Siddiqi, translator and co-editor of the book, in a statement.

Stories from Kolkata are often assumed to be about ‘bhadralok’ culture and the Bengali way of life. However, Kolkata, according to Siddiqi, is a city with a multiplicity of stories to share.

In the book, one of the stories is about a writer trying to escape the city, wanting to find the reason why the railway clock has stopped working; while in another, a new friendship sours as soon as it blossoms.

“Kolkata is a city with myriad layers and stories. This collection of Urdu short stories from Kolkata offers refreshing new perspectives into many different aspects of life in and around this amazing city,” said Trisha De Niyogi, Director and COO, Niyogi Books.

The book, priced at Rs 495, is currently available for purchase across online and offline stores.