Akaal Mei Utsav
Rating: 4.5/5
Author: Pankaj Subir
Publisher: Shivna Prakashan
Publishing Date: 2017
Language: Hindi
Genre: Satire
ISBN-10: 9381520453
ISBN-13: 978-9381520451
Format: Paperback
Pages: 224
Plot:
Pankaj Subir's second novel is focused on the peasants of the farmers. It is also written in a satirical style. It presents the tableau of rural surroundings and urban life together. That is, two stories are tagged together in this novel at the same time. It depicts the celebration of 'Nagar Utsav' on government expenditure so that the budget does not lapse. It has been portrayed that the harvest is the essence of a farmer’s life.
Although the reader is able to anticipate the end of the whole story, but the characters' dialogue tonality hooks the readers till the last page.
Review:
The novel highlights the rural life and especially the lives of farmers very neatly. How the whole economic activities of the farmer revolves around his small holdings crop and the expectations he keeps himself alive- is the plot of this novel. Through the character of 'Ramprasad', Pankaj Subir explains that to what extent the common farmer still depends on the kindness of the weather. With the fluctuations of the weather, the graph of the expectations of the farmers keeps on going down. The change of weather happens with such rapid pace that the farmer does not even get a chance to recover.
The author explains the pricing of multinational company's products starting from the raw products in a very simple way:
Corn Poultry Corn Flakes sold at a support price of Rs. 1500 a quintal are sold at a rate of 500 grams for Rs. 150. Means at the rate of 300 rupees kilo or thirty thousand rupees quintal.
The characters in this book use folk language, speak English also when required. The rural characters of 'Akal Mein Utsav' talk in the 'Malvi' language, which is spoken in the adjoining areas of Indore-Bhopal-Sihor districts, while the Collector and the A.D.M. For example, the elite class character is seen speaking Hindi in mixed English.
This book can prove to be an important tool for understanding our country. Through his work, he has worked to bring such words of plea to us which are suppressed.
Pankaj Subir has written this book in a satirical manner. The author has once again introduced his mastery in this story. His use of interesting dialogues and interesting events has indeed made this generic story a worth reading one.
About the Author:
Pankaj Subir is an well established credible author. He is widely known for his stories, satirical articles and poems (Kadambini, Wagarth, New Gyanodaya, Samar Lok, Sangeet Varanasi, Adharshila, Samar Shesh), compositions published in the national magazine Lough. He attended the 2005 and 2006 Young Story Writer Specials in the Indian Language Council. He was also included in the young writer special issue of the year 2007 by Bharatiya Jnanpith. He was honoured with Premchand honour for 'And the story dies ...'. - the work of publishing from Shivna Prakashan.
