Let Polly Thrive: May anyone shout as they please
₹200.00
Author: Kotiganahalli Ramaiah, Translator: Anusha Ravi Sood
Who are you?
Let Polly Thrive: May anyone shout as they please poses this very question. Can a piece of laminated paper define your identity, or should society’s rules dictate who you are? Why can’t a man dream of food, or a buffalo fall in love with a girl? A quirky yet hard-hitting play, it holds up a mirror to you and me, forcing us to take a long, honest look at ourselves. Perhaps the answer lies within this unusual love triangle between a man, a woman, and a buffalo—or maybe it flickers under the lantern that lights up a Dalit woman’s home. Could it be hidden within the farce of communism among the privileged castes, which reeks of casteism?
Well, if you can figure out this riddle, let me in on it too.
Interested readers may write to us at mup@manipal.edu about purchasing the book.
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Madhavi Kathana Kavya
₹195.00Author: ONV Kurup, Translator: Parvathi G Aithal
ವ್ಯಾಸ ಮಹಾಭಾರತದ ಉದ್ಯೋಗ ಪರ್ವದಲ್ಲಿ ಬರುವ ಒಂದು ಉಪಾಖ್ಯಾನವನ್ನಾಧರಿಸಿ ಬರೆದ ಒಂದು ಕಾವ್ಯವಿದು. ಮೂಲಕಥೆಯಲ್ಲಿ ಮಾಧವಿಯ ಶೋಷಣೆ ಎದ್ದು ಕಾಣುವುದಿಲ್ಲ. ವಿಶ್ವಾಮಿತ್ರ ಶಿಷ್ಯನಾದ ಗಾಲವನು ತನ್ನ ವಿದ್ಯಾಭ್ಯಾಸವನ್ನು ಮುಗಿಸಿ ಹೊರಡುವಾಗ ‘ಗುರುದಕ್ಷಿಣೆಯಾಗಿ ಏನನ್ನು ಕೊಡಲಿ?’ ಎಂದು ಕೇಳುತ್ತಾನೆ. ವಿಶ್ವಾಮಿತ್ರರು ಗುರುದಕ್ಷಿಣೆ ಬೇಡವೆಂದರೂ ಕೇಳುವುದಿಲ್ಲ. ಕೊನೆಗೆ ವಿಶ್ವಾಮಿತ್ರರು, ‘ಒಂದು ಕಿವಿ ಮಾತ್ರ ಕಪ್ಪಾಗಿರುವ ಎಂಟುನೂರು ಶ್ವೇತಾಶ್ವಗಳನ್ನು ಕಾಣಿಕೆಯಾಗಿ ತೆಗೆದುಕೊಂಡು ಬಾ’ ಎಂದು ಹೇಳುತ್ತಾರೆ. ಆದರೆ, ಅಂಥ ವಿಶೇಷ ಗುಣದ ಕುದುರೆಗಳು ಬಹಳ ದುರ್ಲಭವಾದುವೆಂಬುದನ್ನು ಅರಿತಾಗ ಗಾಲವ ದಾನಶೂರ ಯಯಾತಿ ಮಹಾರಾಜನ ಬಳಿ ಸಹಾಯ ಬೇಡಲು ಹೋಗುತ್ತಾನೆ. ಆಗಷ್ಟೇ ದೊಡ್ಡದೊಂದು ಯಾಗ ಮುಗಿಸಿದ ಯಯಾತಿಯ ಬಳಿ ಅಶ್ವಗಳಿಲ್ಲ. ಆದರೆ, ತನ್ನ ಪ್ರತಿಷ್ಠೆಯನ್ನು ಉಳಿಸಿಕೊಳ್ಳುವುದಕ್ಕೋಸ್ಕರ ಯಯಾತಿ ತನ್ನ ಮಗಳು ಮಾಧವಿಯನ್ನು ಗಾಲವನ ವಶಕ್ಕೆ ಬಿಟ್ಟು ‘ರೂಪಸಿಯಾದ ಈಕೆಯನ್ನು ಬೇಕಾದ ಹಾಗೆ ಬಳಸಿಕೊಂಡು ನಿನಗೆ ಬೇಕಾದ ಅಶ್ವಗಳನ್ನು ಪಡೆ’ ಅನ್ನುತ್ತಾನೆ. ಹಾಗೆ ಗಾಲವನು ಮಾಧವಿಯನ್ನು ಮೂರು ಮಂದಿ ರಾಜರ ಬಳಿಗೆ ಕರೆದೊಯ್ದು ಅವರಿಂದ ತಲಾ ಇನ್ನೂರು ಅಶ್ವಗಳನ್ನು ಪಡೆದು ಆ ರಾಜರುಗಳಿಗೆ ಒಂದು ವರ್ಷದ ಮಟ್ಟಿಗೆ ಉಪಯೋಗಿಸಿಕೊಳ್ಳಲು ಮಾಧವಿಯನ್ನು ಒಪ್ಪಿಸುತ್ತಾನೆ. ಮೂಲ ಕಥೆಯಲ್ಲಿ ಮಾಧವಿಯ ಮನಸ್ಸಿನ ಸಂಘರ್ಷಗಳು ವ್ಯಕ್ತವಾಗಿಲ್ಲ. ‘ಪುರುಷರಿಂದ ಲೈಂಗಿಕವಾಗಿ ಎಷ್ಟು ಸಾರಿ ಬಳಸಲ್ಪಟ್ಟರೂ ನನ್ನ ಕನ್ಯತ್ವ ಉಳಿಯುವಂಥ ವರ ನನಗಿದೆಯಾದ್ದರಿಂದ ನಾನು ನಿನಗೆ ಸಹಾಯ ಮಾಡಬಲ್ಲೆ’ ಎಂದು ಗಾಲವನ ಬಳಿ ಅವಳೇ ಹೇಳುತ್ತಾಳೆ . ಓಎನ್ವಿ ಕುರುಪ್ ಬರೆದ ಈ ಕೃತಿಯಲ್ಲಿ ಅವರು ಕೆಲವು ಬದಲಾವಣೆಗಳನ್ನು ಮಾಡಿಕೊಂಡಿದ್ದಾರೆ. ಇಲ್ಲಿ ಇಡೀ ಕಥೆಯನ್ನು ಪುರುಷರಿಂದ ಘೋರ ಅನ್ಯಾಯಕ್ಕೊಳಗಾಗಿ ಮಾನಸಿಕ ಯಾತನೆಯನ್ನು ಅನುಭವಿಸಿರಬಹುದಾದ ಮಾಧವಿಯ ದೃಷ್ಟಿಯಿಂದ ಬರೆಯಲಾಗಿದೆ. ಆದ್ದರಿಂದ ಇದರ ಸ್ತ್ರೀವಾದಿ ಓದು ಒಂದು ವಿಶಿಷ್ಟ ಅನುಭವವನ್ನು ನೀಡುತ್ತದೆ.ಮಲಯಾಳದ ಜ್ಞಾನಪೀಠ ಪ್ರಶಸ್ತಿ ವಿಜೇತ ಸಾಹಿತಿ ಓಎನ್ವಿಕುರುಪ್ ಅವರ ‘ಸ್ವಯಂವರಂ’ ಎಂಬ ಖಂಡಕಾವ್ಯದ ಭಾವಾನುವಾದವಿದು. ಮಹಾಭಾರತದ `ಉದ್ಯೋಗ ಪರ್ವ’ ದಲ್ಲಿ ಬರುವ ಒಂದು ಉಪಾಖ್ಯಾನದಲ್ಲಿ ಪುರುಷ ವರ್ಗದಿಂದ ಘೋರವಾಗಿ ಶೋಷಣೆಗೊಳಗಾದ ಮಾಧವಿ ಈ ಕಥೆಯ ನಾಯಕಿಯಾಗಿದ್ದು ಇಡೀ ಕಾವ್ಯವೇ ಅವಳ ದೃಷ್ಟಿಕೋನದಿಂದ ರಚಿತವಾಗಿದ್ದರಿಂದ ಸ್ತ್ರೀವಾದಿ ಓದಿಗೆ ಒಳಪಡಿಸಲು ಅತ್ಯಂತ ಸೂಕ್ತವಾದ ಕೃತಿಯಿದು ಎಂದೆನ್ನಿಸಿ ಅನುವಾದಕಿ ಅದರ ಶೀರ್ಷಿಕೆಯನ್ನು ‘ಮಾಧವಿ ಕಥನ ಕಾವ್ಯ’ವೆಂದು ಬದಲಾಯಿಸಿದ್ದಾರೆ . ಇದನ್ನು ಓದಿದಾಗೆಲ್ಲ ರಾಮಾಯಣದ ಸೀತೆಯ ನೆನಪಾಗುತ್ತದೆ.
Interested customers may write to us at mup@manipal.edu about purchasing the book.
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A Shrine for Sarasamma
₹180.00Author: Shivarama Karanth Translator: D A Shankar
A Shrine for Sarasamma is the English translation of Sarasammana Samadhi written by K Shivarama Karanth in 1937, in his early thirties. It offers one of the most authentic and searing accounts of Indian womanhood, which consistently, and through the ages, has suffered deep anguish, humiliation and crushing insult from the oppressive patriarchal culture prevalent in all parts of India and among all castes and classes. The novel is a classic in Kannada and the English translation is an attempt to bring to the English reading audience a taste of the regional classic.
Interested readers may write to us at mup@manipal.edu about purchasing the book.
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Tunes of a Single String
₹200.00Author: Kathyayini Kunjibettu, Translator: N Thirumaleshwara Bhat
Dive into the enchanting poetry of Dr Kathyayini Kunjibettu through Tunes of a Single String, a captivating translation of her anthology Ekthari Sanchari. Kathyayini’s verses defy convention with unrhymed lines and free verse, reflecting a profound liberation of spirit and language. Each poem brings rural landscapes and Indian mythological scenes to life with remarkable freshness and emotional depth.
This collection invites readers to explore why Kathyayini’s works align with Renaissance Poems of a Modernist Tradition. Her poetic voice resonates with freshness and depth, deftly blending familiar themes into uniquely unconventional settings. Tunes of a Single String invites readers to delve into the vibrant world of modern Kannada poetry through Kathyayini’s fearless exploration of life, culture, and language.
Interested customers may write to us at mup@manipal.edu about purchasing the book.
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The Other Face
₹550.00Author: Na Mogasale Translator: N T Bhat
Set in a fictitious village called Kanthapura in Kasaragod district, Mukhāntara spans across the life of seven generations of a Havyaka Brahmin family. A story about the realities of living in a society marked by caste distinctions, the desire to find communal harmony and the tribulations of the characters through the entirety of the novel, it is also a tale of changing times and people. After unexpectedly coming into possession of a huge portion of land, Thirumalēshwara Bhat of Īshwarīmūle becomes a satisfied man. But childless, Thirumalēshwara Bhat and his wife Pārvathakka decide to adopt Venkappaiah and also give shelter to his widowed mother, Rathnamma. Venkappaiah is to inherit Thirumalēshwara’s vast wealth but when Krishnaiah, the illegitimate child of Thirumalēshwara and Rathnamma is born, rivalry ensues. Through the overlapping narratives of the characters, we get a glimpse into their journey from tradition to modernity. The characters strive to reshape new values when old values are slowly questioned and erased as they move on and are swept along in the waves of globalization.
Interested readers may write to us at mup@manipal.edu about purchasing the book.
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Pot of Butter and other short stories
₹250.00Author: Sunanda Belgaumkar Translator: Sa Usha, Vaijayanti Suryanarayana
Pot of Butter and other Short Stories is a collection of nine short stories, originally composed by Sunanda Belgaumkar in Kannada, handpicked and translated from her collections – Kajjaya and Koduvudenu Kombudenu. The bulk of her literary work including the stories in this book are inspired by the experiences in her early life, in the rustic and robust atmosphere of Dharwad. Her stories are predominantly semiautobiographical, laced with a liberal dose of artistic freedom.
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As a translation, this book attempts to introduce Sunanda Belgaumkar’s literary and artistic creations to the non-Kannada reader, retaining as much of the indigenous elements of the original writings as possible. In doing so, it seeks to preserve the cultural climate of North Karnataka as it was around fifty years ago.
Interested readers may write to us at mup@manipal.edu about purchasing the book.
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Kempu Kanagile and Chitra
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ಕೆಂಪು ಕಣಗಿಲೆ: ಅದೆಂಥ ಗಾಢಾಂಧಕಾರವೇ ಇರಲಿ, ಪುಟ್ಟ ಹಣತೆಯೊಂದು ಅದನ್ನು ತೊಡೆಯಬಲ್ಲುದೆಂಬುದು ಸಾರ್ವಕಾಲಿಕ ಸತ್ಯ. ಅಂಥದೊAದು ಸಂಘರ್ಷದ ಕಥನವನ್ನು ಗುರುದೇವ ರವೀಂದ್ರರು ತಮ್ಮ ಈ ನಾಟಕದಲ್ಲಿ ಹೇಳಿದ್ದಾರೆ. ‘ಕೆಂಪು ಕಣಗಿಲೆ’ ತೆರೆದಿಡುವ ಕೌರ್ಯದ ಜಗತ್ತು ಇಂದು ಈ ಕಾಲಘಟ್ಟದಲ್ಲಿ ನಿಂತು ಬರೆದರೇನೋ ಎಂಬಷ್ಟು ತಾಜಾ ಆಗಿದೆ. ಇಲ್ಲಿಯ ರಂಜನ ಕೇವಲ ಒಂದು ಪಾತ್ರವಲ್ಲ; ನಾವೆಲ್ಲರೂ ನಮ್ಮೊಳಗೆ ತುಂಬಿಸಿಕೊಳ್ಳಬೇಕಾದ ಜೀವನ ಪ್ರೀತಿಯ ವಿವಿಧ ಆಯಾಮಗಳ ಪ್ರತಿನಿಧಿ. ಇಲ್ಲಿಯ ನಂದಿನಿ ಇಂದು ಜಗವ ಸಂತೈಸಬೇಕಾದ ತಾಯಿಹೃದಯದ ಪ್ರತೀಕವಾಗಿದ್ದಾಳೆ.
ಚಿತ್ರಾ: ಪೌರಾಣಿಕ ಕಥಾನಕವೊಂದರ ಪುನರ್ಲೇಖನದ ಈ ನಾಟಕವು ಹೆಣ್ಣು ಮತ್ತು ರಾಷ್ಟçವನ್ನು ಒಂದು ಸಂಕಥನವನ್ನಾಗಿ ಚರ್ಚಿಸುತ್ತದೆ. ಹೆಣ್ಣು-ಗಂಡಿನ ಘನತೆಯ ಬದುಕನ್ನು ಕನಸುವ ನಿರೂಪಣೆ ನಾವು ಕಟ್ಟಬೇಕಾಗಿರುವ ರಾಷ್ಟçದ ರೂಪುರೇಷೆಗಳನ್ನೂ ತನ್ನೊಳಗೆ ಆಡಕ ಮಾಡಿಕೊಂಡಿದೆ. ನಮ್ಮ ಅನನ್ಯತೆಯನ್ನು ಉಳಿಸಿಕೊಳ್ಳುತ್ತಲೇ ಇನ್ನೊಬ್ಬರೊಂದಿಗೆ ಸಹಬಾಳ್ವೆಯನ್ನು ನಡೆಸುವ ಬಗೆಯನ್ನು ಮಂಡಿಸುತ್ತದೆ. ತಾನು ಆರೋಪಿಸಿಕೊಂಡ ಕೃತಕ ತೆರೆಯನ್ನು ಸರಿಸುವ ಚಿತ್ರಾ ನಮ್ಮೊಳಗಿನ ಅರಿವಿಗೆ ತೊಡಕಾಗಿರುವ ಸಂಕುಚಿತತೆಯ ಪರದೆಯನ್ನೂ ಸರಿಸುತ್ತಾಳೆ.
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Swapna Saraswatha
₹530.00Author: Gopalakrishna Pai Translator: Sumathi Shenoy, M R Rakshith, Savita Sastri
Swapna Saraswatha is the saga of migration of a community called Saraswaths in the west coast of India, extending from Goa to the south of Mangalore. It captures the dominance of a colonial power over the region that began with the entry of the Portuguese about four hundred years ago. The novel is a graphic description of the displacement of this strongly-rooted community which saw its resurrection in a new area. In the course of its narrative, the novel traces the gradual changes in the structure of the family that moved from a closely knit joint family of the bygone era to the nuclear family. It also deals with the factors that are responsible for the change in value systems of individuals in the wake of such paradigm shifts. With its vast canvas, it remarkably weaves fiction with myth and history, peppered with cultural details and linguistic nuances. The narration in Swapna Saraswatha progresses in the form of an epic detailing the story of nine generations spread over a period of two hundred and fifty years from 1510 to about 1760. It encompasses more than a hundred and fifty characters which include Hindus, Muslims, Christians, chieftains, traders, farmers, priests and black magicians, and covers a range of themes spread across folk tales, legends, armies, myths and a sprinkling of history.
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Mahāmmāyi
₹195.00Author: Chandrasekhara Kambara, Translator: Kathyayini Kunjibettu
Mahāmmāyi is the story of the legend of Shatavithaayi – the Goddess of death, and her adopted son Sambhashiva. Out of affection for her son, Goddess Shatavithaayi blesses him with the “power of life”. The blessing was that death will evade the people who are treated by Sambashiva. But a certain condition set by Shatavithaayi forbade him from healing every ill man. The condition was that, if Shatavithaayi stood on the right side of the patient, Sambhashiva could treat that person and he would live; but, if she stood on the left side of the patient, he should not treat that person as his death was inevitable. Through a distinct method of story-telling, the story follows the life of Sambhashiva as he begins to question the ideas of fate and destiny. Thus, the conflict between fate and human efforts to change that fate is vividly described in this play.













