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.
| Category: | Indian Literature in Translation |
|---|
| Format |
|---|
Related products
-
The Pollen Waits on Tiptoe- Selected Poems
₹310.00Author: Dattatreya Ramachandra Bendre, Translator: Madhav Ajjampur
The book presents English translations of 26 selected poems of 20th-century Kannada literature’s varakavi (heaven-touched poet) and one of the greatest lyric poets to have lived: Dattatreya Ramachandra Bendre.
Although no selection of Bendre’s poems, even in the original Kannada, can ever be representative of the astonishing range of his poetry, the poems in this book give the reader a sampling of some of the different types of poems Bendre wrote – including the blank verse of his sonnets, the free verse of some of his later poetry, and the overwhelmingly-euphonic lyric poems of his first period. Several of the included poems are also acknowledged classics.
A standout feature of this book is its character as a multimedia presentation. Given the exceptional aural quality of Bendre’s poetry, a provision has been made for the reader to listen to audio recordings of each poem, in both its original and translated forms. Also included are Afterwords which, among other things, contain stories about Bendre, interesting anecdotes related to the poems, and reflections on the process of translation.
Interested overseas customers may write to us at mup@manipal.edu about purchasing the book.
Also available on

eBook available on

-
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.
Also available on

-
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.
This collection weaves together her writings on the underprivileged and marginalized as seen from the comfort of her palatial home, but rendered with compassion and empathy. Often, we find her narrative infused with self-directed questions such as, “What if I was in her shoes? ” or “Could that have been me? ” These stories are reflections on human nature, suffering, and destiny. There is hope, there is despair. There is love, there is longing. There is defeat, and there is triumph. In her stories, an oft-recurring metaphor for picking up one’s life after loss is a scorching summer followed by a torrential downpour and subsequently a plant springing to life.
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.
-
Caught in the World of Binaries: Selected Poems of K S Nisar Ahmed
₹310.00Author: K S Nisar Ahmed Editors: C N Ramachandran, M S Raghunath
Professor K S Nisar Ahmed (b 1936) is a geologist by profession and a major writer in Kannada. His first collection of poems, Manasu Gandhi Bazar (My Mind is like Gandhi Bazar) was published in 1960, and since then he has published poetry (15 collections), prose (five collections), and translations from Shakespeare and Neruda. He has been honoured with many awards, including ‘Padmashri’, Honorary D Litt (Kuvempu University), and Pampa Prashasti (Karnataka Government). Living between two languages and two cultures, Prof. Nisar has successfully achieved the balance necessary for the tight-rope walking as a poet. He believes that, “Only when you understand another religion (or culture or language), you really understand your own religion (or culture or language).” The present volume of 100 selected poems exhibits the multifaceted poetry of Nisar that reflects his creative pluralism. The 13 translators of the poems in this volume include A K Ramanujan, V K Gokak and Tejaswini Niranjana.
Interested readers may write to us at mup@manipal.edu about purchasing the book.
-
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.
Also available on

-
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.
Also available on

eBook available on

-
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. -
Swan Song
₹320.00Author: T R Subba Rao| Translator: Pramod Mutalik
Swan Song is the poignant tale of Venkatasubbiah, a legendary musician from 18th century Chitradurga. Written by renowned Kannada author Late Shri T R Subba Rao (TaRaSu) and translated into English by Prof Pramod Mutalik, the novel explores the extraordinary journey of an artist whose unwavering dedication to his craft defines his life.
The author weaves together perspectives from people of varied backgrounds to reconstruct Venkatasubbiah’s story, revealing his innate musical genius and determination. It narrates the tale of a musician’s steadfast devotion to art against all odds.
The narrative takes a dramatic turn when Venkatasubbiah defies Tippu Sultan’s order to perform in his palace. To protect the dignity of his art, he sacrifices his ability to sing by cutting off his tongue. Undeterred, he continues to produce swaras through his nose, earning him the metaphorical title of the swan. His life ends while performing, leaving an unforgettable legacy of self-respect and artistic integrity.
Interested readers may write to us at mup@manipal.edu about purchasing the book.













