Book Review: “Sakhi” - Marathi
Author: Va. Pu. Kale
Genre: Short stories
Pages: 183
Cost: 140 Rs.
Publisher: Mehta Publishing House.
First Published: Jan 1994
Va. Pu. Kale is one of the most popular authors in Marathi literature. He is one of those authors whose quotes or quotes of his books are noted down by many people. Most of his books can feature in best selling categories. His books can also be categorized as Travel companion books. I don’t mean he writes about his travel but you can use his book to pass time in boring long and lonely travels. So picking up this book “Sakhi” wasn’t hard for me, especially looking at his track record. Some of his books I read are “Karmachari”, “Mayabazar”, “Cheers”, “Bai, Baiko, Calendar”, “Kahi Khar Kahi Khot”, “Mi Manus Shodhatoy”, “Gulmohar”. Most of these books I enjoyed whole heartedly. Among this list I think “Karmachari” is his best work and it is a Must Read Book by anyone who loves reading.
So I was upbeat about reading Va. Pu. Kale’s next book. But I am little disappointed with this book after finished reading it. It isn’t like his usual work. May be most of his other books are light hearted and this one has little serious tone, and I wasn’t expecting it. In all his other books he always had funny side up in the end; but not in this book. “Sakhi” as name suggest this book is women-centric. “Sakhi” means a female friend.
This book is about females in modern India, who are educated and at par with males. It is about their emotions, their troubles coping up with the world. And how our men dominated society perceive the independent women. As per the book most of the men when see a single women, a widow or without any men’s company, they took her as available object and lust is first thing on their mind. Because of this how females have to sacrifice their innocence and be tuff or give in to people’s lust or find a protective man to survive in the world. Book talks about very sensitive issues in female’s lives. But thankfully it does not present all the men as insensitive animals. This may be because author is himself a male or the book could have gone otherwise.
I won’t say it is Va. Pu Kale’s best work but it is worth a read at least once. May be some of the women might identify with some of the issues. But it is certainly not the entertaining books Va. Pu. Kale is known for. If I have to rate this book I will give 5 out of 10.
