Lights, Pages, Action!

The Diwali of 2009 was the worst ever. It even superseded that Diwali in which a tubri burst into Baba's face. I have thus shunned Diwali in the most religious manner possible. I become this anti-social, non-friendly, irritant person, much believing that I was a dog in my previous life -- sound irks me that much. This Diwali was also going the same, my mother is out of station and I am doing the watchdog service on my father and have deliberately not been meeting R, R & I. Keeping to me and my grief of a fast approaching end of vacation.

At about 6 pm, my friend casually sent me a WhatsApp of a link, which said that a book we had co-translated about two years back is really available on the virtual market. I waived it away even more casually but when I did click on the link and saw that doodle appear on the phone screen...I could never have imagined the joy I felt. This doodle is special. It was done when I was working in JNU, in tears most of the time, bundled inside room 30 of Yamuna Hostel. The first person who saw it surprised me with her gaped appreciation. She insistingly kept knocking on my door that night which remained closed for two days and only smelt of smoke. I was speechless too. Smoking and doodling and smoking some more.

Cut. 2012. I bravely let it be featured on the cover of the first book which would be published, even if only translated and not authored by us. It is not the fact that the book is out in the market, it is certainly not the fact that our names are on the cover, but it is the doodle which flew from room 30 and is flying the open sky that alone makes it a well-lit Diwali. I am also happy with the title which I suggested and thank my co-translator who voted for it. The doodle speaks that, Soulful Tales.

Have a look:

http://www.amazon.in/SOULFUL-TALES-K-SENGUPTA-SANYAL/dp/8176170771/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1413994659&sr=8-1&keywords=soulful+tales