Read more
Chandrakanta s "Katha Satisar" ("The Saga of Satisar") is a panoramic story that details the history of her community, the Kashmiri Pandits, and describes a way of life that is rapidly disappearing. Combining myth, legend, geography, history and politics, the novel cuts a long swathe from the early twentieth century to the beginning of the twenty-first, showing how lives have changed, how the syncretism that so strongly typified Kashmiri life has disappeared in the face of militancy, mismanagement, state apathy and the dirty play of politics. Kashmir finds itself in much of Chandrakanta s writing. This may be, she writes, because my hopes of returning to this land... where the colourful memories of my youth mingle with the fragrance of the cool breeze, ... are gradually fading away, forcing me to live in the world of memories. A passionate and heartfelt cry for a land and a way of life that was so treasured by its protagonists, "Katha Satisar" was awarded the prestigious Vyas Samman in 2005."
About the author
Chandrakanta is one of India's foremost Hindi writers and the author of more than thirty books, including
A Street in Srinagar, also published by Zubaan.
Ranjana Kaul teaches literature at Delhi University.
