संपूर्ण कहानियाँ : फणीश्वरनाथ रेणु

संपूर्ण कहानियाँ : फणीश्वरनाथ रेणु by फणीश्वर नाथ रेणु
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

A wonderful anthology of stories ranging from the pre-independence times to the late sixties. Beautifully printed book, bound with an attractive cover. Each story is graced at the beginning and end with an icon of Madhubani art.
The tone of the stories is like that of Munshi Premchand but on a more optimistic note. The chronological order reflects the evolution of the author’s style and content. Initially, restricted to rural life talking about people from the bottom of the socioeconomic layer like Dalits, farmers, iron-smiths, carpenters, cobblers, cattle, Naxalites etc.

बाबू नाम तो मेरा करमा ही है। वैसे लोगों के हज़ार मुहँ हैं, हज़ार नाम कहते हैं। निताय बाबू कोरमा कहते थे, घोस बाबू करीमा कहकर बुलाते थे, सिंघजी ने सब दिन कामा ही कहा और असगर बाबू तो हमेशा करम-करम कहते थे। खुश रहने पर दिल्लगी करते थे - हाय मेरे करम ! नाम में क्या है, बाबू? जो मन में आये, कहिये। हज़ार नाम।

There is a gradual shift to a more urbanised milieu as writers, workers in banks and offices, charlatans, quacks, doctors, railway employees take the centre stage. Issues like war, romance and love, adultery (and cuckolds), communism are tackled with skill.
Lord Krishna's leela features in one story, a valiant buffalo takes on the goons of exploitative landlords in another, and a crow is a protagonist in one story - dispelling its reputation as a bird of ill omen.
In the final story the author goes back to his roots, paying homage to his cultural background and Madhubani art, specifially.

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