Autobiography-In Translation-Marathi
By Rajendra Banahatti. Translated from the original Marathi by Jerry Pinto
The judicious use of footnotes, something not in fashion currently, to explain cultural practices like antarpat, a benediction from Sanskrit, or a line from Sant Ramdas adds value to the smooth and flowing narration. A brief introduction to the context of the writer (especially when s/he is a lesser-known writer in the English-speaking scenario) and the place of this text in the Marathi ecosystem could have added some gravitas to the text and helped readers to build a more adequate picture about the context of production. It is curious to see the narrator, a retired engineer who has had no whiff of literature or art by his own admission, using words like uxorious or non compos mentis.
Reviewed by: Vanamala Viswanatha