Fiction-In Translation-Odia
Series Edited by Mini Krishnan. Translated by Leelawati Mohapatra, Paul St-Pierre and K.K. Mohapatra
Consider for example Fakir Mohan Senapati’s ‘Rebati’, published in 1898. Hailed as a double triumph, ‘Rebati’ not only inaugurates the first modern Odia short story, but also subtly advances a reformist vision through a young girl’s desire for education. The story, however, unfolds as a quiet tragedy and not as a tale of triumph. Rebati’s aspiration to study is portrayed as the spark that sets in motion a catastrophic chain of events.
Reviewed by: S Deepika