Do you like reading short stories? What are you reading now? Do you read in a chronicle order from cover to cover or simply pick up any story to complete the book as randomly as it started?  Say what…short stories is sheer fun to come out of reading slump and facilitates a break from compulsive reading habits.

The best aspect of reading short light stories of writers like Ruskin Bond, Sudha Murthy, Premchand, and Mulk Raj Anand – is that you get fazed by their aura of diversity and no nervous burden is added.

Recent pick was Devri written by an Indian-based software professional Prateek Shrivastav.

‘I realize now that my dreams do not need to end in Devri, but they can start from Devri’.

I agree that a fun, light, entertaining read is all you need after a hectic day and this is one such read, however, in the form of a short story collection that houses 14 short stories portraying the hues of life, characters and themes picked up from Devri, the village, and other nearby areas and small towns. These stories are far from the commotion of cities. Yet depicting how people are associated with cities for their growth, desires, and well being…but in the underlying context you can decipher that no matter how far one goes in the search of glistering career and life growth, the roots (in India) are always linked to small towns and villages.

 Justifying the pretty cover and the title, some stories are humorous, while some are light grave but equally electrifying, some are simply wackily amusing while some leave us thinking how unpredictable life can be. Each of them has its message and its importance which the author brings to life with absolute penmanship and clarity of expressions and intentions. It is often noticed that in the lust of city life, people leave behind their centuries-old lineage and heritage and work legacy, similar theme was covered in the story: The Interwoven Dreams.

‘I realize now that my dreams do not need to end in Devri, but they can start from Devri’. I can take the name of Amma and Devri to the rest of the world. Ma, I will create a plan with Govind Kaka and the other artisans. We will create such a legacy that Amma would be proud of us. We don’t need to sell anything: you can focus on opening your sweet shop. Neither of us has to hold back our dreams anymore.’

The protagonist in the story, Chandan looks forward to have a dashing career in Arts after completing his education from Delhi. Initially, he is headed strong for his dreams, caring nothing for his mother and grandma. With time, he realizes his family’s values and the hard work they had done in setting up their shops of crafts. That thought changed him. Heritage and lineage of a family, hometown, and village are needed to be revered, not to be left in abeyance. Though this aspect is getting buried in India…but once people would live all their life tethering to home values and fundamentals. The last story ‘The Fort of Mevta’ reverses the trend. And that story of a Tonga guy…’Takes two to Tanga’ mixes compassion toward animals with saving the vestiges of a faded family.

Many evident and clear themes can be identified in the book, it has got stories to entertain you but appeals to you to go back to places, streets, river banks, and forlorn railway stations to decorate your memories once again. There is no shame in visiting places where we grew up…right? The book probably is right in its message.

The emotional theme of the book is more than just a reading experience. The book’s greatness stitches your heart with nostalgia and beauty of the bygone era. Devri is a perfectly crafted literature masterpiece. From all points of view, this is indeed a great effort by the debut writer to deliver stories with charm and gullible credibility. Each story has a platform to stage characters, to rise the tempo of climax, and brining the ultimate message for the audience. Simple writing makes it a lovely book to savour for lifetime.