Description

An Anthology of Indian Fantasy Writing edited by Malashri Lal and Deepa Agarwal, consisting of papers presented in a national seminar organized by the Sahitya Akademi on the theme, “Fantasy, Science Fiction and Other Forms of the Marvellous in Indian Literature”, is the first of its kind to address Indian literature in this genre. It draws attention to the fact that the ‘marvelous’ is often the agency of carrying entertainment as well as social message, conservative as well as radical politics, stereotyping as well as its ironic deflation. From the Ramayana and Mahabharata to the epic of Pabuji, from Kathasartisagarato the stories of Intizar Husain, and from the Buddhist Jataka tales to Devakinandan Khatri’s Chandrakanta, there are parallels and contrasts that are evident. The book is a valuable source of creative as well as critical writings on fantasy, and appeals to general readers as well as the university community.