Folktales, wild cats, Partition

THREE NEW RELEASES

Partitions
by Kamleshwar
Penguin Books India
Rs 350
384 pages

This is the first English translation of Kamleshwar's Kitne Pakistan, a provocative saga that asks crucial questions about the making and writing of history. While its main reference point is the turmoil of India's partition in 1947, the novel presents a canvas against which the most extraordinary trial in the history of mankind runs its course.

The Mughal emperors Babar and Aurangzeb, Lord Mountbatten, Adolf Hitler and Saddam Hussein are among the many participants in this story, as the author fiercely examines the long historical process that leads to the creation of countless nations "" which in turn creates a never-ending cycle of hatred and distrust.

The King and I: Travels in Tigerland
by Prerna Singh Bindra
Rupa & Co
256 pages

Even as hope continues to dwindle for the majestic animal, it's been a good season for books about tigers. This one is the result of environmental journalist and travel writer Prerna Singh Bindra's travels through the forests of India, on the trail of the Big Cats.

Though the book's focus is on the tiger, a fair amount of space is given to the other wild beast of feline provenance. Bindra travels from the snowy Himalayas to Gir, from the Sunderbans to Rudraprayag and Sariska. Written in a reader-friendly travel-journal style, this is a fine, intimate perspective on an issue that is "" or should be "" of deep concern to us all.

Scarless Face & Other Stories
(Edited by) Griffin Ondaatje
HarperCollins
Rs 295
264 pages

Many familiar tales show up in this compilation of stories drawn from Buddhist, Hindu and Muslim traditions "" including those from the beloved Jataka legends, about the previous lives of the Buddha.

Much of the success of these retellings comes from the authors' recognition of the delicate humour that runs through the narratives. Leading writers from Sri Lanka and Canada have, in most cases, embellished the tales with their own voices and imaginative powers, while retaining the spirit of the originals.

One of the best interpretations is Graeme MacQueen's "Just like the Rest", about a king's encounter with the Boddhisatva "pre-incarnated" as a stag. Another high point is Michael Ondaatje's lively account of a group of vultures trying to help a merchant.