Chal Ga Saye Warulala

This is Sanhita Rajan’s first short-story collection. The world portrayed in these stories is shaped primarily by three elements: the darkness and suffocation experienced by women in aristocratic Maratha families; groups of young people—especially young women—working in the information technology sector; and the malls and associated cultural world of modern urban life.

All three elements are an integral part of Sanhita’s own lived experience. As a result, the language used in each of these settings comes across as remarkably authentic.

In almost every story, a young woman occupies the centre of the narrative. The story revolves around her, and the world unfolds through her eyes. But there is much more to these stories than this.

The writer’s curiosity about human relationships, relationships between men and women, traditions, beliefs, and the processes through which society evolves is strikingly evident throughout the collection.

Time, place, atmosphere, and circumstances are constantly changing. Yet the question of what happens to human relationships amid these changes remains timeless.

Sanhita’s stories take shape in the space between the shadow of tradition and the new world of information technology. They are intense, stimulating, and emotionally compelling. They leave readers eagerly anticipating her future writing.

I, too, am among those who look forward to reading more of her work.

— Ranganath Pathare