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प्रेम कबूतर
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160 pages, Paperback
First published February 1, 2017
89 people are currently reading
901 people want to read
About the author
Manav Kaul
32 books395 followersकश्मीर के बारामूला में पैदा हुए मानव कौल, होशंगाबाद (म.प्र.) में परवरिश के रास्ते पिछले 20 सालों से मुंबई में फ़िल्मी दुनिया, अभिनय, नाट्य-निर्देशन और लेखन का अभिन्न हिस्सा बने हुए हैं। अपने हर नए नाटक से हिंदी रंगमंच की दुनिया को चौंकाने वाले मानव ने अपने ख़ास गद्य के लिए साहित्य-पाठकों के बीच भी उतनी ही विशेष जगह बनाई है। इनकी पिछली दोनों किताबें ‘ठीक तुम्हारे पीछे’ और ‘प्रेम कबूतर’ दैनिक जागरण नीलसन बेस्टसेलर में शामिल हो चुकी हैं।
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 68 reviews
October 13, 2019
My first book by Manav Kaul and I loved it to bits!! Translated from the Hindi Prem Kabootar by Pooja Priyamvada, it was a refreshing collection of short stories. It made me appreciate the little things in life, made me miss the simpler no internet days and also to love life a little more.
🏔️
Comprising of eight stories, all of them are sure to take you back to the days when internet wasn't a huge thing, people still wrote letters and the Atlas Gold line cycle was the cool thing. Writing letters to your crush and waiting for their reply, waiting to catch a glimpse of them was so endearing to read. Each story has a recurring theme of loneliness, love, friendship and heartache. The best fact is that it doesn't get repetitive to read about. Kaul's protagonists are flawed, which makes them relatable and they live in a world which exists between the real and the imaginary.
Kaul is a witty writer and the story, 'Five grains of sugar' highlighted that so well!! It was my favourite story from the collection. I loved how mundane it was in tone, but brilliantly made use of the regular in beautiful new ways!
🏔️
If you love stories which explore such themes, you are sure to love it. The feeling of displacement is splendidly written. I loved that the translator was able to retain the poetic feel of Kaul's writing. So beautiful!!
However, the fleeting narrations and going back and forth in time can be a problem to some readers. If you're someone who loves living in your own little world, you're sure to love this book.
5⭐
Thank you Swathi @swathiblogs for recommending this book to me and for all the fangirling over Manav Kaul 🥰 Such a multi-talented person he is 😍
#thebookishtalesreviews #anightinthehills #manavkaul
🏔️
Comprising of eight stories, all of them are sure to take you back to the days when internet wasn't a huge thing, people still wrote letters and the Atlas Gold line cycle was the cool thing. Writing letters to your crush and waiting for their reply, waiting to catch a glimpse of them was so endearing to read. Each story has a recurring theme of loneliness, love, friendship and heartache. The best fact is that it doesn't get repetitive to read about. Kaul's protagonists are flawed, which makes them relatable and they live in a world which exists between the real and the imaginary.
Kaul is a witty writer and the story, 'Five grains of sugar' highlighted that so well!! It was my favourite story from the collection. I loved how mundane it was in tone, but brilliantly made use of the regular in beautiful new ways!
🏔️
If you love stories which explore such themes, you are sure to love it. The feeling of displacement is splendidly written. I loved that the translator was able to retain the poetic feel of Kaul's writing. So beautiful!!
However, the fleeting narrations and going back and forth in time can be a problem to some readers. If you're someone who loves living in your own little world, you're sure to love this book.
5⭐
Thank you Swathi @swathiblogs for recommending this book to me and for all the fangirling over Manav Kaul 🥰 Such a multi-talented person he is 😍
#thebookishtalesreviews #anightinthehills #manavkaul
December 31, 2024
My first-ever Manav Kaul. That too in translation (courtesy of my subpar Hindi reading skills and an atrocious lack of speed). The stories themselves are intriguing. Sombre, nostalgic, surreal. Even, dark, at times. A mixed bag of good writing coupled with a muddled stream of thought. I liked the author's experimental lean, even if it didn't always contribute towards a holistic payoff. Maybe I would have liked it better if I'd read the original?
Although, by that, I take nothing away from Pooja Priyamvada and her translation work. She does a fairly good job here. But it's only so much that you can convert from one language to another. Something or the other is always bound to get lost in translation.
Case in point, the eponymous tale of the original collection, 'Prem Kabootar,' which is translated to 'A Bunch of Old Letters,' where the 'kabootar' is made to be a cuckoo. Because there's probably no proper way to represent 'gutar gu' in English, other than going down a different route. A route named 'cooing,' guarded firmly by a steadfast black bird!
Another example lies in these lines...
अगर तुम मुझे एक मौक़ा और दो
तो मैं तुमसे
सीधे सच नहीं कहूँगा
और थोड़ी-थोड़ी झूठ की चाशनी
तुम्हें चटाता रहूँगा।
Which is made to be...
But if you give me one more chance,
this time I won’t take a false oath
that the dream was true.
However, I will also not give you the entire picture at once.
Instead, I will give you just a taste
of the Absolute ...
Doesn't hit the same, does it?
Anyways. Read for yourself and be the judge of it. I was thinking about giving this a 2.75 or something, like I usually do, but it's not fun being a cheapskate on New Year's Eve, is it?
(3/5 || December, 2024)
Although, by that, I take nothing away from Pooja Priyamvada and her translation work. She does a fairly good job here. But it's only so much that you can convert from one language to another. Something or the other is always bound to get lost in translation.
Case in point, the eponymous tale of the original collection, 'Prem Kabootar,' which is translated to 'A Bunch of Old Letters,' where the 'kabootar' is made to be a cuckoo. Because there's probably no proper way to represent 'gutar gu' in English, other than going down a different route. A route named 'cooing,' guarded firmly by a steadfast black bird!
Another example lies in these lines...
अगर तुम मुझे एक मौक़ा और दो
तो मैं तुमसे
सीधे सच नहीं कहूँगा
और थोड़ी-थोड़ी झूठ की चाशनी
तुम्हें चटाता रहूँगा।
Which is made to be...
But if you give me one more chance,
this time I won’t take a false oath
that the dream was true.
However, I will also not give you the entire picture at once.
Instead, I will give you just a taste
of the Absolute ...
Doesn't hit the same, does it?
Anyways. Read for yourself and be the judge of it. I was thinking about giving this a 2.75 or something, like I usually do, but it's not fun being a cheapskate on New Year's Eve, is it?
(3/5 || December, 2024)
June 21, 2021
Found it disappointing. The book has stories of very normal people going about their lives- their thoughts, their loves, their activities, friendships in a world that is lost to us now. It was an innocent world then where a cycle, passing / writing letters, friendship even observing ants was important.
The stories didn't stay with me. Found them bland and forgettable. Manav Kaul rocks on the screen. I guess I shall go with that.
The stories didn't stay with me. Found them bland and forgettable. Manav Kaul rocks on the screen. I guess I shall go with that.
March 14, 2020
Not a review, just a story behind it.
बारिश, बन्दर और प्रेम कबूतर... (कहानी)
________________________________
कल मैंने पहली बार अमेजन से कोई किताब खुद ऑर्डर कर के मँगाई। डिलिवरी वाला भीगते हुए किताब पहुँचाने आया था। पिछले दो-तीन दिन से लगातार बारिश हो रही है लेकिन जब मैंने ऑर्डर किया था तो मौसम बिल्कुल साफ था। मैंने नहीं सोचा था कि मेरी वजह से किसी को भीगना पड़ेगा। वैसे किताब अच्छी है- प्रेम कबूतर। मानव कौल लिखते हैं- “ प्रेम आदमी को कबूतर बना देता है।” अगर वाकई ऐसा है तो मैं भी कबूतर बनना चाहूँगी। कम से कम उड़ तो सकूँगी।
मुझे किताबें पढ़ना बहुत अच्छा लगता है और जब वह किताब मैंने खुद मँगाई हो तो और भी ज्यादा। इस किताब में लिखी साधारण बातों पर भी हँसी आती है या शायद मैं इसलिए ज्यादा हँसती हूँ ताकि घरवालों को ये न लगे कि इसने किताब के पैसे डुबा दिए। किताबें हमारी सबसे अच्छी दोस्त होती हैं, ख़ासतौर से मेरे जैसे अंतर्मुखी लोगों की, जिनके साथ हम हँस सकते हैं, समय बिता सकते हैं।
आज बरामदे में बैठी "प्रेम कबूतर" पढ़ रही थी। बाहर तेज बरसात हो रही थी। सामने के एक खेत में लबालब पानी भरा है तो कुछ बन्दर पास के ही अमरूद के पेड़ों पर चढ़कर पानी में छलाँग लगा रहे थे और बार-बार यही क्रिया दुहराई जा रही थी। तभी बन्दर के एक छोटे बच्चे ने शायद अपनी माँ से पानी में छलाँग लगाने की इच्छा जाहिर की लेकिन उसकी माँ ने उसके छोटे कद के चलते उसे ऐसा करने से मना कर दिया। शायद इस बात से बच्चे के बालमन पे ठेस पहुँची थी और उसने पेड़ से छलाँग लगा दी लेकिन अपने छोटे कद के चलते वो पानी तक नहीं पहुँच सका बल्कि नीचे ही मेंढक की तरह पसर गया। चोट तो लगी ही होगी उसे लेकिन झट से वापस अपनी माँ के पास पहुँच गया। तब उसे पहली बार एहसास हुआ था कि हमारे बड़े हमेशा उचित सलाह देते हैं। क्या करे उसकी भी क्या गलती थी! जीवन की पहली बारिश देखी थी उसने और बच्चों में तो बड़े होने की जल्दी होती ही है।
किताब पढ़ते हुए मेरा ध्यान बार-बार बारिश में भीग रहे उन बंदरों की ओर जा रहा था। कुछ एक दूसरे को दौड़ा रहे थे। कुछ वही मटमैला पानी पी रहे थे। कुछ छोटे बन्दर पानी में तैर रहे थे। कुछ बस पेड़ पे चढ़ते और छलाँग लगाते। कितने स्वछंद थे वो! अपने में ही मस्त! उन्हें देखकर मुझे पहली बार एहसास हुआ था कि पढ़ाई से ध्यान भटकना भी इतना ख़ूबसूरत हो सकता है।
~Supriyaa Dubeyy ©
बारिश, बन्दर और प्रेम कबूतर... (कहानी)
________________________________
कल मैंने पहली बार अमेजन से कोई किताब खुद ऑर्डर कर के मँगाई। डिलिवरी वाला भीगते हुए किताब पहुँचाने आया था। पिछले दो-तीन दिन से लगातार बारिश हो रही है लेकिन जब मैंने ऑर्डर किया था तो मौसम बिल्कुल साफ था। मैंने नहीं सोचा था कि मेरी वजह से किसी को भीगना पड़ेगा। वैसे किताब अच्छी है- प्रेम कबूतर। मानव कौल लिखते हैं- “ प्रेम आदमी को कबूतर बना देता है।” अगर वाकई ऐसा है तो मैं भी कबूतर बनना चाहूँगी। कम से कम उड़ तो सकूँगी।
मुझे किताबें पढ़ना बहुत अच्छा लगता है और जब वह किताब मैंने खुद मँगाई हो तो और भी ज्यादा। इस किताब में लिखी साधारण बातों पर भी हँसी आती है या शायद मैं इसलिए ज्यादा हँसती हूँ ताकि घरवालों को ये न लगे कि इसने किताब के पैसे डुबा दिए। किताबें हमारी सबसे अच्छी दोस्त होती हैं, ख़ासतौर से मेरे जैसे अंतर्मुखी लोगों की, जिनके साथ हम हँस सकते हैं, समय बिता सकते हैं।
आज बरामदे में बैठी "प्रेम कबूतर" पढ़ रही थी। बाहर तेज बरसात हो रही थी। सामने के एक खेत में लबालब पानी भरा है तो कुछ बन्दर पास के ही अमरूद के पेड़ों पर चढ़कर पानी में छलाँग लगा रहे थे और बार-बार यही क्रिया दुहराई जा रही थी। तभी बन्दर के एक छोटे बच्चे ने शायद अपनी माँ से पानी में छलाँग लगाने की इच्छा जाहिर की लेकिन उसकी माँ ने उसके छोटे कद के चलते उसे ऐसा करने से मना कर दिया। शायद इस बात से बच्चे के बालमन पे ठेस पहुँची थी और उसने पेड़ से छलाँग लगा दी लेकिन अपने छोटे कद के चलते वो पानी तक नहीं पहुँच सका बल्कि नीचे ही मेंढक की तरह पसर गया। चोट तो लगी ही होगी उसे लेकिन झट से वापस अपनी माँ के पास पहुँच गया। तब उसे पहली बार एहसास हुआ था कि हमारे बड़े हमेशा उचित सलाह देते हैं। क्या करे उसकी भी क्या गलती थी! जीवन की पहली बारिश देखी थी उसने और बच्चों में तो बड़े होने की जल्दी होती ही है।
किताब पढ़ते हुए मेरा ध्यान बार-बार बारिश में भीग रहे उन बंदरों की ओर जा रहा था। कुछ एक दूसरे को दौड़ा रहे थे। कुछ वही मटमैला पानी पी रहे थे। कुछ छोटे बन्दर पानी में तैर रहे थे। कुछ बस पेड़ पे चढ़ते और छलाँग लगाते। कितने स्वछंद थे वो! अपने में ही मस्त! उन्हें देखकर मुझे पहली बार एहसास हुआ था कि पढ़ाई से ध्यान भटकना भी इतना ख़ूबसूरत हो सकता है।
~Supriyaa Dubeyy ©
February 25, 2018
बहुत ही सुंदर कहानी संग्रह जिसकी उम्मीद नहीं थी। लगा कि ऐसे ही हल्की फुल्की कहानियां होंगी। लेकिन हर कहानी संजीदा है - संजीदा नहीं, गंभीर।
लिखने की स्टाइल बहुत ज्यादा पसंद आई। लेकिन हर कहानी अधूरी लगी, मानो कितना कुछ कहना बाकी है अभी तो। पढ़ के लगा कि जैसा लोग कहते हैं कि लोग कुछ भी लिखते हैं, वो सच है। जब तक आप अच्छा नहीं पढ़ेंगे, तब तक बुरा कैसा होता है वो तो पता नहीं चलेगा न।
अपने हिसाब से कहानियों को रैंक करने का मन था, सो कर दिया। सबसे पसंदीदा सबसे ऊपर।
1. इति और उदय
2. शब्द और उनके चित्र
3. अबाबील
4. प्रेम कबूतर
5. त्रासदी
6. शक्कर के पांच दाने
7. पहाड़ी रात
8. नकल नवीस
और हां, पढ़ कर ये भी लगा कि अभी कुछ पढ़ने लायक लिखने का समय आया नही है। कुछ समय और शायद।
लिखने की स्टाइल बहुत ज्यादा पसंद आई। लेकिन हर कहानी अधूरी लगी, मानो कितना कुछ कहना बाकी है अभी तो। पढ़ के लगा कि जैसा लोग कहते हैं कि लोग कुछ भी लिखते हैं, वो सच है। जब तक आप अच्छा नहीं पढ़ेंगे, तब तक बुरा कैसा होता है वो तो पता नहीं चलेगा न।
अपने हिसाब से कहानियों को रैंक करने का मन था, सो कर दिया। सबसे पसंदीदा सबसे ऊपर।
1. इति और उदय
2. शब्द और उनके चित्र
3. अबाबील
4. प्रेम कबूतर
5. त्रासदी
6. शक्कर के पांच दाने
7. पहाड़ी रात
8. नकल नवीस
और हां, पढ़ कर ये भी लगा कि अभी कुछ पढ़ने लायक लिखने का समय आया नही है। कुछ समय और शायद।
March 19, 2020
This book is a collection of short stories and each one is a treasure in its own.
It takes you down the memory lane when things where much simpler, when stealing a glance of someone whom you liked was all that mattered, courtship happened through letters, meeting friends for playing cricket was a routine and having a cycle a dream. Interspersed with melancholy, I was surprised at how well the stories tugged my heart. I was transported to each one of them and the characters struck a cord with me.
Read it for the whimsical writing that sucks you in, read it for nostalgia, read it for the beautiful words.
It takes you down the memory lane when things where much simpler, when stealing a glance of someone whom you liked was all that mattered, courtship happened through letters, meeting friends for playing cricket was a routine and having a cycle a dream. Interspersed with melancholy, I was surprised at how well the stories tugged my heart. I was transported to each one of them and the characters struck a cord with me.
Read it for the whimsical writing that sucks you in, read it for nostalgia, read it for the beautiful words.
December 1, 2017
Much better than Banaras Talkies, Musafir Cafe and other modern writers who write as if they were translating a Chetan Bhagat Novel.
Prem Kabootar is a collection of 8 short stories. Four of them are average-good. The other 4 are terrific. That is, it's worth reading the whole book to find out which ones are which.
For me they were
1. शब्द के चित्र
2. शक्कर के पांच दाने
3. त्रासदी (Trasdi)
4. Ababeel
Mradul
Prem Kabootar is a collection of 8 short stories. Four of them are average-good. The other 4 are terrific. That is, it's worth reading the whole book to find out which ones are which.
For me they were
1. शब्द के चित्र
2. शक्कर के पांच दाने
3. त्रासदी (Trasdi)
4. Ababeel
Mradul
November 28, 2019
A beautiful collection of short stories that takes you back in the era without Internet.
This book had been translated from the Hindi version 'Prem Kabootar'.
My favorite among them is ' A Bunch of Old Letters'.
It was my first read from Manav Kaul and loved his writing style. Would look forward to more of his books :)
This book had been translated from the Hindi version 'Prem Kabootar'.
My favorite among them is ' A Bunch of Old Letters'.
It was my first read from Manav Kaul and loved his writing style. Would look forward to more of his books :)
June 1, 2021
“प्यार आदमी को कबूतर बना देता है”
Another lovely book by Manav Kaul ji. A collection of 8 short stories, all touching the very core of human emotions. Strongly recommended.
Another lovely book by Manav Kaul ji. A collection of 8 short stories, all touching the very core of human emotions. Strongly recommended.
June 21, 2025
Prem kabootar, a collection of 8 stories. I think manav kaul is my most read writer and i somehow know how he will proceed with story. Same happened with this one, the writing gives a peace but stories are just ok. Only 2 stories are like, that they will stay with me. But I amy saying this because i have read 5 books of him but if one is a new hindi reader or manav kaul reader. They will surely like it.
August 15, 2020
I cherished the first story "प्रेम कबूतर" a lot. The rest of the stories have something new in them for sure but I didn't enjoy them as much.
In short, Manav Kaul's short stories need to be given a shot.
In short, Manav Kaul's short stories need to be given a shot.
December 6, 2021
Must Read. Worth Your Time.
November 15, 2025
It's a good one. Some stories are very good and some are average. Maybe my expentations from Manav kaul are rocketed after reading his two books. A quick, easy to read and close to real life stories which you can connect with.
It feels like our day to day life . I just loved the way he related the story to the title of the book.
To quote:
"प्रेम आदमी को कबूतर बना देता है "
It feels like our day to day life . I just loved the way he related the story to the title of the book.
To quote:
"प्रेम आदमी को कबूतर बना देता है "
August 12, 2020
This book is a compilation of few stories which are not related to each other but in a literary sense, each of the stories will enrich you in one or the other way. This book is all about observing moments which the author has described beautifully. While reading it, there will be moments where you will dwell into the book and would feel the emotions of the characters which the author has taken out from various phase of our life and are relatable.
A must-read for anyone who wants to understand himself/herself in a better way, this book will definitely add more dimensions in your life.
A must-read for anyone who wants to understand himself/herself in a better way, this book will definitely add more dimensions in your life.
October 27, 2020
Direct from heart take you to another world
Read
January 11, 20253.5, maybe a bit lost in translation
October 1, 2018
A very huge thanks to a superb dear friend who sent this book my way. Unfortunately I haven't read much of Hindi literature in last couple of years and this was an incredible new start. On top of that I am totally incapable of getting a Hindi font installed on my machine so I can talk about the book in as much Hindi I know in the trying times of today :) when it comes to our own mother tongue, my vocabulary is almost zero. But as I said, this was a superb mirror and it was such an amazing book to read which was totally not only able to keep a wide grin on my face but also give me so much food for my thoughts too. It was kind of a journey I took with the book and its amazing short stories which sent me back in my own childhood (as the Author calls them good old days so very well). Starting from the teenage years (and the love stories) to the making of a middle aged man with no purpose in life and achievements. Before I forget to mention, if you do not know the Author is an acclaimed Actor from Hindi Cinema. The latest movie that he did and we loved big time was "Tumhari Sulu" where he played Vidya Balan's Husband, the amazing character he played so well that I hated to love him in that role, if you know what I mean. Now a book coming from a person like that, makes it further more interesting. Going by his last name, I believe he is from the state of Jammu and Kashmir hence the pain in his stories is so much more evident and clear too. His Hindi is totally amazing and I loved that he didn't opt for English which is the trend in today's time. On top of that the use of English words which I believe he himself couldn't help in the story makes it even a better (I mean Hilarious) read.
First story is my favorite as it is indeed taken out of my own life (I wonder how), three best friends (teenagers) with their own set of stories, backgrounds and struggles, out of which one falls in love with a girl with the help of other who writers his love letters and in place the writer himself falls in love with the girl. What happens next is not only a cat and mouse chase of story with hilarious (and at times very serious thought provoking twists) and heart touching too. I always wonder why the best friends stories in our part of the world will always (read ALWAYS) have three guys in lead :). And the last one of a middle aged man, still lost in his long lost love story back from the days. This was the second best of the lot with such a touching story to tell and an amazing ending :) (almost) beyond my expectations. A set of two long and six short and very short stories, all have their own philosophical touches. I am totally amazed by his deep thinking and the way he calls himself "theek thaak" and nothing beyond that, on a scale of one to ten where 1 is the worst and 10 is the best, all his life he claims he stays somewhere in between 4.9 to 5.1 I believe, totally loved it.
One most important thing about these stories other than of-course having their hearts at the right place, I noticed another terrific thing that I wasn't actually reading the stories, I was rather gliding into them, with them. It was as if I was a part of the narrative, the connect was so strong and characters so genuinely written plus the way they speak, especially since it was in Hindi, it makes up for a superb awesome read. I am so much inclined to read a little more Hindi literature that I will be picking up a Bhishm Sahni Book (Tamas) next. Have you read a Hindi book recently that you recommend highly especially if it is from a contemporary writer, I would love to give it a try.
I am super glad that I got this recommended and even book sent by a friend otherwise this would have been another case of me discarding and shooting down a celebrity book without reading :(. This is a must must read for all, especially those who crave for Hindi literature and short meaningful stories.
First story is my favorite as it is indeed taken out of my own life (I wonder how), three best friends (teenagers) with their own set of stories, backgrounds and struggles, out of which one falls in love with a girl with the help of other who writers his love letters and in place the writer himself falls in love with the girl. What happens next is not only a cat and mouse chase of story with hilarious (and at times very serious thought provoking twists) and heart touching too. I always wonder why the best friends stories in our part of the world will always (read ALWAYS) have three guys in lead :). And the last one of a middle aged man, still lost in his long lost love story back from the days. This was the second best of the lot with such a touching story to tell and an amazing ending :) (almost) beyond my expectations. A set of two long and six short and very short stories, all have their own philosophical touches. I am totally amazed by his deep thinking and the way he calls himself "theek thaak" and nothing beyond that, on a scale of one to ten where 1 is the worst and 10 is the best, all his life he claims he stays somewhere in between 4.9 to 5.1 I believe, totally loved it.
One most important thing about these stories other than of-course having their hearts at the right place, I noticed another terrific thing that I wasn't actually reading the stories, I was rather gliding into them, with them. It was as if I was a part of the narrative, the connect was so strong and characters so genuinely written plus the way they speak, especially since it was in Hindi, it makes up for a superb awesome read. I am so much inclined to read a little more Hindi literature that I will be picking up a Bhishm Sahni Book (Tamas) next. Have you read a Hindi book recently that you recommend highly especially if it is from a contemporary writer, I would love to give it a try.
I am super glad that I got this recommended and even book sent by a friend otherwise this would have been another case of me discarding and shooting down a celebrity book without reading :(. This is a must must read for all, especially those who crave for Hindi literature and short meaningful stories.
February 8, 2018
I had bought Tumhaare Peeche mainly because the writer who is also an actor, is friends with a friend of mine. Plus any hindi novel is welcome in my world. However it went on to my TBR pile for a long time. till i read an interview of the writer that fascinated me and i fished the other book out. i still have not finished reading but greedily ordered Prem Kabootar, nevertheless.
And this was a pleasant and delightful surprise. He writes with intimacy which never gets overwhelming so even if you are in his mind ( all characters speak in first person narrative) it isn't very obsessive and intrusive and mostly an enjoyable ride.
Some of the stories are reminiscent of Nirmal Verma mainly because his relationship with the inanimate stuff is so immediate, real and delicious to read. But not nearly as depressing because they lack the depth and sharpness of Nirmal Verma.
It's fun to read aloud because they read so well as soliloquies, possibly because the writer is also a theater person and a cinema actor?
And this was a pleasant and delightful surprise. He writes with intimacy which never gets overwhelming so even if you are in his mind ( all characters speak in first person narrative) it isn't very obsessive and intrusive and mostly an enjoyable ride.
Some of the stories are reminiscent of Nirmal Verma mainly because his relationship with the inanimate stuff is so immediate, real and delicious to read. But not nearly as depressing because they lack the depth and sharpness of Nirmal Verma.
It's fun to read aloud because they read so well as soliloquies, possibly because the writer is also a theater person and a cinema actor?
July 14, 2022
A collection of short stories by Manav Kaul translated in English from his Hindi version “Prem Kabootar”. The stories have themes of friendship, love, desire, loneliness with at least one artistic character in every story. It was a simple, subtle read for me. Three of the stories were a stand out (“A Bunch of Old Letter", "A Night in the Hills", “The Copy Artist”) but wasn’t much impressed with the remaining ones. I would have enjoyed the original book in Hindi more, perhaps the beauty of the words was lost somewhere in the translation.
The nostalgic representation of India in late 80s and early 90s was a pleasure to read, ”pinnacle of love: the exchange of love letters”, “Bajaj Chetak”, “..took out a white handkerchief from his pocket; it was sprinkled with talcum powder.”
Nevertheless, I feel Manav Kaul is a well-turned and potential writer, and I will be looking forward to more of his work, the original version though.
The nostalgic representation of India in late 80s and early 90s was a pleasure to read, ”pinnacle of love: the exchange of love letters”, “Bajaj Chetak”, “..took out a white handkerchief from his pocket; it was sprinkled with talcum powder.”
Nevertheless, I feel Manav Kaul is a well-turned and potential writer, and I will be looking forward to more of his work, the original version though.
February 15, 2018
इनकी "ठीक तुम्हारे पीछे खरीदी थी और पढ़ी थी तो ये भी खरीद ली , इनकी कहानियों में पात्र सपने ज्यादा देखते है , और वो कहानियां भी लिखते है खूब । रजत कपूर की फ़िल्म से या यूं कहु की उनकी ideology से काफी प्रभावित लगते है, पढ़ते वक्त इनकी दोनों किताबो को लगा कि मै (Mr. X past is present) दोबारा देख रहा हूँ , ये एक्टिंग तो बढ़िया करते है पर कहानी इनकी फ़िल्म Ragoon जैसी होती है बोरिंग 😶
कुछ lines जो पसंद आई -
बड़ी ज़ालिम उम्र में हो । इस वक़्त बहुत कुछ कर गुजरने का मन करता है प्रेम से लेकर रेवोलुशन तक सब कुछ।(पेज-145)
आपके अपने आपको बहुत जल्दी माफ नही करते हैं। और क्यो करे? उनके बीते हुए सालो का हिसाब-किताब किये बिना अचानक सब कुछ ठीक नही हो सकता। हर बार आँख खुलने पर सुबह नही होती। (पेज-129)
नींद एक धोखा है। बिखरी हुई ज़िन्दगी के बीच जब भी एक गहरी नींद, मिलती है तो लगता है कि सब सही हो गया है। मानो बिखरा हुआ घर उठते ही वापिस, खुद-ब खुद सलीके से जम गया।(पेज-127)
कुछ lines जो पसंद आई -
बड़ी ज़ालिम उम्र में हो । इस वक़्त बहुत कुछ कर गुजरने का मन करता है प्रेम से लेकर रेवोलुशन तक सब कुछ।(पेज-145)
आपके अपने आपको बहुत जल्दी माफ नही करते हैं। और क्यो करे? उनके बीते हुए सालो का हिसाब-किताब किये बिना अचानक सब कुछ ठीक नही हो सकता। हर बार आँख खुलने पर सुबह नही होती। (पेज-129)
नींद एक धोखा है। बिखरी हुई ज़िन्दगी के बीच जब भी एक गहरी नींद, मिलती है तो लगता है कि सब सही हो गया है। मानो बिखरा हुआ घर उठते ही वापिस, खुद-ब खुद सलीके से जम गया।(पेज-127)
November 26, 2020
Nostalgic !! Went back to school days when I used to play 'cupid' for friends. The stories are warm and automatically puts a smile on your face. Each story reminds us how simple were those days of Atlas bicycle, playing cricket, bade dino ki chhutiyaan (winter holidays usually lasting for 7-10 days) and gol orange toffee and revolve around the theme of friendship and love.
Ahh !! Get your chai (tea)/coffee and enjoy these pleasant stories.
However, it felt more 'homely' in Hindi (originally written).
Ahh !! Get your chai (tea)/coffee and enjoy these pleasant stories.
However, it felt more 'homely' in Hindi (originally written).
June 16, 2019
अच्छी किताब है। गंभीर और गहरी। कहानियों का असल सार समझने के लिए दिमाग पर ज़ोर देने पड़ता है। शब्द जो कह रहे हैं, कहानी जो चल रही है उससे सार का पता नहीं चलता। गूढ़ रहस्य है मानव कॉल की रचनाएं। लगातार पूरी किताब नहीं पढ़ी जा सकती। हर कहानी के बाद ब्रेक लेना ही पड़ेगा।
May 13, 2018
अति सुंदर
मानव कौल ने बहुत ही उम्दा कहानियां लिखी हैं। कहानियों में गति और संवेदनाएं हैं जिन्हें शिद्दत से लेखक ने शब्दों का जामा पहनाया है। ज़रूर पढ़ सकते हैं।
मानव कौल ने बहुत ही उम्दा कहानियां लिखी हैं। कहानियों में गति और संवेदनाएं हैं जिन्हें शिद्दत से लेखक ने शब्दों का जामा पहनाया है। ज़रूर पढ़ सकते हैं।
Read
April 10, 2019A wonderful book
March 22, 2025
Short stories have never quite been my thing. Surprisingly maybe, because as a writer all I have written and had published is short stories. I don't have a novel anywhere in me. The plot simply won't stretch that far. As a reader though, short stories feel like too fragmented an experience for me. I can still face them on their own, but seldom in a collection. Moving from one story to another jars me, so as to say. I prefer to stay with the characters and the storyline for a while, and moving on to the next read often takes some time.
Few pages into Manav Kaul's Night in the Hills, I knew I had made a mistake by picking it up randomly from my shelf. But then I stayed with it, thinking my thriller-heavy reading diet needed to be diluted with other things. And I can't say that I regret my decision. It feels like a bitter pill I needed to swallow.
Night in the Hills is a translation of Kaul's short story collection, Prem Kabootar. The rather cheesy title is misleading. The story Prem Kabootar itself has been translated into A Bunch of Old Letters, and kabootar has become a ‘cuckoo’. The teenage crushes and small town claustrophobia felt nostalgic and oppressive to me. It wasn’t a story I liked, but have to grant that it was indeed well-written, affecting the reader as it was meant to.
The next story was Itti and Uday, one of the few which actually show the working of the female protagonist’s mind. It was short compared to most other stories and refreshing. Thank God it wasn’t narrated from Uday's perspective, because the first-person narrators in this collection are all male and all full of I, me and myself. Uday can hardly stop telling his own stories - one can see that he would have been insufferable.
The Copy Artist was more than insufferable. Accurate picture of a man trapped in his own mind, but my God, I this and I that can only be tolerated for so long. Again, very well-written.
The Swallow was read on a sleepless night and in places it exasperated me so much that I actually ended up highlighting some places and taking notes on my Kindle. The male eye preoccupied with his own gaze notes, rather ironically, “These stories of hers, in which there was only the female protagonist and no one else. As soon as her role got over, it was the end of the story.” Replace the word ‘female’ with ‘male’ and the female pronouns with male pronouns, and voila, there is the book summarized for you! The words and the behaviour of the female character are analysed entirely from the male point-of-view. She says something, and the male narrator tells us what it is supposed to mean, whether it is right to think that way or not. Infuriating.
The eponymous story came next, and was my favourite one in the collection. The self-obsessed narrator is very much present, but the Other is more defined here. The rambling stream-of-consciousness feel is curbed. The plot is much more solid and yet, not too rigidly etched. It had in it the perfect balance of content and technique.
Next came Five Grains of Sugar. By now I was so totally done with the obsessive confines of the male mind. I pitied the boy, but I pitied myself more. Again, the story is well-written, because I am guessing this claustrophobic feeling is what the author intended to express.
Words and their Pictures was, for my taste, too dreamlike. I found the encounters in the flat very interesting though.
Tragedy was the last story and thankfully easier to get through. I think this was one of the only two stories narrated in third person, and felt like a reprieve from constant self-gaze. The focus on Roshni and her story, albeit not as much as on Inder, also made it seem less skewed. The end did not satisfy me as the action of the characters reeked only of desperation and not of any possible redemption.
I surmised from my reading of some Goodreads reviews that the book would have been much better in its original Hindi form. Pooja Priyamvada's translation is quite flawless, not stilted at all, but Indian languages have that rich feeling about them which somehow becomes lost in translation. The original lines of poetry included in a review made me feel like I had lost out on something. I should have read Prem Kabootar, and not Night in the Hills. From the technical point of view, the stories are very well-formed. Heartening to see that kind of good work being done in Indian literature. Will not be going back to Kaul in a hurry though.
Few pages into Manav Kaul's Night in the Hills, I knew I had made a mistake by picking it up randomly from my shelf. But then I stayed with it, thinking my thriller-heavy reading diet needed to be diluted with other things. And I can't say that I regret my decision. It feels like a bitter pill I needed to swallow.
Night in the Hills is a translation of Kaul's short story collection, Prem Kabootar. The rather cheesy title is misleading. The story Prem Kabootar itself has been translated into A Bunch of Old Letters, and kabootar has become a ‘cuckoo’. The teenage crushes and small town claustrophobia felt nostalgic and oppressive to me. It wasn’t a story I liked, but have to grant that it was indeed well-written, affecting the reader as it was meant to.
The next story was Itti and Uday, one of the few which actually show the working of the female protagonist’s mind. It was short compared to most other stories and refreshing. Thank God it wasn’t narrated from Uday's perspective, because the first-person narrators in this collection are all male and all full of I, me and myself. Uday can hardly stop telling his own stories - one can see that he would have been insufferable.
The Copy Artist was more than insufferable. Accurate picture of a man trapped in his own mind, but my God, I this and I that can only be tolerated for so long. Again, very well-written.
The Swallow was read on a sleepless night and in places it exasperated me so much that I actually ended up highlighting some places and taking notes on my Kindle. The male eye preoccupied with his own gaze notes, rather ironically, “These stories of hers, in which there was only the female protagonist and no one else. As soon as her role got over, it was the end of the story.” Replace the word ‘female’ with ‘male’ and the female pronouns with male pronouns, and voila, there is the book summarized for you! The words and the behaviour of the female character are analysed entirely from the male point-of-view. She says something, and the male narrator tells us what it is supposed to mean, whether it is right to think that way or not. Infuriating.
The eponymous story came next, and was my favourite one in the collection. The self-obsessed narrator is very much present, but the Other is more defined here. The rambling stream-of-consciousness feel is curbed. The plot is much more solid and yet, not too rigidly etched. It had in it the perfect balance of content and technique.
Next came Five Grains of Sugar. By now I was so totally done with the obsessive confines of the male mind. I pitied the boy, but I pitied myself more. Again, the story is well-written, because I am guessing this claustrophobic feeling is what the author intended to express.
Words and their Pictures was, for my taste, too dreamlike. I found the encounters in the flat very interesting though.
Tragedy was the last story and thankfully easier to get through. I think this was one of the only two stories narrated in third person, and felt like a reprieve from constant self-gaze. The focus on Roshni and her story, albeit not as much as on Inder, also made it seem less skewed. The end did not satisfy me as the action of the characters reeked only of desperation and not of any possible redemption.
I surmised from my reading of some Goodreads reviews that the book would have been much better in its original Hindi form. Pooja Priyamvada's translation is quite flawless, not stilted at all, but Indian languages have that rich feeling about them which somehow becomes lost in translation. The original lines of poetry included in a review made me feel like I had lost out on something. I should have read Prem Kabootar, and not Night in the Hills. From the technical point of view, the stories are very well-formed. Heartening to see that kind of good work being done in Indian literature. Will not be going back to Kaul in a hurry though.
August 14, 2020
बहुत सुन्दर कहानी संग्रह है यह। लगभग हरेक कहानी में मुख्य पात्र किसी बंधन में बंधे हुए हैं। उस बंधन से निकलना चाहते हैं लेकिन वह बंधन इतना अपना बन चुका है कि उस से निकलना खुद को मार देने जैसा होगा। यह सब उन पात्रों के अंदर एक अजीब तरह की उदासी और अकेलापन भर देता है। लेकिन हर कहानी का अन्त आशा की एक किरण जगा कर जाता है। मानव जी की खासियत यह है कि वह अन्त को पाठकों के लिए खुला छोड़ देते हैं। वह अब हम पर है कि हम मुख्य किरदार को किस तरफ भेजते हैं। मुझे उदास होना ज्यादा पसंद नहीं, इसलिए मैंने तो कहानियां के अन्त के बाद अच्छे की ही कामना की है। इस संग्रह की कहानियों के पात्र वर्तमान में न रह कर अपने ही बनाए सपनों की दुनिया में रहते हैं। उस दुनिया से असल जिंदगी में आना एक बुरे सपने जैसा होता है। मुझे चार कहानियां विशेषतः पसंद आईं। 'शक्कर के पाँच दाने' कहानी सोच में जितनी गहरी और संजीदा है, उतनी ही खुबसूरती से इसमें ह्यूमर डाला गया है। मुझे कुछ पल इतने खुशनुमा और काॅमिक लगे कि यह कहानी लगातार दो बार पढ़ डाली। दुसरी कहानी जो मन पर छप गई वह थी शीर्षक कहानी 'प्रेम कबूतर'। प्रेमी के मन की व्यथा और दोस्ती के मायनों के बीच का द्वन्द्व क्या खूब लिखा है मानव ने। तीसरी कहानी है 'अबाबील'। शब्दों की खुबसूरती पिरोये हुए यह छोटी सी कहानी लंबे समय तक बांध कर रखती है। और चौथी कहानी है, 'पहाड़ी रात'। बाकी सब से अलग एक छोटी सी कहानी, डर के बीच मन के अलग-अलग भावों को बयाँ करती।
किसी कहानी में जब कोई कविता पढ़ रहे हों आप, और आपको ऐसा महसूस हो कि मानव खुद वह कविता बोल रहे हैं, तो इस से बढ़िया लेखक नहीं मिल सकता आपको। Thank you मानव, हमें अपने शब्दों के संगीत में शामिल करने के लिए।
किसी कहानी में जब कोई कविता पढ़ रहे हों आप, और आपको ऐसा महसूस हो कि मानव खुद वह कविता बोल रहे हैं, तो इस से बढ़िया लेखक नहीं मिल सकता आपको। Thank you मानव, हमें अपने शब्दों के संगीत में शामिल करने के लिए।
February 27, 2019
Prem Kabootar - Manav Kaul
Prem Kabootar is a compilation of short stories about love, life, dreams, hopes and everything in between.
It starts with a love story and it moves ahead with stories about traveling and meeting people, about an artist, about a poet who used to get lost in his thoughts whenever he spoke about a memory, about traveling with help of words, about moving on and the stories their own stories weave.
It talks about the people whose talents aren't recognized enough and how they have beautiful stories to share on nothing but their plain simple life.
It's a book that will make you think about life, love and things that happen to us. The stories have deep meanings hidden inside it, somewhere in between the words.
Take your time and read it; don't rush up. This book needs calmness around while reading.
I loved the book overall as it was my first Hindi book and I must say it didn't disappoint me. It was something new and something that I would go back to, some day.
Rating- 4/5
Prem Kabootar is a compilation of short stories about love, life, dreams, hopes and everything in between.
It starts with a love story and it moves ahead with stories about traveling and meeting people, about an artist, about a poet who used to get lost in his thoughts whenever he spoke about a memory, about traveling with help of words, about moving on and the stories their own stories weave.
It talks about the people whose talents aren't recognized enough and how they have beautiful stories to share on nothing but their plain simple life.
It's a book that will make you think about life, love and things that happen to us. The stories have deep meanings hidden inside it, somewhere in between the words.
Take your time and read it; don't rush up. This book needs calmness around while reading.
I loved the book overall as it was my first Hindi book and I must say it didn't disappoint me. It was something new and something that I would go back to, some day.
Rating- 4/5
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March 1, 2022कुछ कहानियों के कुछ हिस्से बहुत ही "अनकंफर्टेबल" करने वाले हैं, उसका कारण है की प्रेम सिर्फ कविता ही नहीं है, उसके बहुत से रूप हैं। कुछ कुरूप हैं, पर वह हैं। उनके होने को स्वीकारती हैं वह कुछ कहानियां।
त्रासदी इस किताब की आखिरी, सबसे लंबी, और शायद सबसे ज्यादा "अनकंफर्टेबल" करने वाली कहानी है। हिंदी साहित्य में कुछ ऐसा पढ़ूंगा, यह कभी नहीं सोचा था।
"शक्कर के पांच दाने" एक "एक्सोस्टेंशियल" कहानी है और बहुत कुछ सोचने पे मजबूर करती है।
"अबाबील" कहानी में प्रेम एक कविता का रूप लेता है और मुझे आशा है कि वह सभी पढ़ने वालों को अच्छी लगेगी।
"पहाड़ी रात" एक इकलौती ऐसी कहानी है जो प्रेम के बारे में नहीं है, पर फिर भी इस संग्रह में शामिल की गई है! कहानी बहुत दिलचस्प है जो आपको आखिर तक बांधकर रखेगी और अंत भी बहुत सुंदर है।
"शब्द और उनके चित्र" एक अलग ही तरह का "एक्सपेरिमेंट" है कहानी लेखन में। मैं ज्यादा जुड़ नहीं सका उस से।
"प्रेम कबूतर" पहली कहानी है और कहानी के अंत में यह स्पष्ट किया गया है की प्रेम को कबूतर क्यों कहा है मानव कौल ने।
मानव कौल बहुत अच्छा लिखते हैं।
त्रासदी इस किताब की आखिरी, सबसे लंबी, और शायद सबसे ज्यादा "अनकंफर्टेबल" करने वाली कहानी है। हिंदी साहित्य में कुछ ऐसा पढ़ूंगा, यह कभी नहीं सोचा था।
"शक्कर के पांच दाने" एक "एक्सोस्टेंशियल" कहानी है और बहुत कुछ सोचने पे मजबूर करती है।
"अबाबील" कहानी में प्रेम एक कविता का रूप लेता है और मुझे आशा है कि वह सभी पढ़ने वालों को अच्छी लगेगी।
"पहाड़ी रात" एक इकलौती ऐसी कहानी है जो प्रेम के बारे में नहीं है, पर फिर भी इस संग्रह में शामिल की गई है! कहानी बहुत दिलचस्प है जो आपको आखिर तक बांधकर रखेगी और अंत भी बहुत सुंदर है।
"शब्द और उनके चित्र" एक अलग ही तरह का "एक्सपेरिमेंट" है कहानी लेखन में। मैं ज्यादा जुड़ नहीं सका उस से।
"प्रेम कबूतर" पहली कहानी है और कहानी के अंत में यह स्पष्ट किया गया है की प्रेम को कबूतर क्यों कहा है मानव कौल ने।
मानव कौल बहुत अच्छा लिखते हैं।
August 30, 2023
जब एक पात्र कहता है “मैं प्रेडिक्टेबल हूँ” या “मेरे घर के हर चीज़ के साथ पुराना और फैला हुआ शब्द जाता है” या फिर “ठीक है” इन सब शब्दों के आगे पीछे बुने गए हर पात्र और ��ैराग्राफ किसी रास्ते की तरह है जो किसी अलग ही किनारे पर आपको ले जाने में मदद करते है
शब्दों के उधेड़ बुन में रिश्ते पिरोय गये है जिनमें भाव की सीमा नहीं है। कहानियाँ आपको ले जाती है आपके समय में जैसे लेटर के ज़माने में और एटलस गोल्ड लाइन साइकिल की ज़माने में समय हुआ करती थी जिसका नाम सुनना अब इस इंटरनेट के ज़माने में मिथ्या सा महसूस कराता है।
इन ८ कहानियों में आप कहीं से कहीं का भी सफ़र तय कर सकते है ये आप पर निर्भर है कि कितने हिस्से आपको छू जाये लेकिन ये तो तय है कहानी और उसके पात्र आपको अपने दुनिया और रिश्तों में वापस जाने में मदद करेंगे। कुछ कहानियाँ छोटी है और असरदार है कुछ बड़ी है लेकिन छोटी होने का एहसास कराती है लगता है कुछ रहा गया,कहानी में नहीं आपके अंदर और उसके बाद एहसास होता है शब्दों का छूट जाना या फिर भाव का छूट जाना आपके अंदर।
शब्दों के उधेड़ बुन में रिश्ते पिरोय गये है जिनमें भाव की सीमा नहीं है। कहानियाँ आपको ले जाती है आपके समय में जैसे लेटर के ज़माने में और एटलस गोल्ड लाइन साइकिल की ज़माने में समय हुआ करती थी जिसका नाम सुनना अब इस इंटरनेट के ज़माने में मिथ्या सा महसूस कराता है।
इन ८ कहानियों में आप कहीं से कहीं का भी सफ़र तय कर सकते है ये आप पर निर्भर है कि कितने हिस्से आपको छू जाये लेकिन ये तो तय है कहानी और उसके पात्र आपको अपने दुनिया और रिश्तों में वापस जाने में मदद करेंगे। कुछ कहानियाँ छोटी है और असरदार है कुछ बड़ी है लेकिन छोटी होने का एहसास कराती है लगता है कुछ रहा गया,कहानी में नहीं आपके अंदर और उसके बाद एहसास होता है शब्दों का छूट जाना या फिर भाव का छूट जाना आपके अंदर।
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