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Sattaantar,
by G. D. Madgulkar.
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As the author states in the beginning of the introduction, he didn't think his works needed an introduction or a preface, and indeed his readers - or anyone who is familiar with Marathi language - in more than the colonial invader manner of contemptuous attitude used by most non-local residents of the state - are far too familiar with his work and that of his brother to require such a feature.
The introduction he writes is quite extensive, telling one all about primates found in wildlife in India - the varieties, locations, and the research done by various observers thereof, about the social lives of thise primates. He writes, too, about the book hed written before, about observing wildlife in a forest where he spent a few weeks alone in a state forest facility.
And in doing this, he generally gives the clue to what one must expect in reading this book. Its a novel based on social lives of primates, and he even shows the difference between the two ways of writing, that of a researcher documenting ones observations versus a novelist using an incident.
If one likes wildlife observation, or animals, or even trio's to the zoo, one is bound to like it - for the author's level of art is beyond doubt.
But if one is indifferent to any of it, or worse, can't imagine another trip to the zoo, one may rethink reading it. And one may not mind watching primates in a zoo, where they really play to the audience. But this is about reality, and the glimpse he proffers thereof in the introduction is grisly enough.
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December 24, 2021.
Borrowed November 25, 2021.
Kindle Edition, 116 pages
Published by MEHTA PUBLISHING HOUSE
(first published 1982)
Original Title Sattantar
ISBN:-8184983821
ASIN:- B01MS6THEL
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