'Platform Ki Ek Raat' (A night on the platform) - Discussion held in Patna on the book of stories authored by Hrishkesh Pathak

   Revealing stories about celebration of tragedy

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Date 23/05/2017 Avar Abhiyanta Bhawan, Adaltganj, A number of distinguished participants expressed their views on the craft and content of the story-collection of Hrishikesh Pathak. At the beginning of the program, the author of the book read out a story in his effective tone. His emotional narration was  witnessed by keen listeners seated in every nook and corner of the room. The program was chaired by senior litterateur Bhagwati Prasad Dwivedi and was conducted by renowned literary writer Ramdas Arya alias Ghamandi Ram.

      Rakesh Priyadarshi presented his thoughts in two spells. Stating the second time, he said that he feels sort of art lacking in the book. In fact, the author is absolutely free from Machiavellian  qualities so are his stories bereft of artfulness. Senior story writer Ravi Ghosh said that in the stories of the author there is a tart satire on the society. He said that stories of the present collection must be liked by all the writers and readers of this country.  Bhagwat Sharan Jha 'Animesh' said about the book that neither the author nor his creations have any artificiality anywhere. Like the author of simple nature, his composition is similar but the message is very clear. Rajkumar Premi said that he had read the book and enjoyed its qualitativeness. Senior songwriter Vijay Gunjan said that Hrishikesh Pathak is rich in terms of intensive feelings. The content of all the stories and the way he describes it are totally different from others. His stories have been written with great concentration.

        Banke Bihari said that the story writer has written stories like a reader and not as a writer. It seems that all the events have happened with the author himself and he is just experiencing them. Hemant Dass 'Him' said the level of vividness in the stories are of such level that it could be said that these are either the personal experience of the author or the experiences he got to know from some of his very close person. The issues of the common man and their problems have been shown. Khurshid Alam said how these lines express the stark truth of the society "for whom you gave so many big sacrifices so that he may reach this height, has himself turn out a leader of sorts. This is a tragedy. No single event can be such a big tragedy as this phenomenon. After this, the well-known story writer and author of 'Janata Darbar', Shambhu P. Singh said that the story 'Platform ki ek raat' (A night on the platform)  is not just a story rather a collage of stories. He says this story has no dialogues at all. This experiment in the craft seems to be visible after a very long gap after Raja Radhika Raman Prasad era.

            Editor of 'Nai Dhara' (New Stream) Prof. Shiv Narayan said, "The story ahead of Godhara is a festival of tragedy." All the stories in the collection are fully suited to the nature of today's literature i.e. nature, compassion, justice and resistance. He raised several pertinent issues in his long though very scholarly speech, he stated that the skills in the craft of story-writing is acquired through integrating one's life fully with the pains and sufferings of the society. Oppressed class and women rights are the main points of this collection. Rajkishore Sharma read out a sher on the book presented-

"Has become a scene, queer strange 
Has become a house of pauper again

I am wandering door to door  
Have become an ocean of pain "

      The president of this meeting, Bhagwati Prasad Dwivedi, described his thoughts on a single story of the book in a very orderly manner. He specifically mentioned a story based on the strange relationship of a couple called Samir and Rukasana. When Samir with an aim to ramp up his political clout, determines to murder of a hundred of Muslims on the instance of his leader and after murdering ninety-nine, finds his beloved Ruksana as his hundredth victim. He then tried to kill her in his sheer gothicism. But just on the nick of time, Samir's mother appears in between. She saves Ruksana, bear the attack of weapon herself and dies. This example of of Hindu sacrificing her life for saving a Muslim will shake the readers from within.

     In the end, Chandra Dev Singh of the Avar Abhiyanta Parishad, thanked all the participants and the audience.

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