Worlds within Worlds

By Ajay Navaria

(Translated from the Hindi original Udhar ke Log by Nita Kumar)

Niyogi Books is proud to announce the publication of its latest title Worlds
within Worlds by Ajay Navaria, translated by Nita Kumar from the Hindi original Udhar Ke Log. Published under the Thornbird imprint, this book is a coming-of age-novel about a young man’s experiences as he grows into an individual, and unearthing the meaning of ‘caste’  and ‘untouchability’ and whether education can bring about change.

When asked about his book, author Ajay Navaria says, “Caste is not only the social reality of India but sadly, it is also the economic, political and cultural reality of the nation. In this way, the concept of caste deeply affects the lives of the Indian people and their human sensibilities like love, friendship, spirit of cooperation, compassion, anger, generosity etc.

“While writing this novel, this was the basic thought that compelled me. I wanted to highlight the way different castes behave and interact with each other. There is love and jealousy among different castes, competition and distrust, growth and divergence. Apart from this, I also had in mind the aspirations, sufferings and struggles of the emerging middle class among the Dalit castes in urban India.”

Translator Nita Kumar on translating the book says, “The translating of a novel like Udhar ke Log is a double treat. First, a linguistic treat. You enjoy the two languages you are translating from and to and get to play around with the nuances of both English and Hindi. As happens in translation, you enter two cultural worlds and enjoy the transitions between them.

“Second, a sociological treat. You get to know a subject intimately, in this particular novel, a Dalit family. Someone else has done the hard work and you are being permitted to almost, as it were, co-own this precious territory.”

Trisha De Niyogi, the COO & Director of Niyogi Books commented on the publication 'Prof. Navaria's uniquely intersectional narrative brings to light the dyad of caste and class in the urban, educated middle-class, contrasting the coming-of-consciousness of the protagonist. It is a nuanced addition to an important social discourse in our country.”

ABOUT THE BOOK

Worlds within Worlds, translated from the Hindi original Udhar ke Log, is a novel true to life. Quiet and thoughtful, it is the first-person story of a young man in Delhi and his family. He is a lecturer at a university and has liberal views. His wife is a doctor and his friends are in civil services and private jobs. This would seem to be a familiar middle-class saga— except that they are all Dalit. At the heart of the story, lies the clash between caste and class: can you be middle-class and Dalit? Thus, opening discussions about the meaning of ‘caste’ and ‘untouchability’.

Is education an emancipatory force? The main characters are in conflict as they go through experiences of discrimination because of their names and backgrounds, and of liberation because of their education and qualifications. The story is also about a young man’s sexual and romantic experiences, family relationships and social consciousness, where caste does not play a defining role. The novel is certain to make readers explore concepts of caste, class and religion, familial and societal dynamics, as well as friendship, love and loyalty to a person or a cause.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Ajay Navaria did his MPhil and PhD from JNU. His stories have been widely translated. Unclaimed Terrain, a story collection translated by Prof. Laura R. Brueck, 2013, was critically acclaimed. He has been invited as a speaker at various universities and literature festivals. His works have been included in the syllabus at Harvard University, Michigan University and University of Delhi. He is a Professor of Hindi at Jamia Millia Islamia University, New Delhi.

ABOUT THE TRANSLATOR

Nita Kumar is the retired Brown Professor of South Asian History at Claremont McKenna College, California. She is the author and editor of several books and has scripted the movie Shankar’s Fairies. She runs NIRMAN, which works for children, families, education, and the arts, and the school Vidyashram the Southpoint, in Varanasi.

ABOUT THE PUBLISHER

An internationally acclaimed publishing house, Niyogi Books, established in 2004, has more than 700 titles today. It not only specializes in textual content but also strives to give equal importance to visuals. It purveys a wide range of content on art, architecture, history, culture, spirituality, memoirs, and every aspect, which connects with our rich heritage. Under its umbrella, it has fiction and non-fiction that cover books on social science, cookery, and self-help as well as English Translations of modern classics from different Indian languages. Niyogi Books after having launched four Imprints: Olive Turtle (English fiction), Thornbird (English Translation), and Paper Missile (English non-fiction) and Bahuvachan (Hindi Translation: Fiction & Non-Fiction) it has launched its newest imprint, Perky Parrot, with an aim to provide fun reads for children and young adults. Niyogi Books has co-published a number of critically acclaimed books with reputed institutions like the British Library, Rietberg Museum Zurich, IGNCA, National Gallery of Modern Art, Ministry of Culture (Govt. of India), National Manuscript Mission, Sahitya Akademi, among many others.