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{{ | {{Short description|Short story by Dhumketu}} | ||
{{Other uses|Post Office (disambiguation)}} | {{Other uses|Post Office (disambiguation)}} | ||
{{Infobox short story | {{Infobox short story | ||
| name = Post Office | | name = Post Office | ||
| image = | | image = Post office, Sahitya, April 1923.jpg | ||
| caption = | | caption = April 1923 issue of ''Sahitya'', where the story first appeared | ||
| author = [[Dhumketu (writer)|Dhumketu]] | | author = [[Dhumketu (writer)|Dhumketu]] | ||
| title_orig = પોસ્ટઑફિસ | | title_orig = પોસ્ટઑફિસ (Post Office) | ||
| translator = | | translator = Dhumketu | ||
| country = India | | country = India | ||
| language = [[Gujarati language|Gujarati]] | | language = [[Gujarati language|Gujarati]] | ||
| genre = | | genre = | ||
| published_in = '' | | published_in = ''Sahitya'' | ||
| publication_type = | | publication_type = Magazine | ||
| publisher = | | publisher = | ||
| pub_date = 1923 | | pub_date = April 1923 | ||
| english_pub_date = | | english_pub_date = | ||
}} | }} | ||
'''"Post Office"''' is a [[Gujarati language|Gujarati]] short story written by Indian writer [[Dhumketu (writer)|Dhumketu]] (1892–1965). It was first published in 1923 | '''"Post Office"''' is a [[Gujarati language|Gujarati]] short story written by Indian writer [[Dhumketu (writer)|Dhumketu]] (1892–1965). It was first published in 1923 and is considered Dhumketu's most famous and frequently anthologized short story. The story is about a father's affection for his daughter, and the apathetic bureaucracy of the local post office. It is notable for its description, narrative, and dialogues. | ||
==Publication== | ==Publication== | ||
"Post Office" was first published in the literary journal ''[[Sahitya (magazine)|Sahitya]]'' in 1923. It was later published in Dhumketu's first short story collection, ''Tankha'' ({{Literal translation|The Sparks}}) Vol. 1, in 1926.<ref name="Das2005">{{cite book|last=Das|first=Sisir Kumar|authorlink=Sisir Kumar Das|title=History of Indian Literature: 1911-1956, Struggle for Freedom : Triumph and Tragedy|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=sqBjpV9OzcsC&pg=PA264|year=2005|publisher=Sahitya Akademi|location=New Delhi|isbn=978-81-7201-798-9|page=264}}</ref> | "Post Office" was first published in the literary journal ''[[Sahitya (magazine)|Sahitya]]'' in April 1923. It was later published in Dhumketu's first short story collection, ''Tankha'' ({{Literal translation|The Sparks}}) Vol. 1, in 1926.<ref name="Das2005">{{cite book|last=Das|first=Sisir Kumar|authorlink=Sisir Kumar Das|title=History of Indian Literature: 1911-1956, Struggle for Freedom: Triumph and Tragedy|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=sqBjpV9OzcsC&pg=PA264|year=2005|publisher=Sahitya Akademi|location=New Delhi|isbn=978-81-7201-798-9|page=264}}</ref> | ||
==Plot== | ==Plot== | ||
The story takes place during wartime. The protagonist, Ali Coachman, was a legendary hunter in his early life, but he gives up hunting after his daughter Mariyam marries a soldier. Mariyam leaves her father and moves to Punjab with her husband. After that, Ali waits for a letter from Mariam and goes to the local post office every day before sunrise for five years. One day, when he | The story takes place during wartime. The protagonist, Ali Coachman, was a legendary hunter in his early life, but he gives up hunting after his daughter Mariyam marries a soldier. Mariyam leaves her father and moves to Punjab with her husband. After that, Ali waits for a letter from Mariam and goes to the local post office every day before sunrise for five years. One day, when he realizes that he might die soon, he gives five gold coins to the post office clerk Lakshmi Das and asks him to deliver Mariyam's letter to his grave if it comes after his death. The postmaster and his staff make fun of Ali's daily routine.<!-- "Obsession"? --> One day Ali stops coming to the post office, and the postmaster starts waiting for his daughter's letter.<!-- Necessary detail? --> One day he notices a letter from Mariyam addressed to Ali. He goes to Ali's grave with Lakshmi Das and places Mariam's letter on it.<ref name="KMGeorge1997">{{cite book|editor-last=George|editor-first=K. M.|editor-link=K. M. George (writer)|title=Masterpieces of Indian Literature|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=dXFOAAAAYAAJ|volume=3|year=1997|publisher=[[National Book Trust]]|location=New Delhi|isbn=978-81-237-1978-8|page=1701}}</ref> | ||
==Reception== | ==Reception== | ||
Considered to be a landmark in Gujarati literature,<ref name="George1993">{{cite book|editor-last=George|editor-first=K. M.|editor-link=K. M. George (writer)|title=Modern Indian Literature: an Anthology: Fiction|volume= | Considered to be a landmark in Gujarati literature,<ref name="George1993">{{cite book|editor-last=George|editor-first=K. M.|editor-link=K. M. George (writer)|title=Modern Indian Literature: an Anthology: Fiction|volume=2|year=1993|publisher=Sahitya Akademi|location=New Delhi|isbn=81-7201-506-2|page=266}}</ref> "Post Office" is notable for its description, narrative and dialogues.<ref name="Topiwala & Dave">{{cite book|title=Gujarātī Tūṅkī Vārtākośa|date=June 2008|publisher=[[Gujarati Sahitya Parishad]]|editor1-last=Topiwala|editor1-first=Chandrakant|editor1-link=Chandrakant Topiwala|edition=2nd|location=Ahmedabad|page=56|script-title=gu:ગુજરાતી ટૂંકી વાર્તાકોશ|trans-title=Encyclopedia of Gujarati Short Story|oclc=24870863|editor2-last=Dave|editor2-first=Ramesh R.}}</ref> It is the most famous and frequently anthologised short story of Dhumketu.<ref name="Rediff 2020">{{cite web |title=The Post Office |website=Rediff |date=26 October 2020 |url=https://www.rediff.com/getahead/report/must-read-dhumketus-the-post-office/20201026.htm |access-date=28 March 2021}}</ref><ref name="Joshi 2001">{{cite book|last=Joshi|first=Suresh Hariprasad|editor=J. Birjepatil|title=Ten Short Stories by Suresh Joshi|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=pcFjAAAAMAAJ|year=2001|publisher=Sahitya Akademi|location=New Delhi|isbn=978-81-260-1159-9|page=13}}</ref><ref name=" Mehta 2021">{{cite news |last=Mehta|first=Ashish|title=How Dhumketu transformed Gujarati literature with his short stories|newspaper=The Indian Express|date=14 February 2021|url=https://indianexpress.com/article/books-and-literature/how-dhumketu-transformed-gujarati-literature-with-his-short-stories-7187608/|access-date=28 March 2021}}</ref> The story was first translated into English by Dhumketu himself under the title "The Letter".<ref name="Ramakrishnan 2005">{{cite book |editor-last=Ramakrishnan|editor-first=E. V.|title=Indian Short Stories,1900–2000|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=kLn11KD4ea0C&pg=PA33|year=2005|publisher=Sahitya Akademi|location=New Delhi|isbn=978-81-260-1091-2|pages=33–42}}</ref> Another English translation was done by Mira Naik under the title "Miriam's Letter".<ref>{{cite book |editor1-last=Dharmarajan|editor1-first=Geeta|editor2-last=Ramachandra |editor2-first=Keerti|title=Night of the Third Crescent and Other Stories: Unforgettable Short Fiction from Some of India's Master Storytellers|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=6dv36c4iWTEC&pg=PA73|year=2006|publisher=Katha|isbn=978-81-89020-51-4|page=73}}</ref> | ||
==References== | ==References== | ||
Latest revision as of 23:12, 9 March 2026
Template:Infobox short story "Post Office" is a Gujarati short story written by Indian writer Dhumketu (1892–1965). It was first published in 1923 and is considered Dhumketu's most famous and frequently anthologized short story. The story is about a father's affection for his daughter, and the apathetic bureaucracy of the local post office. It is notable for its description, narrative, and dialogues.
Publication[edit | edit source]
"Post Office" was first published in the literary journal Sahitya in April 1923. It was later published in Dhumketu's first short story collection, Tankha (lit. 'The Sparks') Vol. 1, in 1926.[1]
Plot[edit | edit source]
The story takes place during wartime. The protagonist, Ali Coachman, was a legendary hunter in his early life, but he gives up hunting after his daughter Mariyam marries a soldier. Mariyam leaves her father and moves to Punjab with her husband. After that, Ali waits for a letter from Mariam and goes to the local post office every day before sunrise for five years. One day, when he realizes that he might die soon, he gives five gold coins to the post office clerk Lakshmi Das and asks him to deliver Mariyam's letter to his grave if it comes after his death. The postmaster and his staff make fun of Ali's daily routine. One day Ali stops coming to the post office, and the postmaster starts waiting for his daughter's letter. One day he notices a letter from Mariyam addressed to Ali. He goes to Ali's grave with Lakshmi Das and places Mariam's letter on it.[2]
Reception[edit | edit source]
Considered to be a landmark in Gujarati literature,[3] "Post Office" is notable for its description, narrative and dialogues.[4] It is the most famous and frequently anthologised short story of Dhumketu.[5][6][7] The story was first translated into English by Dhumketu himself under the title "The Letter".[8] Another English translation was done by Mira Naik under the title "Miriam's Letter".[9]
References[edit | edit source]
- ↑ Das, Sisir Kumar (2005). History of Indian Literature: 1911-1956, Struggle for Freedom: Triumph and Tragedy. New Delhi: Sahitya Akademi. p. 264. ISBN 978-81-7201-798-9.
- ↑ George, K. M., ed. (1997). Masterpieces of Indian Literature. Vol. 3. New Delhi: National Book Trust. p. 1701. ISBN 978-81-237-1978-8.
- ↑ George, K. M., ed. (1993). Modern Indian Literature: an Anthology: Fiction. Vol. 2. New Delhi: Sahitya Akademi. p. 266. ISBN 81-7201-506-2.
- ↑ Topiwala, Chandrakant; Dave, Ramesh R., eds. (June 2008). Gujarātī Tūṅkī Vārtākośa ગુજરાતી ટૂંકી વાર્તાકોશ [Encyclopedia of Gujarati Short Story] (2nd ed.). Ahmedabad: Gujarati Sahitya Parishad. p. 56. OCLC 24870863.
- ↑ "The Post Office". Rediff. 26 October 2020. Retrieved 28 March 2021.
- ↑ Joshi, Suresh Hariprasad (2001). J. Birjepatil (ed.). Ten Short Stories by Suresh Joshi. New Delhi: Sahitya Akademi. p. 13. ISBN 978-81-260-1159-9.
- ↑ Mehta, Ashish (14 February 2021). "How Dhumketu transformed Gujarati literature with his short stories". The Indian Express. Retrieved 28 March 2021.
- ↑ Ramakrishnan, E. V., ed. (2005). Indian Short Stories,1900–2000. New Delhi: Sahitya Akademi. pp. 33–42. ISBN 978-81-260-1091-2.
- ↑ Dharmarajan, Geeta; Ramachandra, Keerti, eds. (2006). Night of the Third Crescent and Other Stories: Unforgettable Short Fiction from Some of India's Master Storytellers. Katha. p. 73. ISBN 978-81-89020-51-4.
External links[edit | edit source]
- Post Office at Internet Archive (from Tanakha, Vol 1)
- English translation by Jenny Bhatt
- A poem about 'Post Office' by Kamal Vora