A Flower Forlorn and Other Stories (Sahitya Akademi Award-Winning Manipuri Short Stories Collection)

About the Book A Flower Forlorn and Other Stories is the English translation by O. Anand Singh of Elangbam Rajnikanta Singh's Sahitya Akademi Award-Winning collection of short stories in Manipuri entitled Kalenthagi Leipaklei. Each story has its own charm and beauty. The book is a picture of Manipuri society in the Post-World War II, a period of new awakening amidst the sufferings of war-torn Imphal. While translating these stories from Manipuri, the translator tried to retain the beauty and flavour of the original content as far as it was possible.

About the Author Elangbam Rajnikanta Singh (R. K. Elangbam) (1929-2000) was an eminent poet, short story writer and novelist. He was also one of the pioneer film critics of Manipuri cinema. He was very famous in his time as a good academician. He received the Sahitya Akademi Award in 1981 for his collection of short stories Kalenthagi Leipaklei.

Preface Elangbam Rajnikanta Singh (R.K.Elangbam) was born on 21 February, 1929 at Elangbam Leikai, Imphal. He was an eminent Manipuri short-story writer and novelist. He got his Master's Degree in Manipuri from the Centre of Post Graduate Studies, Jawaharlal Nehru University. Imphal. Some of his short-stories have been published in 'Indian Literature' journal published by the Sahitya Akademi. His poems, short-stories and essays have been included in the text books of schools. He was also a renowned film critic and had written critical comments on almost all the Manipuri films of his time. He died on 16 January, 2000. He received the Sahitya Akademi award in 1981 for his collection of short-stories Kalenthagi Leipaklei.

Kalenthagi Leipaklei is a collection of twenty short stories. Each story has its own charm and beauty. The common theme in all the stories is the suffering of common man and woman of the society. Almost all the stories are of the conventional type of Manipuri short-stories of 1970s. He had a keen eye for dramatic situation which made his stories lively and interesting. His mind was very sensitive and he described the ordinary life round him with great vividness. His stories are based on the solid rocks of life with complete familiarity with the human heart. He can dive deep into human passions and display their minute subtleties. The stories included in Kalenthagi Leipaklei are primarily plot stories with a transparently simple structure. E. Rajnikanta's short-stories are remarkable for their beauty and completeness, for the skillful manipulation of events to a dramatic climax and suitable conclusion.

The present volume A Flower Forlorn and Other Stories is the English Translation of R. K. Elangbam's Kalenthagi Leipaklei.

**Contents and Sample Pages**