Written originally in Oriya in 1945 and translated here for the first time, Paraja is a classic of modern Indian fiction. It tells on an epic scale the story of a tribal patriarch and his family in the mountainous jungles of Orissa. The slow decline in the fortunes of this family - from the quiet prosperity of a subsistence livelihood towards bondage to the local moneylender - is both poignantly individualized as well as symbolic of the erosion of a whole way of life within peasant communities. The novel, furthermore, transcends what it documents because its characters are not merely primitive tribesmen ensnared by a predatory moneylender. Mohanty's protagonists are also quintessentially men and women waging heroic but futile war against a hostile universe. As the citation of the Jnanpith Award of 1974 put it - 'in Mohanty's hands the social is lifted to the level of the metaphysical.'

On the Potuguese in India.

First published in the Odia in 1948, and translated for the first time here into English by Bikram Das, Gopinath Mohanty's Harijan is one of the most original and radical Indian novels of the twentieth century. It brings to vivid life the story of a group of Mehentars living in a slum. Cleaning latrines with their bare hands is the only work that they can hope to find as their caste excludes them from every other occupation. The leader of this group is the middle-aged and foul-mouthed Jema who starts her day by gulping down a potful of liquor and smoking pinkas in order to deal with the stench of the excreta. One day, Jema comes down with a fever and is unable to go to work. Fourteen-year-old Puni offers to take her mother's place. The next morning Puni wakes up early, bathes, puts on a clean sari, and dabs some cheap perfume on her skin. Stepping out of the hut excitedly, she picks up basket and broom. When she arrives at the first latrine, the stink hits her with the force of a hammer blow. She drops her basket and broom, turns around, and is trying to run away, when her friends stop her. 'This is what you will have to do every day for the rest of your life! It is your fate!' Avinash Babu lives in a palatial house next to the slum. He is planning to evict the Mehentars in order to develop the slum into a residential colony. One night, a fire breaks out and the entire slum is burned to the ground. The Mehentars leave the slum carrying their remaining possessions on their backs. They have nowhere to go but they are past all worries-they know that no matter where they go, they will still be cleaning excrement, for they are Harijans. Harijan is an enduring Odia classic which is regarded as one of the most original and radical Indian novels of the twentieth century. Gopinath Mohanty was an esteemed Odia novelist who was awarded the Padma Bhushan, the Sahitya Akademi Award, and the Jnanpith Award. This is the first English translation of the novel by Sahitya Akademi Translation Awardee Bikram Das.

The entire village was in an uproar when the news spread that Laltu had beaten up Yuvaraj. How dare a Dom boy thrash the gauntia’s nephew, a Teli? The Telis set out to seek revenge by breaking Laltu’s limbs. Conscious of the plight of the Dalits and the lower castes, and hoping to improve their lot, Laltu leads an uprising against the upper castes. Does he succeed? Or is he silenced and crushed by caste power? Set in a remote village in the Kalahandi district of Odisha, the story draws from the real, lived experiences of the region’s Dalits. Bheda, the first Odia Dalit novel, is not only a poignant tale of rebellion and betrayal, it is also a record of the caste atrocities and cultural politics that have defined India.

This book provides an insight into the importance of astrology viz., natal, electional and horary, as well as deals with other dimensions of this science such as spirituality, spiritualism, Ayurveda, transmigration of souls, thought-reading, dreams, temple and its rituals and effects of particular sins. The work presents new theories and methods of determining success and defeat in contests and wars with the help of illustrative charts. It urges readers to avoid fatalism commonly associated with predictions and explains how one could solve riddles in life and tide over the pessimistic attitude and related psychological problems. The author has thrown fresh light on some questions like the name of the author of Prasnamarga, line of succession of his pupils, and the authorship of the Dasadhyayi. The most significant contribution of this work is the clear exposition of the rules of Astamangala and Devaprasna, in addition to Candragupti (water-divination), martial problems, Coragrahas, Necromancy, special importance of Mandi and Dasa of its star, Kalacakradasa, etc.