Review: "Motherwit"

By Nilima Sinha, Library Committee
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​​Motherwit is a lovely collection of 14 short stories originally written in Marathi by Urmila Pawar and masterfully translated by Coffman resident, Dr. Veena Deo.  Pawar is an activist and a feminist.  Through these stories Pawar explores gender inequality, caste and various other socio-cultural nuances in the context of India. In the introduction, Veena explains the themes and provides necessary background especially for non-Indian readers for a thorough comprehension and enjoyment of the stories. Veena’s glossary adds to the understanding by providing meanings of Marathi and non-English terms and references in her translation which are essential for providing cultural context and authenticity.

I loved all 14 stories but three stood out for me. Sixth Finger (Sahav Bot), Justice (Nyay) and Pain (Shalya)  

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were my favorites.  There is a woman at the center of each story.  Each story has a surprise ending.

Sixth Finger is about a man, Umesh, suspecting his wife, Sneha, of marital infidelity in an urban setting.  In this story Pawar critically looks at the gender bias in the institution of marriage in India.

 In Justice, Pawar explores personal freedom and gender power dynamics in a rural setting in which a young widow, Paru, is assaulted and impregnated.  Paru seeks justice by making a choice about her body and her life and not by following the demands of the villagers or punishing the wrongdoer.

In Pain, Pawar tackles patriarchy and misogyny.  Jyoti, after the birth of her sixth daughter bribes a midwife to covertly exchange her newborn daughter with the newborn son of an unwed mother.

Motherwit is not a translation of an existing Marathi book. The 14 short stories contained in it were picked by Veena to form this beautiful collection. The book is in the Coffman Library and is shelved in 1666 Authors under Deo, Veena.