Singarevva and the Palace

"From strange obsessions to impulsive desires, this is an unusual gothic novel, faithful to the events in Singarevva’s life. The story of a woman, as fascinating and mysterious as the palace she lives in."

Katha's first novel

The Statesman
(April 14, 2002)

“This is yet another achievement for Katha which has carved out a place for itself in the field of short stories and fiction in translation.”

The Telegraph
(May 3, 2002)

“Katha’s first novel comes as a pleasant surprise. Well-defined characters and a powerful and unusual narrative make it an absorbing read.”

NDTV - MSNBC Online
(April 15, 2002)

Novel venture at Katha

“Katha has for nearly a decade been providing g a unique forum for both emerging and established writers.”

“Katha has gone a long way in showcasing the expanse of Indian literaure in a bid to affirming that writing transcends all barriers, linguistic and thematic, and underline a stunning range of themes, settings and literary styles.”

“Literary circles have recognized Katha’ s “trial-blazing effort” to “salvage the lost classics of modern India, translating them into English with flair.”

Hindustantimes.com - Books
(May 13, 2002)

“The story enthralls the reader by its simplicity and the a very fundamental level of apprehension. It does not expose a universally felt predicament; it does not speak of gigantic heroics."

The Asian Age

(April 16, 2002)

“Kambar’s works are inspired by folk tradition, particularly the folklore and mythology of northern Karnataka which he weaves into his writing with consummate ease. The book has been successfully translated into English by Laxmi Chandrashekar, a difficult task, as anyone who has tried even something simple like explaining a hindi song in english knows.”

“As Uday Prakash, himself a well-known hindi writer said of the book and Kambar’s style, “for the reader, I can say, on one can put down this book, as an author, I amazed by this (Kambar) style. He has evolved a kind of style which is very complex. I congratulate Katha for having chosen a very good novel.”

“So, not only to all the parents out there but to children too, get out there and explore the rich world of regional tales, and kids, time to corner parents and grandparents into telling you some amazing stories. This is your future, but it might be time to bring a little of the magic of the past back into it.”

The Times of India - Bangalore Times
(May 15, 2002)

Kambar now in English

“Katha, the leading New Delhi-based publishing house, has been championing the cause of translating short stories from regional languages into English for 14 years.”

Times of India - Pune Times
(April 13, 2002)

“Lending a helping hand towards breaking down such wall are publishing houses which promote works of translation, mostly from a regional language to English. On a parallel front, they also provide a national (and at times global) platform for a relatively unknown author. This, in a nutshell, is what Delhi-based Katha does, an example of which can be witnessed on April 13 when Kannda writer Dr Chandrasekhar Kambar’s novel Singarevva And The Palace is released at Either Or, Sohrab Hall.”

The author

Chandrasekhar Kambar

The translator

Laxmi Chandrashekar

Publishers: Katha [Kannada Library]
Cover Design: Geeta Dharmarajan
Cover Painting: Samir Mondal
Courtesy: www.saffronart.com
Size 5.5” x 8” [PB]
ISBN 81-87649-35-6
Price: Rs 250