This is a collage presentation of south Asian feminist novelist Sarojini Sahoo's novel The Dark Abode and American poet painter Ed Baker's sketch book Uma . it is the English translation of Sahoo's much-acclaimed Oriya novel, Gambhiri Ghara, which was first published in a magazine in 2005. The same year, it also appeared in book form and proved to be a best seller. A Bengali translation has also been published from Bangladesh as Mithya Gerosthali by Anupam Prakashani Dhaka, and has gained a great response from Bengali readers.
The novel deals with the terrorism that people often face from the micro to the macro sphere. It begins with questioning the mere physicality of the man-woman relationship and then transports the reader into the higher planes of platonic love.
Kuki, the central character of the novel, is a Hindu woman from India who falls (and then rises) in love with a Muslim artist from Pakistan . The unusualness of the socio-cultural background of these two characters is portrayed by Sahoo in a sensitive and convincing manner. The reader becomes familiar with two sets of roles that Kuki plays; that of a lover and that of a wife. She subtly balances these two roles and at the same time, highlights the superiority of a wife in a pragmatic world. But the novel is not merely a love story. Though love is a part of the novel, it deals with a much broader topic: the providence of a woman in India .
At the same time, it also portrays a story of how a perverted man, over time, becomes a perfect man. It also delves into the relationship between the ‘state’ and the ‘individual’ and comes to the conclusion that ‘the state’ represents the moods and wishes of a ruler and hence, ‘the state’ actually becomes a form of ‘an individual.’ Additionally, it takes a broader look at terrorism and state-sponsored anarchism. The Dark Abode is as powerful as any of Sarojini Sahoo’s most popular creations. Like in all her other masterpieces, this novel will not betray her characteristic of being a feminist writer and is sure to peak the interests of both new and old readers alike. Ed Baker tries to paint Uma , the Hindu goddess , also known for feminine power . It is said in the SAIMDARUA LAHIRI that she is the source of all power in the universe and because of her; Lord Shiva gets all of his powers. She is often depicted as half of Lord Shiva:the supreme God and also a major symbol of female sexuality .
 more >>