Pratinidhi Kahaniyan : Mannu Bhandari

Among the female story writers who have contributed significantly to the enrichment of the new story, Mannu Bhandaris name stands out. Naturally, her work embodies the feminine spirit. She consistently championed the identity of the modern woman, her self-identity, and her courage to fight social constraints. This was a challenging task, because, in her own words, The difficulty for a female storyteller is even greater than for a poet, in that she must express herself more openly without resorting to metaphorical language. It is fine as long as she keeps using worn-out stories and emotional grounds, but when she dares to touch the wider areas of life and the world, direct and indirect taboos come forward pointing fingers at her. These stories of Mannu Bhandari, grappling with the demands and challenges of the art of story-telling in frank language, are also stories of social concern and highlight the emerging personality of women, the changing nature of relationships and their struggles in todays semi-feudal-semi-capitalist society. Yet Mannu Bhandari is not just a woman writer. She has consciously raised various experiences in her stories.