UPRA

LAXMAN MANE

Apr 2022 · MEHTA PUBLISHING HOUSE

About this ebook

UPARA: AN AUTOBIOGRAPHY WRITTEN BY LAXMAN MANE IS A PATH BREAKING WORK IN THE MARATHI LITERATURE, FOR ITS LIVELY DEPICTION OF THE LIFE OF A UNTOUCHABLE BOY. FORCEFUL STYLE, AUTHENTICITY OF EXPERIENCE AND ITS STRONG PLEA FOR SOCIAL JUSTICE ARE HERE FOR READERS TO READ. THE BOOK IS RICH WITH EMOTIONAL EXPERIENCE AT DIFFERENT LEVELS. THE LOVE-HATE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN THE AUTHOR AND HIS FATHER, BETWEEN HIS MOTHER AND FATHER, BETWEEN FATHER AND RELATIVES, THE INTENSE LOVE BETWEEN THE AUTHOR AND HIS BELOVED, THE MUTE SUFFERING OF BOTH THE LOVERS, THE CRUELTIES OF LIFE, HUMILIATION AND FEELINGS OF ANGER, FORBEARANCE, COMPASSION - THE INTERTWINING OF ALL THESE ELEMENTS GIVES THE WORK IMMENSE VITALITY. ‘उपरा’ या आत्मकथनातून लक्ष्मण माने यांच्या जीवनातील संघर्षाची प्रत्येक ठिणगी मानवमुक्तीच्या ध्यासाकडे झेपावताना दिसते. शिक्षणाची आच, भटकं खडतर जीवन, आई-वडीलांचं प्रेम, नव्या पिढीचा संघर्ष, जात पंचायतीचे चटके, अज्ञान, अपमान, अवहेलना हे सारं लेखकाच्या पाचवीलाच पूजलेलं. आपल्या शिक्षण घेणाऱ्या मुलाने लग्न करावं म्हणून आई-वडिलांच्या जीवाची झालेली उलघाल-दोन पिढ्यांमधील संघर्ष व त्यातून निर्माण झालेली, ‘नवविचारांची तिरीप’ हे ‘उपरा’चं फार मोठं सामर्थ्य आहे. भटकं-पालावरचं लेखकाचं जग माणुसकीच्या शोधात निघते... आणि त्याचा जगण्याचा हक्कच हिरावून घेतला जातो. तरीही न थकता सतत समस्यांच्या भोवऱ्यातून वाट काढत लेखक व त्यांचे कुटुंब यशोमंदिर गाठतात. गरिबीतूनही जीवनाचा अंकुर फुलतो. अंत:करणाचा थरकाप होतो. तरीही आपल्या कैकाडी-भटक्या विमुक्त समाजातील बांधवांसाठी लक्ष्मण मानेंचा जीव व्याकूळ होतो. समाजासाठी पराकोटीचे कष्ट लक्ष्मण माने घेतात. शिक्षणसंस्था काढतात. तळागाळातील प्रत्येक घटकाचं अज्ञान दूर करून जीवन सुसह्य व्हावे, हा ध्यास लेखकाला आहे. १९८१ला ‘उपरा’ या आत्मकथनाला ‘साहित्य अकादमी पुरस्कार’ मिळाला. १९८२ला ‘न.चिं. केळकर पुरस्कार’ व १९९० ला ‘महाराष्ट्र गौरव पुरस्कार’ मिळाला. सामाजिक भान व मानवतेचा हुंकार म्हणजेच ‘उपरा’कारांचे जीवन. म्हणूनच २००९ साली लक्ष्मण मानेंना ‘पद्मश्री पुरस्काराने गौरविण्यात आले.

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About the author

LAXMAN BAPU MANE IS A MARATHI WRITER AND A SOCIAL ACTIVIST FROM MAHARASHTRA, INDIA. MANE CAME TO SUDDEN FAME AFTER PUBLISHING HIS AUTOBIOGRAPHY UPARA, (AN OUTSIDER), IN 1980. UPARA WAS CONSIDERED AS A MILESTONE IN MARATHI DALIT LITERATURE AND RECEIVED SAHITYA AKADEMI AWARD IN 1981 AND PADMA SHRI IN 2009. HE IS A FORMER MEMBER OF MAHARASHTRAS LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL. लक्ष्मण बापू माने हे महाराष्ट्रातील एक मराठी लेखक आणि सामाजिक कार्यकर्ते आहेत. 1980 मध्ये त्यांचे आत्मचरित्र उपरा प्रकाशित केल्यानंतर माने यांना अचानक प्रसिद्धी मिळाली. उपरा हे मराठी दलित साहित्यातील मैलाचा दगड मानले गेले आणि त्यांना 1981 मध्ये साहित्य अकादमी आणि 2009 मध्ये पद्मश्री पुरस्कार मिळाले. ते महाराष्ट्राचे माजी आमदार आहेत.

A pioneer in the publication industry for nearly four decades, Mehta Publishing House has stood the test of time gloriously by just doing what the vision statement states, celebrating Marathi as regional language and publishing rustic stories by renowned authors not only from Marathi literature but also across the globe. Being true to its roots, the company believes in exploring the rich literature of India and lauds homebred writers with great responsibility and pride. This very core belief has what led Mehta Publishing House to become the leaders in Marathi publishing in India today.

The success of Mehta Publishing House can be entirely credited to its competent management team. Incorporated under the guidance of Mr. Anil Mehta in 1976, Mehta Publishing House started with the publication of its first Marathi book titled ‘Malayvarchi Maina’, a collection of short stories authored by Anand Yadav. Today, the company has grown manifold and has managed to achieve various milestones. The reins are now in the very capable hands of Mr. Sunil Mehta, the current CEO of Mehta Publishing House, who is effortlessly amalgamating traditional core values with modern technological advancements in the publication industry. Mr. Mehta’s effort has helped Mehta Publishing House to create its own niche in the Marathi publishing industry.

With more than 150 new titles and 300 reprints being published every year, Mehta Publishing House has made its presence felt in nearly all genres & sub-categories of books with a dynamic backlist of over 4500 titles. We have the most prominent Marathi writers and bestselling books under our umbrella. So much so that with increased demand, the publishing house was induced to print and release translated versions of the same in many other Indian languages too including Hindi, Gujarati, Bengali, Kannada and several others. Not just limited to books, we are also the world’s first publishing house and one-of-a-kind to come up with authentic and original DRM enabled Marathi e-Books. After dominating the Marathi literature scene for several years, Mehta Publishing House has spread its wings by venturing into publishing of English books primarily to be able to reach more readers and spread the joy of reading.