These short stories are about those great women (some girls too) who believed in great ideals of love, sacrifice, patriotism etc. and had the courage to live those ideals in their lives. They belong to different periods of history (some pre-historic) as well as different places and positions in society. I have not written their life history—it is just a glimpse into their life which shows their quality that proved them great and extraordinary. I do not present them as being super-human or heavenly bodies. They are just like any ordinary women but they achieved greatness by their commitment to their ideals. Therefore, readers will be surprised to read a new version of the story of Savitri or Parvati. But I believe that these great women need to be understood and emulated as our ideals. The new generation needs to know them in their true logical perspective. Otherwise we might forget them and their ideals in this age of materialism.
Santosh Shailja was born on 14th. April, 1937 in Amritsar (Punjab). She had her education upto Matriculation there. After that her parents shifted to Delhi where she did her B.A. and M.A. (Hindi). After doing her B.Ed. she taught in Govt. Higher Secondary School in Delhi. After marriage with Shri Shanta Kumar in 1964, both came to live in Palampur, Himachal Pradesh. She is blessed with three daughters and a son. All are married and blessed with children. As she had an aptitude for reading and writing, her first story appeared in Panchjanya, a Hindi weekly from Delhi. Afterwards, she regularly wrote stories for Saptahik Hindustan, Dharmayuga, Sarika, Kadambini. She also wrote articles on women & children regarding social problems. Her first story collection `Jauhar Ke Akshar' was published in 1966. Till now she has three novels `Kanak Chhari', `Angaron Mein Phool' and 'Sun Mutiaarey', three story collections `Jyotirmayin', 'Pahar Begaane Nahin Hongey' and `Tahliyan', three poetry collections 'O Parvaasi Meet Mere', Dhauladhar', 'Kuhuk Kouliya Ki' and two children's books named 'Himachal Ki Lok Kathayen' and 'Parvateeya Lok Kathayen' to her credit.
Each day dawns with a new sun. Every season brings new plants with new flowers and fruits. But each new plant has its close bond with mother-earth. Similarly with the change of time, new ideas, convictions and ideals are born in each century which mould human-lives. But the new is connected with the old just like a plant to its root. We Indians are blessed with a culture rich in lofty ideals and ideas which were nurtured by innumerable great men and women. History is full of such glorious sagas of life. No doubt, we remember them, worship too but never think of inculcating their ideals in our lives. This thought was at the back of my mind when I wrote this story book in Hindi named Jauhar Ke Akhshar. It was first published in 1966.
My friends and my daughter Renu exhorted me to translate these stories into English. This is my maiden attempt and I can only pray to God and hope for a kind and loving word from my readers. These short stories are about those great women (some girls too) who believed in great ideals of love, sacrifice, patriotism etc. and had the courage to live those ideals in their lives. They belong to different periods of history (some pre-historic) as well as different places and positions in society. I have not written their life history—it is just a glimpse into their life which shows their quality that proved them great and extraordinary. I do not present them as being super-human or heavenly bodies. They are just like any ordinary women but they achieved greatness by their commitment to their ideals. Therefore, readers will be surprised to read a new version of the story of Savitri or Parvati. But I believe that these great women need to be understood and emulated as our ideals. The new generation needs to know them in their true logical perspective. Otherwise we might forget them and their ideals in this age of materialism.
I again invoke your affection for my maiden attempt. But as a flow of the Ganges carries away everything—big or small—so I believe your affection would succeed in overlooking my verbal shortcomings and you will enjoy the contents of Glimpses of Glory as I have enjoyed every moment of rendering it into English.
My heartiest thanks to Shri Satish Dhar for his able support and assistance in bringing the book soon and in a presentable form. I am immensely grateful to the Publisher Shri Prabhat Kumar for his esteemed cooperation and support. My beloved husband Shri Shanta Kumar is always with me in each word that I have written, so far, and my greatest inspiration comes from him.
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