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Good Publishers
Yashodhar Modi and his son Manish have ensuredthat the city's most revered Hindi publishing house, Hindi GranthPustakalaya (webmasters note: Correct name Hindi Granth Karyalay,error by the newspapers editors), continues the literary traditionestablished in 1932 (webmasters note: Correct date 1912, error by thenewspapers editors), says Sudarshana Dwivedi.
It's a face that carries the stamp ofa legendary lineage that launched a thousand books. Yashodhar Modicarries on his broad shoulders the responsibility of a publishinghouse which is synonymous with great Hindi literature - Hindi GranthRatnakar, now known as Hindi Granth Pustakalaya (webmasters note:Correct name Hindi Granth Karyalay, error by the newspaperseditors).
As you enter Khattar Galli nearGirgaum, the huge board of Hindi Granth Pustakalaya (Hindi GranthKaryalay) greets you. It's a world of dreams, of nostalgia, ofliterature. It was to this world that Pandit Nathuram Premibelonged.
It was in the village of Devari thatPremiji had his initial schooling. Financial necessity brought him toMumbai in 1901. He started off as a clerk but his literary power madean impact on the literary patrons of Mumbai and Hindi Granth Ratnakarwas born in 1932 (webmasters note: Correct date 1912, error by thenewspapers editors). In no time, it was publishing works of all theimportant writers of the time - Munshi Premchand, Pandit Motichand,Pandit Sudarshan, Mahavir Prasad Dwivedi (his translation of AbrahamLincoln's Liberty was the first book published by this houseas Swatantrata).
Premiji's publishing house flourishedand his son Hemchandra was as dedicated as the Granth founder. Butfate dealt Premiji a cruel blow - Hemchandra passed away in 1942. Hewas only 33 and his son Yashodhar was just a lad of 10. "Those weretrying times for my grandfather. Losing a son so young would havecrushed a person less stronger than him", says Yashodhar. "The firstthing he did was to give me a broom to sweep the shop. The idea wasto make me independent and not think of any job in the shop as menialor small. All that I know and all that I have achieved I owe to mygrandfather."
And his son Manish believes in theseideals. A researcher of Indology at Mumbai University, Manish lefthis diamond business in Dubai to assist his father.
Says Manish, "We firmly believe inold values and we try to uphold our tradition."
Despite the odds, the Modis aredetermined to publish atleast a book or two each year. They offerneither cuts to solicit business nor do they offer discounts to lurecustomers. But they do offer fabulous Hindi books at unbelievableprices. A hardbound Chitralekha at Rs. 20 is a steal. Don'tbelieve it? Go check it out yourself.
Landmark Books:
To order books please write tomanishymodi@gmail.com
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For regular updates on Hindi andUrdu literature, please subscribe to Hindibooks@yahoogroups.com
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