Synopsis This collection of post-independence Telugu short stories reflects all the major trends and thematic concerns of the Telugu short stories of the post-Independence period. The Telugu short story right from its inception in 1910 has demonstrated its serious engagement with social issues and is imbued with a strong sense of social awareness and responsiveness. The post-Independence Telugu short story continued this tradition in terms of its theamatic preoccupations. The selection comes from different regions of Andhra Pradesh: Andhra (coastal districts), Rayalaseema and Telangana and record with rare sensitivity the specificities of the sub-cultures of these regions. The stories trace the impact of all the important socio-political movements that have swept across the Telugu land in the post-Independence era: socialism, communism, feminism, civil right movement and the dalit movement. The lives of Telugu people, urban and rural upper middle class, middle class and the downtrodden, professionals and beggars-are represented in a rich mosaic of differences.