Six and a Third Acres: a Novel

Six and a third Acres was the first modern Odia novel, and has remained at the heart of Odiniterary excellence ever since. It was published as Chha Mana atha guntha in theiterary monthly Utkal Sahitya between 1897–99. Over a century after it was first published, this sombre tale continues to attract readers because of fakir Mohan senapati’s innovative technique, indelible characters, wit, imagination, and tremendous insights into the rural milieu. The novel is about village politics, caste oppression, malpractices, andand-grabbing under the zamindari system in colonial Odisha. Ramchandra mangaraj, a sly zamindar of the village of govindpur, is notorious for taking over theands of poor peasants and farmers. This time, his avaricious gaze falls on a small patch ofand—six and a third acres—belonging to a humble, god-fearing weaver couple. Unable to fight the zamindari devious schemes, the couple succumbs to the harsher realities of caste-ridden villageife. This exceptional new translation byeelawati Mohapatra, Paul st-pierre & K. K. Mohapatra breathes newife into one of the most brilliant novels in Indianiterature.