'Fisticuff of the Souls' explores salvation through harmony

'Fisticuff of the Souls', an English novel by first time author Matilda Pinto was formally released at St Agnes College auditorium at Bendore here. The fictional work published by Partridge India was released by well-known financial consultant Norbert Shenoy.

Addressing the gathering, Shenoy said: "Not long ago oral tradition in our community was alive. But that tradition is overwhelmed today due to social media. What can we do to keep it alive? We are at a very important juncture. We need to create thought-provoking stories." Congratulating the author on the maiden attempt, he said, "Your story has just begun."

Matilda Pinto, who traces her roots to Coorg, lives in Mangaluru. She had retired as Professor and Head of the Department of English at St Agnes College. Her novel traces the journey of two souls - Teru and Awra, both women – after their death and towards salvation. The book is rich in its cultural and aesthetic appeal. It speaks about the lives and experiences of simple folks  of post-independent India living in the remote areas of Dakshina Kannada and Kodagu.

In her speech, Matilda Pinto said: "There comes a time when every person feels a strong urge to sit down and write. Today I have no words to say as my vocabulary is exhausted from writing the book. Without more and more harmony between the lesser and the greater, animals and humans, there can be no salvation. That is the subtle message of the book."

Lecturer Dr Malini Hebbar reviewed the book of her former colleague. Describing it as a 'novel of ideas', she said what appealed to her was the feminist concern of the writer. "There is consistency in the style of writing; the style and complexity of languages complement each other. It is not easy to write a novel of this caliber."

St Agnes College (Autonomous) Principal Dr Jeswina AC inaugurated the book launch event by lighting the lamp. It concluded with a panel discussion and interview with the author by Brian Fernandes, Bharathi Shevgoor, Dr C K Ballal and Preetham Kamath.