GHARATE IS A COLLECTION OF STORIES ESPECIALLY WRITTEN FOR ADOLESCENTS AND YOUNG BOYS BY ONE OF THE MOST WELL-KNOWN OF MARATHI NOVELISTS THE LATE V. S. KHANDEKAR. BOYS OF THIS TENDER AGE ARE VERY SENSITIVE. THEY HAVE INTIMATE RELATIONSHIPS NOT ONLY WITH THEIR FRIENDS, PARENTS AND SIBLINGS, THEIR SCHOOL, THEIR TEACHERS, BUT ALSO WITH THE NATURAL WORLD AROUND THEM THE TREES, THE FLOWERS, RIVERS, MOUNTAINS, BIRDS, THE SKY, AND THE STARS. THESE RELATIONSHIPS, THEIR ENVIRONMENT AND THE HAPPENINGS AROUND THEM MAKE AN IMPACT ON THEIR IMPRESSIONABLE MINDS. THESE SHAPE THEIR SENSIBILITIES, AND ALSO LEAD TO THE FORMATION OF THEIR BELIEF-SYSTEMS AS WELL AS RAISE INNUMERABLE QUESTIONS IN THEIR MINDS.IN THESE STORIES KHANDEKAR EXPLORES THE DELICATE WORLD OF THE CHILDS MIND AND PAINTS SUBTLE PICTURES IN HIS SIMPLE, UNSOPHISTICATED STYLE. HIS PEN IS EXTREMELY SENSITIVE AS IT UNRAVELS THE EMOTIONAL REALM OF CHILDREN, AND INSTILLS LASTING VALUES AND IDEALS. THIS COLLECTION ALSO DEVELOPS THE SENSIBILITIES NECESSARY TO SUCCESSFULLY STEER THE SMALL BOAT OF GOODNESS THROUGH THE VAST, CHOPPY WATERS OF THE WORLD.