Stupendous Man

Originally Written, August 2003

After all, how many times are such brilliant masterpieces written?

As I pondered at the end of the book, there is this just one question. If this is what the author aimed, I bow to him for, I too have changed. Emptiness beyond the deepest well had overtaken me too at the end of this fascinating book. Beyond the waves, the rain, the silence, laid the emptiness of having accomplished something. I was almost there to witness the silence of the war, the thundering of clouds, the violence of rain, and the anger of waves upon the lands that fought the war in the name of Dharma. An empty feeling had over taken me as I reached the end of the book.

There in lies the beauty of the book. It captivates and holds you with such fervor that not for a moment do you think are in the present, but always a feeling that you are with them, seeing it, feeling it. Sheer Brilliance! It must be said, the masterful stroke of this book lies in the last 15 pages, describing events following the war. Every frame of the war between the Pandavas and Kauravas stay on in the mind long after you have read the book. Every incident, from Kunti’s monologue on the birth of Pandavas to the final walk led by Krishna to the Palace, each incident holds your breath, holds your mind and soul. Every single dialogue, be it a monologue, dialogue, introspection or plain description of events, each of them has been dealt with a hand of a genius.

Suffice to say that the book is indeed brilliantly written. While I will always agree that a Translation can never re-create the original, Dr. K. Raghavendra Rao’s translation is not only true to the topic, but also gives complete justice to the book. His knowledge and his experience in the field can be mentioned first hand by me for I have had the opportunity to stay with him for a year too. Dr. K. Raghavendra Rao translated this novel to English under the Sahitya Akademi sponsorship, and I have the privilege of knowing him as my relational Grandfather. It took a person of great composure to recreate such a masterpiece in English, without diluting the effect. The feelings of Draupadi are as magical as the Bhishma’s introspection of his life in the war. The pangs of Kunti for Karna is as much vivid as Gandhari’s love for him. Duryodhana’s questions are as interesting and complex as Shukha’s interpretation of life. The language of Bhyrappa is indeed amazing in the way he brings out the complex emotions which every character faces in the book.

In short, Parva is a Mahabharatha in realism. Every character is a human, and every character is a complex character feeling a gamut of emotions be it jealousy, anger, forgiveness or just politic. Pandavas fight amongst themselves as much as each of them introspects into their own lives and their decisions, giving rise to several important questions of basis of the epic. There are no gods here; there are no demons here, but just humans. Krishna is as much a human as much as Ghatokacha is a human of another kind. The author disproves any kind of Godly references the normal Mahabharata refers to, and thereby gives his work a rational perspective as well as a historical insight into the life of those times. The author, S.L. Bhyrappa backs his work with superior research going well into 7 years of hard work. Parva is an interpretation of Mahabharata in realism with ordinary people, rulers and clans.

Parva is considered to be the best work by him. He won the Sahitya Akademi award for this book and after reading it, I guess it deserves every mention in the world and more. I read the translation of this novel in English, and I thank Sahitya Akademi for bringing out to the world such a brilliant piece of work, for had it not been them, then probably I did never have read this book. S.L. Bhyrappa is a foremost Kannada novelist whose every work is bitterly fought over by critics on their interpretations, though I must confess I am in no position to offer my experience of his other works. Undoubtedly, this perhaps is the best book I have read in my life. I thought I had read the best of books in this world when I laid my hands upon such a piece.

Parva is not just a masterpiece; it’s a brilliant masterpiece.

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But perhaps, the only way I can give my 2 cents reviewing this book is to write the review in reverse. The actual review of Parva begins from the last line and goes up sentence by sentence.
———————————————————————————-

Parva is not just a masterpiece; it’s a brilliant masterpiece.

I thought I had read the best of books in this world when I laid my hands upon such a piece. Undoubetdly, this perhaps is the best book I have read in my life. S.L. Bhyrappa is a foremost Kannada novelist whose every work is bitterly fought over by critics on their interpretations, though I must confess I am in no position to offer my experience of his other works. I read the translation of this novel in English, and I thank Sahitya Akademi for bringing out to the world such a brilliant piece of work, for had it not been them, then probably I did never have read this book.He won the Sahitya Akademi award for this book and after reading it, I guess it deserves every mention in the world and more. Parva is considered to be the best work by him.

Parva is an interpretation of Mahabharata in realism with ordinary people, rulers and clans. The author, S.L. Bhyrappa backs his work with superior research going well into 7 years of hard work. The author disproves any kind of Godly references the normal Mahabharata refers to, and thereby gives his work a rational perspective as well as a historical insight into the life of those times. Krishna is as much a human as much as Ghatokacha is a human of another kind.There are no gods here; there are no demons here, but just humans.Pandavas fight amongst themselves as much as each of them introspects into their own lives and their decisions, giving rise to several important questions of basis of the epic. Every character is a human, and every character is a complex character feeling a gamut of emotions be it jealousy, anger, forgiveness or just politic. In short, Parva is a Mahabharatha in realism.

The language of Bhyrappa is indeed amazing in the way he brings out the complex emotions which every character faces in the book. Duryodhana’s questions are as interesting and complex as Shukha’s interpretation of life. The pangs of Kunti for Karna is as much vivid as Gandhari’s love for him. The feelings of Draupadi are as magical as the Bhishma’s introspection of his life in the war. It took a person of great composure to recreate such a masterpiece in English, without diluting the effect. Dr. K. Raghavendra Rao translated this novel to English under the Sahitya Akademi sponsorship, and I have the privilege of knowing him as my relational Grandfather. His knowledge and his experience in the field can be mentioned first hand by me for I have had the opportunity to stay with him for a year too. While I will always agree that a Translation can never re-create the original, Dr. K. Raghavendra Rao’s translation is not only true to the topic, but also gives complete justice to the book. Suffice to say that the book is indeed brilliantly written.

Every single dialogue, be it a monologue, dialogue, introspection or plain description of events, each of them has been dealt with a hand of a genius. Every incident, from Kunti’s monologue on the birth of Pandavas to the final walk led by Krishna to the Palace, each incident holds your breath, holds your mind and soul. Every frame of the war between the Pandavas and Kauravas stay on in the mind long after you have read the book. It must be said, the masterful stroke of this book lies in the last 15 pages, describing events following the war. Sheer Brilliance! It captivates and holds you with such fervor that not for a moment do you think are in the present, but always a feeling that you are with them, seeing it, feeling it.

There in lies the beauty of the book.

An empty feeling had over taken me as I reached the end of the book. I was almost there to witness the silence of the war, the thundering of clouds, the violence of rain, and the anger of waves upon the lands that fought the war in the name of Dharma. Beyond the waves, the rain, the silence, laid the emptiness of having accomplished something. If this is what the author aimed, I bow to him for, I too have changed. As I pondered at the end of the book, there is this just one question.

…After all, how many times are such brilliant masterpieces written?