Indian Literature Decoded

This might probably be the one book that I’d hesitate to blog on purely because  - a) I come from a culture where anything related to the S word is spoken in whispers and to speak out loud is unimaginable and b) doesn’t have great ratings either. Now as for the reason why I still blogged on this is that its speaks mostly of the history of Kamasutra itself…the timeline when it must’ve been compiled, and the possible identity of the authors behind the name “Vatsayana”. Setting that aside, the author provides good insights into the concept of Trivarga or the 3 goals – Dharma, Artha and Kama and the complex relation between the 3.

Next comes the definition of a Nagaraka or a city dweller, his ideal life and worldly indulgences. While describing the Nagaraka, frequent references are made to Bharata’s Natyashastra highlighting the seamless relation this book has with the Kamasutra. Most noteworthy of these references is the mention of the 9 rasas – joy and laughter, disgust, wrath, serenity, heroism, fear, grief, wonder with the last one being pleasure. And the monologue continues… with references to Krishna’s raaslila, the story of Shakuntala and Dushyanta and other classical dramas and plays from ancient India. Unfortunate souls like me who were thrown into schools that taught Telugu as first language will commiserate with me when I say we were probably the ones who were most exposed to literature with a heavy yet subtle veil of erotica right from Junior High through intricate prose and poetry.  Amen to that!

The downfall for the book begins after chapter 5 as the author James McConnachie, who by now has run out of material starts rattling on the life and pursuits of Richard Francis Burton, the gentleman who first introduced Kamasutra to the West. Described as one of the dark horses in the East India Company, his pursuits cover the rest of the chapters which is where it gets indescribably boring.

In any case, I can now commiserate better with Indian artists and dramatists and their reasons for producing such works, and with my mom for her utter frustration for having to quiz me on these wonderful works of literature in order to prep me for final exams. Perhaps I should point out these to the Board of Education in India!:) Pick this book only if you are interested in the history of Indian literature and its origins.

Chitra – A Play in One Act

Rabindranath Tagore’s selected works is an extensive collection of some of his best works – poetry, prose and plays. I reiterate the point again, I can’t understand poetry nor can I interpret it no matter how I look at the lines. Moreover, each of these plays/prose merit a post of their own and I can’t think of justifying them all in a single post.

So this is the 1st post from Tagore’s works and it’s the romantic play between a Manipuri princess Chitra and the Arjuna, the prince from the house of Kurus. Deemed to have taken place sometime during the era of Mahabharata, the play is beautifully written with each character’s beauty and grace described in such detail that you can imagine the person standing right before you.

Chitra is a Manipuri princess who was brought up as a son by her father (those days princes were in high demand to maintain the bloodline) and her boundless skills as a warrior and a king pale in comparison to her very plain features. One fine day, while she was hunting in the forest she chances upon Arjuna in hermit form and instantly attracted to him. He however, having avowed to remain celibate for 12 years, had retired to the forests as a hermit.

Chitra then dones the princess garbs and approaches Arjuna but is brutally rebuffed by him as he fails to notice her inner beauty like all other guys. She then seeks the help of Manmadha and his friend Vasantha, the gods of love and seasons respectively to capture Arjuna’s heart. They transform her into a beauty like no other and Arjuna readily throws aside his vow of celibacy to be with her. Does the alteration give Chitra a happily ever-after ending with her prince?

The dialogues are sheer brilliance with a captivating magic that makes the scenes so vivid in your imagination. As you read through the scenes, you can simply imagine the play happening right before your eyes. And its truly magical. Its a one-act play and a must read.