Preethi Mruthyu Bhaya
The publication
of this novel, written in 1959 and resurrected accidentally has generated
considerable interest among the cognoscenti, because of its historical
significance as well as its contemporary relevance, even though the former
would be restricted to academics. The introductory remarks by the author
describe the novel as a creative attempt aimed at purgation from the trauma
caused by intense experiences such as death and love as also the emotional and
intellectual responses released by them. It delineates the journeys undertaken
by Shekhara into his past and the inner recesses of his psyche. It deals also
with the alienation of the
protagonist from his social and familial moorings; it interrogates his
relationship with Shyamala – is it physical, is it ideological or is it love
itself. However, this oft repeated theme acquires an added dimension because
the novelist perceives the problem as cutting across generations and cultural
idiosyncrasies.
Ananthamurthy, among the most important writers of our
times, has maintained a critical distance from the protagonist. This is the
portrayal of a predicament rather than a worldview. Shekhar’s inability to
understand the inner compulsions of other characters and the consequent
intolerance should be perceived as lacunae introduced by the novelist himself.
The interface that is created among primal forces such as love, death and fear
leads to the evolution of Shekhar’s psyche. The sudden death of his younger
brother propels him to transcend his limitations and make the ‘right’ choices.
He feels that his relatives and friends are denied this privilege because they
are sentimental and exploitative. This of course is typical of the Navya
(Modernist) writing.
Hatred and intolerance often borne by ‘sensitive’
persons towards an ‘insensitive’ world result in various reaction patterns such
as renunciation, struggle, masochism, compromise, resignation and unwilling
participation. Shekhara exhibits all of them at various junctures in the novel.
His self righteousness is tempered by an untold respect for others and a
genuine awareness of his limitations. Surprisingly, his ire is directed more at
his mother and other women in his life, rather than male characters with whom
he vibes reasonably well. Most of these characters serve a functional purpose –
they foster the evolution of Shekhara.
The novel employs the stream of conscious technique
with certain modifications. Chronological narration makes way for discrete
units of experience that are held together by emotional and cerebral continuum
created in the protagonist. The novel may not satisfy your artistic
expectations, but its disarming honesty and intensity captivates the reader.
This novel is historically important for two reasons.
Firstly, it contains within itself the birth pangs of the modernist fiction in
Kannada. It illustrates the process of transition from the realistic modes of
structuring and narration to the modernist mode which is characterised by panache
for poetic quality, foregrounding the narrative and relegating the story to the
background, and being richly symbolic.
Secondly, this novel contains many major
preoccupations of Anathamurthy’s oeuvre in their embryonic form. This
represents a stage at which the individual and the family are at the nucleus
and society forms a peripheral backdrop. Later on, Ananthamurthy focused on the
philosophical and socio-political dimensions of life, although never at the
cost of sacrificing the sanctity of individuals. In celebrated classics such as
“Samskara’ and “Avasthe’, an artistic merger of these concerns is manifested
very competently and artistically. The intellectual positions taken in this
novel are genuine because the author was bothered neither by a desire to be
politically right nor by inner compulsions to cater to the reading public. The
fact that the novel ends rather abruptly may also indicate the tentative nature
of author’s ideological positions at that temporal juncture.
However, the significance of this work lies in the
fact that it reflects on the angst indigenous to youth. However, the travails
undergone by other age groups, as furtherance to what sets in during youthful
years are given ample representation. It creates a sombre and contemplative
mood in its readers. It could become a perennial favourite, it is sure to evoke
similar responses in decades to come because it addresses issues that are relevant
for all time.
H.S.
Raghavendra Rao
This is a review of Prof U.R. Ananthamurthy's latest novel,
published on 24-08-12 in ‘The Hindu’
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