Rupak Debanath, Prof. Distance Education, Tripura Central University, Agartala on : Bridging Souls: A Journey from Mahabharata to Bharata

Bridging Souls: A Journey from Mahabharata to Bharata is a fascinating narrative bridging the gap between the legends of the past and the advancement of the present. Nath deftly blends myth, history, and fiction into a unifying globule. On one hand, the intriguing mysteries of Aman’s death, the fiancé of Dr Harleen Bedi, prods the readers on; on the other, the saga of the Mahabharata and of our great historical predecessors are splendidly unified with the main plot arousing a readerly interest.

The author’s keen sense of humour lightens the mood of the story that would otherwise have been sombre and serious. His use of humour and wit is varied and commendable. In one of several witty anecdotes, he says, “In our school days, we were fond of translating Bengali names.... It goes like: ‘Surya Mondal...Solar System,’ Jagat Roy...Universal Opinion,’ Sushil Nath...Faithful Husband,’ ‘Durjoy Pahari...” (6) etc. He keeps facts in ‘half-light’ to arouse the readers’ curiosity: “Let us take the case of Kurukshetra battle; the Kauravas carried 23 tons of eatables as against 2 slabs of PEK with accessoriess carried by the Pandavas” (11). The reader, thus, is prompted to read through the next few pages to break this jinx of the Kurukshetra.

The book also marks the ‘progress’ of the civilization. It unearths many injustices and crimes that were committed in the past but escaped censure. The killing of Jarasandha and Sishupala, the author feels, is ‘fraud,’ a ‘violation of human rights.’ Again, a comparison is drawn between the battle of Kurukshetra and the cold war between USSR and USA. The two opposing forces, Kauravas and the Pandavas, of this battle are equated with the Warsaw and NATO countries. And so, Shakuni bears familiarity with the KGB chief and Vidura with the CIA chief. Although, the comparisons are too far drawn, it nevertheless raises interesting questions. How far has civilization progressed between the battle of the Kurukshetra and the murder of Aman? Does modern man surpass the subtlety of Shukuni? The pride of ‘progress’ may be debatable; but the improvement of Court Laws is found through the justice meted out to the case of Aman. The Indian judiciary is not without its follies: injustices occur for the lack of evidence or for distortion of evidence, and an eternal time is taken to pass judgements. Judgement, in fact, depends more on the shrewdness of the lawyer than on the simplicity of facts. However, this narrative upholds that in spite of its loopholes, the judiciary tries hard to confer justice on the victims.

Improvement in the legal system is hinted through the implementation of Indian Penal Code laws like 400 IPC, 435/302/429 IPC and of section 436/302/201/34 IPC. When the former is associated with a preparation for dacoity, the later is linked with arson, murder and elopement of evidence and the last with the Wild Life Protection Act. The first law is linked to Duryadhona’s conspiracy of burning the Pandavas in the house at Varanabata; the second to the Pandavas plot of inviting the Nishad family of a mother and five sons. The Pandavas flee but the family dies with the burning of Varanabata; the third to Arjuna’s burning of the forest in Khandavprasta. Among other laws, there is reference to 354 IPC under which men can be arrested for eve teasing or for humiliating women. Dushasana escaped legal punishment despite humiliating Draupadi; today, men are easily bailed out for committing such offences. Thus, it is evident that from the past to the present, rebuking and exploitation of women still continues.  Although, there are many laws under the Indian judicial system, their effectiveness and their implementation remain debatable. The society has also become more politicised and corrupted than before. Readers, who are conventional, perhaps, may be too comfortable with the view of the Pandavas being guilty rather than beings the victims of the Kauravas’s envy.

The book is not a retelling of the past. Incidents in the Mahabharata are viewed from a different dimension. In this reinterpretation, the poetic beauty and the greatness of epic feats are abandoned. And what ultimately emerges is that India is yet to become a modal society despite its new laws and a strong judicial system.