Roma,
Now
I have no qualms about your overt affection for this police officer’s literary
works! The midnight oil burnt itself
out quite some time back and the moon has also dimmed its own light and slowly
gone to sleep, while I am looking out of the bedroom window with tired eyes.
You don’t seem to let go of me so easily, do you? And that is why you have also
asked for my feedback on the book –immediately!
The
Gods seemed to be kind to me, for once. Coincidence you may call it, but the
lights went off the moment I closed the book. And I was just reveling in the
idea of how pleasant it would be to listen to Akhtari Bai’s soul-stirring ghazals
at this hour when the Gods laughed again. Within a mere two minutes, our room
was flooded with light. Anyway, putting aside my silly excuses, I have got hold
of my pen and paper now…
I
remember you telling me that Arindam Nath, the author, is a man of simplewords
and speaks straight from the heart. Although you have read his works
in Bengali, let me assure you, Roma, he is equally a pro in the language of Her
Majesty! The book Bridging Souls – A Journey from Mahabharata to
Bharata vividly describes simple events in simple words.
While the ‘Jatu Greeha’ incident, then
seen as a survival strategy, could lead to life imprisonment of the
Pandavas, the embarrassment of Draupadi at the royal court that led to the
infamous Kurukshetra war, would have been considered a minor crime.
The
author turns into the protagonist, Dr Asamanja Bhowmik, and narrates his long
journey in search of India’s
soul. With the epic Mahabharata as its backdrop, the story
revolves around the greater part of India
that includes Delhi, Haryana,
Himachal Pradesh, Punjab, Uttarakhand, Uttar Pradesh,
Jharkhand, Bihar, Orissa, Andhra Pradesh and West
Bengal. Arindam, in his introduction to the book, says that he had
served as chairman of the recruitment board for the Tripura State Rifles jawans (outstate
quota), hence the long journey. But in his book, Aridam calls the recruitment
board chairman Ambujanabha Sharma, a man of enormous knowledge – someone who
has literally gulped down the Mahabharata. As a skilled narrator Arindam keeps
the reader turning the pages of the book – all 258 pages of it – which narrate,
in the form of a journal, the various incidents encountered by the author
during his journey. Let me also tell you, Roma, that Arindam babu has used as
many as 18 versions of the Mahabharata in different languages,
including one that has been passed down through generations of tribals, to
produce this admirable piece of work.
As
a result, quite a few interesting observations have come to my
notice. For example, some incidents that took place during the age
of the Mahabharata are legally punishable offences as per the
Indian Penal code formulated by Mr Macaulay, the British gentleman, in 1833 and
enacted in 1861. The code is still in force in India
in this 21st century with very few amendments. While the ‘Jatu
Greeha’ incident, then seen as a survival strategy, could lead
to life imprisonment of the Pandavas, the embarrassment of Draupadi
at the royal court that led to the infamous Kurukshetra war, would have been
considered a minor crime. Mr Nath effectively points out that the Pandavas were
more imperialistic, crime-prone and human rights trespassers than the Kauravas.
Polygamy and extra-marital relationships had added to their social status –
etcetera, etcetera.
But
above and beyond all this, one thing that strikes me – and will also strike
you, I’m sure – is the sweet love story the author tenderly weaves into the
narrative. It is the story of the growing love between the protagonist, a
Bengali doctor, and Harleen, a Punjabi girl. Though the story begins
a tad mysteriously, it continues devoid of any twists and reaches a predictable
ending.
I
would like to tell you here that the characters in the book also move around
many areas of the country that are invaded by terrorists. And the author makes
best use of them to express his views. He openly states that the Gorkhaland
issue will not be solved until the political unrest in Nepal
ceases. Being a man of authority himself, he can put forward his views rather
blatantly – be they about Gorkhaland or the Maoists – and I must appreciate
this.
And
finally, my dear, allow me to tell you about the cover of the book. Published
by Peacock Books, Bridging Souls… has been priced at INR 250
and the cover design has been done by Dilip Paswan, rifleman of Tripura State
Rifles. Kudos to Mr Paswan. Bhai wah!!
Time
to finish my letter for today.
Take
care.
PS: On two points in the book, I couldn’t agree with the
author. Arindam, on page 132, states that Maharaja Bir Bikram Kishore Manikya
of Tripura studied in Lucknow. I
cannot second this. The
Maharaja had an English tutor, Lt Col. OC Pulley, and a Bengali master, I
forgot his name. But I’ll let you know soon. Also, in the same place he
mentions that Maharani Kanchanprabha Devi of Tripura hails from Lucknow.
Sorry, Roma, your favourite author goes absolutely wrong here. Kanchanprabha
Devi was born to the king of Panna, then a princely state, now in Madhya
Pradesh. Today the state is known for the Indian Government’s ‘Project Tiger’.
Did you know that only 1,411 tigers remain?
