Saraswati Putra S. L. Bhyrappa’s prowess with the pen is renowned far and wide. His commentaries on relevant socio-political themes have found very wide acclaim. Dharmashree which was written very early in his writing career is truly a magnificent landmark of exquisite story telling with hard-hitting commentaries on few topics that impact the society even today. SLB’s writing is brisk, impactful, endearing and leaves an undeniable mark on one’s minds. When such a classic masterpiece was translated, it is no surprise that one would lap up the English version, which is quite close the Kannada original. I would highly recommend non Kannada speakers to read the English one.
I will pen down my review in 2 forms. First, I will write about the book and second, I try to capture the thought process from the viewpoints of few of its central characters.
Dharmashree is the journey of a poor Brahamana kid Satyanarayana (Satya) as he battles childhood poverty and his innate desire to get educated, which is beyond his economic means. Along the way, he has to endure multiple losses (mother, uncle’s torture) to being subject to humiliation owing to his caste. I am quite certain there are quite a few individuals in modern society who can relate to this aspect of Satya in one form or other. During this tumultuous journey, he builds some fantastic friendships and encounters mentors who pave the path for his progress in his life. Some of the friendships translate into relationships over time. From being an ardent follower of Hindu Dharma, he finds at the crossroads of religion when he falls in love with Lily. Their relationship is quite interesting as it develops on the bedrock on intellectualism and healthy debate on the principles of Dharma. Heart compels him to convert to Christianity to marry his love. Material comforts are showered along with position in the society, but the mind is constantly at a struggle. Faced with identity crisis, thoughts transforms into physical and psychological trauma leading to his wife taking a step towards rejuvenation culminating in Ghar Vapsi.
Dharmashree has some interesting interludes of philosophical bent that forces the reader to contemplate about the topic on hand. There are very poignant portions about Swami Vivekananda and Anand Coomaraswamy. In fact, in the preface itself, SLB pays homage to AKC whose writings have had a profound impact on the writer. I can’t even fathom the genius of AKC considering the huge mountain of knowledge he has bestowed upon us. There is also a portion that make us ponder on individual vs societal goals. More on this a little later. But the crux of the book is about the clash of ideologies, religions and identities. How the fractures caused by the ancient are being harnessed to drive a deeper wedge in the name of religion than being true to the word of supreme i.e. overall development. The book has some extensive references to works spreading across the spectrum on various religions and their intricacies. The pain and agony of the protagonist towards the end of the book, specially about the identity of next generation can really be felt hard & SLB ensures that the readers’ emotional arc does traverse this bend. To write more is to dilute the reading experience and I would focus on the personalities which I found to be more interesting.
In the book, I was wondering if the author is conveying a message through the names and mannerisms of the characters, Are these just characters or different facets of ours hidden in the depths of our mind?
For me, some characters have left a deep mark on my mind. Rachamma, meaning the compassionate one, truly embodies her name and is the true confidante friend, loving sister-in-law and later a guide who tries to do good for her friend, at the cost of her own family. The fact that the protagonist feels that she would be welcoming as compared to his own traditional sister speaks about the bond he has developed over the years. It’s true that bonds developed in childhood persist over life.
Shankara: For me, his characterisation always reminds me of Adi Shankara. Like the famed guru, he is always around guiding the protagonist across the myriad mazes of life and intellectual world. He always guides Satya who considers him as Anna and plays that role multiple times across the book. Beyond this, he is also a prime example of selfless service, one who is clear about life objectives and overall societal & social upliftment. Heroes like him are always unsung, but their impact is always profound.
When I started to write this review, I thought I will write separately about Lily and Satya. However, as I pen down my thoughts, it’s apparent that they are inseparable from each other. Satya represents most of the common folk coming from an economically deprived community, yearning for that one chance to eke out a better life and break the glass ceiling of classes. However, the challenges that he faces are too real (personal experiences). Lily on the other hand represents the product of a well established ecosystem that thrives on a certain agenda. The 2 characters represent possibly 2 extremes of the spectrum, yet their innate curiosity and search for the truth brings the intellectual minds together. Their mutual love, so eloquently represented in multiple forms, just shows the extent to which a human can strive to make his/her loved ones happy. Whether it’s Satya’s conversion or Lily’s care or her final reach out to Shankara, they are just 2 humans who want a better life for themselves with their own identity and a better future for their child.
Satya is the truth inside. He undergoes multiple transformations and Lily / Leela as she is called once becomes his partner in this transformation journey. It’s befitting that the book is aptly termed, Dharmashree. One question remains: As a society, have we learnt anything?
MUST READ, MUST HAVE BOOK. GIGANTIC MASTERPIECE
Comments