Sense perceptions keep changing with times. Keeping in sync with the tide of times the author, Trisha Das has let out her beatnik aspirations procreating this non-conformist rendition of the epic Mahabharata. Trisha has streaked on unbeaten path with her eight protagonists culled from the Mahabharata trying to give a twist in the age-old tale. The whirligigs of time has brought about this genre of ratiocination and its certain that several readers would fall in line and several others would affirm being haunted with similar thoughts.
‘Bhisma’s admission’ bares his contrite heart to make some candid confessions. Indeed, he committed flagrant violation to safeguard a woman’s honour notwithstanding his loyalty towards his patrons whom he would have wronged by breaking his vow. But remaining a mute spectator to Draupadi being disrobed tantamounted becoming an accomplice in disrobing Draupadi. So the readers are to pit their jurisprudence in deciding which of these two sins are greater. Bhisma’s earlier blunder was not to have ascended the throne of Hastinapur for the sake of upholding his vow. He had declared, ‘I would give up not only the kingdom but the world of the Gods, I would let the sun go dark, let the world end but I would never give up the truth. I refused to let my uttering of that vow be a lie’. Had he wronged himself, and become a sinner but at the same time he would have earned gratis for preventing a kingdom being ruled by unscrupulous people and later saving the battle that took a huge toll of human lives.
The book sets in a florid décor of the ambience of some trivial events. This often turns out a damp squib to vivify the then socio-cultural life, since the aim of the book is to highlight the faux pas of the eight protagonists that the society as such hold as immaculate and laudable role models. The first chapter speaks of Draupadi’ swayambar episode. The prospective grooms were put forth an acid test. When Karna was about to accomplish it came a despising rebuttal into his ears. And then fate took its own course. The author has brought out the thoughts, sentiments, emotions and egos doing their rounds in the minds of the protagonists handpicked by the author. Mahabharata, the epic has been more concerned about the action and ensuing development without paying heed to the mental dilemma, delusions and deliriums.
The grandiloquence of Mahabharata echoes in its ethos and its lores. Unflinching faith and credos prevailing in the Hindu society built upon its epics need not be lambasted. Certain credos however frivolous to the alien might be a veritable cornerstone of a society in fostering and evolving it. Due cognizance of reader’s feelings takes precedence over writer’s pent up ideas. The author’s upshot might impale a rancour amidst devout Hindus. Besides, non-Hindus might receive wrong signals considering the book as sort of exposé of some void in Mahabharata. So raising finger at the veracity and probity of events in the epic might fall upon as blasphemous to some. Subtle ratiocination of judgment might be branded impudent effrontery. Nevertheless several authors have done it earlier after safeguarding reader’s interest. And so has Trisha Das done in her extrapolated Mahabharata. Readers may remain naïve that the epic reflects the mundane admixture of a curate’s egg preaching the distinction of the good and the bad.
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