Both Rama and Gandhi failed to realise the impracticability of the method. I believe M K Gandhi borrowed the idea of self-suffering by fasting from Rama. He volunteered self-suffering and the suffering of the queen so that his subjects realised their mistakes.
His approach to be an ideal king was impractical. It’s too complex to draw parallels between the injustice meted out to Sita and the 21st century Indian woman. I found that Sita had great scope for development.Īny parallels in the novel between Sita and the 21st century Indian women? Most of the later writers have responded to these two epics. Valmiki and Vyasa are the greatest propounders of values. Uttara Kaanda is my creative response to the Valmiki Ramayana. Valmiki had many hints, which I thought I could develop.ĭid you intend to be loyal to Valmiki, Sita or the theme you had in mind for Uttara Kaanda? The problem of a single parent and an abandoned female baby fascinated me. As I began reading it, I realised that characters like Sita, Lakshmana and Urmila had the scope to explore my creativity. It didn’t have the complexity of problems and characters to enthuse me. Why did you take so long to respond to Ramayana?Īfter Parva, my friends wanted me to respond to Ramayana. Parva was your response to Mahabharata 40 years ago. The raw emotions running through the minds of Sita, Rama and Lakshmana and Sita’s thoughts about Rama, his Rajadharma and Lakshmana’s unmatched love towards his brother are the elements that make Uttara Kaanda worth a read. The novel captures myriad emotions as he narrates the story from a woman’s perspective. The novel brings out the sensitive voice of a neglected female character. It fills in and uncovers the philosophical gulf, the overhyped mythological sub-stories inside the Ramayana that had masked and covered her up so far. Uttara Kaanda, Bhyrappa’s latest novel, is an attempt to view Rama’s story from Sita’s perspective. Most of his novels are translated into almost all the Indian languages and six into English. His characters are deeply rooted in Indian sensibilities. He has authored 24 novels, four volumes of literary criticism and books on aesthetics, social issues and culture. He is known for describing dwindling human emotions and experiences. Well known for his profound knowledge of Indian philosophical and cultural traditions, he is a writer who has had intense personal experiences in both rural and urban milieus.
Santeshivara Lingannaiah Bhyrappa (S L Bhyrappa), one of India’s most distinguished novelists, is a conscious artiste who depicts fundamental human emotions in his works of art.