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A review by shorshewitch
मृत्युंजय by Shivaji Sawant
5.0
There are so many mixed emotions inside me now that I have finished reading this epic based on Karna's life, 'Mrityunjay'.
I am yet to come across an author who has such impeccable research about everything ranging from names and back stories of almost all characters involved, to the names of the food items, flora and fauna, musical instruments, regions and kingdoms (smallest to largest), mountain ranges, weapons used in the war, the rivers and their tributaries and the distance and time taken to travel from one place to another. The language is mesmerizing and even that is an understatement.
'Mrityunjay' takes us through the life of Karna right from his birth till his death, and is a story from different character POVs (including his own) - characters who were close to Karna - like his wife Vrushali, his friend Duryodhan, his brother Shon, his mother Kunti and ends with the POV of Krishna - which makes this book a treat with respect to philosophical learnings and the actual war story. The book is filled with similes and metaphors and one has to be tremendously focussed to get the whole meaning of it. Many sentences are long and filled with vivid imagery. The descriptions are so scintillating and dramatic that the reader is automatically drawn physically inside the story. I could feel myself standing at the banks of Ganga looking into the sun, or right amidst the fighting soldiers of Kurukshetra. I could feel myself crying silently at the loss of Karna's Kavach and Kundals.
Some passages are extremely thought provoking and it is quite evident throughout the book that the author, Mr. Shivaji Sawant has put colossal effort to ensure he doesn't leave us with a single question. Yes, he ensures that the reader reels for quite some time under the heavy philosophy though.
Who was Karna? A victim of casteism and patriarchy? A strong powerful indestructible force? A loyal friend? Who is the villain and who is the hero? It throws some really staggering philosophical questions like the meaning of living, the significance of Dharma and Karma, the inevitability of business and politics, the purpose of a human being. And gives some quite subtle answers to it in the form of the wise ones - Ashvatthama and Krishna. Karna lost the war (or did he?), but its always the loser's (?) story that teaches us the most essential.
It is very difficult to maintain the adventure in a story when the reader most likely knows how the story is going to turn out. This book took the challenge up gracefully and successfully managed to extract the exact extreme emotions out of me despite me knowing in advance where the story would turn.
As a feminist, the patriarchy was evident. Unlike "Yajnaseni" (for which I had gone on a lengthy rant trip) the women here are portrayed exactly as they should have been. These were also women who were victims of patriarchy and the story isn't changed at all but I found the treatment given to the characters is quite different. Each character is portrayed with much charisma. One could still see the strength in them.
I am not sure how the English translation would work out what with all the rich flaming descriptions in Marathi. And still I would say if you can lay your hands on this one, please do. The ones who know Marathi please go for the Marathi one. Its a little tough but its worth it.
I am yet to come across an author who has such impeccable research about everything ranging from names and back stories of almost all characters involved, to the names of the food items, flora and fauna, musical instruments, regions and kingdoms (smallest to largest), mountain ranges, weapons used in the war, the rivers and their tributaries and the distance and time taken to travel from one place to another. The language is mesmerizing and even that is an understatement.
'Mrityunjay' takes us through the life of Karna right from his birth till his death, and is a story from different character POVs (including his own) - characters who were close to Karna - like his wife Vrushali, his friend Duryodhan, his brother Shon, his mother Kunti and ends with the POV of Krishna - which makes this book a treat with respect to philosophical learnings and the actual war story. The book is filled with similes and metaphors and one has to be tremendously focussed to get the whole meaning of it. Many sentences are long and filled with vivid imagery. The descriptions are so scintillating and dramatic that the reader is automatically drawn physically inside the story. I could feel myself standing at the banks of Ganga looking into the sun, or right amidst the fighting soldiers of Kurukshetra. I could feel myself crying silently at the loss of Karna's Kavach and Kundals.
Some passages are extremely thought provoking and it is quite evident throughout the book that the author, Mr. Shivaji Sawant has put colossal effort to ensure he doesn't leave us with a single question. Yes, he ensures that the reader reels for quite some time under the heavy philosophy though.
Who was Karna? A victim of casteism and patriarchy? A strong powerful indestructible force? A loyal friend? Who is the villain and who is the hero? It throws some really staggering philosophical questions like the meaning of living, the significance of Dharma and Karma, the inevitability of business and politics, the purpose of a human being. And gives some quite subtle answers to it in the form of the wise ones - Ashvatthama and Krishna. Karna lost the war (or did he?), but its always the loser's (?) story that teaches us the most essential.
It is very difficult to maintain the adventure in a story when the reader most likely knows how the story is going to turn out. This book took the challenge up gracefully and successfully managed to extract the exact extreme emotions out of me despite me knowing in advance where the story would turn.
As a feminist, the patriarchy was evident. Unlike "Yajnaseni" (for which I had gone on a lengthy rant trip) the women here are portrayed exactly as they should have been. These were also women who were victims of patriarchy and the story isn't changed at all but I found the treatment given to the characters is quite different. Each character is portrayed with much charisma. One could still see the strength in them.
I am not sure how the English translation would work out what with all the rich flaming descriptions in Marathi. And still I would say if you can lay your hands on this one, please do. The ones who know Marathi please go for the Marathi one. Its a little tough but its worth it.