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Govardhan’s Travels: A
Novel
The highest tribute to the novel comes from no less a person than Mahasveta Devi, a great writer herself: "The most memorable literary event of my experience. Govardhan is that common man who seeks justice from history, from time and society, and is punished. Govardhan is everyman. He is a survivor and his story is everyman’s story." It is written in the highest literary tradition as it deals with certain cosmic issues in relation to the man in the street. Hence it isn’t a humdrum theme rather something which traverses mythology, history and contemporary reality. The novel centres around the powers that be and the manner justice is denied to the common man. During his official visit to courts, the writer observed the pitiable conditions of the petitioners who sought justice for years but in vain. All this left a deep imprint on his sensitive mind. To quote the writer himself, "The past, which permeates and coexists with our mythology, history and literature and lives so comfortably with the present does not have to be a casual visitor to our lives `85 for a society in whose heart the fire of justice does not burn is certain to lose all sense of time." This in fact forms the theme of the work in hand, whereas Govardhan represents the common man, travels in history and mythology with the noose in his neck seeking justice everywhere but of no use. The novelist takes a dig at the Indian legal system through Chitragupta: "In the books of Samyamani, there is provision only to punish the sinner and reward the virtuous one. No relief is offered to the one who suffers for the sins of others. In the laws of men, too." Obviously Goverdhans have been suffering since times immemorial for no fault of theirs. In Bharatandu’s play ‘Andher Nagri Chaupat Raja’, Govardhan is set free by the playwright from the prison who is to be hanged the next day. The latter had to pay simply for the noose that fitted his neck. Sachidanandan picks up this character to display the injustice meted out to the common man since ages. We are taken to the times of Hamayun, Shahjahan and Aurengzeb. The Indian Mutiny, the East Indian Company rule, terrorism et al too lay bare this truth. The concept of justice in heaven also is brought out vividly. The novel is peopled with a rich variety of characters. A colourful cavalcade of gods, power-hungry royalty, intellectuals, scientists and litterateurs, to the Goverdhans, moves before our eyes. A number of sub-plots go along with the main plot sans any jarring note. There are no loose strands rather it is a complete and intact whole. Different threads have been woven into a masterly design that appeals to our aesthetic sense. Govardhan is the nerve centre of the novel. All the plots revolve around him only, and so do the characters. In the most memorable scene, he comes across Amir Khusro in a dark and dead silent street of Delhi during riots. He raises question on injustice meted out to individuals, which the poets, intellectuals and writers will never understand since they live in their ivory tower. He questions Ramchandra and the Mahant too about the same. Individual’s loneliness in the world too is brought out vividly. After his ears are cut off, Goverdhan is left alone in the vast world. Salma, Mannu, Umrao Jaan and Mariam too are gone away from his life. When he watches the ants moving, he feels he is a lonely man. Even Salnia raises this issue: "If coming together and separation were illusions, what was reality? The truth was that human beings were always alone." The female characters have come out in the brighter hues than men. They are portrayed as hapless victims of man’s lust and hunger. What charms us most is that they too raise very serious issues. An illiterate Mariam inquiring about the gap between history and freedom and little Mannu’s curiosity to know the truth carve a niche in our hearts. So do the two little boys, Nachiketas and Satyakama. Another beauty of the novel lies in its simple yet lyrical prose. Who won’t be lured by sentences like "Fading rays of the evening sun and the lengthening shadows lay entangled like lovers" or the graphic description, "His severed ears moved and throbbed on the ground for a few minutes like fallen lizard’s tails and then became still." The author is unpretentious, direct and yet not so harsh in portraying the harsh reality of the common man. He encapsulates the misery and agony of Goverdhans very artistically and aesthetically. Equal credit goes to the translator for successfully capturing the spirit, essence and subtleties of the original. Every one fond of literature would love to own this precious possession.
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NOT very often we come
across a novel so intense, thoughtful and running on many levels
simultaneously as the one penned by P. Sachidanandan. Quite often we lay
at a book written by a person more qualified to handle a specific theme
than anyone else. The novel by the great Malayalam writer is one such
example. It is virtually a magnum opus in the genre.