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Farewell Red Mansion Versatile writer Sharat Kumar’s Farewell Red Mansion is an English translation of his Hindi original, Lal Kothi Alvida. This engaging and thought-provoking novel has already won distinction of being telecast as a primetime serial on Doordarshan. Later, it was made into a full-length feature film, Duvidha.
Under the veneer of Lal Kothi, the author displays his deep concern at the falling moral, social and political scenario of post-Independence India. It opens up the heart of a man deeply hurt by the degenerated and rotten state of affairs at present. Idealisma and spirit of self-sacrifice of good old days are lost. All eyes are fixed on Lal Kothi. Saroja, smitten by ambition and greed, cheats Prof Sinha of money and even manipulates a fake will. Her liking of Samar may be explained on his account to some extent. The dirty games played by Seth Ramavatar, Mahendra Swaroop and their touts expose to which level have we come down. Politicians too come under fire through Umakant, a politician of Rukmini’s times, "They are in politics for the sole purpose of making money." Ironically, his own son, Ramakant, represents this breed of petty and self-centred politicians. Written in a flashback style, the story moves back and forth. It swings between 1939 and the late 80s without jarring our sense of credibility. Sweet nostalgic memories of Samar about his parents and his childhood add charm to it. The narrative is embedded with a rare poignancy and vivacity that stays with us long after we have gone through it. The plot moves with such an effortless ease that the events seem to unfold on their own. Samar handles the problem of selling bungalow so pragmatically and tactfully that the real intentions of Mahendra Swaroop about the same are exposed at the end by himself. So is the case of Saroja. The protagonist wins over us with his coolness and far sightedness acquiring a permanent niche in our hearts. What fascinates most is the dramatic finale to the novel. The last few lines reveal a new facet of Samar’s character: "But why...? Why in the next life...? Why not now...? In this life itself...?" Surprisingly, he closely guards his soft feelings about Saroja to his heart. Certainly, Sharat Kumar is a master craftsman of rare capability. With quite a number of sub-plots going on simultaneously, he does not let our interest slacken till the end. Adding a few romantic touches here and there that well compensate for political and philosophical discussions therein, he ushers in a new lease of life to the narrative. The author carries us along with his unprecedented flow of language. It is as if a great visionary is trying to open our eyes and persuading us to rebuild India with sincerity, honesty and spirit of sacrifice that helped us achieve freedom. Above all, such a serious theme has been presented in an artistic manner. Indeed, it makes an excellent read for all those who love this genre.
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The
novel spans half a century with two generations of a Meerut-based
family. The theme centres around Lal Kothi, the hub of social
and political activities for professor Samarendra Sinha and his wife
Rukmini, a staunch freedom fighter known for her fiery speeches
against the British. On the other hand, for the next generation, Samar,
the bungalow represents intrigue, greed and falsehood.