|
|
JAIL FOR VISHMA, ROPE FOR PANDAVAS(Book Review) By |
Just imagine that the crimes that were committed in the epic Mahabharata are committed in modern India.. what you will see.. Pitamaha Vishma is
languishing in jail for life, Mother Kunti
jailed for 10 years, Pandavas were going to be hanged ...., Kauravas might also get life sentence
....Shocked ?? .. I was too. But just take examples of Jatugriha and look at the crimes that they committed- mass murder (302 IPC), arson (436 IPC) conspiracy [120 (B)]..and, of course, one more hiding evidence 201 IPC... The Pandavs for this only would have gone to gallows following death sentence in any court of law in India. Or for that matter, just consider, Mother Kunti deserted infant Karna. She would have invited 317 IPC and 10 years jail. For Vishma the grand, almost heavenly character in the Mahabharata,
he kidnapped three women for the purpose of marriage ( for others though). Under present Indian Penal Code he committed crime under section 366 and thus might
have got 10 years jail term. But story does not end here. Since of the girls, Amba, committed suicide
, any good lawyer in Indian court would have been able to establish that Vishma abetted the suicide and thus should be booked under 306 IPC.. and then the Pitamaha would have been sent to prison for life. Kauravs, however, are found to be less in comparison to the Pandavas in committing crimes. One of the most heinous was when they sought to kill Bhim..that was under 307 IPC but since they were juvenile
, may be court would have taken some lenient view..and for cattle lifting, they- all the 100 brothers- would have gone to jail.
All these were told in interesting way in a novel written by Arindam Nath, Assistant Inspector General of Police in his recent book--- Bridging Souls, A journey from Mahabharta to Bharata...
...............................
"Bridging Souls: A Journey from Mahabharata to Bharata"- is a fiction written in a narrative style in the form of a diary. The novel developed around a broader plot amalgamating the epic period and the present days of India. But, it has also a sub- plot involving modern day protagonists.
The novel essentially sought to depict and explore the Mahabharata in the light of various untold and unexplored aspects mixing nuggets from folklores- especially the crimes that were committed in establishing the Dharmakshetra. The crimes that were committed in the Mahabharata by the mighty Kouravas
, Pandavas ( from cattle lifting to Jatugriha) and even many mythical and folk characters like 'Basuki'- the Snake King (raping of Draupadi for days) et al were also explained in the light of the modern day IPC perspectives and the punitive actions that they would have invited in any court of law in the present day India.
The book- despite being extensively researched is, however, not an academic discourse. It is essentially a fictional novel having its own fictional sub- plot while the setting of the novel throughout its journey alternated its course frequently from past to present and present to past. The novel swam smoothly in the streams that flowed spontaneously between the time of the great Epic and modern day India bringing in light the good, bad and ugly of Indian body- politic in two entirely different ages. At the same time both the eras were tied with an umbilical cord. The novel traversed through a maze of epic settings and linked and compared them in the modern day Indian towns, cities and villages as the novel's sub plot with modern day protagonists develops on its own pivoting around a conspiracy, murder and love affair.
The story is told from the diary of 'Dr Ashamanja Bhowmik', a medical officer who travelled across India where the stages of the Mahabharata were set in by VedaVyas some 3000 years ago. Dr Bhowmik who accompanied the elite combat force 'Tripura State Rifles' during their recruitment rally all over India, found a man in the name of Ambujanabha Sharma, commandant of the battalion, who during the lazy or boring hours explained to his accompanying colleagues the Mahabharata in a new light with straight references to people and places whose roots could still be traced back to the time of the Epic.
Sharma who took keen interest towards history, and is an authority on the subjects relating to the Epic Mahabharata picked up stories associated with the lands through which they travelled. He then would judge it in the present- day perspective. Astonishing it might sound that from the analysis it came out that the Pandavas had been involved in more heinous crimes punishable under the modern- day Indian Penal Code than the Kauravas. They were also found to be more imperialists.
As Sharma told the stories the board travelled six recruitment venues- Jalandhar, Dehradun, Dehri- on- Sone, Ranchi, Nellore and Siliguri between April 24, 2008 and June 15, 2008 and in the process covered more than 10,000 kilometres, moving across sixteen states amidst hot Indian summer. Dr Bhowmik noted down every day's development, the stories and unique references that Sharma so convincingly told them. Since it is a 'journey from Mahabharat to Bharat',
current issues like Maoism, Gorkhaland agitation etc. are also discussed.
While the broader plot dwelt essentially on crimes in the Mahabharata the sub plot developed around a love affair between the protagonists Dr Bhowmik- a Bengali physician- with a young Punjabi girl Harleen Bedi, a Medical Officer of CRPF
Group Centre, Jalandhar.
In her early twenties she had a tormented past. Her fiance Captain Amandeep Sandhu of 15th Black Panther Rifles had apparently committed suicide by firing from his service pistol, following refusal for immediate marriage by the girl. The suicide had also coincided fire incidents in two ammunition depots of Black Panther Rifles . The death of their only son Aman left retired Captain Baldev Sandhu and his wife completely shattered. They blamed Harleen for the death of their son Aman, which was supported by some of his colleagues.
It was during her association with the TSR recruitment rally as a doctor she opened up to Dr Bhowmik and told him the story of her fiance's death. The travelling recruitment board comprising senior cops and doctors as well found that Aman had not committed suicide but had actually been murdered. The story then took a turn. The board members helped Harleen to gather evidence to prove that Aman had been murdered following a major conspiracy hatched by his colleagues Captain Nilesh Rahane, Brig. S.H.Yadav and others who were involved in supplying small- arms ammunitions to the Maoists from Black Panther Rifles Ammunition Depot. The corrupt officials had also set afire the Ammunition Depot to destroy evidence. A Writ Petition was accordingly filed by retired Black Panther Rifles Captain Baldev Sandhu
in the Rajasthan High Court, Jaipur Bench for revival of investigation related to death of his son Captain Amandeep Sandhu, in view of freshly found evidence and investigation of the case through CBI. The Court allowed the Writ Petition, ordering re- investigation of the case through CBI, after registering a specific murder case.
But this interaction with the Recruitment Board also brought crimson in the hitherto melancholic life of Harleen, and an enchanting love story developed between the two doctors, bridging the two souls from two extreme parts of India- a simile that is also the essence of the Mahabharata.
All the characters in the novel are fictitious. But the entire book is actually based on the author Arindam Nath's personal experience as he himself travelled across the country as chairman of the TSR recruitment board.
BRIDGING SOULS: A JOURNEY FROM MAHABHARATA TO BHARAT-
BY ARINDAM NATH
Published by Peacock Books (Atalanta Publication) New Delhi
Rs 250
Published on 29th Jan, 2012 Readers can send their comments on this Feature to : feature@tripurainfo.in