There are two versions in representation of history. One is the fact based approach where everything that happened and well documented is presented as history. The second one is a much interesting. It is depiction of history which is to the comforts of current socio-political structure. This involves a lot of masking,twisting and tweaking of historical facts such that the current generation lives in a state of bliss. But like a nice colored building on top of a false foundation, this results in various problems in the society. This is said as the basis and motivation for the novel - Aavarana
Now, I am yet to read the book and would reserve my review till that time. But here are the previews I could find.
http://mitramaadhyama.co.in/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=83&Itemid=29
http://live-views.sulekha.com/blog/post/2007/02/anavarana-by-s-l-byrappa.htm
The first print of the novel is already sold out and the second print is on the way. The book is still to arrive in US but even here, the first print books are already reserved for. The second print books can be reserved by contacting the Saahitya Bhandara site here
http://sahityabna.homestead.com/email.html
Inventory is here
http://sahityabna.homestead.com/english.html
Anyone who already got his hands on the book - Please feel free to comment and post a review if possible.
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4 comments:
have to check it out..have heard a lot of good reviews about it..
Aavarana by Shri SLB
1. The novel works in two levels. The story of Lakshmi aka Razia is employed as a mechanism ( a tantra) , as a shell , to encase a narration concerning the Islamic conquest and (mis)rule in India during 17th century as also the consequences the Hindu community, their religion , culture and living had to endure. The story within the story is the meat of the novel.
2. The persecution of Hindus, the destruction of their religion, the desecration of the places of their worship, vandalism of their idols, forcible conversions to Islam and the ruthless cruelty associated with the process were carried out openly and deliberately as an instrument of the State policy in furtherance of Islam in India. It was not a covert operation. The state appointed scribes; the self appointed Islamic clerics wrote about the destruction and vandalism with pride and hailed them as heroic steps to fulfill their religious duty which calls upon them to ensure victory of Islam over pagan religions. These writings were given wide publicity as well. In short, the series of Muslim rulers openly resorted to ruthless measures to propagate Islam and suppress Hinduism, as they considered it as an act of religious piety. There were no hold backs and no apologies. This is a fact of history.
3. The problem that has come about in the recent times is either one of sophistry or of hard headed stubbornness. It is to step aside the issue in order to either to mislead or to deny its occurrence, or otherwise to fanatically defend it. In either case it emphasizes a marked dislike to acknowledge a fact as a fact.
Perhaps these forced stances were necessitated by compulsions that arise out of a deep rooted anxiety /longing for political survival or by flair to appear progressive and secular and therefore be acceptable to those that matter. The other extreme is of course because of inheritance of wounded pride coupled with a need to look for a reassuring safe haven in the distant past. There will always be, in any situation, another group that loves to nurture imagined malice.
4. The purport of the book, as I understand, is that all of us do make mistakes. It is no big deal. It is wiser to look at a fact as a fact, draw lessons and carry on with your life .It is naive to pretend that the event never occurred. It is worse to defend a wrong instead of letting it go .These snare you into a time wrap and distance you from reality. You would be a prisoner of a past that has gone by or be condemned to live in delusion.
5. The protagonist of the novel could not find a publisher and could only print about 1000 copies of the book of which about 600 copies were confiscated by the police. I am happy the author – SLB - is in a far happier position. I understand the book has gone into several editions within a couple of months. It is good for Kannada too.
6. what is more important is to have a healthy, dispassionate and a wholesome discussion on the core issue of the book...Search for truth and not be dragged into endless exchange of epithets.
This surely should benefit all of us.
See this: http://aavaranavimarshe.blogspot.com/
The truth- 1)that forced the Rajput King to escape to jungles to avoid the torture to be meted out to the captives who does not embrace islam and that his successors still live as adivasis in jungles 2) How the captived Rajput king and his wife were sexually assaulted by so called muslims 3) the demolition of kashi vishwanatha temple 4) idols were made as the steps of mosque....so on and on and on ...... brings tears.........Truth should always florish ...The words of Swamy ji whom the Rajput King meets while demolishing the Kashi Vishwanatha temple and the words of Swami Vivekananda quoted by the author depicts the true religion....
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