Saartha

Very few works of fiction have the power to translocate the reader to the alternate universe of the plot. Saartha, by Dr. S. L. Bhyrappa is one of them. For a general introduction to Dr. Bhyrappa's works one could read this.

My exposure to Dr. Bhyrappa's works is only very recent. Thanks to my cousin, an ardent Bhyrappa fan, I am 5 books old now. The experience has been very sublime.

This post is not a review of the profound work. By no means I have the intellectual capacity to do this. This is just my experiences while reading this novel.

Saartha can be classified under the genre of historical fiction. It depicts the political, economical, social and religious conditions of India in 8th Century CE. The period when Buddism in India was at its peak, there was in-fighting among various kingdoms like the Rashtrakutas and the Gurjara-Pratiharas. It also marked the advent of Arab invaders on the Indus plains and their obstruction to trade routes.

The protagonist, Nagabhatta is a well educated Vedic scholar trained under the famous Mimamsaka at that time, Mandana Mishra. Nagabhatta is a very good friend of the King of Taravati (a fictional kingdom sandwiched between the giant kingdoms of the north and south), Amaruka. In the interest of understanding the trade secrets and on the insistence of the king, he sets on an epic voyage along the trade routes of ancient India. He joins a caravan (Saartha) in the guise of a student who intends to travel to Mathura seeking higher education.

Thus begins the protagonist's encounters with various cultures, philosophies and interesting people. It also marks the beginning of his own self-discovery.

Without delving into the details of the plot, I would like to give a sketch of the important events, enough to whet one's appetite. In the course of time, Nagabhatta meets Buddhist Bhikkus, Yogis, left-handed tantriks, Sankara, Kumarila Bhatta and so on. He also becomes a part of a troupe which enacts episodes from the chronicles of the life of Sri Krishna and travels all over north India. Here he befriends Chandrika, a fellow artist who also happens to be a practitioner of Yoga. He happens to visit the famous Naalanda university, the description of which is breathtaking and invokes in us a sense of awe at the universities of yore. He also witnesses the self immolation of Kumarila Bhatta.

Circumstances also lead him to witness the great debate between Mandana Mishra and Sankara presided by Ubhaya Bharati, the wife of Mandana Mishra himself. Outlines of the debate which led to the defeat of Mandana Mishra, how Bharati steps in to protect her husband and the oft-debated event of parakaya-pravesha by Sankara to answer some of the queries posed by her is woven into the plot in an inexplicably elegant fashion. Towards the end of the novel, the troupe is performing in Mulastana, which is now controlled by the Arabs who are disrupting the trade arrangements. The troupe is trying to garner enough support from the local populace for a coup but its plans are foiled and is dealt severely by the Arabs.

The canvas which the author sets for his novel is very panoramic: A transition period where there was a lot of turmoil; Clash of various philosophies - buddhist, purva-mimamsa, tantric, uttara-mimamsa and so on; The protagonist's roller-coaster emotional ride; Advent of monotheistic faiths to India.

The author presents before us a work of historical fiction where little damage has been done to historical accuracy yet leaving enough room for him to build his plot very creatively. The plot-device of using a character as a protagonist who is not famous historically but is somewhat distantly connected to historical figures / events is spectacular. (For lack of any other example, I could find a similar technique used in the movie Forrest Gump).

Finally, the language is so simple but so powerful. I find this in all of Dr. Bhyrappa's works that I have read. It is a treat to read him. You are completely lost in the story and begin associating with the characters in them. The characters are so life-like and the situations are so real. Only the reader can experience the true joy in reading his works and one is hard-pressed for words to describe the whole reading experience!

Saartha is must read for all those who are even remotely interested in philosophy and/or history.