Book Review #32: Daatu by Dr. S.L. Bhyrappa

This is an another masterpiece novel from my favorite author Dr. S.L. Bhyrappa. Written in the early 70's with a backdrop of much debated caste system that was deep rooted in the country, makes this book as one of the excellent attempt by the author. The intricate explanation and detailed narration of each and every castes and cultures is a shellshock experience for the readers.

This book was way ahead of time if we consider the time of its publishing. As expectedly, this book has won the Kendra Sahitya Akademi Award in the year 1975. The title Daatu can be literally translated to english as CROSSING OVER. Crossing over the boundaries of castes and colors.

The subject with which the novel was based is an excellent one, yet dangerous. It would have easily flare up communal clashes around in the country. After all, though the government has abolished all the caste systems in public life to some extent, there is still this practice of upper caste, lower caste, untouchables or popularly called as Dalits, etc..

This novel describes the story of a small village called Tirumalapura, situated in Tumkur District of Karnataka. This village consists mainly of the Brahmins, followed by the other caste people. There is also a Gowda family, that was popular among the neighbour villages as one of the respected family, and this family stood as the flag bearer of the village, though there were many Brahmins who were silently opposing to such cult worshipping.

As far as the protagonists are concerned, there is a Brahmin family headed by Venkataramanappa and there is a flag bearer Gowda family, headed by Tirumale Gowda who became a Rajarshi after studying all the major vedic scriptures, that was reserved only for Brahmins long long ago. The main plot opens up, when, Satya a History Graduate, daughter of Venkataramanappa decides to marry Srinivasa, the grandson of Tirumale Gowda, the son of MLA Melegiri Gowda. What follows after this, is a family dispute that leads to fights among these 2 families, fight among 2 castes, fight among villagers, over which caste is better. Both families tries all their might to stop this marriage and eventually succeeds in it. Venkatesha, elder brother of Satya decides to make a pact with Melegiri Gowda and comes to a common judgement to stop this marriage, considering their reputation in their village and in neighbourhoods.

As the story progresses further, author tries to explain all the major reasons for the caste and cultures. He explains various causes and reasons for all these caste systems, thereby describing the misunderstanding of the of Purusha Sukta from Rigveda, in which majority of the people believed that, all the 4 caste (Brahmin, Kshatriya, Vaishya and Shudra) systems or VARNA systems are born out of mouth, arms, thighs and feet of Bramha. It was misinterpreted by every major translators throughout the history. This verse from purusha sukta describes that, the occupation of a man becomes his caste and not his birth. Through his protagonists, Author tries to explain that, everyone can attain the status of Brahminhood by just working towards it and there is no need of consenting someone for this.

In another part of the novel, author brings up the case for Dalits or untouchables through the characters like Bettayya an MLA and his son Mohandasa, who believes that only revolution and rebel nature brings out the justice for their caste. The interesting case arrives, when Satya decides to help out Mohandasa by writing a book on his request. This book helps all these Dalits or Untouchables to understand the injustice that they have faced in all these years. As this attempt became popular, Mohandasa decides to form a group of young rebels from his own community for a coup to enter the village temple that was banned for Dalits. He succeeds in his attempt even. But to his dismay, he became unconscious right after entering the temple. This incident made the upper caste Brahmins to scare away all those Dalits who were entering the temple. They scared them like, this is the wrath of god, and you people should remain  outside the temple and that is what has been practiced since time immemorial.

I stop it here.
I have just given a glimpse of the novel in my review. You will get to read so many cases like I mentioned above in the book. But for sure, it won't give you a concluding answer for which caste is first and which one is last, which one is upper and which one is lower, who is Brahmin and who is Untouchable. It just gives you a platform to think about what happens when one sticks to this kind of casteism. What one would even achieve by practising casteism?. It brings us to question ourselves much deeper, after all, what one would even gain by acting as if their caste is superior and others are inferior. Everyone must question themselves and start living life like a human. There is no upper or lower, no superior or inferior!!

I recommend this book to be read by everyone. It is once in a lifetime experience to read such novels.

My Rating:
5/5

Book Review #11 - Matadana (Casting Vote) By Dr. S.L. Bhyrappa

Matadana (Pic Source: Internet)

This is a simple but elegant novel penned by Dr. S. L. Bhyrappa. Unlike his other novels, this novel is not interwined with so many characters. Rather, it is quite straight forward. The main theme of this novel is about the elections, politics of a small village. Interlaced with engaging characters and adding a portion of Tragedy and family problems makes this novel as one of the best fiction novels of Kannada literature.

With a strong plot this book makes it an easy adoption for movie. Without surprise, this novel has been adopted to movie that goes with the same name as "MATADANA" directed by one of the renowned directors of Kannada movie industry T.N. Seetharam in the late 1970's. This movie has won the best regional movie golden award from the President of India at that time.

The main protagonist of this novel is a well educated, MBBS grad, simple man Dr. Shivappa, who was practicing in his village by serving poor people. Shivappa's family consists of his mother Kallamma and an elder sister. His father was already dead even before the novel starts.

The other main characters of this novel is, Ramalingappa Gowda the popular contractor of neighbour village. His 2 daughters Kempalakshmi (elder) and Rangalakshmi (younger). His son-in-law Putta Tammayya who married Kempalakshmi. Mr. Appaji, the local elected MLA, now a minister. Mr. Sadaravalli and his son Mr. Prakash Sadaravalli, who was the political rivals of Mr. Appaji and Ramalingappa Gowda. Mr. Appaji and Ramalingappa Gowda were close acquaintances. Through Mr. Appaji, Ramalingappa Gowda has acquired many contract works in his village. And lastly, Cheluvashetty, a close friend and adviser for Dr. Shivappa.

The plot opens when Dr. Shivappa goes to see Rangalakshmi for a marriage proposal. This meeting was setup by Shivappa's mother Kallamma. Reluctantly, Shivappa agrees to see this girl, but never accepts for a marriage. Shivappa had a thought in his mind that, once he marries, he has to increase his earning, which makes him to leave the village and start his practice in some city, which is totally against his principles. Shivappa had always thought to server poor people and hence he has declined serveral high paying jobs from various hospitals from city and decides to practice in his own village.

Though Shivappa liked Rangalakshmi and it was reciprocated from Rangalakshmi as well. Shivappa declines that marriage proposal once and for all. He continues his practice without giving a much importance to his marriage.

As the story further reveals, Kempalakshmi would die of pnuemonia and hence Putta Tammayya along with his kid Manjayya comes to Ramalingappa's house to ask him to get married him to Rangalakshmi again. Here author tries to tell us that, through Mr. Appaji's influence, Ramalingappa had succeeded in getting a good government job for Putta Tammayya, which was supposed to go to Prakash Sadaravalli. Ramalingappa agrees to this marriage proposal reluctantly, and hence Rangalakshmi was married off to Putta Tammayya for the 2nd marriage.

Now the actual plot opens up, when the general elections was declared in the country. And, all political parties were in a frenzy in selecting their candidates and canvassing for them, etc... Even few lawyers and other influential people from city comes to Shivappa's house one day and asked him to contest for elections, because Shivappa as a doctor has garned much respect and popularity in the neighbour village. Finally Shivappa agreed to contest in elections. Even Mr. Sadaravalli's son Prakash Sadaravalli is also contesting in the same constituency along with Mr. Appaji, thereby making it as a triangular fight between himself, Shivappa and Appaji.

Now, the twist in the novel appears, though Shivappa agreed to contest in elections. This was a sheer game plan of Mr. Sadaravalli to finish the political carrier of Mr. Appaji by appoiting an honest man like Shivappa to contest in elections, mainly for the reason of polarizing the votes that used to go to Appaji, now will go to Shivappa and his son Prakash. Without understanding these things, Shivappa with full enthusiasm particiaptes in campaignings, meetings, gave speeches. One day, his close aides reveals him that, the opposition parties are distributing money and they must also do the same with villagers. Speeches alone cannot help to win elections in village and they demand money as well. This was again a plan of Sadaravalli to distribute money to villagers in the name of Shivappa. Villagers till now beleived Shivappa as an honest man, now in a doubt once Shivappa started distributing money.

Off late, Shivappa understood that he was made as a scape-goat in the elections. Without a surprise, Shivappa lost the elections and Prakash Sadaravalli have won with a huge margin winning against Mr. Appaji.

Soon the new government was formed, making Appaji powerless. The new government in which Prakash Sadaravalli was also a part of, ordered a probe against Ramalingappa's contract work. They set up a committeee to investigate all the contractual works of Ramalingappa. Ramalingappa has minted lot of contractual money when he was getting the support from Appaji. Now, he became helpless, he decides to seek support from Appaji. He was disappointed that Appaji couldn't able to help him in any way. Here the new committee has ordered Ramalingappa to pay all the money that he has minted in contracts. Ramalingappa tries to seek his son-in-law's support, disappointed there also, he sells his land in the village for a nominal price and tries to settle some of the dues. Having learnt that, the new committee is all set to put Ramalingappa in jail. Frightened for his reputation in the village, Ramalingappa commits suicide by jumping into a nearby dam in the village.

Here, Rangalakshmi decides to leave her husband Putta Tammayya comes back to her village and decides to take up the nursing course and was wishing to work with Dr. Shivappa.

Having lost his mother and damaging his reputation as an honest man by contesting in elections, Shivappa had no interest in practicing in his village. He seeks his friend Cheluvashetty's advise on this. One day when Shivappa was treating Cheluvashetty's wife in a hospital. He saw Rangalakshmi working as a nurse in the same hospital. Without a second thought, he goes and proposes to Rangalakshmi. Wishing for the same, Rangalakshmi had also agreed for this proposal. And they lived happily ever after.

My Rating: 4/5