Book Review #39: Tabbaliyu Neenade Magane By Dr. S.L. Bhyrappa

This book talks about the conflict between people who are traditionally grown up, holding up the age old rituals and cultural practices and with the people who are educated with the modern viewpoint of the world. So the story captures this essence of what is morally right and what is scientifically right.

 Author SL Bhyrappa is a true gift to the Kannada literary world. His tales varies from social issues till modern space science. He is the only author that doesn't conform to a specific genre. He writes on many themes and many beliefs. That’s what I liked about SL Bhyrappa Sir. He has surpassed his limits in this particular book ‘Tabbaliyu Neenade Magane’ which can be translated to English as ‘Son, You've become an orphan’.

 The story is very sensitive and controversial. It captures the theme of cow slaughtering versus cow protectors in a small fictitious village. An aged person Kalinge Gowda, who believes that cows are the representation of Gods that descended upon earth. Kalinge Gowda belongs to such a revered family, where a cow has offered herself to a hungry tiger willingly ages back. This cow is popularly called as ‘Punya Koti’. A breed which is believed to be sacred than all other cows. Kalinge Gowda has a grandson Kalinga, who was graduated in Agriculture from the University of USA. Kalinga has married to Hilda, a US citizen. Kalinga has a friend in his village, Venkatramana, a vedic scholar and a middle school teacher who believes in every traditional practices and rituals.

The entire villagers were against the slaughtering of the cows, whether it is aged old or a young one.  Hilda the wife of Kalinga was distracted initially to get adjusted to the villagers. She seems to have lost all her independent life of US after coming to this little village. She has to sacrifice her beef consumption. Married to an Indian man, she found it very hard to get adjusted. Kalinga who was very careful initially tries to win the heart of villagers and his friend Venkataramana. But to his dismay, in whichever way he tries to reconcile with the villagers, it was backfiring. One incident where Hilda killed a cow in her farm and ordered her cook to prepare beef, resulted in the severe repercussions from the villagers, which made Kaling to apologize in front of entire villagers.

The book has this kind of conflicting stories throughout. When Hilda questioned Venkataramana about the animal sacrifices juxtaposing it with the cow slaughtering, she won’t receive a convincing answer. All in all, Kalinga and Hilda felt that they were out casted from the village and felt lonely and rejected. All this made Kaling and Hilda to leave their village once and for all and go back to USA.

The climax part of the novel takes an unexpected turn and leaves it readers with surprise. I feel that’s the best part of the book. I will not reveal that in my review. It has to be read from the book itself. After reading the book, every reader will face with few questions that they couldn’t find answers. What is more important in a society? Upholding the age old practices and thereby respecting our culture and customs or compare every situation with the modern aspects and live according to them? Is banning cow slaughter solves every problem in India? Only time can answer.

My Rating:

5/5