Govardhanram Tripathi’s Saraswatichandra: An English Retelling of an Indian Classic Retold by Sameer Acharya
Requirements: .MOBI Reader, 605 KB
Overview: In this retelling of Govardhanram Tripathi’s sprawling magnum opus, Saraswatichandra, Sameer Acharya makes accessible and brings to life for a modern readership one of Indian literature’s great classics. Saraswatichandra has long been regarded as one of the finest works of Gujarati fiction. It had a profound impact on millions of Indians, including Mahatma Gandhi, seeking to navigate the development of an Indian identity while recognizing a changing political and cultural climate. It is believed that the main character, Saraswatichandra, was an inspiration to Gandhi and many of India’s freedom fighters, as a man who sought to learn about a nation of people, so he could devote his life to uplifting that nation, particularly the poor and uneducated. The characters and storylines in Saraswatichandra have gone on to inspire millions of people and has been recreated in both film and television.
It is the story of unrequited love between Saraswatichandra, a quiet, romantic and selfless young man who seeks to serve his countrymen, and Kumud, the beautiful and kind-hearted daughter of a prominent minister of a princely state in the Indian state of Gujarat. Saraswatichandra and Kumud are arranged to be married. But due to family conflicts, Saraswatichandra breaks off the engagement and seeks to live out his life in service to God and his people. But he can’t ignore his love for Kumud. He attempts to get to her home and beg her father’s permission to marry her. But he arrives too late. Kumud was quickly married off to another man, Pramadhan, also the son of a prominent and wealthy minister. And while Saraswatichandra was devastated, in his heart he had to know if Kumud was happy in her new life. He travels to Suvarnapur, where Kumud lives with her husband and his family. Saraswatichandra disguises his true identity and ends up working for Kumud’s father-in-law, before he learns that seeing him every day was torture for her. Not wishing to cause her any more pain, Saraswatichandra leaves Suvarnapur. Their fates align and they both end up at the same holy ashram on the Gujarat coast, where they must reconcile their feelings while acknowledging society’s customs and traditions.
The key themes from the original storyline remain just as prevalent today as they were when it was first published. How should an individual weigh his or her ambition with the expectations and needs of others, particularly family? Should someone follow their heart and seek individual happiness above all, or otherwise pursue a path that will please others at the cost of individual happiness? Sons, even devoted ones, often have difficult relationships with fathers. But they still might seek their respect and appreciation even if it means choosing a path that is frowned upon. But what if that path serves a nobler purpose and gives an individual deeper fulfillment? Is that selfish behavior by a son, or an honorable choice by a man?
Saraswatichandra is at heart, a love story. And yet, the reader is left to wonder how should cultural values and political opinions be shaped by outside forces? Is it acceptable to consider new ways of thinking that challenge centuries of structure and tradition if it leads to personal happiness? Can a woman remain single and still be respected? Can a man and a woman successfully work together as friends without suspicion from others?
Genre: Historical Fiction
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