Raavan by Amish – book review

I had forgotten how I reacted when I read the earlier books by Amish on this new series. In fact, by the time I finished the book, which was quite racy to its credit, I was actually confused for a reaction. I actually went back to my own post on the first part of this Ramayan series, to understand how I felt after reading “Scion of Ishvaku”. Not sure if I should be glad or sad that the feeling remains the same as previous. The fatigue caused by these cringe worthy copies of that epic and sacred puranas have long given way to morbid fear. Our culture is not like western philosophy and culture where in everything can be mocked and made fun of, for they have their sense of individualism as the most sacred core. They respect what that makes an individual and even legally ensure nothing crosses that boundary. But our culture has a different concept altogether. Our way of life is interwoven with god. God is not a separate entity and our epics and puranas are not mere creative works of illustrious minds. They are records of how our elders lived and how we should as well. Whether we follow them or not is different. But mocking the very dharma that is guiding and guarding us as being civilized, ridiculing it in the name of literary freedom are nothing short of shooting us on our own feet. 

Glorifying villains have been the recent fad of writers, be it on novels or on movies. Probably, the fact that such movies make more money at the box office, could possibly be the reason for more such “creative” works coming up in quick succession. Raavan off late have been the defacto character to root for amidst the author fraternity. The ground beneath their feet would’ve gone wet with their tears, shed for the most misunderstood character in whole of book world. His origins will be traced as Brahmin, but that word will not be named to tag him anywhere else in the book for that word is like Voldemort, it-must-not-be-named lest it get any credit. He will be gloriously detailed on his other skills like singing, dancing, fighting might, his perseverance, his intelligence – in fact, he would be everything that a god will be worshipped for. Guess pretty soon they would even root for temples to be built for him, even though the author may be a dyed in the blood atheist. Neither Valmiki or Kambar had any problems with the skills of Ravana. The character met with its downfall because of its singular and most carcinogenic trait of lusting over married ladies. You can be as good as Raavan on every other front, yet if you fail in this one virtue, you are as good as dust was the essence of that characterization. But these IIM and IIT crowned idiots, choose to tone that very thing down. Just like how they show in the movies, where the villain can be the big old baddie for 1 hour 50 minutes only to lose to the hero in last ten minutes, the same kind of treatment has been given in this book. Any outsider who reads this book without having read Ramayan prior, would be rooting for Raavan and would be wondering why such a nice man, with genuine hurts is being touted as a villain!! 

I’ve often wondered, how the great epics of Ramayana and Mahabharath survived the test of time. It is not that we’ve non-believers only in the last 70 years of Independence. These epics have been around for several millenniums without print form. And almost the same set of stories have been in circulation all throughout this great nation across all directions. Without any written form of reference, without any records, wonder how these stories would’ve propagated. Them being in song form with couplets and verses would’ve surely helped and since they are closely associated with religious characters, who are commonly identifiable, all these would’ve furthered the same line of thought. Quite sure, there were conflicting opinions, naysayers, atheists, staunch opposition would’ve been met in its course of life time. But these stories have stood unscathed and have only encouraged different thought process as they grew alongside them. Every character from these books have been analysed and counter analysed so many times and ways, the fact that there are still scopes for analysis is testament to the greatness of these books. Never have been books that have been widely followed, widely discredited and discussed than these two epics where anyone with a logical bent of mind or one weaning towards philosophy can come up with a different version on characterization every single time they think about it. Such has been the liberal nature of our culture and our land that has lead us to where we are today. With that confidence, I am quite sure, even into the centuries to come down the line, let every single character of these holy epics be discredited insulted and mocked at. But they can never be ignored and will continue to make sense to those who really want to understand. One Amish or any other author of his ilk can't and will be never ever able to undo the might of these books, which will forever transcend beyond the silly realms of supports and oppositions.