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Hindustan Times
18 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Hindustan Times
Review: Rama Bhima Soma by Srikar Raghavan
Srikar Raghavan's Rama Bhima Soma; Cultural Investigations into Modern Karnataka requires the reader to have vast reserves of reading stamina, an empathetic world view and a willingness to travel deep into different geographies, perspectives, communities, stories and movements, even those whose politics the author may not agree with. A Yakshagana performer; just one of the many facets of Karnataka (Shutterstock) A self-professed 'inveterate bookworm,' 'more of a reader than a writer' and 'a Kannada-nut', Raghavan speaks to the English reader who may or may not be Kannada literate as well as to the Kannada reader who has felicity with the English language. How this book unites two universes that have their own complicated history of separation is its strength and success. 598pp, ₹899; HarperCollins Neither its extensive research nor its collation is as impressive as the fact that the author did not learn to read and write Kannada in school. He learnt it as a post-graduate student, using a Kannada-Kannada-English dictionary. In the prologue he writes that the first Kannada novel he read was Shivaram Karanth's Chomana Dudi. And from there began his journey towards Kannada literature, Karnataka's history, culture, politics, socio-economic realities and drama. Raghavan dives headlong into all of these, following every lead and thread, sometimes interviewing sources on their death bed (though neither he nor the source knew that). As the cover suggests, the title references a game played by school boys. 'It requires only a ball, no fixed number of players, no teams, no designated boundary and no premeditation,' he writes. It is a game with no end, though the beginning is very clearly indicated by the pitching of the ball into the air three times (that's counted as Rama Bhima Soma!) After the ball is thrown in the air, the nearest person grabs it and aims it at some other player – it could be anyone nearby or farther afield. Whoever grabs the ball after the hit, then repeats the cycle. This goes on till 'collective exhaustion sets in, or the bell rings...' This game is the book's underlying metaphor. Will every player get a chance to hold the ball, aim and strike? Will the ones getting hit often (for whatever reason) manage to dodge the ball and also get to wield it? And more importantly, will everyone get to play on the same field [of Karnataka] together? The author follows his curiosity to delve into relationships between various socio-political movements, events, books, people, communities, performers, writers, artists and others who shaped or were shaped by the state's morphing landscapes, in any order that draws him. This volume, therefore, is not the history but 'a history, a personal micro-history' of Karnataka, writes Raghavan. He makes no bones about where he stands with respect to the politics of the state and the country, yet, goes to great lengths to probe the thought processes of those who hold the exact opposite positions. This adds to the book's texture. If you are a feminist reader, however, you might despair at the scale of masculine energy in the politics and sociology represented here. You will, however, encounter bright places like the interview with Du Saraswathi or the story of doctor-turned-activist Kusuma Sorab, known as Kusumakka to the girls she worked with. The chapter entitled On Conversions, Controversies and Communalism stands out in how it juxtaposes the syncretic history of the Baba Budana Giri shrine in North Karnataka with an account of the rise of right-wing ideology in the region (and state). It describes the fluid times when 'the Veerashaiva and Sufi orders in North Karnataka interacted and fused with a rare syncretic spirit,' even as Ibrahim Adil Shah II ruled Bijapur and Akbar ruled the north. Scholar Rahamath Tarikere is quoted: 'The gurupanthas (local guru-shishya traditions that stand outside organised religious orders) recognised that caste, untouchability, gender inequality and social concerns were the key hindrances to spiritual achievement,' as were religious differences between Hindus and Muslims. It is ironic that fundamentalism looms against this backdrop. Srikar Raghavan (Courtesy A Suitable Agency) Intensive interviews feature throughout but the ones in the chapter entitled Forests, Conservation and the Ecology of Change' that track environmental movements and protests are especially good. The story of how Indian Forest Officer SG Neginhal 'planted and raised one and half million trees,' told by veteran environmental activist, SR Hiremath, co-founder of the Samaja Parivartan Samudaya (SPS) is one among many others. The formation (and fragmentation) of the Dalit movement, trade unions, workers' movements; the arguments and friendships between socialists, Marxists and communists; the travails and triumphs of artistes across forms and genders; the average do-gooders working on the fringes of society but holding its fabric in place with their idealism and hope – all this and more are presented in great detail. If you are interested in how people make history and enjoy examining layers of belief, thought and action; if you like stories about how politics and religion are being cast aside by some citizens who nevertheless are making a positive impact on their world; if you like random facts (Did you know there is a variety of rice named after the former Prime Minister, HD Deve Gowda, in Punjab?) and want to grasp the stories behind the storytellers; if you have an appetite for tales that take you on trails, and if you have strong wrists – it's a heavy book! – you will be happy to read Rama Bhima Soma. Charumathi Supraja is a writer, poet and journalist based in Bengaluru.
Scroll.in
12-06-2025
- Politics
- Scroll.in
Readers' comments: Good writers can transcend ideology, why use partisan labels of ‘left' or ‘right'
I read this interview (' 'What unites the Kannada world is an admiration for vachana literature': Writer Srikar Raghavan ') with mixed feelings. His observations on the plight of the immigrants in cities and the work of civic activists like SR Hiremath make sense, as does his analysis of Naxalism in Karnataka. One should not judge a book by its covers and reviews. But if one has to go by the opinions expressed in this interview, one can only lament the author's ignorance and prejudice. The same can be said of the interviewer. A case in point is the following passage: 'Despite the faithful recording and echoing of leftists that they failed to engage culturally with the masses, the book amply demonstrates the deep interest and grounding of writers (who may broadly be grouped with the left) in Indian religions, philosophy, and folk culture. A telling line is the claim by UR Ananthamurthy that they earnestly searched for god but returned empty-handed. This belies claims of mindless imitation of the West, often levelled by the right wing.' The Left has always used the term 'masses' for ordinary people. It is condescending. The leftists, as authors, failed to engage with the reading public. How much of their writing has stood the test of time? A number of them, like UR Ananthamurthy, professed interest and claimed understanding of religion and philosophy, but knew precious little. Did they earnestly search for god and return empty-handed? Hardly. Why must one associate all good writers with the Left? 'Left' and 'Right' are labels of partisanship. Great writing can transcend the writer's own ideological leanings. SL Bhairappa's fiction like Doora Saridaru and Griha Bhanga have nothing to do with the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh and its line of thought that he admires. Bhairappa is a wonderful narrator of stories and he understands the rural landscape as few of the 'navya' (neo-modernist) writers do. Contrary to Srikar Raghavan's claim, the' Navya' movement did not begin in the 1950s. It made its debut in the 1960s. One does not have to be right-wing to point out that their inspiration came from writers like TS Eliot and Albert Camus. Early 20th-century writers like Masti Venkatesha Iyengar, DV Gundappa and DR Bendre were steeped in religion and philosophy, yet their writing was rooted in the lives of simple, ordinary folk. Raghavan goes overboard in praising vachana sahitya for its egalitarianism and universalism. What unites the Kannada world is language, literature and culture. For a Kannadiga, vachana sahitya and haridasa sahitya both are an integral part of life. Raghavan chooses to call Alur Venkata Rao a 'subnationalist'. Rao was a disciple of Tilak and Gandhi and was at the forefront of the freedom movement in Karnataka. He also fought for the unification of Karnataka as a state. His struggle for the cause of Kannada and Karnataka does not become subnationalism or parochial nationalism. One issue that Srikar Raghavan has with the early historical fiction in Kannada is that it did not incorporate the many sultanates of the Deccan. But a novelist can only create a fictional world that he can imagine from within. There are vast and varied connections between life and literature, literature and society and not through the polarised lens of present-day discourse. Srikar Raghavan and others of similar persuasion must set aside their blinkers and approach the language and literature of the Kannada world with humility. Late Alur Venkata Rao, Masti Venkatesha Iyengar, DV Gundappa and DR Bendre dedicated their whole lives to the cause of Kannada and Karnataka. Gundappa's mother tongue was Tamil and he wrote exclusively in Kannada. Bendre's mothertongue was in Marathi. He wrote his verse in Kannada alone. There is no lack of authentic voices in Kannada, be it Jayant Kaikini or Banu Mushtaq. They have already figured on your web site. If you look for others, you will find them too. – Nagesh Havanur
