‘Nala Damayanti’ book review: An epic redemption

Express News Service

Nala Damayanti is a timeless tale of love from the Mahabharata that seeks to impress upon young girls that they must love their spouses unconditionally, especially if said spouse is a whiny, weak loser who gambles away his entire kingdom before abandoning her in the forest, to fend for herself. Husband dearest might be a rapist, murderer and afflicted with every kind of awful trait there is, but the wife must put up with him. She must do that not just with superhuman stoicism, but also a loving heart, and devote every waking moment of her existence to pandering to his unworthy whims, enduring his gross embrace, and bringing forth sons by the dozen. 

Anand Neelakantan takes this material and, within the crippling limitations, does his utmost to redeem it. The fate of humanity, which is dangerously close to extinction, thanks to Brahma, the original dirty old deity, rests in the dainty hands of Damayanti, and her ability to love unconditionally a man, who is hardly worth her toenails. Fighting her way past the many barriers that loom on their way to a doubtful happy ending, she is aided in her hopeless quest by Hemanga, a golden swan with a beak that just won’t quit jabbering.

The lovers face untold hardships, thanks to the wily machinations of Kali, the Goddess of darkness who emerged from the sum of humankind’s fears and insecurities, as well as Indra, Agni and Yama, who toy with humans because they can, and since immortality does not seem to have rendered them immune to boredom.

The story chugs along pleasantly enough. Here, as in the epic, one wonders what Damayanti sees in Nala. We are told that the way to her heart is through her stomach. Nala, as an amazing cook, manages the feat with a little help from Hemanga, in whose wake chaos usually unfolds. This isn’t quite convincing, but the reader goes along because of the charming mirth present through the proceedings. Nala is a self-made, irritatingly noble soul who has made a better life for his people, but his achievements notwithstanding, he suffers from a severe inferiority complex on account of belonging to the Nishada tribe. He and his people are constantly dehumanised over their lower caste status. Neelakantan explores this recurring theme, common to most of his books, with the sensitivity and sharp wit he is known for, making Nala a sympathetic figure, when he is not being an insufferable one.

In contrast to the self-pitying and almost ineffectual Nala, there is King Rituparna of Ayodhya, who towers over the story with his brashness, bawdy tastes and ferocious appetite for life. A truly memorable character, he appears to be a stand-in for the author himself, with his irreverence and impatience for those who are so filled with fear about the torments of an afterlife that they forget to savour the joys of the one life allotted to them. He is the perfect answer to false godmen and priests that play on the human penchant for being foolish for personal profit. Too bad, Damayanti doesn’t ditch Nala for Rituparna, but an epic tale can only go so far, and thanks to Neelakantan, the modern reader will hopefully emulate her intelligence and gritty resolve to extricate herself from impossible situations she lands in because of idiot males, without ever losing sight of the power of love to fix almost anything.

<br> Nala Damayanti is a timeless tale of love from the Mahabharata that seeks to impress upon young girls that they must love their spouses unconditionally, especially if said spouse is a whiny, weak loser who gambles away his entire kingdom before abandoning her in the forest, to fend for herself. Husband dearest might be a rapist, murderer and afflicted with every kind of awful trait there is, but the wife must put up with him. She must do that not just with superhuman stoicism, but also a loving heart, and devote every waking moment of her existence to pandering to his unworthy whims, enduring his gross embrace, and bringing forth sons by the dozen. 

A painting depicting the reunion of Nala and DamayantiAnand Neelakantan takes this material and, within the crippling limitations, does his utmost to redeem it. The fate of humanity, which is dangerously close to extinction, thanks to Brahma, the original dirty old deity, rests in the dainty hands of Damayanti, and her ability to love unconditionally a man, who is hardly worth her toenails. Fighting her way past the many barriers that loom on their way to a doubtful happy ending, she is aided in her hopeless quest by Hemanga, a golden swan with a beak that just won’t quit jabbering.

The lovers face untold hardships, thanks to the wily machinations of Kali, the Goddess of darkness who emerged from the sum of humankind’s fears and insecurities, as well as Indra, Agni and Yama, who toy with humans because they can, and since immortality does not seem to have rendered them immune to boredom.googletag.cmd.push(function() {googletag.display(‘div-gpt-ad-8052921-2’); });

The story chugs along pleasantly enough. Here, as in the epic, one wonders what Damayanti sees in Nala. We are told that the way to her heart is through her stomach. Nala, as an amazing cook, manages the feat with a little help from Hemanga, in whose wake chaos usually unfolds. This isn’t quite convincing, but the reader goes along because of the charming mirth present through the proceedings. Nala is a self-made, irritatingly noble soul who has made a better life for his people, but his achievements notwithstanding, he suffers from a severe inferiority complex on account of belonging to the Nishada tribe. He and his people are constantly dehumanised over their lower caste status. Neelakantan explores this recurring theme, common to most of his books, with the sensitivity and sharp wit he is known for, making Nala a sympathetic figure, when he is not being an insufferable one.

In contrast to the self-pitying and almost ineffectual Nala, there is King Rituparna of Ayodhya, who towers over the story with his brashness, bawdy tastes and ferocious appetite for life. A truly memorable character, he appears to be a stand-in for the author himself, with his irreverence and impatience for those who are so filled with fear about the torments of an afterlife that they forget to savour the joys of the one life allotted to them. He is the perfect answer to false godmen and priests that play on the human penchant for being foolish for personal profit. Too bad, Damayanti doesn’t ditch Nala for Rituparna, but an epic tale can only go so far, and thanks to Neelakantan, the modern reader will hopefully emulate her intelligence and gritty resolve to extricate herself from impossible situations she lands in because of idiot males, without ever losing sight of the power of love to fix almost anything.