An extremely captivating book that probes deep into the complexities of human nature, Dwapar Katha: The Stories of the Mahabharata begins in the era of Dwapar Yuga which is the third and best of the four yugas (a period).
The book depicts the warring cousins who fought for the throne of Hastinapur -the courageous Pandavas and the daunting Kauravas. We are taken on an extraordinary journey, traversing characters such as Rishi Vyasa, Lord Brahma, Arjuna, Krishna, Draupadi, Karna, Duryodhana and Bhishma.
It goes on to discuss the Kuru dynasty and narrates events which led to different conflicts such as the marriage of Draupadi to the five Pandavas, the education and rivalry of the princes, the failed attempts at diplomacy and peace and the exile and disguise of the Pandavas, etc.
It also goes on to describe the war of the Kurukshetra, where the Pandavas (with the help of Krishna) defeated the Kauravas and their allies.
Who is going to overtake the other – will it be the sons of Pandu, the Pandavas, i.e., Yudhishthira, Bhima, Arjuna, Nakula and Sahadeva and their wife Draupadi; or the hundred Kaurava brothers led by the elder brother Duryodhana?
The book, which is divided into 77 chapters details is based on the scripts of the podcast episodes that Bhawmik narrated and produced with his colleague Avi Ziv. In a very engaging and fun manner, this book covers the entire Mahabharata right from the beginning till the end
Throughout the book, there are beautiful lustrations and a cover by Onkar Fondekar – a graphic designer and artist who is known for having a unique ability to capture the essence and mood of the epic using expressive and vibrant styles.
Various themes relevant to the human condition are highlighted throughout the book such as dharma (morality, duty, justice), karma (destiny, action, consequence), loyalty, free will, love, friendship, family greed, power, wisdom, pride, envy courage, anger, forgiveness and even redemption. All the characters throughout the book cannot even be segregated as good or bad; they have complex and ambiguous characters mixed with shades of both. All the characters in the book are influenced by their relationships, personal traits and their circumstances.
This book is a lovely version of the most ancient and influential epic of the world- Mahabharata and is a great read for anyone who seeks answers about human existence.
The author, Sudipta Bhawmik is not only an accomplished writer but also an award-winning director, actor and playwright. He is also a cartoonist. His plays have been produced and staged in several cities in the US, UK, India and Bangladesh.
1 Comment
Looks like an encyclopedia level book