On April 19, 1884, at the age of 25, Kadambari Devi consumed a heavy dose of opium to end her life. After ingesting the drug, Kadambari fought for her life for two days before she passed away on April 21, 1884. This incident took place four months after the marriage of twenty-three year old Rabindranath in the illustrious Thakur house of Bengal.
I remember Girish Karnad as a character in the film Swami and that made a lasting impression on a college-going boy. The calmness and poise displayed by Karnad gave me an idea about the kind of persona he was. After Swami, I continued waiting for the movies he acted in.
As someone who grew up devouring adventure and mystery stories with passionate interest, I began reading this one expecting a similar roller-coaster ride that ended with the catharsis of a happy ending, suitably punctuated with nail-biting tension and thrills.
A genre that is neither new to children nor young adults, visual narrative be it in comic books or full length illustrated novels feeds on generations that have grown on Amar Chitra Kathas whose reach is evident in the vast number of languages it is published in. Even in its full-length avatar with a focused lens on themes beyond the voracious need for mythology, graphic novels no longer qualify as nascent and upcoming as mainstream publishers ensure that supply meets the readers’ growing demand.
The book is replete with wonderful anecdotes like the one of meteorologist Anna Mani from Peermade, Kerala, who at the age of eight, declined the gift of diamond earrings and requested a copy of the Encyclopedia Britannica instead!
Rivers are an integral part of our lives. Their importance is immeasurable. No wonder our ancestors worshipped them. Moreover, rivers are intriguing. They may gush madly or flow sleepily as they meander down their course. Sometimes they are in spate, and at other times they dry up.