One section is devoted to the fascinating tale of the origin of Death (not ‘Evil’ as Doniger writes; from Shanti Parva section 238, not 283). Mrityu—Death is a woman, clad in black-and-red cloth formed from Brahma’s fury to lighten the over-populated earth, who obdurately refuses to kill. Her tears of misery become diseases that kill. There is an equally interesting tale about what sets a king apart from other humans.
The novel is divided into four parts, titled ‘Headwaters’, ‘Confluences’, ‘Rapids’ and ‘Delta’. The fated manoeuvres of the river become the signposts which structure this retelling in a way that signals the evolution of Ganga from a vociferous cosmic river to a fluid sense of being mortal, as she navigates Shantanu’s affection, the drowning of her children, the coming of Satyavati and the reluctant survival of Bhishma, who ended up pledging lifelong celibacy. Ganga feels, for the first time,
In the chapter ‘The Cry of the Oppressed’, the author recreates and reconstructs the scenes, the milieu and the ethos of Benegal’s films with great precision and felicity. The reader feels like watching a movie of the quintessential director, who indisputably occupies a unique position in the film industry of the country.
I dipped into the book with some hesitation, not because the book—designed also by Chaudhuri—is in any way intimidating or uninviting, but because its Foreword is written by her husband, Sanjeeb Chaudhuri—a choice that seems oddly hagiographic. Sanjeeb Chaudhuri is the chairman of IDFC First Bank and while banking, investment and art are bedfellows, especially in the first world, the reader must decide why his voice here is important.
Pathak admits that this book is an attempt to engage readers in a discussion about methodology by not reducing it to mere techniques, methods, tools and deliberations on the types of research. The aim is to address methodology for what it is—a discursive realm entailing myriad ways of seeing. In this, he makes room for the possibility of skewed vision, partial understanding, inclusion and exclusion, and pride and prejudices as he argues that this discursive realm should not rest on proving the already proven.
Rao asserts that a research institution must focus on enduring societal concerns such as governance and public welfare rather than shifting with the tides of funding. It should be fortified by extensive data repositories, skilled teams, and rigorous analytical tools. A strong field network, ethical review boards, and a culture of continuous methodological refinement further ensure its credibility.