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May (First) 2006
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WOMAN'S ERA - BOOK REVIEW |
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Title : A Thread of Life
Author : Anoop Verma
Publisher : Shristi
Price : 195
A miasma of mirages has shrouded this civilization. No dearth of acolytes who will drone ad nauseam that the civilization that has existed for five thousand years will exist for another five thousand, maybe it will stretch right up to doomsday, the point of time when a Gazhni or Clive won't be around to take potshots at an way of life, only slightly less ancient than the seas and mountains, or should we say dinosaurs. The swan song will be sung when the eternity will strike or smite us with a bolt of blue, a cataclysmic event contrived to bring an end to a glorious tradition of achieving nothing, but existing longer than any other society or religion. What an ending? Marauding armies from far-flung corners of the world won't have the power, only God has the power to destroy us non-achievers.
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| But how does one define this God of incredible powers? In the book under review, 'A Thread of Life' the author Anoop Verma seems to have reached the conclusion that in quintessence 'God is the body of laws, on the basis of which the universe functions. The cold and simple laws of logic, science and mathematics form the heart, mind and soul of God.' A protagonist in the book, Jungali Baba, dryly comes forth with this view after he has squandered all his life roaming the hills, undergoing all sorts of austerities in his quest of God. Jungali Baba is easily the most memorable character in the book, not because of the sad denouement to his quest, but because of the way he accepts his failure and tries to mould himself in a way of life that is synchronized with the ways of a God embodying the laws of logic, science and mathematics.
But the role played by Jungali Baba is just one thread out of 'A Thread of Life'; the next important thread unravels around the life of Anirudh Shukla and his wife Jyotsna. When still a child Anirudh leaves his home with Jungali Baba and the two set off to Rishikesh to devote themselves to God. But as Anirudh grows up the temptations of a materialistic life get better of him and the day dawns when he finally bids adieu to Jungali Baba and goes to Bombay, where he becomes a taxi driver. Jyotsna comes into his life; they fall in love and marry. Then an opportunity of great promise comes into Anirudh's way. Isn't it always better to beware of opportunities popping out of nowhere? After all, the final denouement to any incident is always unknown, what seems promising today can eventually turn out to be disastrous. Temptation, urges Anirudh to grab hold of the chance, which he does, and is struck with grave consequences.
He stands on the brink of disaster but is saved by a chance meeting with Jungali Baba. It was Jungali Baba who had led him astray once, by leading him on a fruitless quest of God, now it is the same Jungali Baba, who guides him on a path that is fruitful and not fruitless. Anoop Verma's passion shows through his delicately drawn characters and the authenticity with which he portrays their trails and tribulations. In many ways 'A Thread of Life' reads as a metaphor for the lost ideals that each character in this complex novel strives for but is found wanting as he is clueless of the right way. As the story crisscrosses from a village in Bihar, to Rishikesh and from there to Bombay, it sheds an interesting new light on the beliefs and customs, the whole interactive zeitgeist of what defines our way of life.
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By Asit Amrevy
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