Indus Valley Times

(BOOK REVIEW)

By A K Sahoo

Nikunja Bihari Prusty is a well-known name in contemporary Odia literature. His portrayal of various emotions and passions in every form and format of writing, including prose and poetry, is par excellence.

Mr Prusty’s recent work ‘Diganta Kuheli’ bears his brand of fluent and eloquent story-telling in the purest lyrical form.

The poet has picked up the life of a rural girl born to rich parents –Sasanka Sekhar Mohapatra and Shanti Devi of Odgaon, a remote village. The girl named Upasana was born after a lot of prayers to the Almighty by her parents.

Life takes its own course. Destiny has always its own direction. Upasana grows up and gets married to a fisherman community boy – Udaya, defying all social taboos. She cares none and nothing as she chooses to live with her soul mate.

Upasana’s journey of trials and tribulations begins after she gets wedded to Udaya. She is subjected to dowry torture and mental agonies by her in-laws.  The society also does not give recognition to her marriage to a boy considered ‘lower’ to her caste.

Deserted by her in-laws and parents, as well the pregnant Upasana takes shelter in an ashram where she gives birth to a child named Tapaswini.

Meanwhile, Sashanka Sekhar approaches the ashram to adopt a child and chooses Tapaswini. After a lot of drama and melodrama, Sashanka recognizes Upasana as his daughter and persuades her to return home, which the latter politely refuses. She, however, allows Tapaswini to go with her grandparents and waits to live with her husband Udaya.

The poet has used all his expertise in using prosody (Chhanda), Alankar and other literary devices for the readers to experience for themselves all forms of emotions and passions.

As the readers read the lyrical masterpieces, they get transformed into a different world of trance and ecstasy.

Published by Banaphula, Bhubaneswar, the book priced at Rs 135 is worth reading by all those who love to unwind themselves with heavenly delights of literature.

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