As per my New Year resolution, this month I have chosen S.L. Bhyrappa’s “Doora Saridaru”. It is a Kannada novel which explores relationships at an intellectual level. It is definitely not a light read and can get you questioning some of the fundamental beliefs in life. Initially, I was apprehensive about reading a Kannada novel, especially one which deals with such a complex subject. However, I was familiar with most of the words and could comprehend the meaning of the rest as per context. Doora Saridaru was published in 1962 but it effectively holds the attention of the contemporary reader. Fashion, technology and human interests may change over time but human relationships are still the same. There is no equation to deduce what factors bring two people together, no formula to brew the perfect match. Always in a quest to understand the unknown, we fail to realize that every relationship is unique and only the people involved in it can make it work.
Door Saridaru describes the stories of two couples as they embark on a journey to unravel the mysteries of companionship. It is a love story set in a refreshing atmosphere of literature and philosophy. Sacchidanand is a literature student with a keen interest in philosophy. He falls in love with his classmate Vinata. Vinata loves him whole heartedly but is scared to go against her dominating mother. The latter does not approve of the match because the boy belongs to a lower caste and is not well to do. Vinata believes that pain is the only path to happiness. On the other hand, Vasanth is a student who gradually starts loving his junior Uma. Although both sets of parents agree, Vasanth is still not sure whether Uma is the right companion for him. He is under the impression that only a person with independent thinking can be his ideal partner. But when Uma develops her own views, he feels slighted and wishes for her to see things his way.
It is interesting to see how the author maintains the title as the main theme of the book. The story demonstrates the various reasons due to which a couple may drift apart. While one couple falls prey to external prejudices, the other is a victim of its own beliefs. The story takes a new turn in every few pages. Something I liked about the book is the unique perspective held by each character. All in all, I'll say it’s a good read!
Door Saridaru describes the stories of two couples as they embark on a journey to unravel the mysteries of companionship. It is a love story set in a refreshing atmosphere of literature and philosophy. Sacchidanand is a literature student with a keen interest in philosophy. He falls in love with his classmate Vinata. Vinata loves him whole heartedly but is scared to go against her dominating mother. The latter does not approve of the match because the boy belongs to a lower caste and is not well to do. Vinata believes that pain is the only path to happiness. On the other hand, Vasanth is a student who gradually starts loving his junior Uma. Although both sets of parents agree, Vasanth is still not sure whether Uma is the right companion for him. He is under the impression that only a person with independent thinking can be his ideal partner. But when Uma develops her own views, he feels slighted and wishes for her to see things his way.
It is interesting to see how the author maintains the title as the main theme of the book. The story demonstrates the various reasons due to which a couple may drift apart. While one couple falls prey to external prejudices, the other is a victim of its own beliefs. The story takes a new turn in every few pages. Something I liked about the book is the unique perspective held by each character. All in all, I'll say it’s a good read!
