Mandra

Email

Whatsapp

Facebook

Pinterest

Twitter

Copy link

Mandra, the Saraswati Samman winner for 2010, is one of the most acclaimed epic novels of Bhyrappa. It has already been successfully translated into Hindi and Marathi. Though it takes its theme the classical question of art versus morality, many more subtler and complex issues haunting human life are marvelously interwoven. Rooted deeply in the harsh realities of the world the governing theme evolves like a banyan tree in all directions and picture many home-truths that are inseparable with art, artist, art tradition, art criticism and the world of connoisseurs.

Mandra is a musical term which is roughly equivalent to 'lower octave in' in Western music. Though written in Kannada, the novel is astoundingly native to the world of Hindustani music predominantly popular in North India.Hence, It is a beautiful golden bridge that links a North-Indian tune and a south Indian tongue. Even the sweep of events that happen in the story reflects its global nature while beautifully focusing upon the local culture. The technique of narration essentially following a complex and intricate web of stream of consciousness is a metaphor in itself to the process of development of a raga in Hindustani music.

Santheshivara Lingannaiah Bhyarappa
Born in 1931, Santheshivara Lingannaiah Bhyarappa was orphaned at the age of eleven but he completed his education with first class results in spite of facing hardships. He went on to being a Professor of Philosophy at the Regional College of Education in Mysore an Education Officer at the N.C.E.R.T., Delhi. He can speak English Gujarati and Hindi apart from his mother tongue Kannada and is a formidable scholar of art aesthetic and philosophy.

Bhyrappa has so far published 22 novels. A pan Indian writer in true sense of the term, his novels have been translated into almost all Indian languages. Five of his novels have been translated into English and enthusiastically received by readers both in India and abroad His non-fiction work includes two volumes of literary criticism one statement of his creed as a writer and a stunningly honest autobiography.

He is the bestselling novelist in Kannada over the last 25 year, an extremely popular novelist in Marathi over the past decade and one of the top five best selling novelists in Hindi in recent times.