Kavalavalokana

A disturbing start that takes you through the roller coaster ride of emotions with a very practical ending. Thus goes "Kavalu" (Cross roads) the latest novel by S L Bhairappa.

This novel is one of those that I have burnt midnight oil for and got me into the trance state for a while. The novel was successful in making me involved in reading until the end which is truly a bonus for any reader. I think it’s the writer's talent to come out differently, each time he brings out a novel. Until now I always thought that the writer is a feminist and had never expected a subject such as the one discussed in this Novel from him. As always, his writing proves that he has done an extensive research on the subject. I was quite impressed to see the mention of Sartre's existentialism subject and how it has been interpreted by one of the characters of the Novel. Though the novel is written in recent times, for me it looked not so contemporary in terms of the language used by the characters in the novel and the settings explained except the depiction of current mass media scenario.

The novel sometimes makes me feel that Bhairappa has cautioned men about the ways of women in the present scenario with the women centric laws that can be misleading and may be misused by some women to make their way to a convenient life. The writer has balanced this thought by showing the weakness of a man leading to absolute chaos in life. It reflects the tendencies of a human being to interpret the situations according to one's own advantage.

Oh wait a minute, on a second thought this novel is very cleverly written to show the vulnerability of a contemporary woman. Though living amidst the supporting laws, liberated thoughts and active feminist, she cannot really "compete" for the equal rights in a male dominated society. The novel ends with the ruined women and resurrecting man which obviously hints that a man can come out of his past and look over a promising future and the women is left with scarred past with blurred future.

I really liked the mature and curt conversation between the characters. It evokes the crooked ways of our mind mirrored to us through the characters. I am amused by the writer's creativity to make so many varieties of characters and write from their mind, play with their emotions and build a true to life scenarios. The whole plot is drawn around the physical relationship and the desperation though the novel discusses quite a bit of women emancipation issues. This makes it very similar to one of his earlier novels. I wish there could have been other subject as the base to this novel. But writer knows us better: nothing is as interesting and capturing our attention as the topic discussed here.

I am really confused as well as happy to know the apt title of the novel. That’s what is the ways of cross roads – whether to take this road or that!

Which road are you choosing today?