With all the books on Hindu mythology and the epics, you would think there’s nothing more to be written about. But Sudha Murthy’s latest book The Serpent’s Revenge: Unusual Tales from the Mahabharata (Puffin; Rs.250) surprises you.
While some stories are familiar (‘The Ring of Memory’, ‘The Yaksha’s Quiz’, the ‘The Enchanted Vessel’), others are new (‘The Cursed God’; ‘Barbarika’ ‘The King of Udipi’) or have been forgotten (‘For Want of a Flower’; ‘The Ingenious Ghatotkacha’, ‘The Price of Loyalty’). Simple and direct, they are engaging and thought provoking.
In her charming introduction to the book, Murthy says that as a child she wasn’t convinced by these stories but was told “The tales elaborate exactly what our scriptures say and you must accept them the way they are.” The introduction is a bit like getting a peek into the author’s mind.
She explains the difference between history and mythology and also presents her view of the exaggerations in myth. So Ravana’s 10 heads, she says, are symbolic of his many talents. The book is her attempt to explore the contradictions and illogicalities in these stories.
Though busy with her social work through the Infosys Foundation, Murthy has been a prolific author. Her books include novels, non-fiction, children’s books in English and Kannada.
In a telephonic interview, she says, “If I’m writing in English, I work on a computer, but for the Kannada works, I prefer the old-fashioned pen and paper.” Pressed for a reason, she simply says, “It’s easier that way” and adds that she writes “early in the morning” before the pressures of the day takes over.
She finds writing fiction more difficult. “Non-fiction is mostly what I have seen and observed. It’s a slice of life whereas with fiction because I have to create from scratch.”
Then she muses, “but sometimes non-fiction can be more unbelievable than anything you can dream up.” She takes writing for children very seriously indeed. “It’s a responsibility,” she says firmly. “I spend more time on those books, thinking about what kind of stories I should tell, the sort of language I can use… I cannot afford to go wrong.”
When it comes to children’s books, she says, she always tries to end her stories on a positive note. Why not for her books for adult readers? “Grown-ups know what the world is like, so I like to keep it realistic. With children, I want to leave them with a sense of hope.”
Given that she’s as fluent in English as she is in Kannada, why hasn’t she attempted to translate Kannada literature, given that the translation scene is buzzing? Two reasons, she replies. “First, I have no time. I am busy with my work for the foundation and my books. Second, for translations, I think you need specific qualifications, which I don’t think I have. You need to get into the author’s mind. I know myself; I don’t think I can do that.”
Asked about future projects, she says that she’s tied up for the next three years. The Serpent’s Revenge is the first of a four-book series based on the epics.
Next will be one based on the Trinity of Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva; the third on Krishna and Rama and the last will be a bunch of miscellaneous stories.
Dollar Sose , her Kannada novel was adapted for television, and I remember reading that she’s an avid film watcher. So my last question was: Would she consider writing a film script? She laughs, “I can do it easily. It’s not very difficult from writing a story. But where’s the time?”
