“Vikarna, one of the 100 Kaurava brothers in the epic Mahabharatam, is the right role model for youth. He is worthy of emulation in the present context of rising atrocities against women,” said speakers on Thursday at the release of a book titled ‘Vikarna’.
The novel, based on the epic, was authored by journalist Ch. Srinivasa Rao.
In the epic, Vikarna was the one who had raised his voice of protest when Draupadi was being dishonoured in the ‘Kuru Sabha’ while elders such as Bheeshma, Dronacharya maintained an enigmatic silence.
Releasing the book, Telugu scholar Sonti Sarada Purna praised the author for taking an apparently minor character in the epic and highlighting his role in the full-length novel, investing the theme with contemporary relevance. Yendluri Sudhakar of Telugu University, Rajahmundry centre, said the novel was a major literary accomplishment, and not many such works had come in the past 30 to 40 years.
The novel was reviewed by writers Jagaddatri and D.V Surya Rao. Former member of the Rajya Sabha Yarlagadda Lakshmi Prasad complimented the author for his innovative work.
Writer P. Ravikumar presided over the meeting.
The author, in his response, said that the Nirbhaya incident prompted him to write the novel.
The character in the epic Mahabharatam was the lone voice of dissent when Draupadi was being dishonoured. This forms the base for the novel authored by
Ch. Srinivasa Rao
