Gopichand’s novel “Merupula marakalu” ( Blots of Flashes ) shows the conflict between animal self and higher self in human. In the course of history, humans made monogamy as the virtue out of necessity. From the tribal society where relations between man and woman were relatively free to the present times when they are coercive in a sense , humanity has walked a long distance. These relations are man made and can be broken based on their consent. Anna Karenina in Tolstoy’s novel commits suicide unable to break free from religious shackles which prevented her from getting divorce from her husband. Polyandry, polygamy, monogamy , trial marriages, single parenthood—the society has been moving. Patriarchal family which has replaced matriarchal family become a norm to sustain the private property in the same lineage.
Usha Rani’s conflict has been due to her irrepressible sexuality and individuality versus monogamous norm. she hasn’t found her soul mate in spite of her legal marriage to Ramanujam, a lawyer and her affairs with Chakravarthy (a journalist), Sri Kant and Kmalakaram , husband of sister of Sri Kant. She has flouted family norms, gave happiness, deceived her lovers, felt poetic emotions, practiced coquetry, saw the chauvinism of men, their hypocrisy, pathetic dependence , violent temperament. In her deviation from the lower circle of desires, she has been reaching for higher circle of consciousness as Gopichand tries to portray.Her restlessness makes her a yogini in the Himalayas at the end after she has gone through the ordeal of internal and external journey. She doesn’t agree that love can be only with one person at a time whereas all her male friends except Kamala karam see it as a bond of pleasure rather than a means of freedom from narrowness. They excuse their infidelities but not hers. But she corners them with her glib tongue and asks them to justify their own secret pleasures with her violating so called family norms. Chakravarthy realizes his folly when he meets with an accident and his wife serves him to make him normal.
Gopichand’s discussion of psychological theories of Freud, Havelock Ellis and others through dialogues between Usharani and Kamalakaram reveal that the author is not treating sex as a taboo unlike the earlier authors who romanticized love and family system. The novel has caused sensation when it was published as a serial and Gopichand’s poetic description of Usharani, her feelings, the historical places and the Himalayas shows another aspect of this ‘Vedana jeevi’ ( creature of anguish) at the stifling nature and stupidity of the old morals.
The author reveals how people bound by norms suffer like flies in ointment .
People mouth morals in spite of nurturing lust in their hearts as shown in the behaviour of Chandravadanulu, an old poet.
The fall made one man a yogi Vemana or Tulsidas.
The ‘fall’ made Usha Rani to become a Yogini in the Himalayas.
One also likes to ask, “Need one become a saint as a penance to expression of one’s desire? Is it Indian palliative?
Usha Rani’s conflict has been due to her irrepressible sexuality and individuality versus monogamous norm. she hasn’t found her soul mate in spite of her legal marriage to Ramanujam, a lawyer and her affairs with Chakravarthy (a journalist), Sri Kant and Kmalakaram , husband of sister of Sri Kant. She has flouted family norms, gave happiness, deceived her lovers, felt poetic emotions, practiced coquetry, saw the chauvinism of men, their hypocrisy, pathetic dependence , violent temperament. In her deviation from the lower circle of desires, she has been reaching for higher circle of consciousness as Gopichand tries to portray.Her restlessness makes her a yogini in the Himalayas at the end after she has gone through the ordeal of internal and external journey. She doesn’t agree that love can be only with one person at a time whereas all her male friends except Kamala karam see it as a bond of pleasure rather than a means of freedom from narrowness. They excuse their infidelities but not hers. But she corners them with her glib tongue and asks them to justify their own secret pleasures with her violating so called family norms. Chakravarthy realizes his folly when he meets with an accident and his wife serves him to make him normal.
Gopichand’s discussion of psychological theories of Freud, Havelock Ellis and others through dialogues between Usharani and Kamalakaram reveal that the author is not treating sex as a taboo unlike the earlier authors who romanticized love and family system. The novel has caused sensation when it was published as a serial and Gopichand’s poetic description of Usharani, her feelings, the historical places and the Himalayas shows another aspect of this ‘Vedana jeevi’ ( creature of anguish) at the stifling nature and stupidity of the old morals.
The author reveals how people bound by norms suffer like flies in ointment .
People mouth morals in spite of nurturing lust in their hearts as shown in the behaviour of Chandravadanulu, an old poet.
The fall made one man a yogi Vemana or Tulsidas.
The ‘fall’ made Usha Rani to become a Yogini in the Himalayas.
One also likes to ask, “Need one become a saint as a penance to expression of one’s desire? Is it Indian palliative?
