Fire and the Rain

by Girish Karnad

This play by one of India's foremost playwrights and actors is based on a story from the Mahabharata which tellingly illuminates universal themes - alienation, loneliness, love, family, hatred - through the daily lives and concerns of a whole community of individuals.

Genres: Plays, Fiction, Indian Literature, Mythology

88 pages, Paperback

First published May 1, 1998

About the author

Girish Raghunath Karnad (Konkani : गिरीश रघुनाथ कार्नाड, Kannada : ಗಿರೀಶ್ ರಘುನಾಥ್ ಕಾರ್ನಾಡ್) (born 19 May 1938) is a contemporary writer, playwright, screenwriter, actor and movie director in Kannada language. His rise as a prominent playwright in 1960s, marked the coming of age of Modern Indian playwriting in Kannada, just as Badal Sarkar did it in Bengali, Vijay Tendulkar in Marathi, and Mohan Rakesh in Hindi. He is a recipient of the 1998 Jnanpith Award for Kannada, the highest literary honour conferred in India.
For four decades Karnad has been composing plays, often using history and mythology to tackle contemporary issues. He has translated his major plays into English, and has received critical acclaim across India. His plays have been translated into several Indian languages and directed by eminent directors like Ebrahim Alkazi, B. V. Karanth, Alyque Padamsee, Prasanna, Arvind Gaur, Satyadev Dubey, Vijaya Mehta, Shyamanand Jalan and Amal Allana. He is also active in the world of Indian cinema working as an actor, director, and screenwriter, both in Hindi and Kannada cinema, earning numerous awards along the way. He was conferred Padma Shri and Padma Bhushan by the Government of India.

Reviews

[Ritika Jakhotiya · Rating 4 out of 5]

Writing style hooks you from start to end (though may need short breaks in between). Some parts confused me, but overall an entertaining play. Covers topic of jealousy, family, female subjugation, revenge, death and rebirth, caste, etc.

[Trisha · Rating 3 out of 5]

I like some of the changes made during the translation but it doesn't hit as hard.

[Idea Smith · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'm not used to reading plays so I wondered if this would be a challenge. The 2002 movie 'Agnivarsha' was based on this story. While the movie was imminently forgettable, mostly because of bad acting, it does bring the play to life. At less than 100 pages, this was a one-sitting read.

The story has all the elements that make Indian mythology interesting - passionate characters, dramatic interactions, nuanced dialogues & layers of meaning you uncover each time you relive the story. Set in the times of the Mahabharata, we never encounter any of those characters (except Indra). But it does serve as a frame of reference for the importance of rituals & the social currency of caste.

Like the Mahabharata, this story also involves bartering for boons with gods, fraternal rivalry and most of all - power games. Where the Mahabharata's main characters battled over land & rulership, several others tangled over social stature, intellectual prowess & more. This story also covers the dynamics between brothers & cousins. And like in several parts of the Mahabharata, these clashes sometimes take the form of assaults on women marginally associated with the rival.

That said, the more modern perspective on the ancient myth does come through. The female characters of Vishakha and Nittilai are more than props for the men around. Each faces complex dilemmas of social structures versus lust & affection. They make powerful choices, weighing what's available to them & what they want. Each of them also takes a complex view of the men around them - both disparaging of men's self-absorbedness as well as affectionate & loyal to them. There is also some subtle commentary on the caste politics and the exploitative, hypocritical standards of Brahminism. All in all, a really excellent read.

[Santosh Kashyap · Rating 4 out of 5]

My first and only one so far from this modern dramatist. Karnad's specialty of picking less known character and story from ancient literature and convert them into a full modern work can be seen here with great success again. The story is taken from the great epic Mahabharata. Karnad's ability to sketch social inequalities and subtly connecting it to modern class struggle is remarkable. This work has even been adapted for a Bollywood movie Agnivarsa starring Milind Soman as protagonist with a guest appearance role by Amitabh Bachchan as lord Indra.

[Divya · Rating 3 out of 5]

A friend played the 'Actor-Manager', half a world away and instigated interest in this 'little known myth from the Mahabharata'. Some background is required to appreciate it, but it seems to appeal even otherwise. That the Author himself bothered to translate it into English is probably a part of why it worked as a book? I don't know.

[Aarti]

False

[Pugazhenthi · Rating 2 out of 5]

Girish Karnadi have reading

[Prashanth Bhat · Rating 4 out of 5]

ಗಿರೀಶ್ ಕಾರ್ನಾಡ್ ಪ್ರತಿಭಾವಂತ ನಾಟಕಕಾರರು. ಆದರೆ ಹೆಚ್ಚಿನವೆಲ್ಲ ಎರವಲು ತಂದ ಕತೆಗಳಿವೆ ತಮ್ಮ ರಕ್ತ ಮಾಂಸ ತುಂಬಿ ಹೊಳಪು ಕೊಟ್ಟವು. ತೊಳಲಾಟ ಸಾಮಾನ್ಯ ವಸ್ತು.

[Apoorva · Rating 4 out of 5]

We see, how in this book people behave out of their own accord when consumed by feelings of anger and lust. Arvasu ,a son of a Brahmin and Nittilai, hunter girl come together in adolescent love and decide to make their plea to the elders so that they can be eligible to get married outside their castes.
Aravasu,at a tender age already faces conflicts as to what the future beholds

''I'll never be learned like father or uncle. I shan't ever conduct the royal sacrifice like Paravasu or perform penance like cousin Yavakri. All I want is to dance and sing and act. And be with Nittilai. It doesn't matter a flake of cow dung to my father whether I'm alive or dead.''

We see men on the quest of knowledge , Yavakri and Paravasu, going to great lengths for their penance and sacrifice. . Nittilai is bold and believes in asking for practical things from Lord Indra out of a penance.

'My point is , since the Lord Indra appears in Yavakri and Indra is their God of rains, why didn't Yavakri ask for a couple of showers?

On the other hand, Yavakri, the man whose penance has been completed, is greatly revered by the villagers. Having been in the forest for 10 years, Yavakri's ideals are somehwat without any meaning or conscience and seem hollow. We begin to question his motives..

'Universal knowledge . What a phrase. It makes me laugh now. But do you know it was in order to win some grandiose prize that I went into the jungle? You put it so simply in that one sentence . So beautifully. You go into the jungle You perform austerities in the name of some good. You stand in a circle of fire. The pressure of your austerities forces the god to grant your wish.'

Paravasu's wife Vishaka and Yavakri seem to be embroiled in a past relationship and this defines the meaning of the title..
The fire and rain get mixed and the whole question of dharma seems to be questioned?

What comes to the rescue? Fire or Rain?
''Its raining, Nittilai, Its raining.''

[Ranga B · Rating 3 out of 5]

Fabulous drama from Girish Karnard. The story is from Mahabharata upakatha. Protagonist is the confused Brahmin Aravasu who is in love with Bedara girl. His father is Rishi and brother is the chief who is managing the Yagna which is been happening continuously from last 6-7 years to have rain in their draught affected kindgdom 🌧️. Yuvakruta Aravasu’s cousin brother. So story revolves around hatredness, Brahmin wanted to marry Bedara girl, revenge, egotist father. Good read and story is bit different.

[Saanvi · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book goes beyond time, imagination as well as love. One of my favourite kinda mythological book. Girish Karnad left no crumbs. What beautiful writing, stunning dialogues, impactful story. So much love, deceit, revenge , a perfect recipe for perfection. The female characters >>>>>>>>>>>>>
A book that does not end even after it ends.

[Raymando · Rating 4 out of 5]

A cocktail of fantastical elements, societal commentary and individual hypocrisies so unique to India, its caste system, its taboos and its culture that it's insane there isn't a whole universe of stories like this out there. Or perhaps there are, and I am yet to discover them.

Rating: 3.5/5

[Zaddie's Girl · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read this for my academic purpose...and I'm thankful to my professor for choosing this book. this book actually made me sad for Arvasu in the end...I felt the unfair situation towards Nittilai...and somehow I couldn't even blame Vishakha and Paravasu as if i could relate to them too.

[Snuffles · Rating 3 out of 5]

It's a highly engaging read, which took me by suprise. The dialogue even translated is well written

I wish the themes were more diverse than simply male ego and the greed for power.

[Rebecca H · Rating 5 out of 5]

Beautiful Story. Unexpected turn of events. Mesmerising imagery, Immaculate use of language and Amazing Dialogues. Loved it so much

[Anjali · Rating 4 out of 5]

real emotions

[Preetam Chatterjee · Rating 3 out of 5]

This play presents juxtaposition of various ideas and emotions in the background of myths. Folklore and myth move side by side. The first myth in the play is that of Indra — the king of gods and the God of rains. He is also known as “Thunder God” who conquers the demons of drought and darkness, thus liberating waters. According to popular myth, it rains when Indra kills Vritra.

Intertwined is the legend of treachery and fratricide. Indra, it told in the play within the play, treacherously killed his brother Vishwarupa. Tvastri gave birth to Vritra so that he could avenge the death of his brother and kill Indra. The myth of Indra, the myth of Yavakri, play within play have been so well knit in the play that they do not appear as three stories but seem to be one single unit.

Karnad uses the mythological story of Yavakri. Yavakri is the Son of Bharadwaja, who is considered to be a wise man. Raibhya, the brother of Bharadwaja and himself a saint, overshadows the personality of Bharadwaja and enjoys all the privileges of being a learned man in King’s court. This infuriates Yavakri and he decides to go to forest and lead an austere and rigorous life (of penance) so as to acquire spiritual knowledge and thereby please Gods.

Yavakri completes his penance in ten years and achieves knowledge and power. The aim of Yavakri was to take revenge from Raibhya. Welfare of humanity was not his aim. Knowledge and morality have been treated separately by the dramatist. Tapa (penance) had nothing to do with morality. Yavakri molests the daughter-in-law of Raibhya as he returns. Vishakha, Raibhya’s daughter-in-law had been his flame ten years ago but now she is his cousin’s wife.

Yavakri takes advantage of her lonely life due to the long absence of her husband Paravasu. Raibhya invokes his evil powers as soon as he comes to know about Yavakri’s incestuous deed and the Brahmarakshasas of Raibhya kill Yavakri.

The interpretation and symbolic presentation lies hidden in this act—in a draught hit land, Yavakri dies due to the scarcity of water. He could have saved himself had he got a single drop of water in his Kamandalu.

As a result Bharadwaja curses Raibhya that he will be killed by his own son. Shocked at his own curse, he suffers from an existential guilt and commits suicide by entering into fire.

Karnad does not sightlessly follow the mythological story; he diverges from it and manipulates it according to the need of the story. The myth says that Paravasu—Raibhya’s eldest son and the chief priest of the Fire sacrifice inadvertently killed his father, taking him to be a wild animal, but in the play Paravasu kills his father deliberately. He believed that his father was responsible for the poor condition of his wife. The dramatist also insinuates that Raibhya had sent his son for the rituals of Fire sacrifice for several years purposefully.

Yajna or Fire sacrifice is a traditional belief. A fire sacrifice is organised to please the god of rains. The king gets a platform built which is called the sanctum sanctorum and nobody except a Brahmin or upper-caste is allowed to enter the holy area. It is believed that priests do not leave the holy precincts and do not talk to Shudras and also do not indulge in sensual pleasures.

Summing up: The play opens with an extravagant yajña or fire sacrifice envisioned to preserve the world from physical and moral bedlam. However, almost straightaway, the image of this Brahminic ceremony is upturned by the playwright. This is not a deferential play championing Brahmin ideals. On a political level, this play means to uncover the insincerity and viciousness of Brahmin priests and the miscarriage of religion. On an individual level, it discloses the ways in which distrust can terminate a family (and by insinuation an all-inclusive community and perhaps the universe itself). By the conclusion of the play one Brahmin (Yavakri) has been granted authority by the gods — a clout he uses exclusively to exact retribution on his own uncle. Another Brahmin (the main priest of the yajÑa) murders his father and pins the culpability on his brother Arvasu. Arvasu, who breaks caste by falling in love with the daughter of a hunter and joining a troupe of actors, is the hero of this play. His acting company performs a play (technically a ritual pcrformancc) at the yajña which breaks the cycle of vengeance and revenge and brings release from anger. As anger melts away, the blessed showers arrive, terminating a lethal drought…….

[Libra · Rating 3 out of 5]

Fire and the rain is not one of the greatest plays by Karnad to read but still enjoyable. It was mesmerizing to see the brilliant use of stage by constant shift in setting, and by incorporating the elements that are foreign to modern theatre.

[Shravani · Rating 3 out of 5]

Rating - 3⭐
Genre - Drama

Summary :
In a drought - stricken kingdom, two rival priests, Yavakri and Parvasu, try to appease the rain god through their respective methods that lead to adultery, treachery, and murder.The play The Fire and the Rain occurs in a small region of India long ago that has experienced a lack of rain for ten years. The king proposed to propitiate the Gods through fire sacrifice. So that God would be pleased and send rain to the parched land. In this fire sacrifice Paravasu the son of a learned Brahmin Raibhya, was appointed as the Chief Priest. And the play deals with this appointment and the disappointments of certain other characters. One disappointment definitely with reference to the father going by ancient Indian tradition. The genius playwright has added the flavor of rage to it and beautified the plot further.

Review :
Although not one of Girish Karnard's best plays, Fire and the Rain is nonetheless interesting to read. It was captivating to observe the masterful use of the stage, which involved a constant change of setting and the insertion of features not common in contemporary theatre. I would rather that the themes be more varied than just masculine ego and the desire for power. It was a quick read but the characters felt flat.

[Preethi · Rating 4 out of 5]

My brother and I watched the movie, Agnivarsha in the movie theatre asked came back fully involved with the movie and shaking our heads at how weird Brahmin men were. the portrayals of Paravasu, Aravasu, Vishakha, Nittilai, Yavakri , Raibhyaand the Brahma Rakshasa by Jackie Shroff, Milind Soman, Raveena Tandon, Sonali Kulkarni, Nagarjuna, that actor whose name I can't recollect and Prabhu Deva (I didn't even have to look up the names on the internet!) respecTively is still fresh in my mind. For some reason, the movie made a deep mark on my mind, may be it was the plot or may be it was the premise that Brahmin men were selfish, which I tended to believe back then.

Reading the play this movie was based on was just something I had to do, especially once I saw the book at the RangaShankara book store.
I think this is a very well written play, making complete sense as I read it in English, though it is heavily Kannada/Sanskrit based. obviously, the plot is an interesting one, moving at a good pace, and ending right when it has to end.
Read this book if you've been interested in Karnad's work, because this definitely is a great read.

[Chinmayee Kulkarni · Rating 5 out of 5]

A brilliant play that should have been more popular than is. Tragedies are somehow more real than other kinds of drama. One hopes that the circumstances will better themselves, saying to oneself how worse can it be than this, and thus comes the answer. Similarly, Karnad only lets us have momentary relief before chaos ascends anew. The concision and tight yarn can only come from an austerity of several decades.
Out of curiosity, I read the original myth given in the appendix. Though the motive of that story was different, and so was the moral behind it, I happen to like Karnad's version more. People are twisted and how, only he captured well.
He gave birth to Vishakha, someone who wasn't even named in the primary myth. He gave her an identity, if only to indicate the twisted nature of her husband and former lover. I say he wrote his female characters quite brilliantly and realistically.
Managed to send across a bagful of messages, and none the socially astute ones. I would call it a good study of human personalities.

[The Solitary Reader · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is one of those books I wouldn't mind reading over and over again! The plot, borrowed from Mahabharata, retells the tragedy of Arvasu, who falls a victim to family politics and loses his love in the process. The story is brilliantly told with the right mix of comedy, romance, drama and suspense. This book is a must read for anyone who loves mythology.

[Senthilprabhu · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wonderful play by Girish. The play is a small story in Mahabarat. The author skillfully takes the story into a magnificent play.
The play revolves around the innocent hero, his brother and their actions which takes different twist and turns. And to the most ethical conclusion.
It's inspiring to see the non linear editing in the play also.

[Arun Singh · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of the best plays I have ever read. Read it to be mesmerized by the play writing skills of Girish Karnad and how he much ahead of his times and how he used to bind the prevalent social system in age old mythological tales so brilliantaly.