হয়বদন

by Girish Karnad, Shankha Ghosh (translator)

নাটকটির বঙ্গানুবাদ প্রথম প্রকাশিত হয়েছিলো "বহুরূপী" ভারতনাট্য সংখ্যা মার্চ ১৯৭৪ সালে।

Genres: Plays, Fiction, Drama, India, Indian Literature, Classics, Literature

69 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1975

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

[Rosh · Rating 4 out of 5]

Hayavadana (meaning "Horse face" in Kannada) is one of the popular plays of the great Girish Karnad. Based on Thomas Mann's “The Transposed Heads”, Hayavadana is a play within a play. The Bhagavata begins his narration on stage when he is interrupted by a strange man who has a horse’s head. After offering him suggestions on how he can become “normal”, Bhagavata begins the actual play recital, which shows the story of Devadutta and Kapila. Friends since birth despite their vastly different backgrounds and interests, the two men find their bond challenged when Devadutta falls in love with smart and sassy Padmini. While Padmini loves Devadutta and gets married to him, she also finds herself attracted to the strong and muscular body of ironsmith Kapila, something lacking in her scholarly husband. When certain mishaps result in the heads of the two friends being transposed on each other’s bodies, Padmini finds herself in a huge predicament: who is her actual husband?

As a play, Hayavadana is captivating. I am sure it would have been a marvellous experience to watch on stage. But reading a play always has its limitations, and these are exacerbated when you are reading a translation. While Karnad himself worked on the English transcript, there is still something lacking, especially in the songs and the Bhagavata’s narration towards the end. The entire first act and the initial part of second act is fabulous. Just the ending was a slight let-down.

Nevertheless, Hayavadana provides a very interesting reading experience. Having a strong feel of mythology and folklore, the play perfectly transfers Mann’s story to the cultural Indian setting. More importantly, while it starts off in a light-hearted manner, it soon raises pertinent moral questions. You too find yourself wondering with the characters: where is our true essence, in our minds or in our body? The philosophical dilemma won’t be easy to solve and you find yourself empathising with Padmini.

If the main story is focussed on Devadutta and Kapila, why is the play named “Hayavadana”? Possibly because the Hayavadana himself is a victim of the dual identity, just as Devadutta and Kapila were. Is he a man or a horse? What is his true identity? And what is his fault in having a double physicality that people keep judging him for what he was born with? Like I said, plenty of philosophical questions to ponder upon.


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[Swati · Rating 4 out of 5]

I am falling in love with reading plays all over again. I hadn’t read plays since I had them as part of my Masters. Then, it was mandatory reading and somehow the pleasure of reading the play was diminished by the academic focus. But now am truly enjoying them.

Hayavadana is a story within a story – one storyline follows Hayavadana, a man with the head of a horse who wishes he could be a complete human being. The other storyline follows two friends Devadatta and Kapila, and princess Padmini. Both men are attracted to Padmini but Kapila arranges his friend’s marriage with Padmini. The princess loves Devadatta and admires his learning and intelligence. Secretly though she also admires Kapila for his physical strength and looks. And then an incident happens after which Devadatta and Kapila’s heads are fixed to each other’s bodies.

Some pertinent questions are raised here. Does a person’s identity reside in the body as well as the head? What makes up the soul? It’s also a commentary on our common definition of perfection. After the head switch, Padmini gets the ‘perfect’ man who has Devadatta’s head and Kapila’s body. But is it really perfect? Her love is divided again along with the identities and she is not fully able to accept this perfection.

This quest to be whole through physicality is echoed at different points. Hayavadana wishes he had a different body and so does Devadatta who lacks Kapila’s muscular frame.

The crux of the play boils down to the tug between the mind and the body, the complexities within relationships, and showing societal perceptions of these concepts.

Although I enjoyed the play, I was a bit underwhelmed by the ending. Perhaps I had been spoilt earlier by Crossing to Talikota and Tughlaq. Some of the verses that the Bhagavata (narrator) sings were a bit stilted, am sure, because the essence is difficult to be captured fully in translation. I wished there was more of Kali, her character really cracked me up with her quips!

Overall, a really enjoyable read.

[Ananya Ghosh · Rating 3 out of 5]

I usually am not mesmerised by Indian dramas but this one turned out to be really good.

The story invloves a plot within a plot that merge on a plane and has elements of existentialism, absurdity, dream and so much more, a perfect amalgamation of elements to create a post modern work, also involving traditional methods from Sanskrit drama like the 'Sutradhar' or narrator who creates a medium of dialogue between the audience and the actors.

The primary story is about a man with a horse's head seeking completion in life in the form of a human. The secondary story involves a love triangle between two men who are best friends and a woman who desires both men for their specific qualities.

The secondary story is adapted from Indian mythology and serves as a perfect accompaniment with the Horse's tale.
The language as well as the plot are bound perfectly and the plot is really dense and engaging.

I really loved this one and recommend it to readers of Indian drama since its a classic.

[Sumallya Mukhopadhyay · Rating 4 out of 5]

Hayavadana, Girish Karnad
I took this as a casual, side text, recommended reading of a play for a course that I have taken. My area of specialisation does not cover theatre. I have not watched the play being performed. So I will not be able to comment on the theatrical implications and the performative dynamics of the text. Instead, I would comment on the narrative design of the text and its politics of rendering a story.
The play brings to my mind the early modernist debate concerning the body and the soul—the heaviness of one’s body standing at odds with the lightness of the self. The play does not offer any reconciliation, but what it succeeds in doing, to a great extent, highlights the agony of negotiating the aforementioned debate. Perhaps this is why Padmini is not satisfied with her feelings towards Devdatta and Kapila. She watches them die to bring an end to her desire of polyandry. Did Karnad do justice to her characterization? I am sure many will disagree with the ending she got. If she were as dazzling as Draupaudi, the play would not have been able to align its politics in the right direction.
Hayavadana is dipped in sexuality. It is also percolates a certain ambiguity that remains equidistant between a tragedy and a comedy. It has elements of magic realism that helps the play reach its end. Its narration is crisp, quick and, at the same time, highly nuanced. Most importantly, it keeps you thinking. The play stands out because unlike many contemporary literature on theatre, it does not resort to simple imitative ineffectiveness of Western cultural theatre; instead, it experiments with Indian folk theatre form by drawing from our own cultural resources.

[Manan Desai · Rating 4 out of 5]

Hayavadana is a story of identity, a story about how a mind leads and moulds the body.

Original story is from the Sanskrit collection called Kathasaritsagar, but here, Karnad has reworked Thomas Mann's interpretation in a short story called The Transposed Heads. It was originally written in Kannada; this is an English translation by Karnad himself.

Play is about human identify, desire, and relationships. The story is tragic yet Karnad manages to infuse humour at places.

A must read for Indian literature and drama afficionados.

[Mythili · Rating 2 out of 5]

I liked: the playfulness, the scattered references to stories like Shakuntala and Meghaduta's. I didn't like: the gender roles and the ending. I wonder if seeing this on stage or studying it in the classroom would've made me like it more. Or if I need to read The Transposed Heads to "get" it.

[Tejaswini · Rating 4 out of 5]

Bhagavatha, along with his crew before starting their play offers prayer to Lord Ganesha. He gets interrupted by screams of one of the actors running in. The scared actor, panting tells that he had seen a horse-headed man on his way to the theatre. Bhagavatha stays nonchalant to the actor's statement only to astonish later watching the spectacle infront of his eyes- Hayavadana, a horse headed/faced man standing on stage. Who is that horse headed man? What is his story? How come he had been in that state? What's the way to his redemption?

The second plot of the play is the original play that Bhagavatha was about to start as said above. This is about two best friends Devadatta, a Brahmin & Kapila, an iron smith. Devadatta enchanted by the divine beauty of Padmini marries her seeking help from Kapila. Kapila turns from the lone best friend of Devadatta to now a dearest friend of Padmini. But life is never a smooth journey, what happens to them that their lives become 'criss-crossed'!? What makes their lives to become an unsolved riddle?

Girish Karnad is a master story teller in potraying magical realism with his plays & its exquisitely evident in this play too. This is a two act play with two plots interwined & interconnected with each other written engrossingly. Also story moving forward by verses here & there from voices off-stage brings the real feel of watching a play live in theatre.

With this play, Karnad raises some pertinent philosophical questions of existence, loyality & identity. Whether a person's soul belongs to his body or head?Which is revered the most- masculinity or intelligence? Beauty or brain ? Likewise in Naagamandala, Karnad touched the concept of lust in marital life in Hayavadana too. What I admired the most is how Karnad has brought out an inclusive conclusion to the two plots which runs in parallel.

I felt the end , a tad bit underwhelming & that keeps this play a notch below his two plays I had read earlier. Nevertheless, this play has intrigued me & charmed me enough.

[Pretty Little Bibliophile · Rating 4 out of 5]

a pertinent blending of myth and modernity, with the ever-present questions regarding one's identity and belonging. Also, very meta!

[Anitha GV · Rating 5 out of 5]

Karnad another fabulous creation. He had blended the tale of Vetalapanchavimshika and The Transposed Heads in a perfect manner. The play can be seen with many aspects politically, class, myth, feminist perspective, symbolic representation.

[Nandita Matolli · Rating 4 out of 5]

So very well written. So much to ponder upon. How did Karnad come up with a play like this.
I made a mistake reading this play in English however (although Karnad himself wrote/translated it into English, a lot is lost in translation). Will be reading this again, in Kannada

[Aditi · Rating 4 out of 5]

I just finished reading a play titled 'Hayavadana', written by Girish Karnad (translated in Hindi by B.V. Karanth). In the past, I have had the opportunity of reading, watching and working on plays and stories written by Karnad. The most recent production I saw, was 'The Wedding Album.' A contemporary play which questions the social and moral perspective of the institution of marriage and arranged-marriage. For me, the most impressive facet about Karnad is his skill of depicting the complexities and inner battles of his characters. He continues to amaze me with that proficiency even in plays which are based on folktales. Since folktales tie the practical and esoteric in a narrative, it can become difficult to refine the layers in characters of such tales portrayed in form of a play and yet hold the essence of that tale.
The style of the play reminded me of 'The Caucasian Chalk Circle' written by a Russian playwright, Bertolt Brecht. Brecht is known for his theory and practice of 'Epic Theatre.' One of the most important characteristics is to always make the audience aware that they are watching a play. Some of the common techniques are to have a non-realistic set design, costumes and props can be selectively realistic, including songs and music in the play intermittently. Actors commonly address the audience directly, breaking the fourth-wall. I found several features common to this theory in Hayavadana:
1. It's a play within a play, the show begins with an address to audience by the narrator- Bhagwat. He begins with telling a story which is 'performed as a play' on the stage by the actors. The narrator also becomes a character in that story.
2. There are verses and songs which often give a message to the audience (this makes it a musical play!).
3. There are references of involving the audience's opinions on the problems raised.
4. The props and costumes are selectively realistic.
5. The actors think loud and express their inner feelings and reactions in words to the audience.
Girish Karnad has also included the elements of folklore, which strengthen the elements of epic theatre. For example, the conversation between the dolls, the story of Hayavadana, who is first half horse and then by Kali's blessing becomes a complete horse with a human mind and voice.
Hayavadana, portrays the aspect of human nature- imperfection seeking perfection for happiness, and how the monotony of something apparently perfect leads to dissatisfaction in relationships. For example- Padmini's attraction for Kapil's physical attributes and skills overlooks Devdatta's commitment and love for her; Devdatta's longing and devotion for Padmini, as an inspiration for his poetry because for him she is an epitome of beauty, overlooks the relationship between Kapil and Padmini; the beautiful yet unhappy dolls, who are owned by individuals not wealthy enough to take proper care of them and continue to curse their owners.
The playwright conveys the truth that the only thing that is constant is change and that the humans can never be complete. It is that search that keeps us going.
Wonderful work!

[Revanth Ukkalam]

The play is written in the structure of early classical Sanskrit theatre and is reminiscent of Bhasa. Karnad yet again writes something that only he can pull off: theatre of the absurd meets the supernaturalism of Hindu legend. Karnad takes this opportunity to ask all the bizarre questions that he had left in him: who is really the man - the head or the body? What if animals sang anthems? And what is an animal anyway? However hidden below all the bewilderment are some observations on human insecurities, aspirations, and desires. The play ends before one weeps, laughs or even gets bored too much.

[Forum Lalka · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was my first introduction to reading plays. It was quite a different style of writing for me, but was an easy read. It does leave you with a deeper thought that how far can one go to fulfil one's wishes.

[↬Noor ❂↫ · Rating 2 out of 5]

What a terrible story and terrible characters. The two stars are for the character of goddess Kali alone, although I wish she had let all these stupid people die.

[Chirag · Rating 4 out of 5]

Mind or body; body or mind; mind and body; no body so no mind or no mind so no body?

[Soha · Rating 5 out of 5]

I swear to God, we do underestimate Indian writers a lot.

[Anshul Thakur · Rating 4 out of 5]

Though it would be very unfair to judge a play from its written transcript, rather than seeing the performance on stage, I might add that I've tried to picture the characters in my head (except for their faces). Consider the following post as a review of the script of this play, ‘Hayavadana’. ‘Hayavadana’, or ‘Horse Head’ is an adaptation from Thomas Mann’s ‘The Transposed Heads’, which in itself is taken from ‘Kathasaritsagara’, an ancient collection of stories written in Sanskrit. Talk of old things in new clothes (but with a different perspective).

The central idea behind the play is the dilemma that what does one love in someone? Do we love their mind, or their heart? Here heart stands representative of the body, the tangible while the head represents the intangible, wisdom, poetry call it what you please. It is a snare of entangled relationships (even though there are only three essential characters to the play).

Devdutta, the only son of venerable Vidyasagar, is a brilliant scholar, who having bested all poets and pundits in logic and poetry wants to surpass Kalidasa in his extent of poetry. He is the apple of everyone’s eye in the entire city of Dharmpura, ruled by Dharmasheel whose fame and kingdom are spread in the eight directions. He is also the most eligible bachelor in terms of affluence and stature. Kapila, the only son of an ironsmith Lohitha, who is the best man in the King’s armoury is unmatched in the physical skills that require drive and daring, dancing, wrestling and the likes. The two are less best friends, but more like two bodies, but one mind and one heart. Devdutta falls for Padmini whom he describes as ‘The Shyama Nayika - born out of Kalidasa’s magic description - as Vatsyayana had dreamt her’. Padmini, the daughter to a wealthy merchant in the same city, does not hesitate in speaking her heart. She has been brought up with care of wealthy comfort, but her tongue is as untamed as the merchant streets. Suffice to say, she’s a woman of many men’s dreams. Devdutta is able to marry her, but not before his marriage proposal is carried to her by Kapila himself (who on seeing Padmini, says: “Devdutta, my friend, I must confess to you I’m feeling uneasy. You are a gentle soul. You can’t bear a bitter word or evil thought. But this one is as fast as lightning - and as sharp. She is not for the likes of you. What she needs is a man of steel. But what can one do? You’ll never listen to me. And I can’t withdraw now. I’ll have to talk to her family...”).

An interesting point to note is that all three characters belong to different classes of today’s society, and yet, there is not even an iota of objection in their intermingling, even when a merchant’s daughter (vaishya) is being married to a Brahmin who is best friends with a iron smith's(Shudra) son who in himself is no lesser than an warrior (Kshatriya), which gives a glimpse of the kind of society the playwright envisions to be affluent and on the acme of prosperity.

This isn't the complete review, if you like it, and would want to read the rest of it, please visit Aesthetic Blasphemy

[Samar · Rating 4 out of 5]

An excellent play! Karnad may well become one of my favorite dramatists yet. His techniques are nothing short of sheer brilliance. His is a world where children cannot speak, but dolls come alive-arguing, laughing, astute creatures of the unconscious. Apart from the mind-body conundrum, the idea of imperfection relating to identity questions stand out markedly. Karnad's characters are ambiguous, diverse creatures who seem rigid stereotypes at a glance but turn out to be imbued with myriad shades of personality as to thoroughly confuse the audience/reader. Masks, asides, puppetry and absurd elements altogether combine to impart "Hayavadana" the role of a microcosmic, Postmodern depiction of a world increasingly unable to lend words to thoughts. Karnad blasts institutions not in the most gentlest of ways. A price must be payed and that price is death as the only sane option in an insane world.

[Malvika · Rating 4 out of 5]

I didn't like the plot tbh but there's a reason why I'm giving this book 4 stars, which I believe it definitely deserves. My reasons are:
1. Use of alienation effect: I feel Karnad deserves praise for the way he employed this technique.
2. Use of magical realism: because this is my favourite technique evah!
3. Themes: You can't talk of Girish Karnad without mentioning the themes. I loved the concept of time and identity that he dealt with. And I loved the idea of incompleteness.
4. The idea of Base and Superstructure that he brings forth all the time.
5. Characters: Padmini was a kick ass woman and I'd definitely ask for her autograph if she happens to be real. And Kali. Gods. Kali was so good! Probably the only character who shares my sentiments of rest and sleep.

If you like to write scripts, then you should definitely read this play.

[Ranga B · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another classic from Girish Karnad.I’m not surprised that this book originally written in Kannada been translated to many Indian & western languages. I heard about the plays been played in various languages and in various cities. We miss you Girish sir.

[Ragini · Rating 5 out of 5]

Humourous and entertaining play. A professor of ours strongly recommended it and now I know why. Do read it if you're looking for something fun yet deep (it'll make you think). More on this later sometime.

[Sharad]

|Good

[Deepti · Rating 2 out of 5]

Have read it and seen it a number of times.

[Arun Singh · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of the most amazing plays I have ever read. Inspired by the mythological tale and Mann's Transposed Heads the story of unfulfillment of human beings is brilliantly explored in this play.

[Book Enchanted · Rating 2 out of 5]

didn't like.

[Vivek Radhakrishnan · Rating 3 out of 5]

Girish Karnad's Hayavadana explores the conundrum that arises out of our intellectual need for completeness and the very lack of it at the core of our identity and our love. The play opens with an invocation to lord Ganesha, an incomplete elephant God that bestows completion in all our endeavors. Then, the narrator, Bhagavata, is abruptly cut short by Hayavadana, a half-human & half-horse, who seeks help to attain completion in his identity as a human. We soon realize that the main plot involving the love-triangle between Devadatta, Kapila and Padmini too is about the dire need for completion in the face of blaring incompletions - incompletion in Kapila's intellect, in Devadatta's physical strength, in Devadatta's love for Padmini, in Padmini's lust for Kapila, in Devadatta-Kapila friendship, in the trio's journey to Ujjain fair etc. Hilariously even Goddess Kali is half asleep, and she is not completely in her elements when she appears to answer Padmini's prayers. In her attempt to bring two friends back to lives, Padmini mixes up the body of Kapila and the head of Devadatta, and here we get very close to completion in the form of a perfect union of Devadatta's intellect and Kapila's body. Yet, as the plot moves forward, we realize that both Devadatta with Kapila's body and Kapila with Devadatta's body slip into their earlier incomplete selves. Padmini's love too returns to the confused, incomplete state. Disillusioned by the impossibility to achieve completion in identity and love, all the three ultimately choose death. At the end of the play, Hayavadana's attainment of completion in becoming full-fledged horse (and not a full human!) serves to remind us that incompleteness is indeed the essence of human identity and love. Since plot of the play is conceptually driven, there are points where there is a lack of depth in the arcs of the main characters. For instance, while we know that Devadatta made promises to sacrifice his head and arms to Gods once he marries Padmini, his urgency in actually undertaking this sacrifice is unconvincing as his piety and orthodoxy were not established with depth at the beginning of the play. Otherwise, the play is deftly written and is certainly a feast to enjoy on stage.

[Moitreyee Mitra · Rating 4 out of 5]

Short play with a long shadows....
There's a folk theatre being staged for its supposed possibly rural audience. The narrator is happy to stay in character as well as indulge the actors bringing digressions from the main play. Within the format, enough humour as would be expected, including a fourth wall breaking reference to theatre critics who are supposed to have no sense of humour! And Hayavadana is not even in the main play's plot!
The themes are of identity with the intellect and physical prowess being the binaries. While the characters are supposed to decide about man-woman relationships, the actual bonding seems to be much stronger between the male leads. The trope of the wingman friend is pushed to its limits. It would indeed not have surprised if the beginning pages had led to a closer relation between Devdatt and Kapila. The friendship between the two is indeed surprising, not just because they have quite different personalities, but are clearly aware of their castes. Marriage is also across caste lines. Brahmin's head on a more physical non-bramin dark body, each taming the body to do the bidding of the brains, but not quite succeeding. The triangle is supposed to be a challenge for the woman who decides between the two men who both love her, and she too wants some parts of each à la Draupadi.

Kali is the fun deity who is going out of practice of being the goddess of night life! Keeps hurriedly granting wishes and the grantees being left to deal with the consequences!
The name Padmini, presages the funeral pyre. The many nationalist songs could be seen as a reference to the confused political reality of countries brought into being by transplanting heads on bodies and imposing identities.

[Preetam Chatterjee · Rating 5 out of 5]

It is a misfortune that despite his mammoth brilliance and adaptability, Girish Karnad has written so little.

Penned in 1970, and later translated into English, this play is an audacious experimentation on the folk theme, which comes from ‘Kathasaritsagara’, an antique collection of Sanskrit stories.

Nevertheless, Karnad has based his work on Thomas Mann’s work ‘Transposed Heads’, a mock-heroic transcript of the original Sanskrit tales.

In his work Karnad lucratively uses the conventions and motifs of folk-theatre and folk-tales. The bizarre world has been created with the help of such devices as masqus, curtains, dolls, etc.

Hayavadana is a play on the search of identity in the midst of tangled relationships.

Devdatta, the man of intellect and Kapila, the man of the body, are two intimate friends. Devdatta marries Padmini, but Kapila falls in love with Padmini. Consequently the two friends kill themselves.

However, the comic touch is seen when Padmini transposes their heads, giving Devdatta Kapila’s body and Kapila Devdatta’s. That act reveals the ambiguous nature of human personality.

Karnad does not succeed fully in investing the basic conflict in the play with the required intensity, but his technical experiment with an indigenous dramatic form here is a triumph which has opened up fresh lines of fruitful exploration for the Indian English playwright.

[Shivani A Pillai · Rating 4 out of 5]

Hayavadana was originally written in Kannada. Reading a translation is always a double-edged sword, as the essence of the text is very likely to get 'lost in translation'. However, this edition of Karnad's play, in my opinion, was well-translated.
Hayavadana is a beautiful play that adheres to the Indian tradition of theatre quite well: it begins with an invocation, has the meta-theatrical element of a play-within-a-play, and is imbued with a deep, sonorous quality. In Hayavadana, tradition meets modernity, an aspect that can be seen in the characterization of Goddess Kali. The plot, despite being a love triangle, manages to avoid a cliched repetition of its predecessors. The virtues of loyalty, honesty and the idea of completeness are tested, twisted and presented to the readers. The parallel story of Hayavadana is a perfect complement to the main story line.
Despite being a short play, comprised of just two acts, Karnad's Hayavadana manages to entertain, inform and provoke thoughts. Hayavadana establishes Karnad's position as one of the foremost playwrights of Indian Literature.

[Sinch · Rating 4 out of 5]

The last time I felt so taken by a piece of literature that I understood so completely that I genuinely didn't was when I read 'The Book of Disquiet' by Pessoa.

We strive so much to feel complete that ultimately it's futile. What's the feeling of completion if it comes at the cost of trying to be something your whole life only to become it and realize it wasn't quite it at all? Now that's a question Mr. Karnad wants us to ponder over. Completion is divine but by the mention of an imperfect God; perhaps, contented incompletion is in itself completion?

The character of Padmini was so well written! The dilemma between choosing that which appeals to her mind and that which appeals to her desire was written with such profundity that only someone who lived through it could've written. However, I must admit, it took me a while to come around the character and understand why she did what she did.

A solid 4.5 stars and a definite favourite!