Mahashweta
Mahashweta is a Kannada novel by Indian Sudha Murthy which concerns a female protagonist named "Anupama". The novel deals with the issue of leukoderma.
A Marathi novel by Sumati Kshetramade deals with the same topic (leukoderma), and concerns a female protagonist named "Anupama". It was also adapted into a Television soap with Aishwarya Narkar playing the protagonist. Murthy says she came to know about the Marathi novel only after finishing writing her Kannada novel.
Plot summary
The protagonist of Mahashweta, Anupama is a Sanskrit erudite. She acts, directs and translates Sanskrit plays in her college. One day, she visits Dr. Desai, her father’s friend, hoping to sell tickets to the play she hosts for a fundraising program. There she meets Dr. Anand, an intelligent and handsome junior doctor and also a distant relative of Dr. Desai’s wife. Soon Anand’s heart is drawn towards the exquisite beauty of Anupama, who is also attracted to the handsome Anand. He half-heartedly buys the tickets from her by the persuasion of Dr. Desai, who introduces both of them to each other. Anand goes to the play titled ‘Mahashweta’, which is also the name of the heroine. He is marveled by Anupama’s beauty as well as by her acting as Mahashweta. He makes up his mind to marry her. He enquires about Anupama to Shrinath, the brother- in- law of Dr. Desai. Shrinath disagrees with Anand’s idea because of the economic and social divide between him and her. Anand hails from an affluent family; his deceased father was a successful contractor. But Anupama is the daughter of a poor schoolmaster in a village and completes her higher studies surviving on scholarship. However he presents the matter to his ‘possessive noun’ and ‘domineering’ mother Radhakka, and she reluctantly agrees to the alliance. On realizing the impoverished state of Anupama’s household, Radhakka decides to conduct the marriage at her expense. Thus, Anupama’s life turns into a fairy tale, and she feels all her suffering has come to an end- her mother had died in her infancy, so was raised by her grandmother, and her stepmother Sabakka and her two stepsisters Nanda and Vasudha always looked down on her, because Anupama’s beauty shadowed theirs, as for Sabakka only to the motherless Anupama is she indifferent, otherwise she is compassionate to all motherless children. In spite of the love shown by Anand, she does not feel at home in his house because her mother-in-law and her sister-in-law treat her as a stranger. She feels even more desperate when Anand leaves to England for higher studies. Her discovery of the scandalous relationship of her sister-in-law, Girija also adds to the sorrow. But she adjusts. However, her life crumbles down when she discovers a white patch in her foot. It is diagnosed to be Leukoderma. But Anupama keeps it a secret. Though she takes medication for the cure, the patch keeps growing. One day, Radhakka sees Anupama leave the clinic of the dermatologist and cross-examines her. She realizes that Anupama is afflicted with leukoderma and hurls insults at her. The entire household starts to treat her worse than a servant. Radhakka sends for Anupama’s father, Shamanna and throws her out of the house in spite of his begging. Thus, Anupama returns to the village, where she faces the social stigma of a married woman living with her parents, her stepmother’s continual barbs and the ostracism that accompanies her skin condition. She is also abandoned by Anand who remains mute to her distress letters. Anand married her only for the sake of her beauty, and once it faded Anupama meant nothing to him. Shamanna gets a transfer and the family moves to another village. Three years elapse and Anupama’s condition is no better. As a last resort, she visits the village temple of which the goddess is believed to fulfill all the desires of her devotees. On the way she overhears two women talking about the marriage of Girija and the search of a new wife for Anand. Thus she contemplates suicide but becomes determined to rebuild her life against all odds. She decides to leave for Bombay where she is invited by her best friend Sumithra. There Sumithra’s husband, Hari arranges a clerical job for Anupama, and she begins to be independent and happy, also because Bombay does not remind her of Leukoderma. But life’s stock of suffering gives her one more shot. Hari who is attracted to Anupama’s beauty tries to molest her and she puts up a bold defense. After the incident, Anupama moves into the house of her colleague, Dolly and becomes a part of the family so much so that Dolly entrusts the house to Anupama when she migrates to Australia. Meanwhile, Anupama gets a job as a Sanskrit lecturer at a college. Shamanna who begs her to return to Anand dies and Sabakka demands Anupama to provide for her daughters. One day Anupama meets with a minor accident and is treated by Dr. Vasant. By his love for Sanskrit, they become friends. She also befriends Dr. Satya, the roommate, and colleague of Dr. Vasant. Anand, on the other side, leads an indecisive life; occasionally feeling sorry for Anupama and mostly approving of his decision to leave her. For him, even the sight of the parijata flower which personifies Anupama becomes frightening. But his discovery of Girija’s scandalous affair before her marriage and his mother’s support for it makes him look at Anupama from a different angle. He, thus, realizes his mistake and decides to bring her back to life. However, he fails to trace her. Anand later goes to Bombay to attend an International Medical Conference and gets invited by a friend to see a Sanskrit play. He agrees reluctantly as plays reminded him of Anupama. At the play, he realizes that it is conducted by Anupama and her students, but he fails to talk to her and manages to get her address. The next day Anupama is shocked to find Anand at the doorstep. Their conversation turns bitter as she narrates the misery she underwent and questions Anand’s actions. He begs her to forgive him and return to his life. But Anupama makes her decision clear to him: "How can you possibly expect a burnt seed to grow into a tree? Husband, children, affection, love...they are all irrelevant to me now (Mahashweta 148)." The novel ends with the planning for another drama with one of Anupama’s students, who suggests ‘Mahashweta’ and Anupama recites the famous lines from the play.
Characters
- Anupama - fetagonist / protagonist
- Dr. Anand - Anupama's husband
- Sumithra - Anupama's friend
- Radhakka - Anupama's Mother-in-law
- Girija - Anupama's sister-in-law
- Shamanna - Anupama's father
- Dr. Vasanth - Anupama's friend
- Dr. Satya - Dr. Vasant's colleague (also Anupama's friend)
- Dolly - Anupama's friend and colleague
- Sabakka- Anupama's step mother
- Nanda- Anupama's step sister
- Hari- Sumithra's husband