{"id":5768,"date":"2020-07-12T08:16:40","date_gmt":"2020-07-12T02:46:40","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/learningandcreativity.com\/silhouette\/?p=5768"},"modified":"2021-07-09T17:14:36","modified_gmt":"2021-07-09T11:44:36","slug":"devdas-fired-by-love-sublime","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/learningandcreativity.com\/silhouette\/devdas-fired-by-love-sublime\/","title":{"rendered":"Devdas \u2013 Fired by Love Sublime"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"Sarat

Sarat Chandra Chattopadhyay<\/p><\/div>\n

Sarat Chandra finished writing Devdas<\/em> in Bengali in the year 1900. He was then 24 years of age.\u00a0 It was, however, published much later, in the year 1917. Sarat had a reason for this hold-back. This creation was autobiographical to an extent. Devdas, the central character in the fiction, was emotional in Sarat\u2019s own words – had to be, for he mirrored his creator Sarat. But at that point of time, Sarat felt that Devdas revealed a little too much about him and its publication could lead to an embarrassing public disapprobation. Sarat by nature was publicity-shy. Besides, his early life in penury had induced in him an inferiority complex. Devdas<\/em> came into print only after Sarat was sure of his public acceptance as a litt\u00e9rateur.<\/p>\n

Devdas: The Story <\/strong><\/p>\n

The story is set in the socio-cultural milieu that was obtained in Bengal of the nineteenth century.<\/p>\n

It takes off with two of its central characters, namely Devdas and Parvati (Paro), both not yet in their teens, shown in an abiding togetherness that brews a deep bond. Devdas belongs to a wealthy zamindar family of high Brahmins. Parvati is a girl from a family in the neighbourhood \u2013 a family with moderate means and of Brahmins though lower in intra caste hierarchy.<\/p>\n

Unable to reign in and straighten a mischievous and unruly Devdas, the family sends him away to Calcutta for some years for studies. This temporary separation deepens the bond between the two. A young Devdas returns home finally to find a beautiful Parvati waiting for him with a surging love. Parvati\u2019s family is alive to this bond between the two and is positive about its formalization. Devdas\u2019 father however rejects the matrimonial proposal. Thus rebuffed, Parvati\u2019s father settles post-haste her marriage with an elderly zamindar who is rich but a widower with three children.<\/p>\n

\"Suchitra

A desperate Parvati stealthily meets Devdas (Suchitra Sen and Dilip Kumar in Devdas<\/em>)<\/p><\/div>\n

A desperate Parvati stealthily meets Devdas in the wee hours, confesses her love, and beseeches a lifetime companionship.\u00a0 Devdas is taken aback by her dare and conveys, with a little dismay, that this act, if revealed, will malign her name. Yet he comes to terms with the realities and its seriousness. However, his father angrily rejects his suggestion to marry Parvati.<\/p>\n

An enraged Devdas leaves for Calcutta in a huff. In Calcutta, he gets time to gather his thoughts on the issue, and, as if ordained, finds his familial compulsions getting the better of his commitment for Parvati. At the spur of the moment, he pens a letter to Parvati, averring that he never loved her and that he will not be able to go against the wishes of his family. But no sooner does he send the letter that a deep sense of guilt, a remorse possesses him \u2013 that he has lied, sinned! He rushes home to intercept the letter. But it reaches Paro just a few moments ahead of him. Devdas seeks her out, tries to convince her that he loves her, that the letter is a mistake. He assures her that he will manage the matter. A deeply hurt Parvati takes none of his entreaties. Eventually their interface turns adversarial and in a fit of anger Devdas hits her on her face. With emotions running high, they part company ostensibly for good.<\/p>\n

Devdas goes back to Calcutta, deeply aggrieved and feeling even betrayed. Much as he tries to unburden himself of the thoughts of Parvati, he fails. A carousing friend Chunni Lal nudges him to seek the company of a courtesan Chandramukhi for a release of sorts. That does not help. Instead, Devdas feels disgusted at the openness and seductive mannerism of Chandramukhi. He hits the bottle believing it will help him forget Parvati and endure the physical presence of Chandramukhi.<\/p>\n

Devdas\u2019 moral and physical deterioration pains Parvati. She confronts him, pleads with him to pull out of the mess and the alcohol. The emotionally surcharged meeting concludes with Devdas committing that he will visit Parvati at least once before he breathes his last.<\/p>\n

\"Vyjayanthimala

Chandramukhi undergoes a transformation (Vyjayanthimala as Chandramukhi and Dilip Kumar as Devdas)<\/p><\/div>\n

Over time, Devdas\u2019 aversion for Chandramukhi mutates into a quiet love. She also undergoes a transformation, leaves her profession of entertaining men, settles in a village leading a simple religious life. However, her urge to see Devdas takes her back to Calcutta. She eventually retrieves a terribly ill\u00a0 Devdas, his liver seriously impaired. The doctor advises him to seek a change of his environment and to stop drinking completely.<\/p>\n

Devdas thus embarks upon a journey with no specific destination. The train becomes his virtual home. However, as if by a quirk of fate, Devdas briefly finds himself in the company of Chunni Lal. While disembarking, Chunni Lal leaves behind an unfinished bottle of alcohol.\u00a0 Devdas succumbs to the temptation that causes a relapse of his ailment.<\/p>\n

Devdas realizes that his end is in sight, and he remembers his promise to Parvati that he will visit her once at least. Deboarding the train, he braves his failing strength, keeps himself conscious but just to take a bullock cart for Manikpur, and lapses into a reverie as the cart moves on. Finally, the gaadivan<\/em> leaves an unconscious Devdas under a tree opposite the house of zamindar<\/em> Bhuwan Chaudhuri. Devdas though unconscious is still some exhalations away from his deliverance, still has an urge to see Parvati.<\/p>\n

\"Suchitra

The news hits her like a bolt (Suchitra Sen as Paro)<\/p><\/div>\n

Parvati gets an intuitive connect, is told that one unfortunate Devdas Mukherjee is breathing his last just at the gate. The news hits her like a bolt, rushes out to meet him, completely oblivious to her maryada<\/em>, but the huge gates close on her. At that point, Devdas is through with his life and breathes his last.<\/p>\n

Devdas: Sarat\u2019s Alter Ego!<\/strong><\/p>\n

The fiction of Devdas<\/em> draws on the realities of Sarat Chandra. The biography of Sarat, authored by the eminent Hindi writer Vishnu Prabhakar (it took him fifteen years of\u00a0 research work), tells us that Sarat as a child was deeply bonded to a girl with the nickname Dhiru. His circumstances separated them. Parvati of Devdas is Dhiru reincarnate. While in his teens, Sarat often visited a courtesan Kalidasi. He was inclined towards her though it is not clear if their relationship consummated. It was at about that time (1896) that Sarat initiated the writing of Devdas. Kalidasi appears as Chandramukhi in Devdas<\/em>.<\/p>\n

Sarat was an alcoholic. Devdas was no different. Sarat was additionally addicted to opium and died of a progressive liver ailment in the year 1937, at the age of about 61.\u00a0 But when he was writing the fiction Devdas, he was free of any liver disease. It is therefore amazing that Sarat gave Devdas a terminal disease which was to kill him too eventually. Was it a coincidence or a well considered anticipation of his own life as it was to unfold? Or was it the fiction of Devdas that dictated the realities of Sarat?<\/p>\n

Once, while speaking about Devdas<\/em> and Srikant<\/em> relatively, Sarat said that Devdas<\/em> was a matter of his heart, and Srikant<\/em> of head. His heart ruled when he wrote Devdas<\/em>. But later in life, Sarat deviated, allowed his head to temper his heart. This evolution becomes apparent if one contrasts Devdas\u2019 treatment to Chandramukhi, and Sarat\u2019s to Mokshda. Devdas could not accept Chandramukhi even as he loved her finally, even as she self-effaced to bring Devdas from the brink of death, for such an acceptance would have offended his assiduously preserved feelings for Parvati. Sarat, in the year 1908, took Mokshda \u2013 a woman with a hazy background \u2013 as his wife for her selfless service when he was taken seriously ill. This, despite the fact that Mokshda hardly had any physical charm about her, and that Sarat was still not out of the grief that the death of his first wife Shanti, whom he loved deeply, had caused.<\/p>\n

Devdas<\/em>, the novel, mirrors Sarat no doubt but not exhaustively.\u00a0 It does not concern itself with Sarat\u2019s literary precociousness that enabled him to give words to his emotions, his experiences, his connects. Devdas is a glimpse of an aspect of Sarat, but one will have to read his other works especially Srikant<\/em> to understand the phenomenon that Sarat was.<\/p>\n

\"Devdas<\/a>

The advertisement announcing the box-office success of Devdas (1935) starring KL Saigal and Jamna<\/p><\/div>\n

Devdas<\/em> On Celluloid <\/strong><\/p>\n

The appeal of Devdas,<\/em> the novel, for cinematic adaptation is trans-generational, perennial.\u00a0 As of date, it has been made into films twenty times including three Hindi versions.<\/p>\n

The first adaptation was made by PC Barua in Bengali in the year 1935. The first Hindi adaptation came in the same year. KL Saigal was in the role of Devdas, Jamuna Barua of Parvati and Rajkumari of Chandramukhi. I have not seen this movie.<\/p>\n

The second edition was produced and directed by Bimal Roy. The year was 1955.<\/p>\n

\"Sanjay

Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s Devdas<\/p><\/div>\n

Another Hindi version appeared in 2002, made by Sanjay Leela Bhansali. The film was star studded\u00a0 – Shah Rukh Khan, Aishwarya Rai, Madhuri Dixit were in lead roles. This adaptation unacceptably distorted and abused the story as written by Sarat Chandra.<\/p>\n

Devdas of Bimal Roy<\/strong><\/p>\n

I have read Devdas<\/em> twice but seen the Bimal Roy version of the film umpteen times.\u00a0 Roy remains faithful to the story, takes no liberty with it except two deviations.<\/p>\n

The novel says that Devdas was nineteen when he returned from Calcutta after his studies.\u00a0 In the film, Paro tells her friend Manorama that Devdas is 23-24 years of age. I am sure this must have been a well considered and conscious decision. In the cinematic adaptation, Devdas of 19 and Parvati of 13 would have appeared much younger for the maturity expected of them.<\/p>\n

The other deviation strategically relocates a situation. In the film, the viraha geet<\/em>,\u00a0 Aan milo, aan milo shyam saanvare<\/em> that the street singers recite on young Paro\u2019s promise of a monetary compensation in lieu, appears after Devdas leaves for Calcutta. The novel makes a reference to this, almost in passing, but is in no way linked to Devdas\u2019 Calcutta send off.\u00a0 Roy however leveraged this inconsequential event of the novel to create a scene of extraordinary import and impact. Young Paro is distraught, experiencing a separation for the first time. The seed of love that lay in the subconscious throws up a sprout. Paro is alive to this love-sprout. And Sahir supplies words of viraha<\/em>, alluding to Radha and Krishna.\u00a0 But why Radha-Krishna?\u00a0 Was he told that the Devdas-Parvati love was not fated for a consummation?<\/p>\n

Sarat, if alive, would have whole-heartedly endorsed the deviation.<\/p>\n

Aan milo aan milo shyam saanware<\/strong><\/em> (Devdas<\/em>, 1955) SD Burman \/ Sahir Ludhianvi \/ Geeta Dutt and Manna Dey<\/span><\/p>\n