Madhabi

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Madhabi
Madhabi-novel.jpg
Cover Page of the book
AuthorMadan Mani Dixit
Original titleमाधवी
CountryNepal
LanguageNepali
GenreMythology
Set inAncient India
Published1983
PublisherSajha Prakashan
Publication date
April 13, 1983
Media typePrint (Paperback)
Pages639
Awards
ISBN9993329088
OCLC610184696

Madhabi (Nepali: माधवी) is a 1983 Nepali mythological novel by Madan Mani Dixit.[1] It was published on April 13, 1983 by Sajha Prakashan and won the Madan Puraskar for the year 2039 BS.[2][3] The novel is critically acclaimed and is considered a classic in Nepali literature.[4]

It is a retelling of the story of Madhabi and Gallav from Mahabharata. Written in a grand setting, this powerful novel depicts the economic, social and political conditions of five states and 19 divisions of North Indian society three thousand years ago. The main purpose of this novel is to show how slavery was abolished from Eastern society. The original story is told in Mahabharat to Duryodhana to teach him about the result of stubbornness and how it can destroy life.

The book illustrates the evils of ancient Indian society like slavery and patriarchy. The book shows the helplessness of a woman in a patriarchal society and her exploitation by men. The book also highlights the evil of slavery system. Madhavi is used by multiple men throughout the book but is neglected towards the end.

Background[]

Dixit wrote the novel during the Panchayat rule in Nepal when the censorship was a great problem for writers and journalists. Dixit was a journalist and photojournalist by occupation. His newspaper Samikshaya was closed by the government. He was dejected by the censorship and had decided to self-immolate himself outside Narayanhiti palace on December 16, 1977 (Poush 1, 2034 BS) but during the day of the suicide, he decided to change his mind. He thought that the act of censorship was not his crime so why should he be punished for it. Instead he decided to dive into literature and started writing the story of Madhabi and Galav on that day. He completed the manuscript on December 1982 (Poush 2039) and the book was published on April 13, 1983 (Chaitra 30, 2039 B) by Sajha Praksahan.[5]

Synopsis[]

The book is based on the Udyoga Parva of Mahabharat. When Galav remains adamant to give guru-dakshina to his teacher Guru Vishwamitra, Vishwamitra asks for four white horses with black ears. The horses are required to organize a Mahayagya for the abolishment of slavery from the society. Galav reaches the court of king Yayati, who is famous for his generosity and asks for his help to find the horses. Unable to gain those horses for Galav, Yayati decides to give away his daughter Madhabi in marriage to Galav. Madhabi is the daughter of king Yayati and an apsara and is born with a divine power to remain virgin forever. Galav takes Madhabi to three different kings and Madhabi has sons with each of them and turn into virgin again. Galav asks for a horse in exchange of each son. When Galav returns to Vishwamitra with three white horses with black ear, Vishwamitra has a son with Madhabi for the remaining one horse. The son Ashtaka goes to become a great king. Madhabi is sent back to her father. Yayati organizes a swayamvara for Madhavi in which Galav himself does not participates. Madhabi dejected by the neglect of Galav, decides to become a hermit and leaves for a forest. Galav also wanders through different forest to find Madhabi.[6]

Characters[]

The novel's main characters are:

  • Madhavi – Daughter of Yayati, the titular character of the book
  • Galav – Madhabi's husband and disciple of Guru Vishwamitra
  • Vishwamitra – Guru of Galav, a learned sage
  • Yayati – a powerful Chandravanshi king and Madhabi's father
  • Haryasva – king of Ayodhya
  • Vasumanasa – son of Haryasva and Madhabi
  • Divodasa – king of Kashi
  • Pratardana – son of Divodasa and Madhabi
  • Ushinara – king of Bhoja
  • Sibi – son of Ushinara and Madhabi
  • Pramatak – nephew of Vishwamitra
  • Ashtaka – son of Pramatak and Madhavi, emperor of Champa mahajanapada

Awards[]

The book won the prestigious Madan Puraskar for the year 2039 BS. The award was presented in a ceremony on 11 October 1983 (Ashwin 25, 2040 BS).[Note a] In the acceptance speech, Madan Mani said "... Madhavi of Vyas, you have been rewarded only now after thousands of years because you no longer have to sacrifice any infant in Varunavali, no need to be exchanged with horses, no need to obey Vishwamitra's orders and conceive a child with Pramatak and you don't have to leave room for the Galav's flowers in the garland you have weaved.”[7][Note b]

The book also won the Sajha Puraskar in the same year.

See also[]

References[]

  1. ^ "साहित्यकार मदनमणि दीक्षितको देहावसान". BBC News नेपाली (in Nepali). Retrieved 2021-11-11.
  2. ^ "मदन पुरस्कार समर्पण समारोह (वि.सं. २०४०) – मदन पुरस्कार गुठी". guthi.madanpuraskar.org. Retrieved 2021-11-11.
  3. ^ "Litterateur Madan Mani Dixit cremated with national honors". Khabarhub. 15 August 2019. Retrieved 2021-11-11.
  4. ^ "Madan Mani Dixit, a pioneering writer and journalist, dies at 96". kathmandupost.com. Retrieved 2021-11-11.
  5. ^ Setopati, रोहेज खतिवडा. "'माधवी' पञ्चायतले जन्माइदिएको इखको परिणाम". Setopati (in Hindi). Retrieved 2021-11-11.
  6. ^ "प्रेमको समाजशास्त्र/टिप्पणी: 'माधवी'को दुःखान्त प्रेम". GorakhaPatra. Retrieved 2021-11-11.
  7. ^ "'माधवी' को महिमा". Himal Khabar. Retrieved 2021-11-11.

Notes[]

  • ^[Note a] All dates are manually converted from BS to CE.
  • ^[Note b] Quote translated from Nepali

External links[]

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