Devdas today
My attention was drawn to the letter written by Mr. Pradip Das on the above mentioned subject. Sarat Chandra, the great novelist of 20th century with a 19th century mindset, made female characters suffer unnecessarily! I first read the novel when I was in grade 7 or 8. I felt for Devdas and probably cried for him. Then I read the same book again after completing my masters degree. This time around I did not feel anything for Devdas. There is nothing manly in this weak character that could attract me. Rather my heart was filled with sympathy for Parvati! She was the last person who could be blamed for the unfortunate events that unfolded in their lives.
One thing I never understood was, why Devdas had to travel all the way to the doorstep of Parvati -just to die! Wasn't Parvati's suffering enough? Was it necessary to create additional embarrassment, as she was already the wife of another man ? It would have been far better if he had gone farther away from Parvati and die elsewhere! Probably she would have had the solace that her Devdas is alive and living happily somewhere on this earth. Wasn't it enough for Devdas? At least I would have thought it so.
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