Orphaned

Description

– Translated by Sandeep Balakrishna ; 

Kannada original : by Dr. SL Bhyrappa – Tabbaliyu Neenade Magane. 

About the Book :

‘What is the cow for, if not for human utility?’
Yangata felt stunned by these words. He had never thought about the question of whether cattle existed merely for human utility or whether humans were born for the utility of cattle or whether one is born merely for another’s utility.

Traversing three generations of Gowda family , who are cowherds by Jati, this novel is an exploration of the clash between  Western knowledge and the ethical and moral worldview that underpins it and the timeless custom of cow worship, which is central to Indian ethos.

Village headman Kalinga Gowda’s grandson, also named Kalinga, studies agriculture and cattle rearing in the US and returns to his native village with his American wife, Hilda, to pursue farming. But Hilda’s modern methods of farming and cattle rearing are at odds with the native traditional beliefs of the villagers. Her inability to understand local customs, and her complete unwillingness to adapt to the life here begins a chain of conflict resulting in an explosive finale. Alone and alienated, Kalinga has to face the bitter truth of his own actions when his own infant’s survival is at stake.

About the Author

SL Bhyrappa is an eminent Kannada novelist whose works span twenty-four novels, six critical works and an autobiography. With an honorary doctorate from six universities, he is one of the highest-selling authors from recent times in Kannada literature. He received the Sahitya Akademi fellowship in 2015, and was awarded the Padma Shri in 2016.