Nagi

I love to read books of Dr. Shivaram Karanth. I have already discussed about "Sarasammana Samadhi". Today I just want to talk about Nagi. I don't know why, but I have thought about this character Nagi so many times in my life. I still remember, when I read Jnanapeetha award winning novel "Mokajjiya Kanasugalu" for first time, for so many days I was just thinking about Nagi.

It was not that I read novel for first time. Most of the novel which I used to read before, were love stories, with that perfect man, perfect woman, perfect world. This was the book which showed me entirely different view of woman.

Nagi was married to a person, who thinks that talking nicely to his wife may spoil her as she may take him as granted and may pass orders to him. He is not capable of expressing his love in words. He will be always trying to show that Nagis importance in his life is very negligible. He will be always telling that there are so many things important to him than Nagi. She was married at very early age. Her husband never understands her feeling. Once she discusses her problem with her friend, who suggests her to go back to her parents. According to her friend that is the only way to correct Nagi's husband.

Nagi feels that correct and go to her parents. But their one person who is rich, will come to know Nagi's state. He will be having his own family, but to him women is like a toy. Somehow he talk with Nagi and within few days Nagi will be attracted by his money, his beautiful talks.

Nagi's husband first think that it is below his status to go and ask his wife to come back. It is only when the news of Nagi staying with another person reaches him, he realizes what has happened? His relatives ask him to re marry. But he realizes that it is because of his fault that Nagi is not in his life. He decides that no other woman can take Nagi's place.

On the other side, person with whom Nagi went, takes care of her for some days. She becomes mother of two children. She looses her beauty. And he goes in search of another woman.

Now whole village starts laughing on Nagi. But to the shock of people, her husband asks her to come back in his life. He assures her that he will take care of her children as his own. But Nagi refuses him. She says that she has given birth to her children and she will take care of them.

She lives in same village, in front of people who will be laughing at her. Only thing she knows is making artistic things from Bamboo. She continues that. Even though people laugh at her, they like the artistic baskets made by Nagi.

She lives in a small village, and doesn't know what education is. As years pass by, her children help her, they also roam in forest to get good bamboo , they also learn how to make nice things from Bamboo. Her husband stick on to his decision and he waits for Nagi to come back.

Mookajji is the only character in book, who feels sorry for Nagi and her husband. People think that Nagi is character less woman and her husband is mad, who is waiting for that woman. But once Nagi's children grow and become capable of looking after themselves, Mookajji ask Nagi to send them to some far away place where people don't know them. So that they can live normal life. " I have showed you how to live. Now you go and live your life" Nagi says to her children.

Now once again her husband comes back and ask Nagi in his life. And this time Nagi.......................

There are so many things about Nagi which haunts me. If she wanted, she would have gone back to her husband. But she rejects it. Otherwise, she would have left that village. But she lives there, in front of people who laugh at her. Why? I think she wanted to show to that person that, she can take care of her children. Or she might have thought why should she leave the village when the person who is equally responsible is living without any hesitation in the same village. Or she might have thought that she has done a big sin and she deserve punishment for that. Or is it that, she just wanted to go opposite social norms.

Even today if you ask me which is the most beautiful woman character I have read. It is Nagi.