A Contribution by Joy J. Kaimaparamban, author of The Ayurvedic Healer. For more information see also his website at http://www.kaimaparamban.com/.

When you think about Baanabhattan, the Sanskrit writer Kaadambari rises in your heart firstly.  He had written two prose works.  ‘Harshacharitham’ (The History of Harshan) and ‘Kaadambari’. He gave the work the name of the Heroine Kaadambari as the title. Chandikasathakom (The Century of Chandika), ‘Paarvathee Parinayam’ (The Marriage of Parvathy) and ‘Ratnaavali’ are his other works, which he had had written in metrical language.

Baanabhattan lived around the sixth century in the audience of Harshavarddhanan as assembly scholar.

In Bhanabhattan’s renowned prose work Kaadambari, he narrates the story of Chandrapedan and Kaadambari, Baanabhattan had been writing the work basing the creation of Gunaddyan’s ‘Bruhat Kadha’ (The Luxuriant Story).

Bruhatkadha was written in ‘Paisaachi’ language.  That ancient work is considered to be a valuable literary creation.  Not only Baanabhattan but also Bhaasan Kaalidaaasan, Dandi and Subanddhu had based ‘Bruhatkatha’ of Gunaddyan for creating their works.  It is an ocean of endless stories.  In that work there are one lakh stanzas with four lines.   When the author had had completed the work it had seven lakh stanzas.  It is believed that the author himself had destroyed the six lakh stanzas.  Gunaddyan lived after the death of Chandraguptan and Chaanakyan and before Bhaasan.

Gunaddyan’s work is not a simple love story of a man and a woman.  Around the main plot, he had braided a lot of subordinate plots.  Baanabhattan too had followed the style of Gunaddyan.

Kaadambari is a work with dramatic air.  Descriptions are great and with rhetorical embellishment.  Sentences are compound and complex ones and are suggestive of many ideas.  Sentiments as compassion and the like are seen throughout the work.  In ancient classic creations, nine sentiments were a must, whether it being poetry or play or prose.  Baanabhattan too had got to walk after the toes of his ancestors.  He descripted love as a pure quality of good people, male and female.  He had clearly narrated the dispositions of characters attractively.  Keen observation of nature is seen in every line.  Deep knowledge about every character is unique.  By all means Kaadambari is considered as a great work in the Sanskrit literary world.  In between a misfortune was taken place.  It was the death of the author.  His son Bhooshana Baanan came forward for completing it.  His effort was fulfilled.

In the ninenth century another Sanskrit writer Abhinandan made an epitome of Kaadambari under the title ‘Kaadambari Kadhaasaaram’ (Summary of Kaadambari).

Before Baanabhattan’s Kaadambari had come out, there were prose writings.  They all became lifeless due to the brilliant creation of Kaadambari.

Baanabhattan took birth in the Valsa-clan, in which a lot of talented persons had born.  His father’s grandfather Kuberan was a recognized poet of the audience of Guptha Kingdom.  Baanabhattan was the son of Chithrabhaanu and Raajadevi.  In his childhood both the parents expired.  Despite he could become a scholar. In addition he wanted to see the lifestyles of different kinds of people.  So he had travelled through so many countries. He was not all alone.  Several kinds of scholars had accompanied him including his brothers Chandrasenan and Maathrusenan.  Being the owner of a lot of richness, Baanabhattan was able to lead such a journey.

Due to the compulsion of Shyamalan, his brother’s son, Baanabhattan wrote the story of Harshavardhanan, a prominent King of India.  It was titled as ‘Harshacharitham’.  Despite it was a beautiful creation, Kaadambari is considered as the poet’s main work.  After the coming of Kaadambari, it became a synonym of novel.  In several Indian languages, the meaning of Kaadambari is a novel.

In this work, Kaadambari speaks with her friend Pathralekha.  Baanabhattan had not completed the work.  Following the hint about death he died.  The incompleted part, which had completed by his son seems different from the former part.

Baanabhattan was bringing prose writing in Indian literature with strength and beauty.

The Ayurvedic Healer

by Joy J. Kaimaparamban

Set in the intriguing atmosphere of India in the early 20th century, full of mysticism, love, compassion, and political drama, The Ayurvedic Healer tells the story of Madhavan Namboodiri, a physician practicing an ancient medical science, and his enduring love for Rosilie. By healing the underprivileged, regardless of their civilian and religious status, touching the untouchables, he follows his beliefs and disobeys the rules of his society. His life story is set in the background of India’s struggle for freedom, the communist revolt in the Southern State of Kerala, social advancement, and the emergence of new societies. The Ayurvedic Healer sweeps the reader into an exotic place and time, rendering an intimate experience through sharing Madhavan Namboodiri’s life and love.

Joy J. Kaimaparamban is not only a passionate story teller. He envisions people and events, past or present, in his native India as material for unwritten works. These visions and the ability to transform them into fascinating stories about his country is a trademark of his novels. [More information...]

The Ayurvedic Healer ia available through Amazon.com, Amazon.co.uk, Barnes & Noble, and any other good bookstore.