Of pain and redemption

Krishan Malhotra 

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The Poison of Love is the fifth book, a novella, written by K.R. Meera. Originally written in Malayalam, the translation by Ministhy S. is brilliant and maintains the flavour of originality. It is a tragic story of the agony and angst of young Tulsi, suffering because of her love for Madhav. An IIT graduate, Tulsi forsakes everything, including her parents and fiancé, for Madhav, a journalist, and as irresistible as the deity he is named after.

Madhav is a charmer who is quite open about his twenty-seven lovers. Tulsi is shocked but is taken in by Madhav’s justifications. 

During the few years of her marriage, Tulsi is appalled to find heaps of love letters from other women. Barely two months into her marriage, a woman barges into their home and professes deep love for Madhav and kisses him madly. She pushes Tulsi aside and challenges her. But the woman leaves after Madhav persuades her. This incident and Tulsi’s discovery of his other dalliances brings a strain into their relations and they decide to separate. She is heartbroken. Her agony intensifies when Madhav gets married to Bhama soon after.

Tulsi renounces everything and goes to Mathura and becomes a Meera sadhu. She leads an ascetic but miserable life among old widows with shaven heads, who chant the name of Krishna from dawn to dusk. One day a repentant Madhav comes to Vrindavan in search of Tulsi and seek her forgiveness. He has been deserted by Bhama. One side of his body is badly stricken. 

The well-knit plot of the novel is engaging. The author has very well described the reality of love and marriage as well as the cries and prayers of anguished widows. She has presented a captivating and heart-rending tale, full of savage and tender feelings in a poignant manner. Her style is gripping and inimitable, which makes the book a riveting read.