Bride in the Hills

<p> Set in the stately forest-clad hills of Malnad in the Western Ghats during the late nineteenth century <br><i>Bride in the Hills</i> tells the love stories of young men and women aspiring for a life of freedom dignity and fulfilment in marriage within a caste-ridden social order. Kuvempu's multi-centered text with its organic weave of varied narrative strands much like the Mahabharata is epic in substance and style. The novel which is rooted in the regional realities of Malnad is yet another example of the diversity of modern Indian literature. <p/> Kuvempu (1904-94) chronicles the emergence of a vibrant and complex rural society caught between manipulative colonial norms and discriminatory native practices. Bringing in the distinct experiences of the Shudra lifeworld he led Kannada literature to great heights with his profound and poetic writing. Kuvempu's cosmic vision of v<i>ishva manava</i> (universal man) which transcends narrow sectarian boundaries constitutes a precious legacy in the ethical traditions of the world. <p/> This epic novel with the sweep of a Tolstoy classic enacts its mission statement: 'Here nobody is important; nobody is unimportant; nothing is insignificant!' with brilliance energy and imaginative power. </p>