May 20, 2015 11:41 PM
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A good piece of literature will always have the stamp of God, the universal force, saying Attested and approved. It is rare, indeed very rare to find such inspired books. When you read such two books from an author what else you can assume but he/she is a blessed writer? After reading novels Nireeswaran and Chorasaasthram, I can definitely vouch that in VJ James I find this blessed writer.
A good writer is a magician. Who can turn clay into a diamond! He is a best archer who can use even grass as his weapon. A saint who can show heaven in his palm! VJ James mesmerises us with his trick of using the basics of robbery to purify the evil in us, use the least of negatives as a weapon to fight the robbers and show the heaven next to us which is reachable with the torch of enlightenment. Oh! All this and to support a good story written in simplest of language, what else is the delight of a good reader?
The word'Chorasaasthram' means the science of robbery. (It can have another meaning as well, the science of blood, but not in this case). The protagonist of the novel is a thief. There is no name to the thief or his family members. Thief, Lady Thief, Elder Child Thief and Small Child Thief they form the family. He is not the best of thief but a small time robber. One day he fell to the trap set by a scientist philosopher who wanted to test his dose of Science of Robbery. Poor thief who fell to his trap was so happy to acquire the new offerings which are the principles of good robbery, tricks to open locks with a look etc. It is the adventures of the thief with the new knowledge and how he learns the philosophy of robbery and of life forms the story of Chorasaasthram. In this process we will meet few more characters like Sofia Maria, a widow who expects and fear a Thief(or even a'Jaaran') a young boy who try to learn the tricks of robbery before becoming a police, A'Dravida' king from a coin but not many. The novel is very small to the like of we can call it as a novella, with mere 108 pages. Then, after reading the novel we will realise even with such short pages a novel can be written. (I am getting reminded of The Old Man and the Sea for creating an impact with so less pages, though this do not reach to the level.)
The language is very simple and straight. One of the highlight of James's writing is its simplicity. At a time where reading meet many challenges including social media and channels, James shows the way how we can attract and keep readers and help them to be their own movie makers of mind than just watching recorded images. Social satire is there as an under current but more prominent is its philosophy and teaching. For example, the author says, in the science of thieves it says one should not steal from the poor but only from rich. The author fire his arrow with a sarcastic fire to say with this the new generation thieves don't get bail, implying the daylight capitalist robbers loot the savings of rich and poor alike. Another silent criticism is visible where the thief wants to become rich, very rich. He don't attempt to rob a bank, but rob the robber who robbed the bank. Then life's setbacks are something which give some and take some. The other Robber loot his'girl friend' Sofia Maria and do you think the boy who learned the tricks moving with him spared? The writer strikes gold when the boy who looted the robber's robber as policeman. It is a golden smash on the corrupt system.
It is a book of Philosophy of life. The author says, "By birth everybody is a thief. A thief who steals from the nature; And the punishment? You are in the jail of'physical life' of family, relation, misunderstanding etc. When the misunderstanding and ignorance grows higher the thickness of the wall gets wider. 'Kama', Anger &'Madha' are the watchmen of the jail. You realise that you have to spare your friends, relatives one day. Then, you start living each day without forgetting this and you will be released from the jail. Thief, this is your final meaning of Science for thieves." It says, we, the robbers are fools who move the wealth of our own from one room to other. The author wants the readers to reflect that the entire wealth in this universe is universal and we too are owner of this wealth. So, why this waste of time and anxiety! Our eye sights will increase by closing our eyes not by keeping it open. Similarly, when we decide to close the doors of our greed, we will get rich and all the science will help us to grow. Selfishness is the root cause of our unhappiness and we have to drop that and greed to have a peaceful life, for we can only use what we can consume in our short span of life.'
Humanity survives. The thief want to revenge on a merchant who capture while robbing and he succeed in looting the merchant's favorite box which he assume the merchant stored his best of savings. When the box contain the dress of the merchant's dear child.humanity survives a test and more than a wave created in the minds of the thief, to the success of the author. So, is the Elder Child thief who doesn't grow as a'thief' to the wish of the'Thief'. In each soul there is a basic goodness and even by birth you cannot completely manipulte it. Humanity survives on this hope!
James is an engineer in Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre. For me the author is no less than a scientist in another front. A scientist in literature! A pure scientist and a philosopher! Even if the reader keep an umbrella of reluctance, James's books will not spare the readers in getting some rain drops of life philosophy touches their skin. Chorasasthram is one such brilliant book. The book's content is of universal appeal and I wonder what prevent the author from getting it translated to English and other languages. With a good agent, this book and his other books have potential to reach the world readers and wish to see that sooner not later.
On the other hand, I felt that had the author invest little extra time and effort on the book to expand the characters, situations and philosophy it could have been better for the readers are eager and ready to read it. Some beautification of lines and paving one or two extra layers could have added more depth. At the same time some direct metaphors could have been avoided. Then, never mind, the book is value for money and more.
So, my all out recco to the book for all who can read Malayalam. The English readers may wait and I will pray to the Gods of thieves and his Atheist God(From his other novel, Nireeswaran) for fulfillment of their wishes!
