Kalila and Dimna by Ramsay Wood

Title: Kalila and Dimna: Fables of Conflict and Intrigue

Author: Ramsay Wood

Publications: Madina Publishing

Illustrator: G M Whitworth

A sequel of Kalila and Dimna: The Pancatantra Retold - Book One (reviewed here), this book picks up from where the wise Dr. Bidpai had decided to halt his storytelling at the close of the previous book.

Though majorly a continuation of the previous book, a few changes have been introduced here, which include the fact that King Dabschelim now has three children who have been told about the amazing treasure and who are also to be the beneficiaries of the knowledge. Mimosa, rather interrupt-me-not (Mimosa is also the other name for touch-me-not plant) sister of Dr. Bidpai and a superb storyteller herself, enters and takes us through most parts of the story.

An amazing amalgamation of fables of personified stupid donkeys, of henpecked crocodiles, of wise, revengeful and storyteller monkeys, of normal people turned greedy, of wise idiots, and many more, the collection of stories presents an eye-opening insight into the feelings and thoughts of living creatures, both evil and gentle.

The stories, though meant to somehow relate to the rules of the conduct appropriate to the kings, give us, those far from the blue blooded races, a lot of meanings and moral lessons in ways both expressed and implied.  A micro list of the lessons I learnt includes: If we wish for something stupid and against the laws of nature, we are inviting our own doom. Exceptional greed leads to our own destruction. Blindly following the others, with putting in little logic could be tragic. A safe and strategically maintained distance and even friendship between enemies could be mutually beneficial .. and many more. How so many stories have be connected and put together as a single big story makes the work truly remarkable. 

Through the story, Mimosa comes across as a better storyteller than even Bidpai. The book completes the wise advise being given to the king, he gets his royal illustrators, calligraphers to put the stories together for us, the future generations.

To sum up: A wonderful book. An enjoyable read. An enriching experience.

Kalila and Dimna by Ramsay Wood

Title: Kalila and Dimna: The Pancatantra Retold - Book One
Author: Ramsay Wood
Publication: Random House India
Price: INR 225

Having been born in a typical Indian family, the tales of Panchatantra have been everything to me - from being bed time tales to moral stories to pieces of traditional literature. This book looks at some of the same stories in a peculiar, novel and interesting way, along with some folklores of other lands as well. The story begins with a tale of a fickle minded king Dabschelim who accidently lands up in a lot of treasure and a strange letter from a king of the past. As mentioned in the letter, he gets a certain learned man, Dr. Bidpai to make him understand the contents of the letter. 

The letter contains several 'rules of conduct proper to the behaviour of kings'. The best part of these rules is that many of them even though meant for a king can be easily applied to our lives as well. Say for instance, we must do good, as if we do good, good will be done to us. Or one should be mild and friendly in nature and so on.

Bidpai, in his elaboration of the first rule stated in the letter, starts telling the tale of 'Kalila and Dimna', two jackal brothers. Kalila is the wiser of the two and advises Dimna against his foolhardy behaviour, but to little avail. A lot many other stories have been intertwined with this one. Just as the first rule stated that a king mustn't dismiss any servant at the request of the other person, for a people are bound to be jealous of a servant close to the king, this story of Kalila and Dimna ends in sad end of a faithful subject, due to a foul game of a jealous courtier.

The second story, or a array of stories, I must say, is that of 'Zirac and Friends'. Apt description to the rule that the ministers, counsellors and the likes, if preserved well will together work for the welfare of the state, the stories teach us that friendship which is pure and not based on any kind of expectations or benefit lasts longer, better and stronger.

It is really interesting how Ramsay Wood has connected all the little stories and presented them so logically, basically as a single story.

The little quotations, often at the beginning of the stories and at their close, give an insight into the values being taught or the central idea of the stories.

As the main purpose of the Panchatantra tales, a moral or a meaning can be drawn up everywhere. After reading the book, one feels refreshed and positively motivated. For those of us who have grown up on these tales, this book appears like a harbinger of novelty, a morphosis, a time to look at the past with a new perspective.

A perfectly delightful read for those who want the values of yesterday in the light of today.