Review: Kama Dahana by Venkatesh Prabhu (2/5)

Title: Kama Dahana

Author: Venkatesh Prabhu

ISBN: 9385440152

Blurb:

1900 AD. Paramashiva Gowda, the head of Suraveerapura, a village under the Rulers of Mysore Kingdom. He used to haunt young maidens of the village and ruin their chastity. Many of the victims commit suicide. Several quit the village. Many of them cried helplessly. He was not only a brave man, handsome and courageous enough to fight alone against twenty persons at a time but also a human of noble qualities. Besides had beautiful wife & cute children. The Ruler of Mysore Kingdom had bequeathed him a horse, who turns out to be his best servant and a pistol in appreciation of his kindness towards animals and helping nature. What made such a noble man to become a lecher and victimise several innocent families of the village? Who instigate him to become so cruel and licentious? Whether his cruelty comes to an end? Whether the villagers come out of the trouble? Kama Dahana answers these.

My Take:

This story is based on a legend about a person who is believed to have lived almost a century ago. Paramashiva Gowda is the rich and powerful head of a village who lives a life notorious for his injustices against the maidens of the area. 

Gowda lives a normal life like everyone else before a drunkard tempts him to become a villain of a person. He lures him towards young maidens of his village folk, whom he exploits by offering money to their parents in need. Initially, everything goes smoothly as per his whims, but soon enough they begin to resist his advances, which forces Gowda to become a serial rapist. He believes in vanity till one day he reaps the fruit of his bad deeds, and he killed by the same people whom he had ruled with an iron fist. 

The plot is interesting. Given the fact that Kama Dahana is a translation of the author's own Kannada book, the book is less charming in English. Most of it seems to be lost in translation. I'm a big fan of historical fiction, so I read it with particular interest. However, I was disappointed by the total lack of editing and proofreading. There are a lot of spelling mistakes, and a few setbacks as far as grammar is concerned. Many sentences and ideas have been repeated, or repeatedly rephrased, and that comes out as a negative point. A good editor would have done away with many of these pitfalls. The translation of many a proverb is quite literal, and the impact is lost. Once again, mediocrity is evident on part of the editor. The 206-page book would have been concise, and more readable if attention were paid to all these points. 

Rating: 2/5