1972 - A Saga of Change

By: J. Ramakanth

Narrated by: Chiquito Crasto

1972 - A Saga of Change is not a historical novel; it is fiction based on some events in India, around 1972.

Every war or large scale revolution accelerates social change. This novel attempts to study the social and attitudinal changes that occurred in an Indian region, close to Indo-Pak border, by considering changes that occurred in some typical students and residents of a town close to the border.

Jahnavi, Mita, Tridev, Lokesh, Niranjan and Sailaja were college mates and friends. Niranjan and Sailaja loved each other but because they respected the social differences between them, they reconciled themselves to the societal norms. Sailaja married Tripurantak. Lokesh was a Harijan; he loved Jahnavi secretly but could not hope for anything beyond friendship. Jahnavi was intimate with both Tridev and Lokesh. During the story, a change of heart occurs in Niranjan's father, Ashutosh who appoints Bharatram, a Harijan in his nursing home.

War started with the Pakistan's attempted attack on Indian air fields in 1972. Lokesh recruited himself into the army. So did Tridev, after convincing his parents. Both were sent on active duty as members of the same unit, the very next day.

©2013 Jonnavittula Ramakanth (P)2014 Jonnavittula Ramakanth