Critically Reading C.N. Ramachandran's Narration and Discourse: Critical essays on Literature and Culture

The wide ranging topics attempted by Dr C. N. Ramachandran in this collectionare a proof of his in depth learning of Sanskrit, English and Kannada literary andcritical traditions. Divided into two sections, the first section of this collection ofessays written during a long span of time shows remarkable application ofcontemporary discourses and Western theories on some of the seminal texts likeBhagwatgita, Ramayanas, and Abhijnana Sakuntalam at one hand and acomparative study of Kannad novels and their film versions. The second sectiondraws some new critical parameters to reevaluate Tagore, Gokak, Bendre,Narsimhaswami and other Kannada writers. Wading easily through twodifferent currents of Eastern and Western traditions, he leaves some big lacunaewhile writing on some of the most fundamental texts and concepts of Indianliterature and philosophy, which required deeper studies. The present article,which initially intended to be just a review of the book mentioned above, seeks toincorporate more accurate information on such issues, which the author, relyingmore on the false data supplied by secondary sources, dealt half-heartedly. As acorrective step to the missing 'interior signature' (as C. D. Narsimhaiya wouldsay) of the author, the article should be read as a supplement to the book.