3 Review(s)

It is present in the story-craft of Nirmal Verma in the same way as it is in our lives—constantly present but invisible. Our sorrows and happiness are determined by it, just as those of his characters are. The only thing that expands the story is that it surrounds those silent and unknown ‘subjects’ of history in a circle of light and makes them visible, so that they become visible, so that the information about their suffering can reach history and its controlling powers like a counter message. In this process, if his story creates some such individuals whose aura of individuality becomes a reason for envy for us, then it is not his individualism, it is an attempt to prepare a blueprint of an alternative human being at the level of the individual. The suffering of the characters of this novel and their desire and ability to recognize and accept that suffering make them valuable for our current intolerant society. Be it Ryan, Indi, Franz or Maria, none of them goes around asking for an account of their suffering from everyone. When these characters appear on the pages, roaming the snow-filled streets of Czechoslovakia with their almost undefined love, we get a painful consolation that the days of taking risks to be human are not over yet. 'Ve Din' is the first novel of Nirmal Verma. It is the saga of a few peaceful days of Christmas, a depressing love story that moves quietly between snow and sunshine, the emptiness of holidays, the bridges and towers of the old city. Every character has his own past, which is connected to the cursed shadow of the post-war generation of Europe, and there is also a 'mysterious' destiny connecting the various characters of the novel, which gives meaning to even the smallest incident.