''Gulabsinh'' () is an 1897 Gujarati supernatural novel by Manilal Dwivedi (1858–1898), adapted from English writer

Edward Bulwer-Lytton Edward George Earle Lytton Bulwer-Lytton, 1st Baron Lytton, PC (25 May 180318 January 1873) was an English writer and politician. He served as a Whig member of Parliament from 1831 to 1841 and a Conservative from 1851 to 1866. He was Secret ...

's novel '' Zanoni''. It was serialised in '' Priyamvada'' (later '' Sudarshan'') from the magazine's first issue in August 1885 to June 1895. Adapted into two plays (''Pratap Lakshmi'' in 1914 and ''Siddha Satyendra'' in 1917), the novel – despite its flaws – is considered to have a significant place in

Gujarati literature The history of Gujarati literature ( gu, ગુજરાતી સાહિત્ય) may be traced to 1000 AD, and this literature has flourished since then to the present. It is unique in having almost no patronage from a ruling dynasty, othe ...

Background

When Dwivedi was developing his new monthly magazine, ''Priyamvada'', he decided to include a novel which would provide a glimpse of spiritual life and pleasure to the reader. He selected

's English mystical novel, '' Zanoni'' for adaptation, since its mysticism impressed him. Although Dwivedi was aware of better novels, he considered ''Zanoni'' best suited to his purpose. He adapted ''Zanoni'' into Gujarati, and began publishing it in ''Priyamvada'' first issue (August 1885) as ''Gulabsinh''. The series concluded in the June 1895 issue, and was published in book form in 1897.

Themes

''Gulabsinh'' is based on the ideologies of Mejnoor and Zanoni, the original novel's two main characters: ascetics who have acquired superhuman power by drinking an

herb In general use, herbs are a widely distributed and widespread group of plants, excluding vegetables and other plants consumed for macronutrients, with savory or aromatic properties that are used for flavoring and garnishing food, for medicinal ...

al elixir and are in constant communication with heavenly beings; Dwivedi calls the characters Matsyendra and Gulabsinh, respectively. Matsyendra is an illuminated ascetic (''

jnani Jnana yoga (), also known as the jnana ''marga'' (), is one of the three classical paths ('' margas'') for moksha (liberation) in Hinduism, which emphasizes the "path of knowledge", also known as the "path of self-realization". The other two ...

'') who is immersed in passive contemplation; Gulabsinh moves in society, and his purity of heart uplifts all who encounter him.

Characters

The novel's principal characters are: * Gulabsinh – the protagonist, who has supernatural power * Matsyendra – an illuminated ascetic * Rama – a dancer * Lalaji – a painter, who loves Rama

Plot

Gulabsinh attends a festival in Delhi, where he saves the dancer Rama from the clutches of a wicked nobleman with his secret supernatural power. He advises Rama to marry Lalaji, a painter who loves Rama but is reluctant to marry a dancer. Rama loves Gulabsinh, who inspires awe in her. Lalaji is attracted to Gulabsinh for his supernatural powers. Gulabsinh directs him to Matsyendra, and marries Rama at the cost of his immortality to save her. Matsyendra laughs at Gulabsinh and advises him to return to the seclusion of spiritual practice; Gulabsinh does not return, however, and allows his supernatural powers to disappear. The Great Spirit explains to Gulabsinh the unequal status of the love between him and Rama, whom Gulabsinh unsuccessfully tries to uplift with his spiritual power. When he decides to unite his and Rama's souls in a third (their child), the heavenly being admonishes him: "Did you become superhuman only to become human?" Gulabsinh replies, "Ah! Humanity is so sweet!"

Reception

''Gulabsinh'' was adapted into two plays: ''Pratap Lakshmi'' by Mulshankar Mulani in 1914 (with Jaishankar Bhojak as Rama), and

Chhotalal Rukhdev Sharma Chhotalal Rukhdev Sharma (died 1926) was a Gujarati playwright. Biography He had studied Sanskrit in childhood and had studied '' Raghuvansh'' by Kalidas. His first play ''Madhav Vilas'' (1899) was produced by Amdavad Gujarati Natak Company. He ha ...

's ''Siddha Satyendra'' (1917).

Navalram Trivedi Navalram Jagnnath Trivedi (1895–1944) was a Gujarati writer, critic and editor. He served as a secretary of Gujarat Sahitya Sabha for twenty years. Life Trivedi was born 11 October 1895 in Wadhwan in Audichya Sahastra Brahmin family. He c ...

criticized ''Gulabsinh'' lack of readability due to its odd, metaphysical nature and its "literal translation" of Bulwer-Lytton's ''Zanoni'', calling it a "superfluous adaptation" of the original novel. According to Anandshankar Dhruv, ''Gulabsinh'' is not a translation but a Gujarati adaption of ''Zanoni''; Dwivedi asked in the novel's preface that it be read as an imitation ('' gu, anukaran''), rather than a translation. Dhirubhai Thaker, Gujarati critic and biographer of Dwivedi, wrote that "''Gulabsinh'' occupies an important place in Gujarati literature as a unique adaptation of an English novel, as a novel of

occult The occult, in the broadest sense, is a category of esoteric supernatural beliefs and practices which generally fall outside the scope of religion and science, encompassing phenomena involving otherworldly agency, such as magic and mysticism a ...

interest and a rare love-story of a human and a superhuman character."

References

External links

* * {{Manilal Nabhubhai Dwivedi Works by Manilal Dwivedi 1897 novels Gujarati-language novels 19th-century Indian novels Fiction set in the 19th century Indian novels adapted into plays Adaptations of works by Edward Bulwer-Lytton Supernatural novels Novels first published in serial form Third-person narrative novels Works originally published in Indian magazines