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Venmurasu

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Venmurasu
Venmurasu - Mudharkanal
AuthorBahuleyan Jeyamohan
Original titleVenmurasu
IllustratorShanmugavel
LanguageTamil
GenreIndian Magic Realism or Puranic realism[1]
PublisherNatrinai Pathippagam Kizhakku Pathippagam
Publication date
2014
Publication placeIndia
Media typePrint (hardback & paperback)
Pages22,400

Venmurasu (Tamil: வெண்முரசு Veṇmuracu; transl. "The White Drum") is a Tamil-language novel by Bahuleyan Jeyamohan. It is a modern retelling of the Indian classic poem, the Mahābhārata.

Consisting of 26 volumes and spanning around 22,400 pages, Venmurasu is recognized as one of the longest novels ever published.[2] Jeyamohan began writing the novel in January 2014 and completed it in July 2020.[3][4]

The novel follows a linear narrative style similar to the Mahābhārata. It has been published in both hardcover and paperback editions.

Background

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Jeyamohan was influenced by Kathakali renditions of the Mahābhārata, with portrayals of characters such as Duryodhana and Karna shaping his childhood.[5][6] The Bhagavad Gita also influenced his worldview.[7]

He began writing Venmurasu in January 2014 after a conversation with his daughter.[8] He uploaded a chapter online every day throughout the writing process.

Style

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Jeyamohan has described Venmurasu as a modern novel based on the Mahābhārata. While the epic’s framework guides the storyline, it incorporates modern literary techniques such as nested narratives, intertextuality, and fantasy elements.[9] Jeyamohan refers to this stylistic approach as Puranic Realism.[1]

Drawing from various sources, including the Srimad Bhagavata, the Devi Bhagavata, and folk traditions, Venmurasu interweaves myths and legends from diverse Indian traditions.[10][11] The novel has been compared to classical works like The Odyssey, The Iliad, and Kamba Ramayana.[12]

Although Venmurasu roughly follows the linear structure of the Mahābhārata, its individual episodes are often non-linear. The novel frequently employs Sūtas, traditional traveling bards, to recount stories.[13] The work is structured as a series of interconnected books, each with its own storyline, including: Mudharkanal, Mazhaippadal, Vannakkadal, Neelam, Prayagai, Venmugil Nagaram, Indraneelam, Kaandepam, Veiyon, Panniru Padaikkalam, Solvalarkaadu, Kiratham, Maalamalar, Neerkkolam, EzhuThazhal, Kuruthicharal, Imaikkanam, Senna Vengai, Thisaither Vellam, Kaarkadal, Irutkani, Theein Edai, Neerchudar, Kalittriyaanai Nirai,[14] Kalporusirunurai,[15] and Muthalaavin.[16]

Reception

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Venmurasu has received significant responses from both readers and critics. Writers such as Indira Parthasarathy[17] and A. Muttulingam[18] have expressed appreciation toward the novel. In 2021, an album titled A Musical Tribute to Venmurasu was released, featuring performances by Kamal Haasan and others under the direction of Mani Ratnam.[19][20]

See also

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  • Kirātārjunīya
  • Astra (weapon)
  • Vedanta
  • Mīmāṃsā
  • Charvaka
  • Usha Parinayam
  • Volumes
    • Mudharkanal – Published online January–February 2014
    • Mazhaippadal – Published online March–May 2014
    • Vannkkadal – Published online June to August 2014.
    • Neelam – Published online August to September 2014
    • Prayagai – Published online October 2014 to January 2015
    • Venmugil Nagaram – Published online February to May 2015
    • Indraneelam – Published online June to August 2015
    • Kaandeepam – Published online September to November 2015
    • Veiyon – Published online December 2015 to early March 2016
    • Panniru Padaikkalam – Published online March 2016, to June 2016
    • Solvalar Kaadu – Published online July 2016 to September 2016
    • Kiratham – Published online October 2016 to January 2017
    • Maamalar – Published online February 2017 to May 2017
    • Neerkolam – Published online May 2017 to August 2017
    • Ezhuthazhal – Published online September 2017 to December 2017
    • Kuruthichaaral – Published online December 2017 to March 2018
    • Imaikkanam – Published online March 2018 to May 2018
    • Sennaa Vaengai – Published online from June 2018 to August 2018
    • Thisaither Vellam – Published online from Sept 2018 to Nov 2018
    • Kaarkadal – Published online from Dec 2018 to March 2019
    • Irutkani – Published online from April 2019 to June 2019
    • Theein Edai – Published online from April 2019 to June 2019
    • Neerchudar – Published online from July 2019 to August 2019
    • kalitriyaanai Nirai – Published online from December 2019 to February 2020
    • kalporu sirunurai – Published online from March 2020 to June 2020
    • Muthalaavin – Published online from 1 July 2020 to 2 July 2020

References

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  1. ^ a b "Venmurasu - Puranic Realism". Jeyamohan.in. Retrieved 1 June 2016.
  2. ^ Miller, Nick (25 January 2023). "The Biggest Book in the World". Discovery UK. Retrieved 12 November 2024.
  3. ^ "Venmurasu Series online". Jeyamohan.in. 19 February 2014. Retrieved 7 February 2017.
  4. ^ "Director Mani Ratnam Releases Musical Tribute to Jeyamohan's Epic Venmurasu". www.marketwatch.com. Retrieved 20 October 2020.
  5. ^ "Jeyamohan Interview, 12-July-2015". Youtube.com. Canada Multicultural Radio, 101.3 FM. 12 July 2015. Retrieved 29 May 2016.
  6. ^ Shankarramasubramanian (6 September 2014). "Interview: Writer Jeyamohan". tamil.thehindu.com. The Hindu. Retrieved 7 February 2017.
  7. ^ "Jeyamohan Speech - 06-Jul-2015". Youtube.com. Columbus Tamil Sangam. Retrieved 29 May 2016.
  8. ^ "Tamil writer re-writing Mahabharata by posting one chapter every day online". The Straits Times. 23 August 2016. Retrieved 23 February 2017.
  9. ^ "Jeyamohan's Venmurasu". India Today, English Magazine (November 2014).
  10. ^ "Venmurasu: Interview with writer Jeyamohan". Kungumam, Tamil Magazine (November 2014).
  11. ^ "I am renarrating the Indian Culture: Interview - writer Jeyamohan". The Hindu Deepavali Malar. Deepavali 2014 (October 2014).
  12. ^ தயாநிதி, வேணுகோபால் (24 October 2021). "வெண்முரசு பிள்ளைத்தமிழ்". சொல்வனம் | இதழ் 330 | 10 நவ 2024 (in Tamil). Retrieved 21 November 2024.
  13. ^ Thiruvattar, Sindhukumar. "Venmurasu development". Goodreads. Retrieved 29 May 2016.
  14. ^ "Kalittriyaanai Nirai on Goodreads". Retrieved 23 May 2021.
  15. ^ "Kalporusirunurai on Goodreads". Retrieved 23 May 2021.
  16. ^ "Mudhalaavin on Goodreads". Retrieved 23 May 2021.
  17. ^ "Writer Indira Parthasarathi on Venmurasu". Youtube.com. 5 November 2014. Retrieved 20 February 2017.
  18. ^ "Writer A Muttulingam on Venmurasu". Youtube.com. 28 October 2014. Retrieved 20 February 2017.
  19. ^ "வெண் முரசு இசை தொகுப்பு". Dinamalar.com. Dinamalar. 13 October 2021. Retrieved 15 October 2021.
  20. ^ "Director Mani Ratnam Releases Musical Tribute to Jeyamohan's Epic Venmurasu". MarketWatch. Retrieved 20 October 2021.
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