Hrudayam: 100 Celebrated Love Lores of the World
If I become a sceptic, I can observe that infatuated and money minded love in the present time starkly contrasts with the celebrated love stories of the past. Today, many relationships often prioritise superficial attractions and financial gain over deep emotional connections. The allure of wealth and status can overshadow genuine affection, leading to partnerships that lack authenticity and depth. In contrast, historical romances frequently celebrated love that transcended material concerns, emphasising devotion, sacrifice, and emotional resilience.
My brainchild, “Hrudayam– 100 Celebrated Love Lores of the World,” replicates a journey through the vast tapestry of love that transcends time, culture, and circumstance. Each of the 100 stories in this anthology highlights a unique facet of love, from historical romances that shaped nations to the intimate connections that define our personal lives. These narratives reflect the many dimensions of love: historical or mythological love, cultural or mythological love, romantic love, political love, literary or artistic love, familial or enduring love, and tragic or unfulfilled love.
I delve into the powerful historical love between Akbar and Jodha Bai, where political alliance blossomed into genuine love, illustrating how romance can arise even from the most pragmatic beginnings. The tragic yet enchanting love story of Laila and Majnu follows, a narrative that has resonated through folklore for generations, while Mumtaz Mahal and Shah Jahan exemplify eternal love through the timeless monument of the Taj Mahal. As I recount the passionate and ultimately doomed relationships of Devdas and Paro and Heer and Ranjha, I aim to capture the heartache that often accompanies love. The tales of Salim and Anarkali and Shivaji Maharaj and Sahebzadi showcase love’s resilience against societal constraints and the valour of heritage.
In exploring cultural or mythological love, I dive into the divine with the enchanting relationship of Radha and Krishna, whose love story transcends mere mortal experience. Sita and Rama represent the ideals of marital devotion, while the love between Psyche and Eros illustrates the transformative power of trust and faith. The narratives of Hades and Persephone and Shiva and Parvati reflect love’s intricate ties to existence and spirituality. As I discuss the complexities of Gandhari and Dhritarashtra, the stories invite contemplation on sacrifice and unconditional love. The love of Abhimanyu and Uttara is a tale that encapsulates valour and passion against the backdrop of the Mahabharata.
Turning to romantic love, I celebrate contemporary couples like David and Victoria Beckham and Anushka Sharma and Virat Kohli, whose public personas embody the trials and triumphs of modern relationships. The enduring romance of Tom Hanks and Rita Wilson, alongside the passionate yet tumultuous love of Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Burton, highlights love’s multifaceted nature. I also explore the artistic connections of Frida Kahlo and Diego Rivera and the musical partnership of Johnny Cash and June Carter, showing how creativity often flourishes in love’s embrace.
In the realm of political love, I reflect on the powerful bonds between Winston and Julia, Eleanor and Franklin D. Roosevelt, and Nelson Mandela and Winnie Mandela, Gandhi and Margaret Sanger, Netaji Subash and Emily Schenkl, Nehru and Edwina Mountbatten, illustrating how love can sustain individuals through struggle and strife. Barack and Michelle Obama serve as a modern testament to a partnership that inspires countless others.
In the dominions of familial or enduring love, some popular names like Amitabh Bachchan and Jaya Bachchan, Sachin and Anjali Tendulkar, Smriti Irani and Zubin Irani, Priyanka Chopra and Nick Jonas, Voltaire and Emilie du Chatelet where personal love reflecting spiritual and social growth often come to my mind.
The book also contains some tragic or unfulfilled love, I explore the deep connections within families and the heart wrenching stories of love that could not be fulfilled, like that of Anna and Count Vronsky and Gatsby and Daisy.
Love is life. In fact, through these diverse narratives, “Hrudayam–100 Celebrated Love Lores of the World,” I aim to illuminate the profound impact of love on our lives, encouraging readers to reflect on their own experiences with this powerful emotion.
– Dr. Janardan Mishra
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