Saakshi: The Witness is one of the weirdest books I’ve read, and I mean that in a positive way. It is as far removed from what I expected out of a Bhyrappa novel, and it’s another testament to his literary diversity. Saakshi weaves mythology, Vedanta, Puranas, and Gandhian principles in a tale which explores the human psyche from the depths of one’s inner conscience.

Saakshi tells the story of an old man Parameshwarayya, who’s preta (soul) finds itself in the court of Yamadharmaraja with an opportunity to present his case himself as Yama wonders why he committed suicide for uttering a single lie in his life. What starts as an account of his reasons that led to his decision evolves into an exploratory tale where his preta listens to the voice of the different characters in his life and questions the very essence of what truth is.

There is violence, lust, greed, jealousy, and anger on one side and innocence, spirituality, morality, and adherence to dharma on the other, and the author composes a tale where the characters exhibit these qualities at various points during the story. Though the story drags at times, it picks pace soon after and gets increasingly intricate as the story progresses until it reaches a climax which leaves one puzzled about the objective of the story.

The writing style is unique, and so are the dialogues. Being a translation from the original, it does feel like the sentiments of the author are lost in translation at times, but for the most part, keeps the reader engaged.

Saakshi is a one-of-a-kind novel, a phrase I seem to reserve for every Bhyrappa novel I read.

Originally published here.