কায়কল্প

by Lakshmi Nandan Bora

Anuj Kripalani is an internationally renowned scientist who apparently has everything—scientific breakthroughs, awards, fame, wealth and a fine family. A deep personal crisis makes him return to India, to rediscover himself and to find out an answer to the question that has always haunted the human race from time immemorial. Anuj thus sets forth on a physical, emotional, spiritual and scientific journey in India. He is reunited with his former sweetheart and finds spiritual solace in his guru. But the answer to the question—the key to rejuvenation—continues to elude him till he finally learns the secret, in which he is helped by a yogi’s Kayakalpa treatment and modern science.
While he feels like a creator, sculpting his human subjects anew, unforeseen complications arise. He is caught in a dilemma and has to make a difficult choice. His discovery tests his ethics and ultimately a profound realisation dawns upon him.

Hardcover

First published August 1, 2010

About the author

An agro-meteorologist by profession, Dr Lakshmi Nandan Bora (15 June 1932 – 3 June 2021) was an Indian novelist and short story writer in the Assamese language, known for over 60 books he has authored, including award winning novels, Patal Bhairavi and Kayakalpa. A recipient of Sahitya Academy Award (1988), Assam Valley Literary Award (2004) and Saraswati Samman (2008), Bora was honoured by the Government of India in 2015 with Padma Shri, the fourth highest Indian civilian award.

He was a former professor of physics and agro-meteorology and chairman of the Assam Pollution Control Board, and edited the widely circulated Assamese weekly Goriyoshi.

Reviews

[Parvati Mohan · Rating 2 out of 5]

Highly unrealistic and naïve even after accounting for suspension of disbelief; openly misogynistic; poorly translated. At one point, it actually reads like a kids' book:

"But clever Anuj stuck to his plan..."

Surely, an influential middle-aged character deserves a better description than one befitting a child detective in a kids' comic.

[Hemanth · Rating 3 out of 5]

Lost in translation.