Love Happens Only Once . . .
(A
saga of Unrequited Love)
“Love Happens Only Once . . . A saga of Unrequited Love” is a heart – touching novel by Dr.
Ranjeet Singh. It being his second novel is richer in theme, style and its
relevance to the modern youths. When I purchased this novel from “Universal
Book House” (Lanka, BHU), I was quite glad as it was 10th Feb. 2012
(Valentine week). I had a great penchant to go through its story as its Cover
page had already mesmerized me and my friends in Naveen Hostel (BHU). When I
read the story alone and then in groups, every time, it had a different appeal,
something very different from the contemporary novelists pouring out hackneyed
details of love. Here I’m presenting a brief review of Ranjeet’s second novel
that has become a sensation among the students in BHU.
Ranjeet
Singh believes that literature must serve society, solve their problems and
guide them. Through this novel he says that poverty, class, caste system and
other widespread evils of society are like a poison that inflicts society and
makes it sordid and inhuman. He is a writer with full commitment to the youths.
In his view true love is the only remedy to fight with or eradicate the deep-rooted
evils of the society. Though his first novel “I will wait For You… A Saga of Forbidden Love” was a sensational
love story and was quite famous among youths. His fictional art seems maturing in
his second novel.
So
far, he has given us two campus Novels where we meet college boys, teachers,
but through his themes he forges a universal vision. He peoples his novels with
caricatures rather than characters. The fun loving boy Rohan is a replica of
the youths studying in MBA Colleges; Rajat represents the section of students
who avoid being in the company of books or hate the boring lecture delivery in
the class where still the same old traditions of teaching are being followed; whereas
Arshyan is among the ideal students who have a great penchant for study and
books.
In his novels the environment created is fairer than the evening air Clad in the beauty
of a thousand stars.
‘Love is always a great motivation for
the youths’. Whereas “Life is very
strange; it never comes the way we want it.” Love is the most fascinating
thing for them; even more than life. They stake anything and everything for its
sake as in the case of all the three couples in the story – Arshyan-sakshi,
Rohan-Neha, and Rajat-Riya. In love, you’re not a winner always. You lose many
more things sometimes; but the satisfaction that you derive even after losing much
more, is so profound that it makes your life worth living.
Sakshi,
the beloved of Arshyan is a great sufferer. She suffers less because of her
unrequited love, but more because of the ruthless norms of so called civilized
society. Unrequited love is undoubtedly a great factor for all the three
couples that lead to a great pain and suffering on the part of everyone. But it’s
altogether a key factor that makes their love immortal. Though Rohan and Neha
are not there at the end of the story but they along with their love have been
immortalized when Arshyan and Rajat name their son and daughter Rohan and Neha
respectively. It also leaves a message to the young lovers that “An act of love that fails is just as much a part of the
divine life as an act of love that succeeds, for love is measured by fullness,
not by reception”
In
short, his novels present the combined effect of realism and fantasy. It’s more a feel and
unperceived reality, and it is only with the heart that one can see rightly; what is essential is
invisible to the eye.
Thus in his both the novels Ranjeet Singh has succeeded in achieving a vivid
interpretation of life. Unlike his contemporaries, his realism is less social
than psychological in his first novel. But in his second novel, he has really
given some new heights and hopes to world of English fiction in India. Above
all, seeing the enthusiastic contribution of Ranjeet Singh to the world of
Indian English fiction, his advent on the literary scene has been described as
the appearance of a new star shining bright.
All
the very best!
Ms. Pratibha
(MA II SEM)
Dept. of English
Banaras Hiundu Uiversity
