<p>A panel of eminent writers on Saturday discussed the enduring relevance of epics, which forms the core of former journalist and chief information commissioner Suchetana Swaroop’s book ‘Beyond East and West’.</p>.<p>Swaroop wrote the book in Kannada (‘Aa Purva Ee Paschima’) two decades ago and turned it into an academic book later.</p>.<p>Its English translation by retired Professor of English N S Raghavan was released in 2019, while the South Asian edition followed the next year.</p>.<p>“The Covid-induced lockdowns prevented us from holding such a discussion. Now, we have some breathing space,” Swaroop told <span class="italic">DH</span> after the online event.</p>.<p>Retired English professor, translator and critic O L Nagabhushana Swamy dubbed the book ambitious for venturing to analyse the greatest of epics from Greek to Latin, Sanskrit, and Kannada, which touch on “broader questions related to humanity”.</p>.<p>By contrast, popular literature oversimplifies life, painting people either as heroes or villains.</p>.<p>“War and Peace by Russian author Leo Tolstoy and Pather Panchali by Bibhutibhushan Bandyopadhyay can be considered modern-day epics as they delve into the ethics of war and the meaning of life,” he said.</p>.<p>Swaroop’s book happened because he wanted to find answers to existential questions like what happens when the current generation forgets history, the good we did and the mistakes we made.</p>.<p>Understanding history in its full perspective is important in the present times, he said.</p>.<p>Did he find the answers he was looking for? He laughed off the question, saying, “Times have changed. We are a pluralistic society now. We need to learn to live with each other, not conquer one another.”</p>
<p>A panel of eminent writers on Saturday discussed the enduring relevance of epics, which forms the core of former journalist and chief information commissioner Suchetana Swaroop’s book ‘Beyond East and West’.</p>.<p>Swaroop wrote the book in Kannada (‘Aa Purva Ee Paschima’) two decades ago and turned it into an academic book later.</p>.<p>Its English translation by retired Professor of English N S Raghavan was released in 2019, while the South Asian edition followed the next year.</p>.<p>“The Covid-induced lockdowns prevented us from holding such a discussion. Now, we have some breathing space,” Swaroop told <span class="italic">DH</span> after the online event.</p>.<p>Retired English professor, translator and critic O L Nagabhushana Swamy dubbed the book ambitious for venturing to analyse the greatest of epics from Greek to Latin, Sanskrit, and Kannada, which touch on “broader questions related to humanity”.</p>.<p>By contrast, popular literature oversimplifies life, painting people either as heroes or villains.</p>.<p>“War and Peace by Russian author Leo Tolstoy and Pather Panchali by Bibhutibhushan Bandyopadhyay can be considered modern-day epics as they delve into the ethics of war and the meaning of life,” he said.</p>.<p>Swaroop’s book happened because he wanted to find answers to existential questions like what happens when the current generation forgets history, the good we did and the mistakes we made.</p>.<p>Understanding history in its full perspective is important in the present times, he said.</p>.<p>Did he find the answers he was looking for? He laughed off the question, saying, “Times have changed. We are a pluralistic society now. We need to learn to live with each other, not conquer one another.”</p>