Kapala Kundala

Kapalkundala is a tragic love story set in 16th-century Bengal, revolving around the life of a young and innocent forest-dwelling girl named Kapalkundala. She is raised by a tantric sage, Kapalik, in the remote forests of Bengal. Her life takes a dramatic turn when she saves and falls in love with a young man named Nabakumar, who is lost in the forest. They get married and move to Nabakumar's home, but their happiness is short-lived. Kapalkundala struggles to adapt to the sophisticated society and faces rejection and suspicion due to her forest upbringing. The plot thickens with the entry of a villainous character, who conspires to separate the couple by casting doubts on Kapalkundala's character. The novel ends in tragedy when Kapalkundala sacrifices her life to save Nabakumar from the villain's evil plans. The story is a poignant exploration of love, societal norms, and the clash between civilization and nature. Bankim Chandra Chatterji was only twenty-eight years old when he wrote his second novel - Kapala Kundala. It is said that when Bankim Chandra lived in Kanthi, on the coast of south-west Bengal, a kapalik (a Tantric worshipper of Kali or Shiva) frequently visited him. The mystery surrounding the kapalik made a deep impression on Bankim. He conceived the idea of writing a novel about a girl brought up by a kapalik in complete isolation from the civilised world. The name Kapala Kundala was taken from the Sanskrit play Malati-Madhava. In the play, kapala is the associate of the evil kapalik, Aghora Ghanta. She is as heinous as her mentor. Though our heroine was also brought up by an evil kapalik, she is full of human affection and kindness. While presenting this fascinating romance, certain events and characters have been omitted and the story has been modified to make it suitable for children.