This novel from Rajkamal Prakashan is a Hindi medium (हिन्दी माध्यम) book written by Bhagwaticharan Verma, meant for readers of Hindi classics (हिंदी क्लासिक उपन्यास) and students of Hindi literature. < cite index="263-1">चित्रलेखा is not only the first novel that established Bhagwati Charan Verma's reputation as a novelist; it also counts among those rare Hindi novels whose popularity has kept crossing the boundaries of time. Published in 1934, it set several older records of popularity. < cite index="267-1">Its story rests on the problem of sin and virtue: what is sin, and where does it reside? The narrative appears finally to reject the very category of sin. < cite index="263-1">To find answers to these questions, two disciples of Mahaprabhu Ratnambar — Shwetank and Vishaldev — take shelter respectively with the feudal lord Bijgupt and with the yogi Kumargiri. Their master's comment on what they conclude is that there is no such thing as sin in the world at all; it is merely another name for the unevenness of a person's own viewpoint — we neither commit sin nor perform virtue, we only do what we are compelled to do. < cite index="269-1">Along the way the novel follows Shwetank as he moves from deep darkness into a world of light, unable at first to believe his own position, gradually adjusting to circumstance, and coming to feel that he stands between sin and virtue with desires crowding around him on every side, carried along by the waves of the world. < cite index="268-1">Its popularity has been said to lie beyond time — from its first publication in 1934 to the present day, countless people have learned to read Hindi for the sake of this one novel. < cite index="266-1">Bhagwaticharan Verma was born on 30 August 1903 at Safipur in Unnao district; with this novel his name resounded not only across the Hindi region but well beyond it, and critics were won over by his deep understanding of human society and the relationships within it. < cite index="268-1">He was honoured with the Sahitya Akademi award, the title of Sahitya Vachaspati and the Padma Bhushan, and in 1978 was given representation in the Rajya Sabha. The whole book is written in Hindi in the Devanagari script (देवनागरी लिपि).
Key Features:
Hindi medium book — complete content written in Hindi (Devanagari script)
Written by Bhagwaticharan Verma, published by Rajkamal Prakashan
First published in 1934 — a landmark of modern Hindi fiction
The novel that established the author's reputation as a novelist
Central question — पाप क्या, पुण्य क्या? Where does sin actually reside?
Two disciples sent to a worldly lord and to an ascetic yogi to find the answer
Characters of Chitralekha, Bijgupt, Kumargiri, Shwetank and Vishaldev
Set in an ancient Indian courtly world, written as a philosophical narrative
One of the rare Hindi novels whose popularity has outlasted its era
Adapted into a Hindi film in 1964, with lyrics by Sahir Ludhianvi
By a writer honoured with the Sahitya Akademi award and the Padma Bhushan
Prescribed and referenced widely in Hindi literature courses
Useful for RPSC, UGC-NET and other Hindi Sahitya papers
Short enough to be read in a sitting or two, and often re-read
Suitable for students, literature readers and general Hindi readers
राजकमल प्रकाशन द्वारा प्रकाशित 'चित्रलेखा' भगवतीचरण वर्मा का कालजयी उपन्यास है, जो पहली बार 1934 में प्रकाशित हुआ। यह न केवल वह उपन्यास है जिसने लेखक को उपन्यासकार के रूप में प्रतिष्ठा दिलाई, बल्कि हिंदी के उन विरले उपन्यासों में गणनीय है जिनकी लोकप्रियता काल की सीमा को लाँघती रही है। इसकी कथा पाप और पुण्य की समस्या पर आधारित है — पाप क्या है? उसका निवास कहाँ है? इन्हीं प्रश्नों का उत्तर खोजने के लिए महाप्रभु रत्नांबर के दो शिष्य, श्वेतांक और विशालदेव, क्रमशः सामंत बीजगुप्त और योगी कुमारगिरि की शरण में जाते हैं। उनके निष्कर्षों पर महाप्रभु की टिप्पणी है कि संसार में पाप कुछ भी नहीं है, यह केवल मनुष्य के दृष्टिकोण की विषमता का दूसरा नाम है — हम न पाप करते हैं और न पुण्य, हम केवल वह करते हैं जो हमें करना पड़ता है। कहा जाता है कि 1934 से आज तक न जाने कितने लोगों ने केवल 'चित्रलेखा' पढ़ने के लिए हिंदी सीखी। भगवतीचरण वर्मा को साहित्य अकादमी, साहित्य वाचस्पति एवं पद्मभूषण से सम्मानित किया गया था। सम्पूर्ण पुस्तक हिन्दी भाषा एवं देवनागरी लिपि में है।
