``````````The Bridge on the River Drina by Ivo Andric````````````````````````````

 

At Sanski most in Bosnia Herzegovina one of my colleague was leaving for India and as is customery he was presented a coffee table book on Ivo Andric by his Land lady Vera Kurbegovich . He accepted it there in true Indian style very obligingly and full of humility , but after the function in private he was in his true colours fuming on being given a book that is about an unknown Yugoslavian writer and has no decorative value ,so in rage he gave that book to me ,,and lo and behold it opened a new world of Slavic(Serbo Croat) litreture before me . Ivo Andric was the only Yugoslavian author who was honoured with Noble prize in literature . He was honoured for his contribution, the novel "The bridge on the Drina" . Ivo Andric spent his child hood at Vise Grad a small town on the bank of river Drina which devide Austro Hungarian empire from Turkish empire and it is a story of how common people were affected by the bridge . Here bridge act as a connect between two civilizations ,,its role is beautifully described in connecting two peoples and those on the fringes , its 17th century Balkan . Ivo Andric got Noble Prize when cold war was at its peak in 1961 . I vainly searched for this novel at Sarajevo in Bosnia , at Zagreb in Croatia even in Budapest in Hungary , at Vienna but of no avail . In India I tried every where but unbelievably at quite unexpected place, at state library in Shillong while exploring dusty shelves of books which spoiled my hands and shirt I opened one crumbling book and my happiness knew no bounds it was Ivo Andric's magnum opus . I read it once, twice and its dust and silver fishes soiled my hands and clothes but my joy was unbound . I read it mesmerized and I must thank to Vera for such a wonderful gift though indirectly,, I dread at thought that very very worldly friend of mine( He is one of the no. 1 kalakar in managing postings in our Force ) would have sold it to kabadiwala . Vera's gift is my prized possesion .Ivo Andric is master story teller . Its not a very popular book but a marvellous addition to anyones library .You can see photographs of River Drina its Mehmod Pasa Sokolovich bridge and stone house midst of river(made in 1968) . I am fortunate to have visited these places with my family and pray to Bhagwanjee to give me one more chance to see these places once again .