Bahuk
| Long narrative poem based on Mahabharata | |
| by Chinu Modi | |
Coverpage
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| Written | 1982 |
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| First published in | January 1983 |
| Illustrator | Shailesh Modi |
| Cover artist | Kurang Mehta |
| Country | India |
| Language | Gujarati |
| Form | Metrical and Nonmetrical verse |
| Meter | Sanskrit prosody |
| Publisher | Adarsha Prakashan, Ahmedabad |
| Media type | Print (paperback) |
| Lines | 3 cantos, 50 chapters |
| Pages | 152 |
| ISBN | 978-93-82593-79-9 |
| OCLC | 249677342 |
| Preceded by | Aansu Maro Chhinna Ansha |
| Followed by | Kaalakhyan |
Bahuk (Gujarati: બાહુક) is Gujarati language long narrative poem written by Chinu Modi. The poem has been composed both of in metrical and non-metrical verse and based on one of the characters from Mahabharata called Nala who got metamorphosed in Bahuka. It is a well-acclaimed poem of Gujarati literature written in Sanskrit styled and figurative language. The poem was selected for Ushnas Prize (1982-83) by Gujarati Sahitya Parishad.
Modi started to write this poem in 1971 but somehow he did not complete it. During 1979-81, he got the fellowship by Department of Culture, Delhi for creating works and restarted working on it. Modi completed this poem in October 1982, and was published as a book in January 1983 by Adarsh Publication, Ahmedabad and then reprinted in 1999. The third edition, including critical articles, was published in October 2014.
The theme of poem is based on the story of Nala and Damayanti from the 27th chapter of Vanparva of Mahabharata. The poem's main subject is the psyche and subtle emotions of Nala (and also of his wife Damayanti) who lost his empire in gambling with his brother Pushkara. After, losing his empire, Nala spends three days and nights out of his city Nishadnagar with Damayanti before going into the woods. Due to the cut off from his city, Nala feels extreme loneliness; the dissolution of his personality during these three days and nights, are depicted in this poem.
The whole poem is divided in three sarga - cantos. The first contains 15 chapters, the second 13 chapters, while the third contains 22 chapters. Here, the three characters do not communicate with each other but their independent monologues are described.
The chronological order of the monologues of narrator are as under:
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