Research Link - An International Journal - 132 Vol - XIV (1) March - 2015 23 I ntroduction : Harindranath Chattopadhyaya (2nd April 1998-23rd June 1990) was a multi talented personality as an Indian English Poet, a dramatist, an actor, a musician and a member of 1st Loksabha from Vijaywada Constituency. He was the younger brother of Sarojini Naidu, the first woman President of Indian National Congress and Virendranath Chattopadhyaya a revolutionary. Born in earstwhile Hyderabad, in a Bengali Hindu Kulin Brahmin family to Aghornath Chattopadhyaya, a scientist Philosopher and Barada Sundari Devi, a poetess and a singer, he married Kamladevi Chattopadhyaya who established All India Women's Conference. He was awarded Padma Bhushan in 1973. Harindranath often recited his poem Rail Gadi which was sung by Ahok Kumar in film named Ashirwad. He acted in the movie entitled Bawarchi as the chef in 1972. As a poet His heart lies in poetry. In his words: "I dwell more and more..... in the innermost recesses of the heart where poetry comes. Words and phrases became an obsession; Thoughts floated across the mind like clouds, some delicately tinted, others stormy, but past all their movement I began to grip more firmly the Thought of the horizon." (1) . When a journalist enquired of Rabindranath Tagore towards the end of his life, "Sir, after you who?" he replied, "My mantle falls on Harindranath. In the words of Aurobindo Ghosh : "A rich and finely lavish command of language, a firm possession of his metrical instrument, an almost blinding gleam and glitter of the wealth of imagination and fancy, a stream of unfailingly poetic thought, and image, and a high, as though yet uncertain pitch of expression, are the powers with which the young starts." (2) The influence of father, mother and intellectual brothers and sisters nurtured the craftsmanship of Harindranath. He began writing poetry at the age of eight. His well cultured family, cosmopolitan atmosphere, deep faith in the divine and personal qualities such as human sympathy, liberal outlook and sense of colour etc., helped him to blossom into a genius. Thus, his childhood shaped his poetic genius. He writes in his autobiography: 'Childhood, as it is beautiful and merryas ours was, thanks to an understanding home, and parents whose sole ambition was to make us to grow up into joyous fullness of life and vision-such childhood is one long and unbroken holiday'. (3) Writing poetry was never a hobby to him. It was the very breath of his life. It was a way of life for him. He travelled widely to Soviet Union, China and East Africa. In addition to Padma Bhushan, he was given the degree D.Litt (Honorary) by Andhra University in 1975 and Dr. B.C. Roy National Award for Literature. Sri Aurobindo and Rabindranath Tagore also influenced him. Harindranath's poetic career spanned over seven decades. 'The colored garden' (1919), 'The magic tree' (1922), 'Perfume of earth' (1922), 'Collected plays and poems' (1922), 'Ancient Wings' (1923), 'Gray clouds and white showers' (1924), 'The Wizard's mask' (1924), 'Cross roads' (1934), 'Strange Journey' (1936), 'The dark well' (1939), 'Lyrics' (1944), 'Blood of Stones' (1944), 'Edged ways and the Saint' (1946), 'The son of Adam' (1946), 'Freedom came' (1947), 'A treasury of poems' (1948), 'I sing of man' (1953), 'Spring in winter' (1955), 'Siddhartha-man of peace (Play)' (1956), 'Masks and Farewells' (1961), 'The Curd sellers-quatrains (Not dated), 'The map of the world' and 'Virgins and vineyards' (1967) are some of his writings. A highly gifted poet, he wrote in English language but he is essentially an 'Indian Kavi' who has never forgotten 'Indian Kavi' and an Indian tradition. He acted like a bridge between temporal and spiritual and between the human and Professor and Head (Department of English), Govt. Hamidia College, Bhopal (M.P.) Harindranath Chattopadhyaya : A Visionary Poet Research Link - 132, Vol - XIV (1), March - 2015, Page No. 23-24 E nglish Literature An International, Registered & Referred Monthly Journal : Since March 2002 Impact Factor - 2014 - 1.8007 ISSN - 0973-1628 RNI - MPHIN-2002-7041 DR. VIKAS JAOOLKAR Harindranath Chattopadhyaya as a poet, a dramatist, an actor, a musician, a producer emeritus for AIR and a parliamentarian is known to be a seer, a visionary and a sage in ancient Indian tradition. A highly educated person like Harindranath was essentially a mystic poet who was influenced by Sri Aurobindo and Gurudev Rabindranath Tagore. His poetic career spanned over a long period of seventy years. The major themes in his poetry include God, the Highest self, Life and death, nature, patriotism and contemporary issues. As a visionary his poetry elevates us, inspires us and leads to us in the world of true, beautiful, eternal and divine world. In this manner, Harindranath can well be placed in the ancient Indian tradition of Maharshi Valmeki and Maharshi Vyasa. His poetic forms include lyrics, sonnets, ballads. A modest attempt has been made to highlight visionary characteristics of Harindranath as a poet in this paper.
Transcript
Research Link - An International Journal - 132 Vol - XIV (1) March - 2015 23
Introduction :Harindranath Chattopadhyaya (2nd April 1998-23rd
June 1990) was a multi talented personality as an IndianEnglish Poet, a dramatist, an actor, a musician and a memberof 1st Loksabha from Vijaywada Constituency. He was theyounger brother of Sarojini Naidu, the first woman Presidentof Indian National Congress and VirendranathChattopadhyaya a revolutionary. Born in earstwhileHyderabad, in a Bengali Hindu Kulin Brahmin family toAghornath Chattopadhyaya, a scientist Philosopher andBarada Sundari Devi, a poetess and a singer, he marriedKamladevi Chattopadhyaya who established All IndiaWomen's Conference. He was awarded Padma Bhushan in1973. Harindranath often recited his poem Rail Gadi whichwas sung by Ahok Kumar in film named Ashirwad. He actedin the movie entitled Bawarchi as the chef in 1972.
As a poet His heart lies in poetry. In his words: "I dwellmore and more..... in the innermost recesses of the heart wherepoetry comes. Words and phrases became an obsession;Thoughts floated across the mind like clouds, some delicatelytinted, others stormy, but past all their movement I began togrip more firmly the Thought of the horizon."(1). When ajournalist enquired of Rabindranath Tagore towards the endof his life, "Sir, after you who?" he replied, "My mantle fallson Harindranath. In the words of Aurobindo Ghosh :
"A rich and finely lavish command of language, a firmpossession of his metrical instrument, an almost blindinggleam and glitter of the wealth of imagination and fancy, astream of unfailingly poetic thought, and image, and a high,as though yet uncertain pitch of expression, are the powerswith which the young starts."(2) The influence of father, motherand intellectual brothers and sisters nurtured thecraftsmanship of Harindranath. He began writing poetry at
the age of eight. His well cultured family, cosmopolitanatmosphere, deep faith in the divine and personal qualitiessuch as human sympathy, liberal outlook and sense of colouretc., helped him to blossom into a genius. Thus, his childhoodshaped his poetic genius. He writes in his autobiography:
'Childhood, as it is beautiful and merryas ours was,thanks to an understanding home, and parents whose soleambition was to make us to grow up into joyous fullness oflife and vision-such childhood is one long and unbrokenholiday'.(3)
Writing poetry was never a hobby to him. It was thevery breath of his life. It was a way of life for him. He travelledwidely to Soviet Union, China and East Africa. In addition toPadma Bhushan, he was given the degree D.Litt (Honorary)by Andhra University in 1975 and Dr. B.C. Roy NationalAward for Literature. Sri Aurobindo and Rabindranath Tagorealso influenced him. Harindranath's poetic career spannedover seven decades. 'The colored garden' (1919), 'The magictree' (1922), 'Perfume of earth' (1922), 'Collected plays andpoems' (1922), 'Ancient Wings' (1923), 'Gray clouds and whiteshowers' (1924), 'The Wizard's mask' (1924), 'Cross roads'(1934), 'Strange Journey' (1936), 'The dark well' (1939), 'Lyrics'(1944), 'Blood of Stones' (1944), 'Edged ways and the Saint'(1946), 'The son of Adam' (1946), 'Freedom came' (1947), 'Atreasury of poems' (1948), 'I sing of man' (1953), 'Spring inwinter' (1955), 'Siddhartha-man of peace (Play)' (1956), 'Masksand Farewells' (1961), 'The Curd sellers-quatrains (Not dated),'The map of the world' and 'Virgins and vineyards' (1967) aresome of his writings.
A highly gifted poet, he wrote in English language buthe is essentially an 'Indian Kavi' who has never forgotten'Indian Kavi' and an Indian tradition. He acted like a bridgebetween temporal and spiritual and between the human and
Professor and Head (Department of English), Govt. Hamidia College, Bhopal (M.P.)
Harindranath Chattopadhyaya : A Visionary Poet
Research Link - 132, Vol - XIV (1), March - 2015, Page No. 23-24
E nglish LiteratureAn International,Registered & ReferredMonthly Journal :
Harindranath Chattopadhyaya as a poet, a dramatist, an actor, a musician, aproducer emeritus for AIR and a parliamentarian is known to be a seer, a visionary and asage in ancient Indian tradition. A highly educated person like Harindranath was essentiallya mystic poet who was influenced by Sri Aurobindo and Gurudev Rabindranath Tagore.His poetic career spanned over a long period of seventy years. The major themes in hispoetry include God, the Highest self, Life and death, nature, patriotism and contemporaryissues. As a visionary his poetry elevates us, inspires us and leads to us in the world oftrue, beautiful, eternal and divine world. In this manner, Harindranath can well be placedin the ancient Indian tradition of Maharshi Valmeki and Maharshi Vyasa. His poeticforms include lyrics, sonnets, ballads. A modest attempt has been made to highlight visionarycharacteristics of Harindranath as a poet in this paper.
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the divine. He is a poet of Indian culture and heritage.Mysticism is an essential feature of Hindu Religion. Unity ofindividual and universal soul is an integrated concept ofIndian Upnishadas. It is also known as mastery over self andrealization of self. "Myssticism, seen rightly, is not somethingopposed to or alien to religion. It stands at the very root ofrelgions experience.... He aims to bring himself into an intimaterelationship with the divine.'(4)
The three masters of mysticism namely llabillian BlakeSri Aurobindo and Rabindranath Tagore influenced him. Theultimate goal of Indian mysticism is to pursue, seek, beholdand attain the divine hidden in man. Harindranath believedand practiced transcendental, immanent and AdvaitPhilosophy. In his autobiograph, he recalls :
Slowly I depended into a mystic, a really consciousmystic.... This just came to me with ease... as it were, a giftfrom the ancestors.(5)
The major themes in his poetry include God, theHighest self, Life and death, nature, children andcontemporary issues. When he moved from Pondichery toBombay, he saw grim realities in common man. Working as alyricist for films and as an actor, he witnessed poor peopleliving in slums, social disparities deception, exploitation,crime and diseas and decided to write about social, economicand political aspects of such people. Poems written on suchsubjects are influenced by Marxism. Thus, poetry became asocial commitment for Harindranath. The collections of poemsentitled 'Blood of stones' (1944), 'Sun of Adam' (1946, and'Freedom Came' (1947) are some examples. He was an electedmember of Communist Party and also MP. It is true that henever propogated Marxism and this phase was a short one.Ultimately, he returned back to idealism as a speaker ofspiritual truth. Most of his poems twanged with mysticaspects of Indian religion and deal with themes like birth,death, reincarnation etc. The vivid imagery of mysticism inthe poem Noon in an example:
The noon a mystic dog / With pawns of fire / Runsthrough the sky in / Ecstasy of drouth / Licking the earthwith / Tongue of golden flame / Set in a burning mouth.
Aurobindonian Mysticism influenced Harindranathwho said that man is a transitional being. 'Reflection', 'TheStrange Journey' and 'The Dark Well' are same such poems.An example of mystic hamage to himself :
O what a mystic homage friend ! / He comes to payHimself; / And that is why He doth descend / Into thisfragile self. (6)
In 'Futurity', the theme of spiritual evolution is asfollows:
Time is Eternity's womb-hole ensconcedly bearingEach man like a foetus in projected formation (7)
His poetic forms include lyrics, sonnets and ballads.A Visionary :
Harindranath was not only a versifier. Whatdistinguishes him from a mere versifier is his poetic vision. Avisionary is one who can see things all around. It is not onlythe external appearance but what lies beneath is the true,hidden and inner reality. Harindranath was endowed with
such a vision. He was in the tradition of our ancient poetslike Valmiki and Vyasa. In modern times, Aurobindo andTagore are visionary, seers and sages. About the uniquequality of Harindranath as a seer and a visionary, Tagorewrites in a letter to C.M. Andrews:
'I was watching the sunrise from free school lane. Aveil was suddenly withdrawn and everything becameluminous. The whole scene was one perfect music-onemarvellous rhythm. The houses in the street, the men movingbelow, the little children playing, all seemed part of oneluminous, whole inexpressively glorious. The vision wentfor seven or eight days'.(8)
This is what vision is all about. Harindranath wasblessed with such a vision of a sage and a seer. In the wordsof Oscar Wild, ... the greate poet is a always a seer, seeingless with eyes of the body than he does with the eyes of thesoul, but that he is a true singer also, building his song outof music, repeating each line over and over again to himselftill he is caught the secret of its melody chanting in darknessthe words that are winged with light.'(9)
Conclusion :Despite his prolific output, fertile and rich creativity, it
is very unfortunate that he has received less critical attention.He won high admiration for his book of poetry entitled 'TheFeast of Youth'. Prof. K.R. Sriniwas Iyengar, observes, "Inthe course of his life he has veered spasmodically betweenthe extremes of Aurobindoniun mysticism and marxianmaterialsm, and he has sampled every variety of experienceand exploited every possible mood, pose and stance".(10) 'Arich and finely lavish command of language, a firm possessionof his metrical instruments, and almost blinding gleam andglitter of the wealth of imagination and fancy, a stream ofunfailingly poetics thought and image, and a high, thoughas yet uncertain pitch of expression, are the powers withwhich the young poet starts'.(11) As a visionary,Harindranath's poetry elevates us, inspires us, illuminatesus, leads to us in the world of true, beautiful, eternal anddivine. As a visionary, he is a seer and sage. His vision isgrand, penetrating and soaring.References :
(1) Chattopadhyaya Harindranath, Life and MyselfHyderabad : Writers Anvil, 1983, P-139. (2) Arya (AurobindoAshram, Pondichery, 15 Nov. 1918), Republished in Virgins andvineyards, Chattopadhyaya, Harindranath, (Bombay : PearlPublication Pvt. Ltd., 1967), P-145. (3) Chattopadhyaya,Harindranath, Life and Myself vol-1, Hyderabad : Writers Anvil,1948, P-28. (4) Dhar, A.N. : Mysticism in Literature, New Delhi,Atlantic Publication, 1985, P-1. (5) Chattopadhyaya Harindranath,Life and Myself Hyderabad : Writers Anvil, 1983, P-72. (6) TheWorm, A treasury of poems. (7) Fururity, The Golden Treasury ofIndo-Anglian Poetry, P-199. (8) Letters to a friend, New Delhi,Repub, 2002, P-9. (9) Wild, Oscar, The complete works of OscarWild, Scotland, Gaddess and Grosset, New Lamar, 2002, P-329.(10) Iyengar, Sri Niwas, K.R. Indian Writing in English, New Delhi,Sterling Publication Pvt. Ltd., 1996, P-603. (11) Arya (AurobindoAshram, Pondichery, 15 Nov. 1918), Republished in Virgins andVineyards, Chattopadhyaya, Harindranath, Bombay : PearlPublications Pvt. Ltd., 1967, P-145.
Research Link - An International Journal - 132 Vol - XIV (1) March - 2015 25
In Post-Colonial literatures, the concept of 'exile'involves the idea of a separation ordistancing from literalhomeland or a cultural and ethnic origin. The term 'Diaspora'literally refers to a scattering, carrying within itthe ambiguousstatus of being both an ambassador and a refugee; oneanticipates the projectionof one's culture and the other seeksrefuge and protection and relates more positively to thehostculture.
The alien land of America might hold promise ofindividual freedom, financial independence, professionalbetterment, space to reinvent self and assert individualidentity but baggage of the past is not easy to give up,holding them back, shaping their consciousnesses,influencing their actions and decisions. The lives of thesewomen is a saga of peripheral existence caught between pullsand pressures of the old and the past and hopes andaspirations of the new, the present and the future. Thepresent paper attempts to explore and understand the excitingtrajectory of the lives of these women.
The diasporic author constantly draws upon twotemporalities and two spaces. Exchanging one tradition foranother, one culture for another and one home for another,the writer creates and inscribes 'alternative worlds', which,vibrant and demanding, resist the prospect of annihilation.Identity Crisis :
Identity crisis or search of identity has received animpetus in the Post-Colonial literature.Man is known as a
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E nglish LiteratureAn International,Registered & ReferredMonthly Journal :
social animal who needs some home, love ofparents andfriends and relatives. But when he is unhoused, he loses thesense of belongingnessand thus suffers from a sense ofinsecurity or identity crisis.Identity crisis is the central themeof this comparative study between Chitra Banerjee'sQueenof Dreams and Jhumpa Lahiri's The Name Sake. Both ChitraBanerjee and JhumpaLahiri belong to Indian Bengali descent.Identity Crisis in Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni'sQueen ofDreams :
Divakaruni's treats all shades of Identity Crisis such asalienation,marginalization, despair, nostalgia, readjustment,assimilation, adaption or adoption. As a womanwriter herwritings are autobiographical. She portrays a kind of culturalin-betweeness. Such'marginal' people are found in evercommunal group, where a cross fertilization of culturestakesplace. She also contrasts the lives and perceptions offirst-generation immigrantswith that of their children bornand raised in a foreign land. And, inevitably, it includestheIndian-American experience of grappling with twoidentities.
Queen of Dreams synthesizes an Indian Americanexperience with magic realism.The Queen of Dreams :
Mrs. Gupta, the 'queen' of dreams, retains much of herIndianness. It is imperative shedoes so, in order to retain thepowers she had acquired in India-the power of interpretingdreamswhichotherwise would desert her. To let the dream-
Associate Professor (Department of English), Govt. P.G. College, Sec-1, Panchkula (Haryana)
Cultural Dilemmas & Changing Identities in Divakaruni's�Queen of Dreams�& Lahiri's �The Namesake�
SHAILJA CHHABRA
Divakaruni's treats all shades of Identity Crisis such as alienation,marginalization, despair, nostalgia, readjustment, assimilation, adaption or adoption.As a womanwriter her writings are autobiographical. She portrays a kind of cultural in-betweeness. Jhumpa Lahiri's debut novel The Name Sake explores the themes ofexpatriate painful experiences and cultural dilemmas of the first and second generationIndian immigrants. Loneliness is one of the burning problems of the expatriate communityin the nation of their choice. Both the novels explore the ideas of cultural dilemmas andchanging identities, not only personal but also cultural. The characters confess theproblems of people who have migrated to America and their quest for their identificationand their cultural dilemma in their migrated land. Hence the cultural encounter betweentwo cultures eastern and western constructs a hybrid culture.
Research Link - An International Journal - 132 Vol - XIV (1) March - 2015 26
spirit invade her, she is forbidden tosquander her body insearch of physical pleasures. Nevertheless she falls in love,marries andmoves across the oceans to America with herhusband. Meantime, Rakhi is born and the tinselsheen ofher marriage no longer holds her attention. The dreams- theother people's lives-descend on her, warned her towarn themand help them because to her, �a dream is a telegraph from
the hidden world�.
The Strategy of Segregating and Integrating :Mrs. Gupta maintains her culture by mostly cooking
Indian foods.Mrs. Gupta Clad herself as Indians do either aSaree or Salwarkameez.Mrs. Gupta follows both the strategyof segregating and integrating in order to enforceanexistentialist sense of identity. To her, her identity is nogreat an issue as she maintains most ofher Indian cultureand tradition. She creates anidentity for herself whichrevolves around her dream world which none dares enter,not even herhusband or daughter.Drifting between Two Cultures :
Having imbibed the American culture by birth andIndian culture through blood Rakhidrifts between the twocultures. Rakhi does not know who she actually is or wheresheactually belongs to. Born and educated in AmericaRakhi perceives America as her home, but she �faces a
sense of alienation in the sense of'insider', 'outsider'.Devoid of any knowledge about her ancestral home, shepossesses only a warped sense of whatis Indian.Theintermingling of two cultures is strongly felt in thenewemergence of the resplendent coffee shop under thebanner 'Kurma Shop'.Living in a Constant State of Tension :
Rakhi as a Diasporic Subject is compelled to live in aperpetual state of tension and irresolution because sheisunable to severe her ties with the imaginary homeland thoughshe has accommodated into thehost culture.After thecatastrophe of fire in the 'Kurma Shop' she realizes hermother's words that,�calamity happens so we can understand
caring�. The father's affirmativeresponse also brings a crowd
of ethnic musicians to the store. Rakhi notices that,theyrediscover the joy like an �unexpected oasis tucked into an
arid stretch of dunes�a pleasure they thought they would
never find in America.The Aftermath of 9/11 :
In the US, the devastation caused by the terrorists onSeptember 11, 2001 shattered allcomplacency.The violenceunleashed inthe American Society Branded as terrorists forkeeping the shop open they are thrown into a nightmarewherethey start to question their identity. Obscene wordsare hurled at them,Looked in the mirror lately? One of themspits. You ain'tno American! Itsfuckers like you who plannedthis attack on the innocent people of this country.Timesomeone taught you faggots a lesson.
Ruminating over these words Rakhi reflects �But if I
wasn't American then what was I?�.She loses her sense of
belonging and identity.
Identity Crisis in Jhumpa Lahiri's The Name Sake :Jhumpa Lahiri's debut novel The Name Sake explores
the themes of expatriate painful experiences and culturaldilemmas of the first and second generation Indianimmigrants. Loneliness is one of the burning problems of theexpatriate community in the nation of their choice. In thisnovel The Name Sake, the Bengali Indian couple Ashokeand AshimaGanguli experience this issue in plenty on landingin Cambridge or Massachusetts; of the two, it's the wife whoundergoes this trauma more than the husband. Lahiri portraysthe emotions of Ashima and Gogol Ganguly. Gogol is thefirst born in Ashoke's family. After the birth of her son Gogol,she longs to go back to Calcutta and raise her child there inthe company of the caring and loving family members butdecides to stay back for Ashoke's Sake. Though Ashokehad been there for years, he is totally ignorant aboutAmerican norms and rules applied for a newly born child.This compels Ashoke to name his son, Gogol, the name ofthe famous Russian writer Nikolai Gogol. Ashoke'smiraculous escape in an Indian train crash is credited to abulky copy of a Nikolai Gogol novel so that the parentsdecide that Gogol is the perfect name for their first born boy;not knowing the consequences that their son is going toface later in life and eventually leading up to his identitycrisis.Training in Bengali Language and Culture Preserving theHome Culture :
Ashima, trains Gogol in Bengali language, literatureand exposes him to Bengali customs. Like immigrants of othercommunities Ashima and Ashoketoo make their circle ofBengali acquaintances. While making efforts to preserve their�home culture� in their new homes, the first generation
immigrants train their children in the Bengali language theyalso groom them to cope with the way of life in America.
Gogol, like a typical second generation Indian-American makes a conscious effort to bedifferent from hisparents. He wants to live in a world free from the Bengaliculture. He experiences a cultural dilemma on numerousoccasions during his life. He experiences the feeling ofinbetweeness and belonging to no one nation quiteintensely throughout his life.Lahiri says, He hates that hisname is both obscured that it has nothing to do with who heis, that it is neither Indian nor American but all things Russian.He feels that he is an American and be wants to distance himfrom everything which is Indian or Bengali. He wants toachieve his real identity.Solving the Identity Problem :
Gogol tries to solve his identity problem by becomingNikhil once he is going to join theUniversity.When hebecomes friendly with Ruth and Maxine he starts dating withthem and Gogol enjoys premarital sex with Ruth. Ashima isterribly upset at seeing her children becoming cultural orphansin the US.
The basic problems of diasporic writings are the feelingof dislocation without roots. The diaspora feels
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homelessness alienated in the foreign land. He recreateshimself into a new personality and forms emotional ties withthe place he lives in. The living 'in-between' condition isvery painful and marginalizing for the diaspora people. Theyface cultural dilemma and stand bewildered and confused.This is true in the case of Divakaruni'sQueen of Dreams andLahiri's The Name Sake. Both the novels explore the ideas ofisolation and identity, not only personal but also cultural.The characters in both the works frequently encounter crisisof identity, which is tied to inabilities to reconcile the Americanidentity with their Indian identity. In the novel Queen ofDreams, Rakhi, the off spring of immigrants, is born to thehyphenated existence - Asian American.She has never beento India but is determined to identify her �roots� so that she
understands her identity as an Asian American. Like RakhiinDivakaruni'sQueen of Dreams, Gogol, in Lahiri's The NameSake struggles hard to find his roots with his immigrantparents while adapting to American society in differentcontexts. For Gogol reconciling his ethnic background withAmerican culture presents a crisis of identity. Gogol towardsthe end accepts his identity as it is two names, two cultures,half-Indian and half-American. He realizes that he cannotescape from his name and from his hyphenated identity. Herecognizes that being an immigrant, his fractured self is hisonly reality. Both the novels explore the ideas of culturaldilemmas and changing identities, not only personal but alsocultural. The characters confess the problems of people whohave migrated to America and their quest for theiridentification and their cultural dilemma in their migrated land.Hence the cultural encounter between two cultures easternand western constructs a hybrid culture.References :
Primary Sources :
(1) Divakaruni, Chitra Banerjee. Queen of Dreams. UnitedStates of America: Double Day, 2004.
(2) R. Malathi, M.A., M.Phil. Quest for Identity in ChitraBanerjee Divakaruni'sQueen of Dreams and Jhumpa Lahiri's TheName Sake 367Lahiri, Jhumpa.The Name Sake. Britain: Flamingo,2003.
Secondary Sources :(1) Kaur, Tejiender. �Cultural Dilemmas and Displacements
of Immigrants in Jhumpa Lahiri's The Name Sake�.The Journal of
Indian Writing in English 32.2 (July 2004): 34-44.(2) Kezia, Doris. �Self- Identity through Adapting and
Adopting of Host Culture by Immigrants: A Study of Chitra Banerjee'sQueen of Dreams�. Poetcrit22.1 (Jan 2009): 53-60.
Family and Identity Construction in Chitra BanerjeeDivakaruni'sQueen of Dreams�. South Asian Review 29.2 (Oct-
Nov 2008): 199-219.(4) Sudipta, B. �The Immigrant Narrative in the Writings of
Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni�.
(5) Critical Essays on Diasporic Writings. Ed.K.Balachandran. New Delhi: Arise Publishers and Distributors,2008.
(6) Thayyalnayagi, M. �Indian Immigrants and their
Philosophy of Composition�.
(7) Varma, Prem. �The Writings of the Indian Diaspora with
special Reference to Jhumpa Lahiri�.
(8) XU, Wenying. �Reading Feminine Mysticism in Chitra
Banerjee Divakaruini'sQueen of(9) Dreams�.South Asian Review 31.1(Nov 2010): 186-207.
Research Link - An International Journal - 132 Vol - XIV (1) March - 2015 28
Along with Sachal Sarmast and Sami, the great poetShah Lateef (1689-1752) forms the golden trinity of Sindhipoetry. Considered as the greatest poet and the beacon ofSindhi literature, he is most remembered for his heart renderingcollection of poems Shah Jo Risalo. Penned by the primepoet of Sindhi, it forms the basis of Sindhi vocal cultures.Shah Lateef is undoubtedly the greatest and possibly themost venerated poet of Sindhi literature. His entry in Englishlanguage precedes even the introduction of the very grammarof Sindhi language. Sindhi was introduced to the West by acritical addition of his Risalo in 1866 by a German missionaryErnest Trumpp who took six more years to write about thegrammar of Sindhi language.
Numerous translations in English, Hindi, French andPunjabi followed. Risalo's Urdu translation was rendered by theacclaimed poet Sheikh Ayaz, known as Pablo Neruda or FaizAhmed Faiz of Sindh. His detailed, critical and painstakingly-done translation of Risalo is considered the finest till date.Testifying the brilliance of both the poets and his work, SheikhAyaz calls Shah Lateef Bhitai as �the first and probably the last
poet whose poetry was enriched with almost all possible qualitiesthat Sindhi language has to offer.� He further goes on to proclaim
�in fact I will agree that Sindhi language is still alive and probably
will be because it is holds the heart-rending poetry of anexemplary poet like Shah Lateef Bhitai.�
His magnum opus Risalo is a collection of poetrydivided into different Surs or Styles. These 30 different Sursor kinds of poetry include Wai, Chopai, Doha (fourhemistitches with rhymed pairs), Dhola, Bayt (couplet or twohemistitches) etc. Ragas and Raginis like Bilawal, Sorat,Sarang, Rag Kalyan, Yaman Kalyan, Kamod, Khambat, Siri
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Rag, Prabhati, Sohni etc. are also mentioned. The Sursincluding Maruee, Sur Mumal Rano, Sur Kohiyari etc. can betraced to the Ragas of folk music practiced in desserts ofSindh. Like most Sufi poems, these expressions weresupposed to be sung. In fact, Shah Lateef integrated thesethree forms of expression: Sufi thoughts, rendered in poetry,set in music to be sung.
Essentially a Sufi poet, Shah often entwined balladsand old Sindhi folk stories in his poems. The age-old folkromances of Leela Chanesar, Umar Marwi, Sasi Punnu, SohniMahiwal, Mumal Rano are timeless. But in hands of SufiShah Lateef, these paradigms of worldly love became thesymbols of union with THE eternal belovedGod. So we seeSohni's search for her beloved as she swims every night tothe bank to seek Mahiwal; or Sasi's search across mountainsand desert for her lover, which remain ultimately unattainable.Even when the soul yearns earnestly for the desirablebeloved, beloved/God remains elusive. The only possibleunion is in death: Sohni drowns and Sasi dies of thirst. Theseballads are not told as complete stories in themselves, theexpression of unbridled love and devotion to the belovedGod is utilised for the purpose of displaying a Sufi'sdedication to beloved God which can only be realized afterone has given up the world and its claims.
Sufi poetry, like Lateef's is populated by commonpeople. Unlike court poets with their Odes and Panegyricsto the rulers; Shah Lateef's works with commoners, whocomprise in Marx's terms the base of the society, not superstructure. Professionals like ironsmiths, weavers, fishermen,boatmen, merchants, gypsies, ploughmen etc. flavour ShahLateef's poetry :
Assistant Professor, Daulat Ram College, University of Delhi, Delhi
Sindh Jo Lateef : The Sufi mystic
SANEYA
Sufi poet, Shah often entwined ballads and old Sindhi folk stories in his poems. Theage-old folk romances of Leela Chanesar, Umar Marwi, Sasi Punnu, Sohni Mahiwal,Mumal Rano are timeless. But in hands of Sufi Shah Lateef, these paradigms of worldlylove became the symbols of union with THE eternal belovedGod. So we see Sohni's searchfor her beloved as she swims every night to the bank to seek Mahiwal; or Sasi's searchacross mountains and desert for her lover, which remain ultimately unattainable. Evenwhen the soul yearns earnestly for the desirable beloved, beloved/God remains elusive.
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Faqat ye machhliyaan hain unki daulat,ghareeb-o-na tatavaa(n) hain ye machherey,
Kaan mein phir hai dhaunkni ki sadaa,barsar-e-kaar hai wo aahanger.
One also meets the jogis, saints and faqirs:Jabajaa phir rahein hain ye jogi,unse qaayam hai jog ka dastoor,Ram hi ram unke lab par hai,dil isi ek lagan se hai maamoor.These social characters reflect the lively society of Shah
Lateef. Such couplets are glimpses not only of the socialorder, but also the beauty of the country and the lives ofcommoners; lending the poetry a quotidian aspect which isthe hallmark of folk and sufi literature. These were the subjectas well as the intended audience of his poetry. Not just jogisand saints, Shah Lateef was influenced by all four traditionsof Sufism. He belonged to the Qadiriyah tradition of Sufismwhich forbids music; but music was woven in his life. Manyfamous and folk singers,musicians graced his Mehfil-e-Samaa.He sang his poetry on Yaktaro (Ek Tara), a single stringedinstrument (legacy continued by Sain Zahoor, famous Sindhifolk musician/singer and BBC Artist of the Year 2006).
In his poetry he prayed for rains for crops which also iscalled rehmat (divine grace), asked God to maintain thefecundity of the land, long lives of cattle, to protect boatsfrom storms, prays for the safe journey of passengers, forprosperity of people:
Dekh pyaaso ka haal bhi ya rab, aaj barsa de jabaja pani,
Door ho anaaj ki qillat, aur har cheez ki ho arzaani.
Ho wahi aan-baan kutiyo ki, unke maalik sadaa rahein khush haal,
Nit nayi ho chehal pehal unki, kaash ujdey kabhi na wo chaupal.
Khush rahe unke saare chawpaaye, aur sarsabz ho charaagaahein.Such humanitarian concerns are unparalleled in today's
poetry. Surely, we have come a long away from the times ofShah Lateef. But this advancement, in time and otherwise,has shown us its own perils. It is in times like these that theimportance, the need, the significance and the meaning ofSufi poetry becomes foremost. The humanism andbrotherhood Shah Lateef preached needs to be practicedwidely. In times of crisis, we should look back in our past tosecure our future. The treasure that Shah Lateef had givenus in the form of Risalo needs not only to be re-read andrelooked into but also to be cultivated.
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Kamala Markandaya ranks among those fewdistinguished novelists as R.K. Narayan, Mulk Raj Anand,Raja Rao, Bhabhani Bhattacharya, Anita Desai and NayantaraSahagal who are bestowed with prodigious talents. She hasachieved world wide distinction as a significant IndianEnglish novelist. As stated earlier she shot into prominencewith her very first novel Nectar in a Sieve (1954) and haswritten about ten novels. As her novels show, KamalaMarkandaya is conservative in her choice and so she selectstraditional themes in her fiction. She is an excellent storyteller who adroitly manipulates traditional elements of thenovel to suit her artistic purpose. Kamala Markandaya'snovels normally have theme of poverty and hunger, strugglefor independence, conflict between traditional and modernand East-West encounter. However even within this smallrange of themes, variety and profoundness are noticeable.Most of her characters, both major and minor, are faced withconflict between the good and the bad, reason and faith,Eastern and Western values, honesty and dishonesty etc
The Paper deals with the plight of in women in thenovel Nectar In a Sieve written by Kamala Markandaya.This novel was written by the novelist keeping the Indiansensibility in mind. Born and brought up in a south Indianfamily, she has seen and experienced the Indian life and familyand it is this sensibility that she employs this novel
The women protagonist in the novel is a complex andinterwoven picture of traditionalism and modernity. Herfemale characters are not shown as enjoying life but asgenerally toiling hard under the economic and socialhardships and constantly engaged in some or the otherconflict. Her belief in Indian civilization and Hindu moral
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code seems to image out in most of her female protagonists.Idealism on one hand and reality on the other hand, shemixes them whenever she wants and keeps them separatewhen she doesn't want. She seems to have understood Indianwomen and thus the picture she portrays of them is a tragicone.
Nectar in a sieve presents a peasant woman Rukmani,as the narrator of the story, The story is thus told throughfeminine sensibility. The role thus assigned to Rukmani, isboth, of a narrator as well as of a participant. Rukamni is thecentral figure in the novel around whom the story revolvesand events are shown as she sees them. She is the daughterof a village headman whose power gradually dwindles intopale insignificance with the passing of time. Rukmani,however, refuses to believe this earlier, but with passage oftime she accepts it.
Although she comes from a well to do family, shereadily adjusts well in her husband's house who belongedto the lower socio economic strata of the society. She practicesreading and writing so that she could impart this knowledgeto her children when required. Moreover, she wants toconstruct her identity of an ideal wife and mother. She spendsmost of her time tending her small garden. The mud hut,thatched near a paddy field which disappointed her at thefirst look, gives her a sense of pride when she learns that iswas Nathan who made every bit of it. The character ofRukmani created by Kamala Markandaya is made out of bitsand pieces of the customary concepts of Indian womanhood.The birth of female child is unwelcomed in the life of anIndian wife and same is the case with Rukamani who is unableto please her husband due to the birth of a girl.
Agony of Indian Women As Portrayed in KamalaMarkandaya's 'Nectar in a Sieve'
ANJANA GUPTA
Kamala Markandaya's novels normally have the theme of poverty and hunger,struggle for independence, conflict between traditional and modern and East-Westencounter. However even within this small range of themes, variety and profoundness arenoticeable. Most of her characters, both major and minor, are faced with conflict betweenthe good and the bad, reason and faith, Eastern and Western values, honesty and dishonest.The novel Nectar in the Sieve is one of the masterpieces of Kamala Markandaya.
Assistant Professor, Acropolis Faculty of Management Studies, Indore (Madhya Pradesh)
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Kamala Markandaya, through the story of Rukmaniand Nathan has revealed the life of the peasants, their toiland torture , their anguish and their sufferings. Rukamni isan embodiment of patience, courage and forbearance whohas deep faith in God. Rukmani's life takes a dreadful turnwhen her daughter Ira is disowned by her husband becausehe thinks that she is barren but she does not lose faith inAlmighty.
Things start to change in Rukmani's and Nathan's life.This change was due to the advent of tannery, the symbol ofindustrialisation, on one hand, and the vagaries of the natureon the other. The change spoils the sweet harmony of thepeasant family and destroys the joy and placid rhythms oftheir simple lives. The tannery contributes in thedisintegration of Rukmani's family to a great extent. It costsRukmani and Nathan their two eldest sons, and when thefamily is on the verge of starvation, their other two sons,Arjun And Thambi, join the tannery inspite of strongopposition from Rukmani and Nathan. The third son alsogoes out to the city. Yet they starve. The rains fail, creatingcracks in the earth and erasing traces of plants from the soil.
Inspite of all these sufferings, Rukmani did not givehope. She has tremendous endurance and patience. Ira herdaughter is forced is take up to prostitution during the bitterperiod of famine, to feed her brother. The tannery is alsolargely responsible for the moral degradation of Ira. HoweverIra's great sacrifice goes unappreciated by the familymembers. Rukmani tries her best to stop her but she couldnot succeed. But the heart that is tempered in the flames oflove and faith , of suffering and sacrifice will not easily acceptdefeat. Rukmani receives shock after shock, her husbandNathan's infidelity, her daughter's sacrifice to save the familyfrom starvation , the death of the child Kuti and their ejectionfrom the house. Although Rukmani marries a man who isbelow her status because she has no beauty and dowry. Shenever tries to humiliate her husband. She readily adjusts inthe new environment. She tries to make both ends meet withthe limited resources of the family. When she learns thatNathan has built the hut for her with his own hands, herinitial disappointment vanishes and she feels proud of it.Rukamani is more practical and tractful than Savitrti of R.K.Narayan's Dark Room.Rukmani avoids any directconfrontation with her husband when she learns of hisinfidility She does not want to put her marriage at stake. . Shetries to consolidate her position. Nathan also realizes hismistake and mends his ways. Rukmani is therefore an idealIndian woman who is an embodiment of faith and endurance.
Another instance of woman scarifing everything forthe family is that of Ira. Ira is very beautiful but barren andso she was abandoned by her husband. After some medicaltreatment she becomes capable of conception and her mothertries to send her back to her husband but it is too late as heis already married to some other girl. The heroine, Rukmanirepresenting the endurance in women of India is similar incharacter to the old man in Hemingway's Old man and the
Sea. Kamala Markandaya has portrayed Rukmani as simpleand courageous with immense tolerance and patience to bearthe hardships of life
In course of the subsequent history and social changein the Indian society, this image of women got blurred. Shebegan to be considered either man's proud possession orhis inferior and dependent. Even now she is often considereda feeble minded person or a weaker vessel. In the traditionalsociety her assigned role is that of bearing and rearingchildren or that of a second fiddler. Kamala Markandayathrough the character of Rukmani has tried to refute thisimage of women.
As the events of the novel show, even a modest happylife is denied to Rukmani and she is made to struggle endlesslyagainst the odds of life. Although down trodden andmiserable, Rukmani never feels defeated. On the contraryshe becomes an embodiment of virtues like endurance,compassion, forbearance and sacrifice. This does not meanthat Kamala Markandaya has tried to depict the noblecharacter of Indian woman. She has portrayed the degradedcondition of womanhood with equal frankness. On the wholeshe has artistically presented the predicament if Indianwomen in the face of most adverse circumstances of life.Ira's going for prostitution in order to maintain her family isthe most pathetic instance of sacrifice that a woman canmake for the sake of her family.
References :
(1) Markandaya, Kamala. Nectar in a Sieve. New York :Signet Books, 1954.
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The logic of grammar requires languages to havealmost the same word categories and the same sententialfunctions. However, the conventions of each language,together with certain logical considerations connected withits problems, affect ways of expression, patterns or phrasestructures. Yet, the truth about communication is that whatcan be said in a certain way in one language can also be saidin a different way in another language. But, there aredifficulties due to structure and features of the twolanguages. I think we can appreciate the problem ofcommunication in these languages better if we take up acomparative study of the function and structures of verbphrase in Hindi and English.
A verb phrase in a Hindi sentence occupies the endposition, but it occurs in the middle of the English sentence.This causes a problem for English to communicate. Forexample, we can say in Hindi dqN fons'kh Fks, but we cannotcommunicate the idea in English by a concatenation ofsynonymous words for the Hindi phrase. In other words,�were some foreigners� makes no sense even as this is the
result of word-for-word translation of the Hindi phrase, whichconveys complete sense. To give the phrase the meaningwhich the Hindi phrase communicates, English uses the word�There� as null subject to form the sentence �There were
some foreigners.� This means that, for English, a grammatical
subject may or may not be the logical or real subject. But,Hindi does not need any such distinction; for it, thegrammatical subject is the real subject.
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The positioning of the verb reveals certain things,which are important from the point of verb phrase structure.Since, in English, the verb phrase occupies the middle spacein the sentence, it can have other phrases to go after it, butthe verb phrase in Hindi is the last entry. For example,
I had kept the book/ on the table/ in the morning.'(English)
eS aus ¼lqcg esT +k ij½ fdrkc j[kh FkhA
(Hindi)From this, it is evident that a Hindi verb phrase does
not include other kind of phrase in its structure, nor it acceptsthe existence of a prepositional verb. As per Hindi grammar,we can say that the verbal part in Hindi sentence is �j[khFkh� and the rest part of the predicate is fØ;k dk foLrkj orwhat may be termed in English as �the extention of verb.� In
order to get clear of the meaning of this technical term, wemay ask a series of questions and consider their answers.These questions and answers are being mentioned herebelow:
Q. D;k j[kh Fkh ? A. fdrkc j[kh FkhA
Q. dgkWa j[kh Fkh ? A. esT+k ij j[kh FkhA
Q. dc j[kh Fkh ? A. lqcg j[kh FkhA
Just as prepositional verbs are in English but not inHindi, there are motivational verbs in Hindi but not in English.The idea contained in the motivational verb is that the plannerof the action does not perform the action himself but getssome agent to do it. Thus, 'fiVokuk' is a motivational verb. A
Assistant Professor (Department of English), D.P.Vipra Mahavidyalaya, Bilaspur (Chhattisgarh)
A Comparative Study of The Function and Structureof Verb Phrase in Hindi and English
DR. OORJA RANJAN SINHA
A verb phrase in a Hindi sentence occupies the end position, but it occurs in themiddle of the English sentence. This causes a problem for English to communicate. Forexample, we can say in Hindi dqN fons'kh Fks, but we cannot communicate the idea inEnglish by a concatenation of synonymous words for the Hindi phrase. In other words,�were some foreigners� makes no sense even as this is the result of word-for-word
translation of the Hindi phrase, which conveys complete sense. To give the phrase themeaning which the Hindi phrase communicates, English uses the word �There� as null
subject to form the sentence �There were some foreigners.� This means that, for English,
a grammatical subject may or may not be the logical or real subject. But, Hindi does notneed any such distinction; for it, the grammatical subject is the real subject.
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sentence with a motivational verb looks like the passive, but itis different. The sentence refers to two agents, the onemotivating and the other performing the action. Though Englishdoes not have a synonymous word for fiVokuk, it can expressthe idea using the phrase �got beaten.� The verb can have a
diplomatic use as wellfor example, someone dissatisfied withthe treatment of his doctor may consult another doctor sayingthat he got himself treated but with no result and thus avoidnaming the doctor who previously treated him.
There are other verbal phrases in Hindi, which, thoughthey look like the passive, are not really sofor example, 'vc
vkSj pyk ugha tkrk' or 'eq>ls [kkuk [kk;k ugha tkrkA'These are, in fact emotive expressions that communicate thespeaker's feeling of helplessness. Hindi grammar talks of athird kind of Voice, which it terms �Hkko&okP;� ('affective
voice,' if it could be so called) and treats the sentences likethe ones mentioned above as illustration. However, the abovesentences can be translated using the phrase �find it difficult
to� with the verbs �walk� and �eat.�
Whereas English does not duplicate a verb in its verbphrase, Hindi does, and it does to communicate specialmeanings. Consider the following examples:
nl ctrs ctrsª Vªsu igqW ap tk,xhA
(= The train will reach by the time it is 10 O'clock.)cksy cksy ds Fkd x;kA
(= reprimanded repeatedly but all in vain)thrrs thrrs jg x;kA (=lost by a narrow margin)There is yet one more important kind of verb phrase in
Hindi, which, as compound of the base form of a verb and afinite form of other verb can communicate special meaning ina special way. For example, if you say �dj ywaxk� in reply to
the question whether you can do it, you will be understoodas saying�Certainly, I can.� We can see how the use of the
verb phrase in future tense communicates your capabilityand your confidence.
We may compare the sequence of elements in the twokinds of verb phrasesone in Hindi and the other in English.The sequence is just the opposite: in English. The auxiliaryverb precedes the main verb, but, in Hindi, it comes after themain verbfor example:
(English) He is going.(Hindi) og tk jgk gSA
Since auxiliary verbs are of different kinds, we may askwhich auxiliary verb goes before or after the other auxiliaryverb. English has a special kind of auxiliary verb called �modal
auxiliary.� We may ask what place it will occupy vis-à-vis
other auxiliaries in the verb phrase. The order of auxiliaries inan English verb phrase is like one of the following:
(1) Modal auxiliary + have + been + doing/done (i.e.,present or past participle of action verb.)
(2) A finite form of �have� + been + present or participle
of action verb.(3) A finite form of �be� + being + past participle of
action verb.
The finite form of �do� also serves as an auxiliary verb,
but it can be used to ask a question or make negativestatement: for example,
Do you practice law?No, I don't like the profession.My round up of the topic is complete. However, I would
want to close mentioning one interesting thing about theuse of the finite form of �be� and �do� as auxiliary verb. It is
that they can mean a little more than the dictionary meaningof them. If I ask you, �Are you a tennis player?� I am to be
understood as using the verb not in the sense of �gks� but
the sense of �gks D;k.� Likewise, if you ask me, �Do you
practice law?� I must understand you as asking me �odkyr
djrs gSa D;k.� In contrast with English uses only express
words in asking questions.
References :
(1) Course materials prepared by CIEFL, Hyderabad, onEnglish Grammar and Linguisticsparticularly the Blocks on theVerbal & Syntax.
(2) Eastwood, John : Oxford Guide to English Grammar,Oxford University Press, 1994.
(3) Hornby, A.S.: Guide to Patterns & Usage in English,Oxford University Press, 1975.
(4) Varma, V.K.: A Grammar Guide to Clear & CorrectExpression, Author House, 2011.
(5) Varma, V.K.: An English Grammar Supplement, Partridge(-Penguin), 2014.
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Between the Assassinations is the second publishednovel of Aravind Adiga though it was penned before hisdebut novel The White Tiger. Aravind Adiga always writesabout the blatant truths of Indian society. Between theAssassinations provides a glimpse of the sordid reality ofcontemporary India.
The present paper aims to reflect the widespreadcorruption as reflected in the novel Between theAssassinations. This paper attempts to focus that even afterso many decades have passed for India's independence, thecondition of the nation has got even worse in terms of socio-economic equality, and administration. Corruption hasbecome a part and parcel of an Indian's life.
The novel Between the Assassinations throws lighton the social and political upheavals of India during 1984and 1991 i.e. the assassinations of Indira Gandhi and her sonRajiv Gandhi. The novel reflects that the corruption isdestroying the country and keeping it away from progress.Corruption is the root cause of poverty, socio-economicinequality and all other social evils in India. Everyone frompoliticians to the police, the municipal workers abuses theirpower. No one is concerned for the welfare of the people.Adiga says that due to corruption, growth has becomestagnant and country is being crippled. The whole countryis in the grip of corruption today.
The novel Between the Assassinations studies theseven days in Kittur, the fictional city of Karnataka. Manystories in the Between the Assassinations highlightcorruption and violence which run not only in the vein ofKittur but in all the Indian towns. The Bunder, Angel Talkiesare few examples of stories which reflect that corruption is in
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full swing in kittur.The Bunder is the story of Abbasi, a shirt factory owner
and Ummar, his manager. To run his factory Abbasi has tobribe officials. He has to face the problem of �to be or not to
be� i.e. to choose between underworld economics and
blinding his staff or closing up shop. Through Abbasi, Adigaattacks on the entrepreneur of modern India. Abbasi knowsthe tricks of getting his work done by hook or by crook. Heis aware of the fact that all the officials are corrupt and can bebought easily on payment of hard cash. He thinks-
�Corruption. There is no end to it in this country. In the
past four months, since he had decided to reopen his shirtfactory, he had to pay off:
The electricity man; the water board man; half theincome tax department of kittur; half the excise departmentof kittur; six different officials of the telephone board; a landtax official of the Kittur City Corporation; a sanitary inspectorof the Karnataka State Health Board; a health inspector ofthe Karnataka State Sanitation Board; a delegation of the AllIndia Small Factory Workers' Union; delegations of the KitturCongress party, the Kittur BJP, the Kittur Communist Party,the Kittur Muslim League.�(BTA29).
Abbasi faces endemic corruption prevalent amongpublic servants. He gives an outlet to his feelings to kalam,the drug dealer �Corruption, It's like a demon sitting on my
brain and eating it with a fork and knife.�(BTA33).
The Corrupt bureaucrats never let any opportunity goto get bribe making an excuse-
�A man has to eat these days, Mr. Abbasi. And prices
are rising so fast. Ever since Mrs. Gandhi died, this countryhas begun falling apart.�(BTA26).
Corruption : The Main Theme in Aravind Adiga'sNovel Between the Assassinations
Aravind Adiga's second novel Between the Assassinations is the collection of14 short stories which throw light on various social and political ills of India. Corruptionis spreading like tuberculosis in the body of India and if not curbed and cured soon,will result into many other socio-political diseases.
Assistant Professor (Department of English), Govt. GNA PG College, Bhatapara (Chhattisgarh)
SMT. NIDHI GUPTA
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In Kittur, corruption is at its full swing. If anyone raiseshis voice against it, he is murdered and floated in the kaliammariver the very next morning. The consumption of liquor inany Indian town is so much that the Times of India publishesnews in which the chief of Johnnie Walker reports that moreRed Label is consumed in the average small Indian townthan is produced in all of Scotland. Viewing the condition ofIndia, Sunil Shetty, another shirt factory owner makes asarcastic comment-
�When it comes to three areas black-marketing,
counterfeiting and corruption, we are the world champions.If they were included in the Olympic games, India wouldalways win gold, silver and bronze in those three�(BTA31).
Abbasi feels exhausted of this bribery and corruption.He gets outraged at the volume of corrupt officials whosegreed has no limit. He catches the income tax officers andscolds them badly. This brings the victory and he continuesto run on his factory without any problem.
Here Adiga seems to suggest that when an honestperson begins to revolt, the whole world is changed.Corruption is increasing because the common people take itlightly. They prefer the short cut or the easy course of workrather than long procedure which is right but time taking.Corruption is increasing because no one has the courage tofight against it. Honest and brave men are needed to minimizethis corruption. Corruption can be minimized only when thereis a strong determination to sweep it off from the country.
The story Day Three: Angel Talkies is even a morebitter satire on the corruption. Gururai Kamath, the journalistof Kittur's only major newspaper The Dawn Herald is in avain search for the uncorrupted truth. He has written columnsexposing corruption, riots and crimes prevalent in Kittur. Butthrough a watchman Gurkha he discovers that the riots whichare supposed to be the result of Hindu-Muslim strife andwhich are called Hindu-Muslim riots are actually instigatedby MP who works hand in hand with mafia. All this violenceis planned for selfish motifs as it is reflected in the words ofGururaj.
�I heard that the Member of Parliament, along with the
mafia of the port, instigated the riots. And I heard that thegoons and the MP have transferred the property to the handsof their own men, under the name of a fictitious trust calledthe New Kittur Port Development Trust. The violence wasplanned. Muslim goons burned Muslim shops and Hindugoons burned Hindu shops. It was a real estate transactionmasquerading as a religious riot�. (BTA 126)
Here a guilty man walks free and an innocent man is injail. Inspite of day boarded murder, the murderer is notarrested because he is the richest man of the town. Insteadof arresting the killer, one of his employees is forced to givea sworn affidavit to the police that at the time of accident hewas driving the car. The story of Killer employer and corruptpolice does not end here. The identity of the killer car ischanged to a fiat because the killer car is the favourite car ofthe rich man and he wants that back. Later the case is dropped
at the payment of bribe�Then Mr. Engineer gives the judge six thousand
rupees, and the police something less, perhaps four thousandor five, because the judiciary is of course more noble thanthe police, to keep quiet. Then he wants his Maruti Suzukiback, because it's a new car and a fashion statement and helikes driving it, so he gives the police another thousand tochange the identity of the killer car to a Fiat, and he has hiscar and he's driving around town again.�(BTA123).
Gururaj is told,�BJP City Councillor, who needs money
in a hurry to build a new mansion on mansion Rose Lane,blasts the Congressman. He will tomorrow receive a brownbag full of cash from the Congress party, and then stopblasting the Congressman.�(BTA134)
Knowing this rottenness Gururaj is determined to writethe truth, one day of truth, only truth. But the newspaper isowned by the corrupt politicians and the rich men of thetown. Everyone knows the truth but no one has the courageto change this sorry state of affairs. Whosoever raises thevoice against it is considered to be mad. Gururaj's effort towrite only truth is deemed as madness and he is fired fromjob. Gururaj realizes that he is walking on the �false earth�
where police force is rotten and judiciary is corrupt. He thinks�An innocent man is behind bars and a guilty man walks
free� (BTA 129). He slides from contempt to madness. This is
the fate of not only Gururaj but of all those committed patriotswho wish to make their country corruption free. This happensbecause Gururaj is not having the proof of anything and it isthe misery of India that all criminal cases are solved only onthe basis of proofs and witnesses. Criminals and politicianstake undue advantage of this weakness of Indian constitution.They make the mockery of the law of the country.
Thus Adiga Suggests that corruption has seeped intothe very fabric of the legal system and law enforcing agency.In this bureaucratic world, money is the supreme power. Arich person is omniscient and omnipotent. Between theAssassinations provides samples of gross malpractices inlaw agency of so called democratic India. Though the noveldepicts the condition of India between 1984 and 1991 and somany years have passed for that time, much change has notcome in scenario of the nation. Through dazzling storiesAdiga brings to light corruption omnipresent in India whichif not rooted out soon may flare up in the form of violenceand terrorism.
References :
(1) Adiga, Aravind. Between the Assassinations, Picador,New Delhi, 2008.(Abbreviated BTA). All the excerpts are quotedfrom the same edition.
(2) Sebestian, A.J. 'A Critique of Aravind Adiga's Betweenthe Assassinations, an article in Glorious Trends:Indian Writings,Films and Translation,2010.print
