A Journal of Mahatma Gandhi Antarrashtriya Hindi Vishwavidyalaya
A Journal of Mahatma Gandhi Antarrashtriya Hindi Vishwavidyalaya A Journal of Mahatma Gandhi Antarrashtriya Hindi Vishwavidyalaya
of producing the story) is derived from Sanskrit in Hindi. As mentioned earlier Katha is supposed to be fiction and akhyan is supposed to be factual and historical. The tradition of katha and akhyayika continues in Hindi Belt in the early phase of Hindi literature in charit kavya (narratives of hero in verses) like Prithiviraj Raso (Story of King Prithiviraj) by his court poet Chandvardai, Kirtilata and Kirtipataka by Vidyapati in 13 th century a.d. In the age of Bhakti movement also poets like Tulsi Das and Malik Muhammad Jayasi created epics like Ramcharit Manas and Padmavat in story form .These are in one and another sense seen as different forms of Charit kavya. These writings have the quality of both katha and akhyayika. The poet uses his imagination to depict contemporary reality by using myths and symbols known as kathanak roodhiyan (traditional symbols supposed to be used for telling a story. For example telling a story through dialogue between birds is one of the kathanak roodhiyan). In the beginning of 19 th century Rani Ketki ki Kahani by Insha Alla Khan is also an example of continuation of this katha-kahani tradition. Early Hindi novels derive many characteristics from these charit kavyas and katha-kahani tradition prevalent in India for centuries. The story is the focal point of the Novel which also tells a story. Influence of gadya kavya parampara and champu (one of the varieties of narratives prevalent in India where the mixture of prose and poetry is being used to tell the story) is clearly evident from the early novels of India particularly in Hindi. Therefore it is a misnomer to conceptualize that the novel in India emerges out of the direct influence of western novels particularly English Novels and there is nothing Indian in it. The style of novel writing in different Indian languages as also in Hindi carries the traditional style of story telling/writing of kissa, kahani,dastan and akhyan. The characteristics and essence of the tradition of novel writing is defined by its birth and the culture along with which it grows. The uniqueness and Indianness of Hindi novel also lies in the circumstances in which the novel in India emerged. The birth of novel in India is an amalgamation of the traditional legacy of story telling and contemporary circumstances in India in the 19 th -20 th century. Besides the factors connected with the advent of prose and the birth of the novel, like coming of new technologies in the form of printing press and birth of a middle class who aspired to tell its agonies and aspiration through this new genre the readers were also mostly from the same class. These factors also helped in the birth of the novel in India. But emergence of the novel in India is totally different from that of Europe which is said to be the birth place of novel although the credit 46 :: January-March 2012
of first novel goes to the Genji Monogatari (The Tale Of Genji/1000 A.D) written by Lady Murasaki from Japan. Here, I’m not going into the details of the rise of the novel worldwide since neither it is the topic of discussion today nor the time permits that. What I’m trying to say is that the rise of the novel in India is a product of its own conditions and circumstances which I’m going to narrate now. This may help us in defining the Indian Novel and particularly Hindi Novel which is the topic of deliberation today. The Freedom Struggle of India in 1857 may be considered as the benchmark in the history of India since it is the first major outburst to overthrow the colonial rule from India. It is interesting to see that at this juncture many Indian languages produced their first novel. Alaler Gharer Dulal (A prodigal son/Pyare Chand Mitra/ 1858) in Bangla, Yamuna paryatan (Travelogue of Yamuna/1857/Baba Padmji) in Marathi, Umrao Jaan (Mirja Muhammad Hadee Rusva/1899) in Urdu, Saraswatichandra (Gowardhan Ram Madhav Ram Tripathee/1887-1900) in Gujarati ,Chaman aath Gunth (A piece of Land/Fakir Mohan Senapati/1897) in Oriya and so on and so forth. Centrality of women in early novels and depicting position of women in changing society are the striking features of Early Hindi Novel. Influence of social reformers is clearly visible on Hindi novels .In the early Hindi novels the theme of training women through education to conduct themselves is direct influence of reformers of that period. In early Hindi novels like Devrani Jethani ki kahani (Tale of co-sisters/ Pandit Gauridatt/1870), Bhagayvati (Pandit Shraddharam Phillauree/ 1877) and Parikshaguru (Lala Shriniwas Das/ 1882) the conduct of women is the focal theme. Going through these novels one can see a remarkable similarity in the theme and content of these novels i.e. emancipation of women, widow remarriage, education of women, etc. This was the direct effect of the Indian reformation which was pioneered by great reformers like Raja Ram Mohan Roy, Ishwar Chandra Vidyasagar, Vivekanand and Jyotiba Phule among others. Parikhsa Guru like Alaler Gharer Dulal in Bangla depicts the shortcomings of western influence. This is actually a voice of opposition to colonial rule and its policies in a precarious way. Devrani Jethani ki kahani by pandit Gauridatt (1870) actually falls into the tradition of oral story(kissa-kahani) in written form. There is not a single comma or full stop in the whole story. This is a typical example of the Indian form of ‘Novel’ (upanyas) in the form of traditional Indian updeshakhyan (Moral Fable). This is the story of a joint business family living in Meerut near Delhi. There January-March 2012 :: 47
- Page 1 and 2: A Journal of Mahatma Gandhi Antarra
- Page 3 and 4: L A N G U A G E DISCOURSE W R I T I
- Page 5 and 6: Editor's Note ‘Hindi’ is primar
- Page 7 and 8: Heritage EK TOKRI BHAR MITTI Madhav
- Page 9 and 10: Discourse THE IMPORTANCE OF MADHAV
- Page 11 and 12: nationalism into literature; societ
- Page 13 and 14: 1. History of India, and other coun
- Page 15 and 16: anch of knowledge— natural and so
- Page 17 and 18: country, growing indignation at the
- Page 19 and 20: the consciousness of the colonized
- Page 21 and 22: and we rise above religious dogma,
- Page 23 and 24: forces of liberty and patriotism tr
- Page 25 and 26: his thoughts boldly, without fear.T
- Page 27 and 28: characteristics of the age in which
- Page 29 and 30: For, when father having been engage
- Page 31 and 32: and panegyrists going and singing p
- Page 33 and 34: I burst forth, ‘‘Aha, Niuniya!
- Page 35 and 36: aid. The flower was punished forthw
- Page 37 and 38: years in this guileful world I roam
- Page 39 and 40: form. Now, once again there was a s
- Page 41 and 42: Discourse LIFE AND IDEALS OF PREMCH
- Page 43 and 44: and the train also arrived, but cou
- Page 45: Discourse THE CONCEPT OF INDIANNESS
- Page 49 and 50: untouchable boy. The boy is from
- Page 51 and 52: eligious leaders. Premchand in his
- Page 53 and 54: · Partition of India and growth of
- Page 55 and 56: 2) Ghar ki Raah, Indra Basawada, Sa
- Page 57 and 58: Sahai, Nagendra, Bhagwat Sharan Upa
- Page 59 and 60: two women (Rekha and Gaura) simulta
- Page 61 and 62: significant. Since real aspects lik
- Page 63 and 64: Another very major challenge that e
- Page 65 and 66: students of Dacca University had ta
- Page 67 and 68: Culture THE BHARATNATYAM HERITAGE I
- Page 69 and 70: and her husband also migrated to Ho
- Page 71 and 72: for her has been the one at Chidamb
- Page 73 and 74: long years? Pallav—Did it reflect
- Page 75 and 76: publicising myself and my writing b
- Page 77 and 78: Short Story BUDHIA Ramvriksha Benip
- Page 79 and 80: find her carrying loads of grass on
- Page 81 and 82: pat the other’s back, and with he
- Page 83 and 84: tea break, it would also be a break
- Page 85 and 86: There was a mouth organ in Raka Mas
- Page 87 and 88: He was watching me in a strange man
- Page 89 and 90: and bowed before the engine. I saw
- Page 91 and 92: Climbing down the slope, that girl
- Page 93 and 94: filled their buckets without saying
- Page 95 and 96: clamp of the sounds is gripping him
<strong>of</strong> producing the story) is derived from<br />
Sanskrit in <strong>Hindi</strong>. As mentioned earlier<br />
Katha is supposed to be fiction and akhyan<br />
is supposed to be factual and historical.<br />
The tradition <strong>of</strong> katha and akhyayika<br />
continues in <strong>Hindi</strong> Belt in the early phase<br />
<strong>of</strong> <strong>Hindi</strong> literature in charit kavya<br />
(narratives <strong>of</strong> hero in verses) like<br />
Prithiviraj Raso (Story <strong>of</strong> King Prithiviraj)<br />
by his court poet Chandvardai, Kirtilata<br />
and Kirtipataka by Vidyapati in 13 th<br />
century a.d. In the age <strong>of</strong> Bhakti movement<br />
also poets like Tulsi Das and Malik<br />
Muhammad Jayasi created epics like<br />
Ramcharit Manas and Padmavat in<br />
story form .These are in one and another<br />
sense seen as different forms <strong>of</strong> Charit<br />
kavya. These writings have the quality<br />
<strong>of</strong> both katha and akhyayika. The poet<br />
uses his imagination to depict contemporary<br />
reality by using myths and symbols known<br />
as kathanak roodhiyan (traditional symbols<br />
supposed to be used for telling a story.<br />
For example telling a story through dialogue<br />
between birds is one <strong>of</strong> the kathanak<br />
roodhiyan). In the beginning <strong>of</strong> 19 th century<br />
Rani Ketki ki Kahani by Insha Alla<br />
Khan is also an example <strong>of</strong> continuation<br />
<strong>of</strong> this katha-kahani tradition. Early <strong>Hindi</strong><br />
novels derive many characteristics from<br />
these charit kavyas and katha-kahani<br />
tradition prevalent in India for centuries.<br />
The story is the focal point <strong>of</strong> the<br />
Novel which also tells a story. Influence<br />
<strong>of</strong> gadya kavya parampara and champu<br />
(one <strong>of</strong> the varieties <strong>of</strong> narratives prevalent<br />
in India where the mixture <strong>of</strong> prose and<br />
poetry is being used to tell the story)<br />
is clearly evident from the early novels<br />
<strong>of</strong> India particularly in <strong>Hindi</strong>. Therefore<br />
it is a misnomer to conceptualize that<br />
the novel in India emerges out <strong>of</strong> the<br />
direct influence <strong>of</strong> western novels<br />
particularly English Novels and there is<br />
nothing Indian in it. The style <strong>of</strong> novel<br />
writing in different Indian languages as<br />
also in <strong>Hindi</strong> carries the traditional style<br />
<strong>of</strong> story telling/writing <strong>of</strong> kissa,<br />
kahani,dastan and akhyan.<br />
The characteristics and essence <strong>of</strong> the<br />
tradition <strong>of</strong> novel writing is defined by<br />
its birth and the culture along with which<br />
it grows. The uniqueness and Indianness<br />
<strong>of</strong> <strong>Hindi</strong> novel also lies in the circumstances<br />
in which the novel in India emerged. The<br />
birth <strong>of</strong> novel in India is an amalgamation<br />
<strong>of</strong> the traditional legacy <strong>of</strong> story telling<br />
and contemporary circumstances in India<br />
in the 19 th -20 th century.<br />
Besides the factors connected with the<br />
advent <strong>of</strong> prose and the birth <strong>of</strong> the novel,<br />
like coming <strong>of</strong> new technologies in the<br />
form <strong>of</strong> printing press and birth <strong>of</strong> a<br />
middle class who aspired to tell its agonies<br />
and aspiration through this new genre the<br />
readers were also mostly from the same<br />
class. These factors also helped in the<br />
birth <strong>of</strong> the novel in India. But emergence<br />
<strong>of</strong> the novel in India is totally different<br />
from that <strong>of</strong> Europe which is said to be<br />
the birth place <strong>of</strong> novel although the credit<br />
46 :: January-March 2012