A Journal of Mahatma Gandhi Antarrashtriya Hindi Vishwavidyalaya
A Journal of Mahatma Gandhi Antarrashtriya Hindi Vishwavidyalaya A Journal of Mahatma Gandhi Antarrashtriya Hindi Vishwavidyalaya
Search for Nation The novels written during the freedom struggle are a creative effort to search for a nation. Bankim Chandra, Rabindra Nath Tagore, Tarashankar Bandhopadhyaya (Bangla), Premchand (Hindi), Fakir Mohan Senapati (Oriya) were trying to search for a nation in their writings. It can be said that Indian novel in general and Hindi in particular were creating India in their novels.This voice gets stronger in Hindi novel with its progress. Before the advent of the great Hindi novelist Premchand an interesting phenomenon happened at this juncture. Novelist Devkinandan Khatree starts writing a serial Novel named Chandrakanta and Chandrakanta Santati (Sons and Daughters of Chandrakanta/1891 onwards).This is the first Hindi thriller fiction and it is understood that many readers in India learnt Devanagree script to read this unique and wonderful fiction which can be compared with today’s Harry Potter series. The central theme in these novels tells a typical love story with the blending of chivalry, treachery, spying, magic, scientific temper with logical framework and temperament. Although this fiction was written only for the purpose of entertainment it carries a deeper meaning. While going deeper into the inner layers of the story one can find the case study and analysis of basic cause for India becoming the colony of British Empire. The small kingdoms depicted in these thrillers are always at loggerheads with each other. No body is bothered about the NATION INDIA. Every individual is playing his own cards and there is no place for gentlemanly play . Everybody is engaged in foul play. The voice is clear that India was divided and it was very easy to conquer a divided India. Premchand (1880-1936) in his famous short story Shataranj Ke Khiladi (The Chess Players) had echoed the same sentiment. Premchand is the greatest writer of Hindi for centuries to come. Till today no Hindi novelist or short story writer reached this height. For Premchand writing has great aim and that is towards making a nation INDIA. His writings are a war against colonial and imperial rule. Mahatma Gandhi, the Father of the Nation, India, was waging the war against colonial rule on political front whereas Premchand through his literary movement like a catalyst was helping in injecting nationalist feelings amongst the people of India. Premchand’s novels are national allegory. He is not only waging a war against colonial rule but trying to strengthen the inner soul of India by criticizing and opposing the caste system and prevalent communalism due to the interference of colonial rule under the policy of ‘Divide and Rule’. Premchand had to face the wrath of upper caste Brahmins and orthodox 50 :: January-March 2012
eligious leaders. Premchand in his novels and short stories also fought for the rights of women. There is a clear influence of 19 th -20 th century reformist movement and especially Mahatma Gandhi on Premchand’s writings. Godan, Rangbhoomi, Premashram, Kayakalp, Sevasadan, Gaban, Nirmala are the famous novels of Premchand which tell the story of contemporary India. The structure, style and theme of Premchand’s novel is unique.He tells the story in Indian kissa style by addressing the readers directly as if they are listeners. He starts preaching readers in updeshakhyan style. Thus his novel becomes a wonderful mixture of kissa and akhyan. In Kayakalp he uses the notion of rebirth and myths and magic, dream methodology while constructing the story. This methodology was first used in Hindi Novel in Shyama Swapn (Dreams of Shyama) by Thakur Jaganmohan Singh in 1888. Premchand’s famous novel Godan (Gifting the cow/1936) is a classical novel not only in its theme but also in style. The novel starts with the dialogue between Horiram and Dhaniya (wife-husband) but the writer switches to story telling mode and starts telling the background situation of this dialogue. Very swiftly he starts depicting the nature which plays a creative role in depicting the situation. Premchand is a smart story teller so the reader at once does not feel that Premchand has changed the band. Premchand got this technique in heritage from the century old katha and akhyan style. So the style of Premchand’s story telling is purely Indian. This is an anti colonial and anti imperialist novel. This is also a cultural expression of India. A belief in Indian mindset persists through tradition that if a person gifts a cow before or while dying to a priest, all his sins are forgiven by God and he directly goes to heaven. Premchand uses this belief in a satirical and symbolic way. In agricultural society in India the role of the cow is very pivotal. The cow is treated as mother and also a symbol of prosperity. Every Indian farmer has a dream of having a cow of his own. Premchand tells us the story of a farmer Hori Mahto who wishes for a cow , struggles to get a cow, fails in his ambition but while dying the priest asks his wife Dhaniya for presenting him a cow. This is the irony of the story where a farmer couldn’t fulfill his lone ambition of getting a cow but was asked by the priest to present a cow while dying. The story starts and ends with satirical note. This becomes a satire on the whole Indian culture and society. Within this framework Premchand constructs the story of anti-imperialism, anti-colonialism and anti-capitalism apart from criticizing the Indian society especially the upper caste who are also hand in glove with the rulers who in turn protect January-March 2012 :: 51
- 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 and 46: Discourse THE CONCEPT OF INDIANNESS
- Page 47 and 48: of first novel goes to the Genji Mo
- Page 49: untouchable boy. The boy is from
- 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
- Page 97 and 98: The speaker fell silent all at once
- Page 99 and 100: That day, he came down from the off
Search for Nation<br />
The novels written during the freedom<br />
struggle are a creative effort to search<br />
for a nation.<br />
Bankim Chandra, Rabindra Nath Tagore,<br />
Tarashankar Bandhopadhyaya (Bangla),<br />
Premchand (<strong>Hindi</strong>), Fakir Mohan Senapati<br />
(Oriya) were trying to search for a nation<br />
in their writings. It can be said that Indian<br />
novel in general and <strong>Hindi</strong> in particular<br />
were creating India in their novels.This<br />
voice gets stronger in <strong>Hindi</strong> novel with<br />
its progress.<br />
Before the advent <strong>of</strong> the great <strong>Hindi</strong><br />
novelist Premchand an interesting<br />
phenomenon happened at this juncture.<br />
Novelist Devkinandan Khatree starts writing<br />
a serial Novel named Chandrakanta<br />
and Chandrakanta Santati (Sons and<br />
Daughters <strong>of</strong> Chandrakanta/1891<br />
onwards).This is the first <strong>Hindi</strong> thriller<br />
fiction and it is understood that many<br />
readers in India learnt Devanagree script<br />
to read this unique and wonderful fiction<br />
which can be compared with today’s Harry<br />
Potter series. The central theme in these<br />
novels tells a typical love story with the<br />
blending <strong>of</strong> chivalry, treachery, spying,<br />
magic, scientific temper with logical<br />
framework and temperament. Although this<br />
fiction was written only for the purpose<br />
<strong>of</strong> entertainment it carries a deeper<br />
meaning. While going deeper into the inner<br />
layers <strong>of</strong> the story one can find the case<br />
study and analysis <strong>of</strong> basic cause for India<br />
becoming the colony <strong>of</strong> British Empire.<br />
The small kingdoms depicted in these<br />
thrillers are always at loggerheads with<br />
each other. No body is bothered about<br />
the NATION INDIA. Every individual is<br />
playing his own cards and there is no<br />
place for gentlemanly play . Everybody<br />
is engaged in foul play. The voice is clear<br />
that India was divided and it was very<br />
easy to conquer a divided India. Premchand<br />
(1880-1936) in his famous short story<br />
Shataranj Ke Khiladi (The Chess Players)<br />
had echoed the same sentiment.<br />
Premchand is the greatest writer <strong>of</strong><br />
<strong>Hindi</strong> for centuries to come. Till today<br />
no <strong>Hindi</strong> novelist or short story writer<br />
reached this height. For Premchand writing<br />
has great aim and that is towards making<br />
a nation INDIA. His writings are a war<br />
against colonial and imperial rule. <strong>Mahatma</strong><br />
<strong>Gandhi</strong>, the Father <strong>of</strong> the Nation, India,<br />
was waging the war against colonial rule<br />
on political front whereas Premchand<br />
through his literary movement like a<br />
catalyst was helping in injecting nationalist<br />
feelings amongst the people <strong>of</strong> India.<br />
Premchand’s novels are national<br />
allegory. He is not only waging a war<br />
against colonial rule but trying to strengthen<br />
the inner soul <strong>of</strong> India by criticizing and<br />
opposing the caste system and prevalent<br />
communalism due to the interference <strong>of</strong><br />
colonial rule under the policy <strong>of</strong> ‘Divide<br />
and Rule’. Premchand had to face the wrath<br />
<strong>of</strong> upper caste Brahmins and orthodox<br />
50 :: January-March 2012
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