The Bengali Novel: Search for Unity in Diversity

Author(s): D.K. Chakravorty

Source: Indian Literature , July-August 1981, Vol. 24, No. 4 (July-August 1981), pp. 121-
126
Published by: Sahitya Akademi

Stable URL: https://www.jstor.org/stable/23330216

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 The Bengali Novel: Search
for Unity in Diversity

D.K. CharravoRTY

It would perhaps be admitted on all hands that a notable bane

of Indian literature has been that very few works of literature
have succeeded in presenting the aspects of unity in diversity
which is a notable feature of Indian civilization and culture for
which we can justly be proud. In addition to that it is also a
regrettable matter that the few works of literature that deal
with this important search for unity in a vast subcontinent like
India has not received due attention and aplomb from the
readers in general and the discerning critics in particular. One
however feels that it is high time now that such literary works
should be reviewed and attempts be made for a proper assess
ment of these works. The fact should however be faced squarely
that this is by no means an easy task for the simple reason that
most of these novels have fallen in such depth of oblivion that
it is difficult to revive interest in them. In this article I have
made an humble attempt to survey several novels (some of
them being totally obscure works of fiction) in order to show
how the writers tried to project the image of India as a united
nation though separated into different regions culturally and
linguistically. A study and analysis of these novels should go
a long way to show on the one hand that all these writers were
quite conscious of the fact that an invisible "though strong

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 INDIAN LITERATURE

thread united these apparently different regions of the country,

and on the other, they knew it fully well that for an all-roun
development of the country, this consciousness must loom
large in the thought process of the people of India. Some suc
writings seem to be deficient in literary skill, grace and beaut
yet one sometimes feels that for their aforesaid two-fold con
ciousness, we should be grateful to those writers.
At the outset it should be mentioned that the search for
unity in diversity in the realm of Bengali fiction started quite
early—in the nineteenth century* along with the resurgence of
interest in several other spheres of knowledge. The reasons
behind this are not far to seek. Under certain historical circum
stances (into the details of which we need not go here) Bengal
received Western education first among all other regions of
India. This education opened up the floodgate of new ideas and
new aspirations. Educated Bengalis in the nineteenth century
went to different parts of India and many of them settled down
far away from their native places. Therefore even at that time
when the political freedom of India seemed to be a remote
possibility, they could see for themselves the invisible strands
that united the people of India. Consequently, the field was
prepared for the emergence of the vision of one and united India
in the literature and culture of Bengal.
It has been generally acknowledged on all hands that the
novel Phoolmani O Karunar Vivaran (The Account of Phool
mani and Karuna) by Malence, published in the year 1852, is
the first published Bengali novel. As the very name of the novel
suggests, this is a pioneering work of social novel having a
narrow canvas. Therefore it would not do to expect anything
concerning bigger and nobler ideas in this work. But the very
next novel in Bengali literature boldly introduced the image of
one and united India. The search for unity in diversity started
with this novel published in the year 1857. We are now referring
to the novel entitled Eitihasik Upanyas (The Historical novel)
written by Bhudev Chandra Mukhopadhyay. This novel is
divided into two parts—(i) Safal Swapna (The Successful Dream)

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 THE BENGALI NOVEL! SEARCH FOR UNITY IN DIVERSITY

and (ii) Anguri Vinimay (The Exchange of Rings). In fact these

two are separate novels and it is particularly in the second that
we find the author's awareness of the eternal and indivisible
spirit of India. In this novel there is some sort of romantic
interest also—the writer has narrated an imaginary love-affair
between Shivaji and Roshanara, the beautiful young daughter
of Aurangazeb. But this romantic interlude is not of any parti
cular significance. The novel breathes the spirit of a secular
attitude towards religion and ways of life and is informed with
the spirit of universal brotherhood among the people of India
separated by the barriers of different languages and religions.
Bhudev Mukhopadhyay, a contemporary and close friend
of the widely renowned poet, Michael Madhusudan Dutta, was
an eminent educationist and social worker of his time. His
contribution to the intellectual resurgence of Bengal has been
widely acclaimed. He was also a man of letters. His intellectual
essays have relevance even to this day. Quite unfortunately,
however, no adequate assessment of his works of fiction has
been made. They did not get popularity from the reading public
also. Undoubtedly, Mukhopadhyay lacked narrative skill and
literary grace. Moreover, he was, above everything else, a
moralist. Consequently his didacticism very often got the better
of his literary self. Despite these limitations, it will not do to
forget that he was a pioneer in this field and it would be sheer
ingratitude on our part if we fail to give him his due. Moreover,
his novels have a lasting value for the fact (among several
others) that they eminently succeeded in projecting an image of
Mother India, of which we are all children and though we speak
in different tongues, all our superficial differences disappear
under the benign gaze of the divine mother. This attitude of the
author can be had particularly in his symbolic tale entitled
'Pushpanjali' (The Flower Offering).
In our age Bhudev Chandra is primarily known for his work,
Swapna labdha Bharatbarsher Itihas (History of India as seen
in a Dream). This is not a novel in the real sense of the term,
neither is it a text of history. In it, however, we find the vision

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 INDIAN LITERATURE

of future India when the disharmonies and discords among the

people have vanished and our motherland is marching forward
to greater glory.
Bankim Chandra was admittedly a far superior novelist
compared to Bhudav Chandra. He gave a solid foundation to
the edifice of the modern Bengali fiction. A vastly learned man,
he made Bengali fiction a vehicle of propagating his ideas. Like
Bhudev he was also a moralist, and didacticism is an inseparable
part of his novels. But thanks to his narrative skill and superb
handling of the theme as well as stylistic qualities that his novels
seldom became serfs to his ideas. Moreover, his novels have a
universal quality and readability which seldom fail to kindle the
enthusiasm of the attentive readers. With all these qualities,
however, it should be mentioned that none of his novels give us
any insight into his striving for the search of unity in the midst
of wide divergence in our country. Even his widely acclaimed
novel Anandamath fails to rise above the sectarian and commu
nal considerations. We do not say this to decry Bankim, the
literary artist, his contribution to Bengali fiction is inestimable,
but we must in all fairness, record that Bankim Chandra did
not prefer to project the image of a united India.
A chronological study of the history of Bengali fiction leads
one to the conclusion that it was primarily the lesser novelists
who projected the image of an India of the future free from
internal discords and dissensions.
A moment ago, I had referred to the fact that back in the
last century a large number of educated Bengalis settled down
in different parts of India. It seems heartening to note that some
of them wrote about the people around them in their new
surroundings or traced the history and culture of the region
which happened to be a new place for them. This played a
significant role in bringing about the much needed national
integration. In this connection we are reminded of a novel
named Dholpur (1892) now sunk in the depth of oblivion
written by an accomplished lady named Girindra Nandini Debi.
The background of this novel is Rajasthan and the authoress

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 THE BENGALI NOVEL: SEARCH FOR UNITY IN DIVERSITY

succeeded in presenting a graphic and memorable social picture

of corresponding times.
The almost forgotten novel of Girindra Nandani Debi
reminds us of two much more celebrated novels, namely, Maha
rashtra Jiban Pravat and Rajput Jiban Sandhya. These two
historical novels are on the whole loyal to the facts of history:
the writer has successfully presented a gripping and immensely
readable story. The element of suspense adds to the charm of
these novels. The purpose of the author in writing these histo
rical novels seems to be threefold: (a) revival of interest in the
glorious past of India, (b) to make the readers aware of the
integrity of the country and finally & (c) to kindle the spirit of
patriotism. It can be asserted with a reasonable measure of
confidence that the writer eminently succeeds in his threefold
purposes.
From what has been stated above we may come to the con
clusion that the lesser writers alone were the authors of novels
relating to the subject under review. Though such an impression
is generally true, we must hasten to add at this stage that there
have been certain honourable exceptions. The most notable
example of such exception is the celebrated novel of Rabindra
nath Tagore named Gora. Incidentally, it may be mentioned
here that Gora, is one of the most notable novels in the annals
of recent Bengali fiction. Due to the lack of space it is not
possible here to present even a brief synopsis of this memorable
novel. Suffice it to say here that in this novel the writer has told
about a forsaken English orphan boy who grew up in a Hindu
Brahmin family under the firm conviction that he was a caste
Brahmin. With the revelation of his true identity he received a
shock no doubt but it also gave him the all important realisa
tion that whatever might have been his parentage he was a true
son of the soil and he was duty bound to repay his debt of
gratitude to the country by selfless and dedicated service. More
over, he felt convinced that his erstwhile understanding that he
was a Brahmin had a restricting and limiting effect on his
personality. He said to himself that henceforth he would feel so

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 INÜIAN LITERATURE

chaste and pure that he will not be afraid of any kind of pollu
tion even in the house of an untouchable. He has boldly assert
ed, "Now I am truly an India. The Hindu, the Muslim and the
Christian all have found a place in my personality. Now I
belong to all the communities of India. I am entitled to share
my food with all."
Gora has thus the theme of emotional integration as its
major subject and this statement also applies to Sarat Chandra's
equally famous novel Father Dabi. The hero of this novel has
again and again and in no uncertain terms demanded the basic
freedom of his country man irrespective of the considerations
of caste, creed and community. His conception of freedom is
all inclusive, it does not only mean political freedom but also
freedom from want, poverty and sense of defeat.
So long we have discussed some novels published before the
attainment of independence. During the post-independence era
also several signifiacnt fictional works have come to light. Among
them particular mention must be made of the great novels of
Satinath Bhaduri, Jagari and Dhorai Charit Manas in which the
author has eminently succeeded in presenting the spirit of
emotional integration in the context of Indian struggle for
independence.
The lacking of such novels in the present age is generally
explained by an argument that these days intellectuals take the
spirit of emotional integration as an established fact. This argu
ment however does not seem very convincing. We still feel the
need of such works and considered in this light, a proper evalu
ation and assessment of the novels dealing with the search for
unity in the wide diversity of India, appear to be of paramount
significance.

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