ENGLISH LITERATURE: THE HOLY PANCHAYAT—BY PREM CHAND

ENGLISH LITERATURE: THE HOLY PANCHAYAT—BY PREM CHAND: In the story ‘The Holy Panchayat’ Prem Chand has given some hints about the gradual break-down of Indian traditional values taking place i...

THE HOLY PANCHAYAT—BY PREM CHAND

In the story ‘The Holy Panchayat’ Prem Chand has given some hints about the gradual break-down of Indian traditional values taking place in our society. From the contents of the story, we can surmise that he was fully aware of social issues that were inviting attention of the contemporary  social reforms. Take the example of the clash of interest between Jumman and Algu which hints at the friction present between various social classes. Don’t we see that avarice and greed makes a man resort to dishonest means ? was not Jumman doing injustice to his old and helpless aunt.? Has man’s love for money and property diminished ? jumman may have other qualities of head and heart, but in money matter he was not going to compromise. The cunningness and deceit of the village merchant and Algu’s hopeless efforts to get his dues from Sahu are clear indications of the cracks and fissures which had started appearing in the so called idealized village community. In fact, when Prem Chand brings in an element of a fable at this point and when the second Panchayat is to be held

 Best Regards

K.K Singh

ENGLISH LITERATURE: HALF WAY HOUSE—BY MOHAN RAKESH

ENGLISH LITERATURE: HALF WAY HOUSE—BY MOHAN RAKESH: Aadhe Adhure means incomplete and half. The story is related to the modern day ordinary middle class family which is not only half b...

HALF WAY HOUSE—BY MOHAN RAKESH

Aadhe Adhure means incomplete and half. The story is related to the modern day ordinary middle class family which is not only half but also incomplete. It is the story of a middle class family in a modern city which is being pushed towards lower middle class existence due to its peculiar circumstances. It is the story of its desires, aspirations, struggles, along with the peculiar situation that is getting out of control.

The family has fallen from middle class prosperity to a lower status. There are many remnants (leftovers) of their former bourgeois acquisition—a sofa set, dining table, writing table and refrigerator. Here money was spent freely by the husband and wife in the past. The family paid high rents for the house. They travelled by taxis, the son and daughter had been students of public schools. The family enjoyed liquor parties. Presently, the head of family, remains at home most of the time, as he is out of job for the last ten years. The wife now works in a private firm and is the sole bread winner of the family. This has made her a bitter person. The son is a college drop out and does not feel inclined to become financially independent. These days it is a common phenomenon for women leaving their homes in search of employment and bringing an extra salary into the house in a quest for a comfortable life-style. But here the husband remains unoccupied and the responsibility of feeding the children has fallen upon the wife. Mahendranath, the husband does not feel inclined to work. Meanwhile the main protagonist, Savitri has made friendship with numerous men friends—Singhania, Jagmohan, Manoj and Shivjeet, who frequently pay a visit to this house. The son and daughters are in the know of this. Barring Mahendranath, all the members of the family are steeped in sexual awareness. Ashok spends his time cutting pictures of half naked American actresses and pursuing his girl friend. The eldest daughter elopes from home with her mother’s boy friend. Kinny has a precocious interest in sexual matters. She openly discusses sex with her friends. But is this behavior so unusual in the modern context ? it is quite normal for an adolescent girl to be interested in sex and a boy of twenty one to find sexual gratification in reading pornographic literature. But it is Savitri’s character that has caused maximum discomfiture to readers. They feel that savitri’s abnormal sensuality propels her towards one man after another to satisfy her urges. No relationship seems to hold her. Her husband, Mahendranath, according to juneja, loves her deeply in spite of the torment of knowing about his wife’s liaisons. But savitri does not sem concerned about the effect of her openness. Whenever a friend comes to visit her at home, Mahendranath escapes. But what is the most sacrilegious is Juneja’s revelation in the end that Savitri has enjoyed a level of intimacy with her son in law, Manoj in the past. This is most unpalatable to us.

Middle class values seem to have a certain hold on this unhappy couple. Savitri has never accepted    Mahendranath as he is. Within a couple of years of her marriage, she started feeling alienated from her husband. But why does not she opt for legal separation ? she is not financially dependent on her husband. In this respect the play is the tragedy of a middle class marriage gone sour. What are the reasons for its failure ? In the foremost are the economic ones. It is true that savitri contributes to a great extent in aggravating the situation. She projects herself as a martyr, constantly reminds her about her efforts to improve their conditions. There is constant bickering between husband and wife. Mahendranath’s helplessness is understandable. He is unemployed and cannot stay over at juneja’s indefinitely. In his own life, Mohan Rakesh, the dramatist broke away fram a loveless alliance, not once, but twice. In a middle class family it was unforgivable.

with Best Regards

K.K Singh