The Voices of the Subaltern in Sharadindu Bandyopadhyay’s Novels

Abstract

Novels are primarily crafted around actual social phenomena. Consequently, in historical novels, the society and social dynamics of the past naturally take precedence. Now, when we speak of the ‘social’ aspect, can every stratum of a society — from top to bottom — truly merit significance as a subject within a historical novel? During the nascent stages of historical fiction, the central characters were predominantly drawn from lives steeped in politics — kings, princes, and the nobility. However, beginning with Bibhutibhushan’s ‘Ichhamati’, the ‘history of the voiceless masses’ emerged as the primary narrative focus. Sometime later, in the historical novels penned by Sharadindu, the common people — individuals’ representative of every era and age — frequently assumed the role of decisive agents. Although the novel ‘Jhinder Bandi’ concludes with the protagonist triumphing in the battle of life and subsequently enjoying the luxuries of royalty, that victorious individual is, in essence, a representative of the middle class — a Bengali youth of ordinary lineage, even if not strictly belonging to the ‘subaltern’ class. In the novel ‘Kaler Mandira’, the protagonist is of Aryan descent; yet, for the first half of the narrative, this true identity remains shrouded in mystery. He is known solely as a warrior — a spirited, fighting youth. Through this portrayal, the novelist seems to suggest that the truly extraordinary often lies hidden within the ordinary. The protagonist of ‘Gourmallar’ is Vajradeva, the son of King Manavadeva; however, his true identity is that of an Abhir youth — the beloved of Gunja, an Abhir maiden — and his true sanctuary lies in the Abhir hamlet of Betsagram. Ultimately, the novel concludes with a resounding celebration of the common people; the peaceful existence of the masses is extolled far above the opulence of royalty. In ‘Tungabhadrara Tire’, the man who marries Princess Vidyummala is also a representative of the common people: Arjunavarma. Another significant character in the novel is Balaram. The lives of Arjun and Balaram become intertwined through a remarkable twist of fate; moreover, the woman who ultimately becomes the King’s life partner is not the Princess herself, but her companion — Manikankana. Thus, in this instance as well, the novelist underscores the inherent greatness of the common man. Finally, in the novel ‘Kumarasambhaber Kabi’, as Kalidasa dedicates himself to the solitary pursuit of poetry, the very source of his poetic inspiration proves to be a humble flower-maiden. She may not possess the intellect of Princess Haimashree; yet, the novelist has demonstrated that when it comes to matters of the heart, there is absolutely no distinction between the heart of a humble gardener-girl and that of a princess. ‘Bahu Juger Opar Hote’ (1960) — the novelistic adaptation of the short story ‘Bishkanya’ — features as its central female protagonist ‘Ulka’: a slave-girl, cast aside by the King. While the narrative is replete from beginning to end with tales of vengeance, murder, and retribution, the ultimate act of self-sacrifice that brings it to a close is made possible solely through this very slave-girl. In the novel ‘Tumi Sandhyar Megh’, the two characters involved in the subplot — Ananga and Bandhuli — do not belong to the royal family; yet, within the context of this novel, they transcend the role of mere minor characters to emerge as figures of truly extraordinary stature. Indeed, Sharadindu has consistently accorded primacy to those very individuals who serve as the principal driving forces behind the unfolding drama of life.