On the anniversary of his birth, we revisit Bankim Chandra Chattopadhyay's female protagonists
The
writings of Bankim Chandra Chattopadhyay were a source of dread and wonder for
her as a young student trying to comprehend the first chapter of "Anandamath"
in her textbook for Bengali literature. Bankim Chandra Chattopadhyay, one of
the very first individuals in India to create novels, had an obvious influence
as a literary figure during the Bengal Renaissance. In addition, he was the
first author to modernise Bengali fiction, opening up the language to the
general public even if it is more complex and Sanskritized than the Bengali we
use today.
I
realised that Bankim Chandra's writings were truly epic once I conquered my
dread of reading his novels and was able to understand his dense style. They
are fantasy tales that combine romance, history, thrill, adventure, and
suspense with action and other elements.
The
majority of Bankim Chandra Chattopadhyay's significant works have female
characters who serve as the protagonists and ultimately the story's heroines.
From the dacoit leader Devi Chaudhurani to the brave bride Kapalkundala, it is
worthwhile to examine some of Bankim Chandra's female protagonists during the
week of his birth anniversary.
Jagat
Singh, Tilottoma, and Ayesha form a love triangle in Bankim Chandra's
historical adventure book "Durgeshnandini." Ayesha realises that she
cannot marry a Rajput prince despite her love for Jagat Singh, so she aids the
two in escaping her father's control and tying the knot. It's interesting to
see how Ayesha's compassionate and altruistic character contrasts with that of
her father, rebel Pathan commander Katlu Khan. Ayesha is forced to intervene in
order to prevent Tilottoma from being molested by her father, in what can be
interpreted as a clichéd representation of Muslim sultans.
Under
the direction of Bhabani Pathak, the sweet-natured Prafulla transforms into the
fearsome and feared commander of the dacoits in "Devi Chaudhurani."
In the first pages of the book, Prafulla's father-in-law forbids her from
entering the house of her husband. After her mother passes away, Prafulla is
lost and has no idea where to go until she encounters Bhabani Pathak, a
ruthless dacoit. She is taken under Pathak's wing and is taught how to fight to
the point where she poses a threat to the British soldiers themselves.
Along
with rescuing her husband and father-in-law, Devi Chadhurani and her gang of
dacoits successfully take down the British soldiers, maintaining the novel's strong
anti-colonial tone. However, Prafulla marries her spouse once more while posing
as someone else towards the novel's conclusion, which is incredibly
paradoxical. Readers witness the scary woman dacoit commander happily married
to her husband (together with his two other wives) and performing her household
duties at the novel's conclusion.
A
feminist reader in the twenty-first century would prefer a Prafulla who
terrorises the British soldiers until she is old, therefore the novel's
conclusion is distinctly unfeminist. Bankim Chandra, however, provides Devi
Chaudhurani a happy ending by transforming her back into Prafulla and bringing
her and her husband together in accord with his own times. The argument that
Prafulla never seems to have a noteworthy or strong personality that sticks out
throughout the book may be reinforced by this finale. The person who sticks
out, regardless of Prafulla's gender or sex, is her teacher Bhabani Pathak
because of his ascetic-like outlook and harsh discipline.
The
book "Indira" is not an epic, historical tale, unlike some of his
previous books, such "Rajsingha" or "Durgeshnandini." The
story of "Indira" centres on the title character, whose first visit
to her husband's house is cut short when they are robbed by dacoits in the
woods. Indira is led by nice strangers, none of whom seem to harm her or
harbour any ill will, until she reaches Kolkata and is engaged as a chef in a
wealthy family. Indira does not know her husband's address or village. The
remainder of the novel is one of home tranquilly, some conflicts that are made
with the best of intentions, and a brave action by Indira as the author figures
out a clever way to get her back together with her husband.
Both
husband and wife were unable to recognise one another because Indira and her
husband were married when she was a young child. Indira initially goes to her
husband and voluntarily accepts the role of his mistress in order to win his
love and affection as well as to prove to him who she really is and make sure
he does not doubt her chastity. Her husband doesn't realise that his mistress
is actually his wife until after they have been married for some time.
The
choice to pose as her husband's lover was not one that many modern heroines
adopted, even though Bankim had restored Indira's established patriarchal
status and dignity through the comfort of marital relationships. The portrayal
of the "andarmahal," or the private areas of an affluent home that
the ladies were in charge of, is another aspect of the book that makes it stand
out.
The
reader nearly wonders how a guy could describe the tender friendship between
Indira and Shubhashini, as well as their spontaneous (and frequently vulgar)
humour and sincere dialogues. These two young women can also be observed quietly
defying the traditions and guidelines set out by the mother-in-law or the
elderly cook.
Another
book titled after its female lead is "Kapalkundala." The foster
daughter of a tantric guru, Kapalkundala, prevents her father from sacrificing
a boy named Nabakumar by intervening on his behalf. Once more, the heroine
valiantly saves the hero from misfortune through her shrewd and impulsive
action. Nabakumar marries the woman who saved him after falling in love with
her and renaming her Mrinmoyee. Kapalkundala, however, was never able to live
up to her new destiny as Mrinmoyee because she began to feel constrained by the
modern standards and traditions of an urban, affluent household—things she had
never had to deal with as a free spirit in the woods.
In
addition, Kapalkundala's father and Nabakumar's first wife deceive Nabakumar
into believing that she is unfaithful to him, which makes him doubt
Kapalkundala's love for him. The tale closes with Kapalkundala drowning in the
sea, despite the fact that he realises his error and begs for forgiveness.
Although it was a horrible manner for her to end her life, some have suggested
that Kapalkundala drowned in order to escape a world that did not understand
her spirit or her limitless existence.
Without
a critique of "Anandamath," the novel in which the entire country
assumes the role of a mother and woman, any discussion of Bankim Chandra
Chattopadhyay's writings or his female protagonists would be lacking.
"Anandamath"
is based on the accounts of the Sannyasi insurrection in the Bengal province
and tells the story of a group of militant ascetics who join forces against
Bengal's dominant Muslim rulers. A vivid and upsetting description of the
Bengal famine of 1770, which affected almost three crore people in the area,
opens the first chapter. Following the famine, crime has taken over the area,
and tax rates are at an all-time high.
Mahendra
and Kalyani, a husband and wife, get split up in this situation as they are
making their way to the city. Bhabananda saves them both and takes them to his
home, or "math," where he explains the tenets of his aggressive
religion. Bhabananda gives Mahendra three statues in a moment that is
unmistakably symbolic of how the country is compared to Hindu goddesses.
The
first is an idol of Jagaddhatri, who represents what the "mother" or
the country once was: prosperous, beautiful, and rich. Mahendra then sees the
dark, plain, and naked idol of a ferocious Kali. The nation was represented by
the idol of Kali as what it had devolved into under the oppressive control of
the Muslims, and it was only through the valiant efforts of her followers that
it might become the third idol of goddess Durga.
Goddess
Durga was selected as the future because she is the ideal synthesis of a mother
and a warrior; she nurtures her offspring while also defending them from harm.
The Muslims in "Anandamath" pose a menace to society, reflecting the
author's own biases and prejudices. Thus, the national anthem "Bande
Mataram" serves as both a war cry for defending the country and a tool for
sectarian Hindu nationalist groups.
The
tale also features another heroine by the name of Shanti who contrasts Kalyani,
who is depicted as being weak. Her husband fled to join the group and left
Shanti behind. She adopts a guy persona, though, and follows her husband into
the sect. She picks up combat skills with her husband and, at the book's end,
accepts an ascetic lifestyle, which sets her apart from Bankim's other married
protagonists.
Despite
the fact that Bankim Chandra's heroines are all breathtakingly attractive (his
lyrical prose goes into great depth to describe their beauty), they are all
complex, nuanced beings who have their own travels and, more importantly,
experiences. The tales are intricate and interesting representations of
womanhood at a time when Bengali women were confined to their houses for the
entirety of their lives.