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Plea To The Bonded Laborers in Mahasweta Devi's Play "Aajir"
Plea To The Bonded Laborers in Mahasweta Devi's Play "Aajir"
Abstract— It was the mission of Mahasweta Devi to wants to write about the people who are struggling hunger,
learning about transformation of society through her landlessness and indebtedness. In an interview with Gayatri
writing. Now and again, she expressed her disgust that the Spivak, she mentioned the purpose of her writing. To quote;
new political system has failed to safeguard the interests of the tribal and mainstream have always been parallel…. The
the weaker sections of society and it also has failed to keep mainstream does not understand the parallel… They can’t
their commitment to common people. keep their land; there is no education for them, no health
Keywords— voice of the oppressed section, social facilities…. They are denied everything… That is why I
discontentment, Poverty and ignorance, hunger, started writing about the tribal movement and tribal
landlessness, indebtedness, and bonded labour. world…. I repay their honour... (1)
It was the mission of Mahasweta Devi to learning about
In the galaxy of Indian English drama, in spite of the transformation of society through her writing. Now and
exclusive monopoly of male dramatists, Mahesweta Devi is again, she expressed her disgust that the new political
the only representative woman dramatist who made system has failed to safeguard the interests of the weaker
experiments with art of theatre along with the prolife sections of society and it also has failed to keep their
experiment in fiction. She has expressed her creative vision commitment to common people. She categorically declares,
through novels, short stories, dramas, social and political “I go on writing about people.” It is distinction of
essays. Mahesweta Devi with her radical and Mahasweta Devi that she perceives the social
unconventional vision gave a new direction to Indian discontentment as a natural response of exploitation and
theatre. She was born under the passing shadows of national oppression. She pleads that the responsibility of the creative
movement for liberty and human survival. At a very early writers is to work as the instrument of transformation
stage she came in contact with the supporter of political and against the oppressive mechanism of human exploitation.
cultural movement in Bengal. As a sensitive social thinker, She asserts;
she deeply felt the pain of people and downtrodden. She “For a long time now, Bengali literature has indulged in
started writing articles to expose the problems of the a denial of society and has been played by on atrophy of
marginalized section of society in the Bengal’s dailies like conscience. The writers refuse to see the writing on the
Jugantar. For her exceptional awareness for the suffering of wall. The reader as turning away from them in revulsion.
downtrodden, she was acknowledged as the most seriously What can be more surprising than that writers living in a
committed artist. During the time of the formation of her country bedeviled with so many problems… should fail to
creative impulse, she witnessed the upsurge of Naxalite find material for their work in their own country and
movement and became a major formative influence in her people.”2
eras. She was disgusted to find that the poor and In this respect, Mahasweta Devi gave a new direction to
unprivileged were consistently being exploited in the hands Bangla literature by articulating the voice of the oppressed
of intellectuals and political leaders. section of the society. She tries to represent the social
The creative canvas of Mahesweta Devi covers imbalance and at the same time tries to dive deep in the
the misery of the life of those who live beyond the glamour consciousness of the characters who has been subject of
of metropolis of Calcutta. In her writings, she expressed the victimization. It is only the widespread humanitarian
pain and suffering of the landed gentry. It was her effort to concern of her literary creation that has brought her a global
acknowledge the identity of the tribal and other recognition. It is evident that Mahasweta Devi presents the
marginalized groups in the mainstream of society. She issue of the sufferings of marginalized on the basis of her
REFERENCES
[1] Spivak, Gayatri Chakraborty, - ‘Notes for Anveshc/
Sabaltorn studies conference’ (Unpublished and
Shelved at Anveshi Research center for women
Hyderabad) pp3-4
[2] Devi Mahasweta, ‘Preface’, Bashai Tudu (trans)
Samik Bandno padhyay, G.C. Spivak, Calcutta:
Thema, 1990
[3] Devi Mahasweta, ‘Introduction’ five plays qutd Samik
Bandhopashyay, Calcutta: Seagull Books, 1986
[4] Kamble ND, ‘Bonded Labour in India’, New Delhi:
uppal, 1982