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Writing the Real, Reviving the Tradition: A Reading of Bhalchandra Nemade’s Kosla (Cocoon)

Somnath B. Barure Assistant Professor, P. G. Dept. of English, Vasantrao Naik Govt. Institute of Arts & Social Sciences (Morris College), Pandit Nehru Road, RBI- Square, Nagpur- 440001

An article in Lokrang- Loksatta, a caught in to the mesh of disillusionment Marathi daily in , reminded and frustration in the Post-Independence the age of evergreen Kosla , by a veteran period in India and especially in Marathi writer Bhalchandra Nemade, Maharashtra. Swami is written in the age- discussing the reasons behind the old style with the beautiful use of language popularity of the book even, when it is where as Kosla is tied together through about to celebrate its fifty years. The writer episodes with no regularity in technique in the article compared Kosla with another but meets the purpose of depicting popular work of fiction Swami by Ranjeet frustration and rejection even through its Desai, both in Marathi. Kosla and Swami form. Whatever, the novel proved to be the are the products of sixties, the famous pioneering work attracting its third Postcolonial period in Indian Literature generation of readers with success. (Including the controversial Indian English As mentioned above, Nemade has Literature). The article also opens the issue been the topic of discussion in the literary of contrast in-between the two written and circles as well as in the academic published in the same period. Theme and discussions throughout the country, Technique (form) wise, they are totally sometimes for his ‘Theory of different. Swami has the famous historical Desivad/Nativism’ or for his controversial personality Shrimant Madhavrao Peshve first part of the quartet Hindu. Born in the as its hero, where as Kosla is dedicated to year 1938, in a village in the the growing Middle Class youth, through region of Maharashtra, in a middle class the character of Pandurang Sangvikar, well-to-do family of a farmer, became a

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LITSEARCH www.litsearch.in ISSN 2277-6990 (Print) lecturer in English. He also taught I Comparative Literature, Linguistics, Nemade in his interviews often Anthropology and , in stresses the relationship of the various Universities, Colleges and SOAS author/writer with his Cultural Roots, London. Though he started his literary Social Milieu and History. In short, it endeavors with Poetry ( Melody and shows his strong faith in what he calls Dekhani ) but suddenly came to fiction Desivad/Nativism. He makes it clear, writing. In the year 1963 appeared his redefining the genre of novel, pushing epoch-making first novel Kosla . After a aside the misconceptions about the same long period of fourteen years, came his among the established critics in Marathi of Bidhar followed by Hool , Jarila and Zool his time, as quoted below- completing a quartet. His recent novel Middle class has always been with the Hindu-Jagnyachi Samruddha Adgal , a part desire to achieve power, when it fails to of the quartet, published in 2010 received have it by other means, it turns to novel too much of attention from the media for writing. It takes this form to prove its its controversial subject. With these existence, at the same time tries its hand creative works, the author also contributed on raising a revolution through its work. with his ample critical writing through all As every work of art is allotted its space, these years. Among the known critical the art of novel too enjoys a vast space, not works are, Teekasvayanvar, Sahityachi this vastness only but the moral space of Bhasha, Tukaram and his Sixteen Speeches the writer matters a lot with its theme and with many research papers. Nemade for technique to achieve its goal. A novelist his valuable contribution in the field of always puts his things in his novel. literature, had been awarded with many (Trans. Mine, all the subsequent references awards, to mention a few are, the from the book) (Nemade: Nivadak prestigious Sahitya Akadami Award for Mulakathi 01-02) Teekasvayanvar , R. S. Jog Puraskar , The author here I think meant to express Shinolikar Puraskar of Sahitya that, the ‘Avant-Garde’ method can make Parishad , Yeshvantrao Chavan novel very interesting and receives fame Puraskar for Zool and also, but he refutes to follow this Puraskar for Dekhani . In this way, misleading trend for his own choice of Nemade stands tall as a pioneering figure form and method. At another instance he among the modern Indian novelists of comments on the same in a funny way- post-1960 period. Volume III Issue No.I January 2013 Page 22

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‘I like to select/choose my own shirt. So I equally. have my choice of form for my novels. (Nemade: Nivadak Mulakathi ) (Further he continues having a faith of his With all these evidences, I think own) – Every writer is born with an inborn the views of the author have become clear vision of life and it is better for him to about the art of novel writing. It appears keep that instinct intact. Change as per the like the author is revolting against the demand (of market) in that instinct ruins established. So while going through his his basic vision of life.’ views published in various forms, anti- (Nemade: Nivadak Mulakathi 02-03) Brahminic statements and direct criticism What the author says and believes about of political strategies and people, is quite the art of writing fiction seems to be evident and there is logic in his saying. It’s practiced very carefully in his works of art. not only Kosla, but when we look behind Especially, dealing with Kosla translated to survey his journey, it seems like he was as Cocoon , it’s true, that it is his own preparing for an age long war against the selection proved to be genuine and established false, misleading tradition appropriate to describe the state of art in through literature in social life. Today he our time. So it’s not something shocking, appears victorious in the sense that, he even after fifty years Kosla survived, and could alter (to a considerable extent) the not only survived but revived the way literary activity in Marathi and also could novel was written in Marathi before 1960, gather his disciples (supporters) under the naming it with a new name, banner (informally used) of ‘Nemadpanth’, ‘Navkadambari’ (New Novel) by the though a few. critics and scholars. II The novel seems to be an Kosla as per the propagation of the experiment conducted by the writer in the author is the outcome of his lifelong laboratory of realism and genuineness of observations of the things around. Nemade experiences throughout his life. He solely accepts that in Kosla his father is hundred admits by saying- percent present, he himself as the hero Kosla is the outcome of my observations (Pandurang Sangvikar) ninety percent and throughout life. (further he also mentions when it comes to Bidhar the percentage that) The tradition with which I born and reduces of course. Intention is to bring brought up (oral/folk literature) and things as it is in the work. The writer very written literature with which I got meticulously sticks to his own idea of acquainted later in my life helped me realism throughout his creative process. Volume III Issue No.I January 2013 Page 23

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His is a very deep observation of life, aside the age long tradition of writing which he insists to bring into writing. poetry in India and more visibly in Realism no doubt is an element in Kosla. Maharashtra (Nemade: Teekasvayanvar , Nemade has his own set of ideas about 242). He considers Baba Padmanji’s realism, the theory which tempted most of Yamunaparyatan as the first Marathi novel the writers in the twentieth century, quotes and deals with the same till 1980. E. V. Kishor Sanap in his book- Ramkrishnan quotes in his essay adding in Real/ity (Truth) in literature does not mean this history with its trends from Nemade’s only the visible one. Rather, I expect the own essay in English, The Marathi Novel true understanding of entire life…Novel 1950-1975 as follows- needs to have a deep understanding of life He talks of the three trends in the history at large, an able novel does contain the of Marathi novel, the Yamunaparyatan same. (Sanap: 174) trend, the Mochangad trend, and the If Kosla is to be considered a Muktamala trend. The Muktamala trend pioneering work and a novel with ability to gives primacy to convention rather than revive the tradition of writing in Marathi, it life and may be termed as ‘Formalistic’ in becomes important to locate its place in approach. This type of novel avoids action the history of Marathi novel. Nemade in and has an affected way of narration. one of his famous essay entitled, Marathi Nemade puts the well known Marathi Kadambari: Prerana VA Swarup, outlines novelists like V. S. Khandekar, N. S. the detailed history of Marathi novel Phadke, P. B. Bhave, P. S. Rege and Baba tracing it back to the origin in Nineteenth Kadam in this category. The Mochangad century down to our own times. The trend reveals in fancy and may be counted author sees the genre of novel as one of the as ‘Popular Literature’. The dominant outcomes through the union of restless, tendency here is to produce is a ‘non- hardworking European (Basically English) existent reality’. Eminent writers like, V. civilization with Stable and Introspecting S. Khandekar, Ranjit Desai and Haribhau Hindu culture. He further adds by Apte are cited as examples of this category commenting, Indians took to prose writing by Nemade. Obviously, he considers the after getting failure in the foolish act of Yamunaparyatan trend as central to the rebelling against the ‘British Raj’ in 1857. history of Marathi novel. He defines this It started with Essay writing (Jambhekar, trend in these words: A novelist selects the Chiplunkar etc.), Marathi novelists also, theme as a verbal action with specific have followed the same tradition leaving moral angle in the context of the Volume III Issue No.I January 2013 Page 24

LITSEARCH www.litsearch.in ISSN 2277-6990 (Print) multifaceted relation between the the publisher, he says, was that earnest to individual and the community. And in publish it and his faith with relevance of keeping with the theme the style organizes the novel, together received this the form through the medium language unexpected, unending response from the using various techniques. (Ramkrishnan: young readers. The realist tradition 94-95) established by Yamunaparyatan , is notable This brief quote from the original for handling the larger moral issues like, source provides the crux of the historical plight of widows in the society at large. development of novel in Marathi But the society lost its treasure of morality Literature. Nemade also declares the and fall a prey to the careerist, commercial central place of Padmanji’s novel exposing money minded trend after the the misleading, romantic, mystic world independence (1947-60). The formalist’s, creating writers. So his movement of short by providing their ‘mystified world of magazines before and actual writing of fantasy’, adopting an escapist’s way Kosla seems to be his dedicated attempt to contributed to make the situation horrible. bring change in the tradition and to make it In such a situation, Kosla appeared, more real once again. In the same essay accepting the challenge, with something very carefully he puts this ‘Navkadambari’ vital to project through literature. This as an option to the traditional hegemonic approach needs to be in mind while novel, bringing it out from ‘set form’ and evaluating the contribution of this novel. ‘controlled theme’. So, if the reader The narrative is loosely connected doesn’t find love triangle and the likes, as discourse, running through six parts and theme in beauteous language in mostly expressed in first person singular ‘Navkadambari’, credit goes to Kosla and pronoun about a young man of about Nemade for bringing novel close to life in twenty five year old. It is his history from all the senses. the childhood to present young age. III Pandurang Sangvikar is a native of Sangvi, After this long discussion about a village in the Khandesh region of Nemade and Kosla , locating its place in Maharashtra. The novel has biographical the tradition, let’s see, what is it that makes subject of the hero. First part deals with, this narrative special, standing as a not that pleasant childhood of the speaker, milestone on the way of Navkadambari. besides being born, in the rich family of a Nemade expresses that, he was not sure of landlord and on top of that the only son. the grand welcome of Kosla at heart. But This resulted in, developing in the speaker, Volume III Issue No.I January 2013 Page 25

LITSEARCH www.litsearch.in ISSN 2277-6990 (Print) an intense desire to run away from his So, in the next couple of parts of village, and do ‘something great’. Though, the story, we see Sangvikar in for not exactly known and defined this study in a famous college. This new world, greatness by him. In this part only though selected out of his own choice Pandurang gives his remarks on the life in appears to be alien and problematic to him. the villages in his time. He puts his grudge The life in Pune he finds something against his father, for many reasons. One exactly opposite to what he had in Sangvi. such he mentions about his like for playing His stay during those four years in Pune the flute and practicing it. To which proves in the end in vain nothing everyone from the family replied in substantial in hand after spending too negation. His father commented- much of money and time. Pandurang This is not Krishna’s Age, is it? spends time doing things pleased in his Take up your book. Throw away that own way to him. Sometimes roaming bamboo. (Nemade: Cocoon, 02 ) throughout days and nights on the hills and The teenager here is with sour heart, for roads, reading throughout night and not allowing him to do the things he sleeping continuously for a couple of days. pleases. In those days only, he further It is Suresh Bapat one of his friends discovers how everyone in the village is accompanied him at Fergusson during the mad after money including his father. He period. He gets exposed to the new world disturbs for getting insulted by his teacher, of city life, shocking him the behavior on one who narrates the stories of Sane every walk around in the second and third Guruji, commenting upon him for part of the narrative. His habit of keenly applying for free ship, being a rich man’s observing things here too accompanies son. But, it was his father, who forcibly him. Grown up in a very pious made him apply for free ship showing a atmosphere, though overtly appears low income. Pandurang finds no respect corrupt, at home he is built in very much for emotions, no scope for creativity and pure and he always sticks to the same. So overall independence in his family and he finds his Maushi’s, dressing and getting village. So, he always wished to run away prepared to roam in the market, very from his father and village also. When he awkward and comments sarcastically- gets an opportunity to leave Sangvi for -Maushi tarts herself up every day and further studies, he happily grabs it and goes out promenading. This is really thanks in mind for getting relieved from bad….I thought there seem to be quite a the controlled life by his father at home. few prostitutes in Poona. But even after Volume III Issue No.I January 2013 Page 26

LITSEARCH www.litsearch.in ISSN 2277-6990 (Print) behavior like Maushi’s if a woman’s This proves, Pandurang is not a husband calls her his wife, why should foolhardy. When he settled a little bit, in anyone else say anything about it? his second year of college, he decided to (Nemade: Cocoon, 28 ) do something to become famous. He got He finds this new thing bad, but fails to involved in college activities. He became change it. When he tried to bring it to mess secretary, secretary of the cultural notice of his Uncle, regarding the matter activities and got busy throughout the year. gathering courage, it turned opposite of This resulted only in throwing him into what he thought, spoiling relationship with many more problems. Becoming famous is Maushi and losing a weekly meal on his far away, getting insulted, he had to ask for part. So, he took the above stand money to his father to meet the deficit thereafter. Even in college, Pandurang occurred in mess accounts by the end of found very little to inspire his creative the year. Finally after too much of mind. There too he sees his friends like suffering, he could learn that, those who Ichalkarangikar always busy seducing the exploit others get flourished in this system, girls, disturbs him a lot for no reason. So and straightforward people like him are in a way, it was his habit to get indulged in always made a victim to suffer. Nemade, contradictions. The rebel in him seems to through these very small incidences be always attentive, turning him always comments on the ills in the society at into a victim. Over all these, during these large. days, letters from home troubled him. Learning many things from the Father, always reminding him the money loss, Pandurang next year plans different he is spending on him and suggesting, enterprise of reading voraciously. He starts study hard. spending time in the library. Meantime he During first few days, when he also develops relations with his Marathi uses to offer tea to his friends professor Gune. He also read books wholeheartedly, some of his Brahmin borrowing it from the same teacher. So, friends from Pune got habited. They visits to Gene’s house became often. There started exploiting his straightforward he started discussing things he had gone behavior, to which, he responded in a very through, putting his views very sternly. tricky way -saying, I would do one Sunday But, here too his nature brought him into with each of you in turn- they even contradictions. Once he strongly objects stopped passing by my door. (Nemade: 31) the statements made by a guest of Prof. Gune, followed by the Professor’s- Volume III Issue No.I January 2013 Page 27

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-literary writers are superior to ordinary Every government used to have a Police human folk. Now Department. I have myself seen many people who’re Now you might ask who is this great yet haven’t written a single line. Government? What does Police mean? Only fifteen percent can read and write, so Now, that gentleman, who in the public does that mean that there is no greatness in street went about openly in a pair of remainder of humanity? (Nemade: shorts, with a stave in his hand, and Cocoon, 189) caught thieves for you- that was a With this incident, his visits to Prof. Gune Policeman. stopped returning all his books. He is not It appears that Policemen must have been ready to submit his voice. Nemade has born out of an inherent desire for law and created Pandurang, with all possible order in the Nation. Because, why else situations of opposition and hypocrisy to would anyone would do the work of fight without submitting whatever may catching thieves, in shorts at that, and on a come. Pandurang knows that his is a vital measly income of eighty or ninety rupees a point. Actually, Nemade through this month. character is raising the large issue of Now what does Government mean? Every relating literature to the ordinary life from nation used to have a Government. the society, freeing it from the handful Some eight or ten ancient persons would one-sided. come together, and for a salary they would Pandurang with his bosom friend look after the balance sheet of the nation. Suresh, during these days, undertook his Once in a way, two or three governments wandering enterprise on the hills and on would come into conflicts. the forts around Pune city. One such plan This does not mean the oldies themselves of them brought them into a critical came to blows. First having created some situation and they had to spend a night in quarrel out of nothing. The oldies send the Police station. But, even after that there altogether different young men to their seems no change or repentance in their National borders to fight, while they behavior. In the police station, Suresh and themselves watched the fun from the himself tried the patience of the Hawaldar rooftops. (Nemade: Cocoon, narrating the historical things, becoming 178) historians of the Nine Thousandth Century Overtly though the prattle seems to be the of the Christian Era an another pass-time foolish pass-time of the guys, the author of them- has a very sarcastic comment to slap on the Volume III Issue No.I January 2013 Page 28

LITSEARCH www.litsearch.in ISSN 2277-6990 (Print) face of the political system in our country. sometimes spends time reading the Not the quoted only, there are many such Mahanubhav literature from the math. digressions in the narrative they do Here he finds once again the village life comment on various issues of the social boring, for many reasons. The very attitude life, the youngster’s putting in the tone of of people disturbs him a lot. Patriarchal rejecting relationship with this rusted and values add into his restlessness, no more society in their historical exploitation of women, Adivasis, children enterprise. With all these activities, throws him into never-ending darkness, Pandurang meets his failure in the exams and there again he starts appreciating the and returns nothing in his hand to show his philosophy of Chakradhar Swami, a saint father, to get insulted. from Eleventh century. The day-to-day During the last two parts of the things from rural life would disturb him. narrative Pandurang is at home with Once he comments to support his escapist nothing particular in his mind. But, this ideas- part of the novel widens his world, making So who’d want to spend his whole life in him as an integral part of the age old rural such nonsense? Besides everyone has to ethos. Nemade through the character of marry. And of course have at least one son. Pandurang opens the life in villages, their Even if little infants die these people don’t religious world, beliefs, exploitation, care a hang. And the aged folk, somehow patriarchy, women’s condition and hanging on just this side of death. If young everything about the rural nation in the girl die, that’s even better, a dowry saved. postcolonial period. Pandurang appears to If boy die, their brothers are overjoyed- so be growing, accepting the traditional much less to share of their land and norms to live, after getting failed to change property. In a city there are no such through the other option of education. He complications. (Nemade: Cocoon, 159) is representing a large class of young It seems like the world of these young people, thrown out of the flow, not people like Pandurang Sangvikar is knowing whose fault (society/individual), without options. Society is governed by but always a victim. Here too he keeps some set norms, both in village and in himself aloof for some time, but slowly cities alike in Twentieth century. This is becomes the part of that world, though the result of lack of ideals in the time, with keeping his self different. He spends time impact of hollow material ethics of the helping his father in the sulphate business, western world. Dr. C. J. Jahagirdar in his looks after the hands on the field and introduction to Cocoon , the English Volume III Issue No.I January 2013 Page 29

LITSEARCH www.litsearch.in ISSN 2277-6990 (Print) translation of Kosla , by Sudhakar Marathe fascinated by the ‘Preaching of comments aptly- Renunciation’ by the saint Chakradhar In Maharashtra, in the latter half of the Swami to discover the self and approves in Nineteenth Century, the impact of British mind. Later, when he spends time with his liberalism created a generation which friend Giridhar, sharing their alienation seriously believed that it had a responsible they discuss on many issues before taking role to play in society. Gradually, however one’s own path. Giridhar though appears the Maharashtrian middle-class lost this weak to take decision, but proves better social conscience and instead cultivated than Pandurang and sets for search of self values of material success, careerism, with Bambas Buwa. Whereas Pandurang is social status and prestige. Kosla captures unable to believe in anything and seems this historical impasse and the caught into the mesh, not having ability to contradiction of the colonial legacy in the say ‘no’, the first thing to follow one’s Post-Independence period. own soul and the narrative comes to an (Nemade: Cocoon, X) end. Exactly, this locates the transitional phase. IV Nemade too in one of his interviews refers As commented before, Kosla is an to the age calling, age without social experiment performed by the author, to ideals. Something serious, creative has practice what he believes and follows in happened in the previous period, now the life (personal, social and spiritual). It citizens of the free society are busy in appears to be an act performed to satisfy material progress, without caring for moral the self, without caring a little the outside loss. Hypocrisy has taken charge of both, world. The narrator is busy in his self. at the level of family and individual not Throughout the course of action the excluding any field. So, life Pandurang narrator is present through first person finds at both the places unbearable, singular, insisting the things crowded in unsatisfying. His is a nature of keeping the mind of a youth dealing with the world pace with the tradition, adopting good new around in a rejecting mood. So, even in the things and caring too much the morals in absence of an interesting story, the writer life. But, society proves as if, he is running keeps the reader intact with his reading is late of his time. praiseworthy. Use of episodes, though not In the last part of the novel, new in novel but the use of digressing Pandurang is meticulously searching for episode of diary, the narration in ultimate solution to his problems. He gets mimicking the history from the nine Volume III Issue No.I January 2013 Page 30

LITSEARCH www.litsearch.in ISSN 2277-6990 (Print) thousandth Christian Era is an interesting References: parody. Overall, the language used by the 1. Ramkrishnan, E. V. “Writing the Region, author is that real; one comes across the Imagining the Nation: A Reading of same slang of the youth in Maharashtra. Bhalchandra Nemade’s Kosla . In IIAS With above mentioned features, Review , Vol. XVII, No.1 (Summer 2011). Kosla stands high representing the true 2. Sanap, Kishor. Bhalchandra Nemade condition of youth in postcolonial India. Yanchi Kadambari Ek Chikitsa. Nemade seems to be quite right while Aurangabad: Saket Prakashan, 1996. selecting such a new formless form never 3. Nemade, Bhalchandra. Nivadak Mulakathi. selected by any other writer and only once : Lokwangmayagrah Prakashan, by himself (never used after) to project the 2008. cocooned world of youth in India. 4. Nemade, Bhalchandra. Cocoon. Translated from Marathi ( Kosla-1963 ) by *** Sudhakar Marathe. Chennai: Macmillan India Limited, 1997.

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