Researcher and activist Prabha Kaini’s novel “Anabrit” will inevitably remind readers of that very soap, or indeed any educational soap that strives to raise awareness among the general public.[break] It is as earnest as that one, chronicling the tale of a girl who refuses to bow before the ridiculous customs of society and instead chooses to blossom in a world of her own creation.
The novel begins with the protagonist recounting her life to a couple of journalists, and hence reads more like an autobiography. In fact, the whole novel is centered on the actions and thoughts of the rebellious protagonist, the girl who wishes to break free from the claustrophobic rules that bind her. In a roundabout manner, this anger at the restrictive society is repeated in the first chapter until Pabitra begins telling us of her history, and the story gradually picks up momentum.
Along with the narration of Pabitra, there is a satisfactory revelation of the hypocritical Nepali society which forces its females to be double-faced early on – as when they take a fast only so people do not criticize them, and then gulp down bananas when no one seems to be watching. The description of a village life – that of a mother toiling day and night, or a daughter having to miss school while her brother has no such compulsions – is adequate enough to represent reality, though it is not enriching or vivid enough to be termed anything other than “ordinary.”The novel traces Pabitra’s revolt from the sleepy village to the city where she goes to pursue her further studies and seek a career. In the midst arrive descriptions of her sister’s failed marriage and the harried existence of her mother bending herself backward to cater first to her husband and then the family. There are tales of women dying early due to lack of proper care, girls being forced to leave school, females being worshipped as a goddess just to appease them and then being treated as a domestic menial. There are mentions of horrendous social customs that some of us residing in the metros have not even imagined about. Kaini has dissected and pinpointed gender discrimination to the last detail, which really makes one’s blood boil.
The novelist has spoken out for almost every Nepali female, particularly the ones with little say in the direction their own lives head towards. There are questions against the stupidities practiced under the shroud of the Teej festival, the burdens of widowhood, the unreasonable rituals to be followed during menstruation, the way a female is always disadvantaged due to the dowry system. In addition, Kaini also has her say about the dissatisfactory caste system and hierarchy that takes away the dignity and pride of human beings. She is quite forthright and honest in her expression, lashing out at all that seems even slightly unfair. The novelist is adept at translating Sanskrit shlokas which berate woman, and then berating them in turn. She is particularly bent on revealing the ironical condition of a female who is hailed as mistress of the house, but has no say in its running.
By the time Pabitra finishes her raves and rants against the injustice of the society, we recognize her as the honest, bold, fiery woman who is hidden within each one of us but very rarely let out. It gives voice to the silent females of Nepal and also encourages them to be self-reliant. But the respect the novel manages to garner by its logical analysis of the society crumbles towards the end, where it gets wilder and wilder. Females revolt against the males in aggressive and violent ways that are neither productive nor desirable. That is when readers will ask: At what cost freedom? Is it worth it to turn everyday into a world war and the home into a courthouse in the search for rights and power? Surely that would not bring solace and happiness to anybody.
Also the utopian idea of the Amazonian women who decide to survive in a world bereft of males is neither practical nor realistic. It does nothing except add a touch of melodrama to the novel. The author would have done well to devote more time and effort towards characterization and setting rather than insisting repeatedly about the emancipation of women. The “documentary” feel does not suit a novel. In addition, the author has an acute lack of and indifference towards quotation marks, which makes it difficult to distinguish between dialogues and narration. There is also a lack of smooth transition at several places, while the narrator jumps absentmindedly from one topic to another.
While this work does not quite turn out to be the Declaration of the Rights of Women as the author probably intended it to, it is certainly an honest and heartfelt appeal to the society to act against the injustices heaped upon Nepali females. The novelist has made a sincere effort to uplift her fellow females through words, but the canvas she has chosen is too broad and vague. If she had toned down the spectrum and concentrated on a particular issue, she might just have been able to envision another Devi that all of us are craving for.
Title : Anabrit
Genre : Novel
Author : Prabha Kaini
Publisher : Oriental Publications
Pages : 263+18
Price : Rs. 225
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