‘সর্বকালের ইতিহাস’ : প্রসঙ্গ মহাশ্বেতা দেবীর দুটি ছোটগল্প/ ‘Sarbakaler Itihas’ : Prasanga Mahasweta Debir Duti Chotogalpa

Abstract

Mahasweta Debi stands as one of the most distinguished literary figures of the modern era. She was a powerful and commanding voice among contemporary writers. In her numerous short stories, she gave voice to the exploited and marginalized people of society. In the realm of literature, she served as the representative of the oppressed masses. It was precisely because she acted as a literary advocate for the people at the lowest strata of society that she earned the title "Shabar Mata" (Mother of the Shabars). Her short stories are, each in its own right, living monoliths. Having withstood the rigorous test of time, her stories continue to be studied and celebrated today as pure, unadulterated gold. The stories ‘Ajir’ and ‘Stanadayini’ are no exceptions to this rule. Mahasweta Debi collectively referred to these two short stories as "The History of All Time." The central theme of ‘Ajir’ is the history of the buying and selling of human beings—a stark illustration of the institution of slavery. Even today, generations of descendants continue to suffer the consequences of the transgressions committed by their ancestors many years ago. During a time of severe drought, their forebears sold themselves into servitude merely to survive, believing that their descendants would never again face the hardships of hunger and homelessness. Yet, they failed to realize that with a single signature on a meagre deed of indenture, they were effectively signing away the very freedom of their future generations. Consequently, the anguish of the descendants intensified to a harrowing degree. As the narrative unfolds, this crisis within the story deepens in intensity. The core subject of the story lies in the arduous struggle undertaken by the protagonist, Patan—right up to the very end—to reclaim the lost essence of his soul and experience the true taste of freedom. On the other hand, in the short story ‘Stanadayini’, we witness a societal practice where affluent families would employ "wet nurses" to breastfeed their children, ensuring that the physical beauty and figure of the upper-class women of the household remained unblemished. The story also poignantly illustrates the extent to which human dignity and respect for one another can be eroded. After having nourished nearly fifty children at her breast, the protagonist ultimately found herself suffering in utter solitude. She battled the deadly scourge of cancer, yet even then, she found no one to stand by her side; neither her own husband nor her children offered her support during her days of dire distress. Ultimately, Mahasweta Debi characterizes the death of Yashoda—a figure embodying the divine essence of a mother—as nothing less than the death of God Himself. Through these two stories, we explore how the eternal history of humanity is vividly brought to life.