Prafulla Roy’s novel ‘Juddhayatra’ : The nature of social reality and lower class consciousness /প্রফুল্ল রায়ের ‘যুদ্ধযাত্রা’ উপন্যাস : সমাজবাস্তবতার স্বরূপ ও নিম্নবর্গীয় চেতনা

Abstract

Our society is divided into several strata. The people at the bottom of the social inequality of economic and racial high-low, strong-weak are identified as the 'lower class.’ For a long time, the lower class of society has been trampled by the upper class. Even though the elites represent themselves as compassionate representatives of the people in the workplace, they become violent and cruel when their interests are harmed. Inspired by Sarvodaya leader Vinobaji, in the 'Bhumidaan Yagya', landowners donated their fallen, barren lands to the homeless and destitute people of the lower classes in the hope of gaining merit and fame. When that land became fruitful due to the hard work of the untouchables, feudal lords came forward with their claim to ownership. They committed unspeakable atrocities to helpless people. They started harvesting the crops of the land under the supervision of their own soldiers and land soldiers. When the poor resisted, they unhesitatingly used machetes to shoot and kill 18 poor farmers indiscriminately in the presence of the police, and 11 women were gangraped and forced to die. Again, they are proven innocent to the end through the power of empowerment. They are eager to present themselves as great to the public by handing over the police their hired wrestlers. Despite realizing the harsh social reality of the manipulations of the feudal lords, lower-class people are forced to remain silent in the face of fear and helplessness of poverty. However, inspired by compassionate, selfless people like Rakesh, Devarati, and freedom fighters, who have compassion for the lower class, they realize their human rights. Conquering fear and helplessness a humane spirit begins to awaken in them. Overcoming all obstacles, they come forward in the fight for justice and accelerate the progress of civilization. Based on novelist Prafulla Roy's novel 'Juddha Yatra', this article will discuss the harsh reality behind the scenes of the social system and the awakening of the human spirit of fighting for the rights of the lower-class people.