Mahashweta Devi’s ‘Hulmaha’ : A search for Indianness/ মহাশ্বেতা দেবীর ‘হুলমাহা’ : ভারতীয়ত্বের অনুসন্ধান

Abstract

Mahashweta Devi’s widespread influence in literature. Not only in Bengal, but also in regions outside Bengal like Bihar, Jharkhand, Madhya Pradesh, etc., her influence is vast. Her literature naturally features the existence of deprived, vulnerable people who are denied social, economic and political rights. With a compassionate heart, she reached the homes, doors, and innermost hearts of the oppressed, governed, exploited, weak, marginalized, and helpless people in society. The novel ‘Hulmaha’ (1982) is a testament to this exceptional life and work. The burning story of the Santal rebellion is the main subject of its narrative. Under the rule, exploitation, and oppression of the colonial, zamindari, and moneylender classes, the Santal community was in danger and lost its way. Under their rule and exploitation, the tribals lost their freedom, rights, and the honor and dignity of their women. The exploitative class created its own empire by taking advantage of the Santals weakness and helplessness. There, burdened with debt, the Santals were reduced to bonded labor and serfdom. Additionally, Santals faced various forms of social and economic oppression and exploitation. To escape this oppression and exploitation, they initiated a rebellion. The main goal of the rebellion was to establish an independent Santal kingdom. Sidhu and Kanu led the rebellion. ‘Damin-i-Koh’ was formed across the vast regions of Bhagalpur, Murshidabad, and Birbhum. Besides the Santal community of these areas, Santals from Hazaribagh and Manbhum also joined this rebellion. Not only people from the Santal community, but also the oppressed and exploited Shabar, Munda, and lower-caste Hindus participated in this rebellion. Everyone’s dream was that their lives would be free from any company, government, zamindar, owner, or moneylender’s oppression and exploitation. Everyone, all classes, all castes, especially the Santal community, aimed to live together in unity. In this way, Mahashweta Devi has woven various contexts and tendencies of Indianness into the layers of her novels. In her narratives, the eternal national tradition and the taste and dream of Indianness are directly or indirectly revealed. She sought to establish that all people in India are equal and everyone has equal rights. Her thoughts and methods of work are solely aimed at destroying inequality and establishing equality. She did not accept caste discrimination and racial disparities. Her narratives contain a call for unity or oneness to protect one's own caste, religion, race, language, culture, and above all, the existence of the country. Mahashweta Devi has tried to highlight this through various narratives. From this perspective, every Indian citizen can feel the subtle pulse of life in Mahashweta Devi’s novel ‘Hulmaha’.