সুজাতা : ‘হাজার চুরাশির মা’ উপন্যাসে এক ব্যতিক্রমী নারী / Sujata : An Exceptional Woman in the Novel ‘Mother of 1084’

Abstract

Mahasweta Devi’s Sujata is portrayed as a middle-class wife, mother, and a rebellious woman. The novel Hajar Churashir Ma (Mother of 1084) was first published in the autumn issue of the magazine Prasad in 1973. Later, after revision and expansion, it was first published in book form in 1974 by Karuna Prakashani. This novel has been translated into English, French, and Hindi. During the 1970s, Bengali literature witnessed a new turn and a fresh current, which also influenced Mahasweta Devi’s writing. This novel was written against the backdrop of the Naxalite movement. The time span of the novel is limited to just one day— morning, noon, afternoon, and evening. The narrative is divided into only four chapters. Initially, there was no chapter titled ‘Afternoon’; it was added later and incorporated into the novel. On one hand, the novel presents a domestic story of middle-class life, and on the other, it depicts the Naxalite movement.

                In May 1967, poor peasants and tribal people of Naxalbari, under the leadership of contemporary leaders, engaged in armed struggle to seize land. The main cause of this rebellion was land ownership and the severe oppression inflicted upon farmers. The movement first began in the village of Naxalbari in West Bengal. Although it initially started as a struggle for the rights of landless peasants, it later transformed into an armed revolutionary movement. During this movement, the leadership split into two factions. Those who fought on behalf of landless farmers came to be known as Naxalites. Both the government and the Naxalites engaged in violence. Although many people were killed or injured due to this movement, it brought about significant changes in India’s rural economy and society. Gradually, the movement spread like wildfire to regions such as Chhattisgarh, Andhra Pradesh, Bihar, and Jharkhand. Although written against the backdrop of the Naxalite movement, Mahasweta Devi structured this novel by focusing on selected fragments of the movement and on middle-class life. However, the writer’s principal aim was to delve deep into the human character and psychology of middle-class society and to uncover the true nature of the inner self.