Reinterpretation of Myths and History in the Contemporary Indian English Novels

  Indian readers are looking for stories and novels that bring the historical and mythical world with a touch of contemporariness. The novelists like Amish Tripathi and Ashwin Sanghi have tried their best for their works based on Indian myths and history. They tried to manipulate mythological and historical sources into a new area of writing novels- Religious, Political and Historical thrillers. Unlike earlier fictions based on Indian myths and history, which exhibit a parallel story or retell these, contemporary Indian novelists have tried an innovative way to present the same by repackaging. Amish Tripathi brings the God and Goddess an extraordinary human form. The novelists craft plausible stories by manipulating mythical and historical characters and places; furthermore, assimilating them with contemporary storylines has become the prime business. 

Thus, a new form of writing novels based on religious scriptures and history has emerged in the last few years. Like Amish Tripathi, Ashwin Sanghi has emerged as one of the celebrated novelists who write novels using history and myths in a very different artistic way. His writings are an outcome of intense research. Research that tries to prove the historicity of The Mahabharta and Ramayana and draw a similarity between ancient times and day-to-day events. He believes that history has not been outdated; it has always been important in the present time. In one of his interviews, he says that the past is still relevant in the contemporary era. 

However, the emergence of these novelists brought about tremendous change in the traditional writing and reading culture. Such a writing business has brought about a revolution in writing novels in contemporary India. 

This area of writing novels has emerged as a new platform for writers and readers. Indian myths have a lot to explore and exhibit before the readers to take them into an ancient world that has relevance in the contemporary era. These myths are tales used from pass generation to generation orally in the past. Nowadays, novelists are reconstructing and weaving plausible stories out of these myths. They have been vesting their artistic approach to acquaint contemporary readers with the glorious past. 

They process chunks of religious scriptures or characters or stories and so on. There are many novelists nowadays who are writing novels on the same line. The other minor novelists also use history and myths relating them to day-to-day realities receiving good reception from the readers. Purposely, they have come forward to work upon allusions, fictionalised, fabricated manuscripts version of Hindu religious holy books. 

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Where the Mind is Without Fear By Rabindranath Tagore

Author Note

Rabindranath Tagore is one of the greatest writers in the world. He first and last, until now, only Indian recipient of Nobel award in the field of literature for his significant contribution to the world literature and Indian literature particularly. The Gitanjali is one of the celebrated collection of series poems. Primarily, Tagore penned in his native language Bengali; then he himself translated into English. Thus translated version could reach across the world, hence bringing tremendous name and fame over the world along with a Prestigious Nobel award. Although, primarily he was a poet of native language and wrote almost everything in the Bengali language, translated into English. It is his direct translations, the utmost effort to bring originality in the translated version, that brought his worldwide readership, for example, Naukadubi into The Shipwreck, Ghare Bahare into Home and the World, Dak Ghar into The Post Office and so on. The present poem Where the Mind is Without Fear, one of the most simple poems written in a very understandable language and has been prescribed in schools and universities. The poem is thirty-fifth of Gitanjali published in 1910, a prayer to God Father, urging him to make his country a heaven of Freedom. this poem reflects the vision of an independent nation.

Poem Paraphrasing

The poet prays to God for an ideal country and seeks a few demands that may live his country peacefully, prosperous, and the development will linger everywhere. The lives of people with dignity and without fear bring healthy life. The people who have free access to education becomes like the bricks for the entire development of the nation. The nation with no potency of partition within the nation can secure a bright future for the coming generations. Undivided country drizzles a healthy mindset and thus the journey begins on the smooth path of development. The poet's visions for a country where words come out just after many filtrations of truthfulness and doing so people could create space in the hearts of each other. Besides, people should move forward incessantly for the combined effort with firm determinations to avoid ailments and impurities in their behaviours and manners. Thus the people should be imbued with the spirit of regular practices and tireless attempt to attain perfectness. Now the poet requests God to enlighten the minds of the people so that they would not leave the path of reason to carry out day-to-day affairs. Not to deviate this path, will the people empowered with utmost human values. So many desires of the poet that he seeks for his country and countrymen, people would be moving forward with actions guided by clear-crystal thought which often yields positive results. Thus the poet sums up the pray with final words that he wishes for his country to awake and to make a heaven of freedom.

Conclusion

Rabindranath Tagore's poem was published in pre-independent Bharat, which must have inspired many nationalists and have envisioned an ideal nation. And these sense of inspirations has functioned as a dose of ointment to ailments given by unjust, cruelty and conspiracies of the British Government. However, this poem is still relevance after so many years of independence. 

The Frog and The Nightingale by Vikram Seth

About Poem

The Poem 'The Frog and the Nightingale' is one of the most celebrated poems in the history of Indian English poetry, composed by Vikram Seth, published in 1994 and published by Evergreen publications. It is a fable that narrates a story of a frog and nightingale. The nightingale becomes a victim of the frog's conspiracy and comes to an end to her life. Like most of the other fables, it also has a moral message which is a familiar story of our society. In this poem, the poet has tried to define the role of critics and charged them that in the name of criticism victimising to an artist is not viable. The poem has caricatured the characters like frog and nightingale, keeping in mind such people in society. The poem makes the people beware not to come easily to somebody's favour or first don't believe somebody blindly that may take you to nowhere but for cheating.

Paraphrasing

The poem begins with a storytelling manner, introducing us to a frog which makes noise all day-night long every day in the name of the singing songs without any purpose and any engagement to the neighbours. The frog under a sumac tree from evening to morning goes on with the unrhythmic pattern. The way frog sings, produces blaring sound that turned everyone mad to him. In the second stanza, the poet says that despite everyone's dissatisfaction or physically assault could not prevent him. Instead of look into in its singing stuff, the frog goes on as if it has a firm determination for unstoppable pace. On the meantime, a Nightingale perched on the very Sumac tree and overshadowed the frog with her melodious tone. Now the frog remained silent as it could not find a way out to diminish the publicity of the nightingale. Everyone begins looking forward to the nightingale for her melody. They have become great admirers to the nightingale and obsessed for her unmatchable sound. In the third stanza, everyone goes on applauding, appreciating and clapping as she ends her performance, she has become a celebrity in the Bingle Bog. This unprecedented record of appreciation has inspired the nightingale to sing more till morning without taking rest. Now, the fourth stanza of the poem, the story took a turn, and perhaps this turn will decide the destiny of both. When the nightingale starts with the beginning rituals, the frog interrupts her and tries to establish its authority over the sumac tree. He also tries to impress her by his false appreciation of baritone and tries to show its influence by pointing out about his rule over the Bingle Bog for a long time. The nightingale comes under its trap and accepts the frog as her great critic and teacher. Now the frog started manipulating his cunning mind to squeeze the last drop of profit out of her singing passion. He engraved the opportunity to earn by exploiting her in the name of false training. The nightingale, blind of her quality works for the wicked frog and compares him to Mozart, thinking, it will yield improvement to him.

One day, it was raining and the nightingale despite her inability to sing forced to do so. Though the nightingale was not able to sing, the frog compelled her to sing by persuading for vocal training, the consequences followed by lowering her voice, quivering and shivering. Keeping the agony of her restlessness and sleeplessness and looking at the Bingle Bog full of spectators, she cleared her throat and served the purpose of frog and the audiences without thinking a moment for herself. Day by day, the intensity of her sound fails to catch the pace, and the frog started to scold her. Now, the obsessed frog for the income out of her singing left him almost mad. He reinforced by persuading to perform with her best 'something sharper snappier'. Many performances beyond her capacity have exhausted her entirely to the last attempt. The inevitable hour is waiting for her, scolding her bitterly, she tried her life to sing but failed to produce something due to bursting of a vein and thus ended her life. Through the last stanza, the frog speaks the truth to himself that he tried his best to make her understand, but it was her fault. She could not recognise her voice and believe in me blindly that lead to her this tragedy.

Conclusion

Thus the story shaped in poetry form has a great artistic value. The smoothness and sliding tone, one to other lines, presents the unique poetic approach that we find rare or perhaps no one from the galaxy of contemporary Indian English Literature. Though the poem is a little bit longer due to fable, the poet has left no space to deviate from it. From the beginning to the last line of the poem has maintained the uniformity of the reader's engagement.

Vikram Seth: His Life and Works

About Vikram Seth

Vikram Seth is one of the greatest writers of contemporary Indian English literature. He was born on 20 June 1952 in Kolkata, West-Bengal. his writing covers a variety of genres like Novels, poetry, libretto, travel writing, children's literature, biography and memoir. His notable works include- A Suitable Boy The Golden Gate and An Equal Music. He also has been honoured by many awards including Padma Shri, Sahitya Academy, Stegner Fellowship, Guggenheim Fellowship and Commonwealth Writers' Prize. The life of Viram has not been static; he has been shifting, primarily for early education, St. Xavier's High School and St. Michael's High School in Patna, then moved to The Doon School in Dehradun and completed graduation from there. For higher education, he turned to Tonbridge School, England for A-levels, after that he went to read Philosophy, Politics and Economics at Corpus Christi College, Oxford. Finally, Seth went for never final PhD to Stanford University.

His Works

 'Mappings' is his first collection of poems published in 1980 as handset and hand bind, later, published by mainstream publishers. Seth popularity, largely, lies in his writing style of novels in verse form that made a great difference to his personality as a writer. 'A Suitable Boy' is his first novel published in 1993, one of the lengthiest novel ever published in a single volume. Suitable Girl, the sequel of the A Suitable Boy, was sent for the publication in 2017 and yet not published till 2020. An Equal Music is Seth's second novel that deals with an entangled love story of a violinist. apart from these, he has written a few other collections of poems like The Humble Administrator's Garden (1985),  All You Who Sleep Tonight (1990) and Three Chinese Poets (1992). Vikram Seth is an author of many literary genres; he writes poems, novels in verse, travelogue and fable stories for children. He has also authored a collection of ten stories, Beastly Tales from Here and There (1992) and Arion and the Dolphin (1994) for children. He is one of the multifaceted authors from the galaxy of contemporary Indian English authors. He has written a travel book, From Heaven Lake: Travels through Sinkiang and Tibet (1983), records an account of a journey through Tibet, China and Nepal.

Conclusion

Thus Vikram Seth is one of the most popular and well known among the literary figures of the contemporary time. As he hails from the literary circle, writing is the passion that has made him immortal in the history of English literature. His well-crafted poetry, verse form of novels and the travelogue have contributed a significant portion in the history of Indian English literature and particularly to the contemporary Indian English literature. In fact, he has uplifted the current status of Indian English literature on the world stage. His sensibility, sense of humour and poetic skill have really astonished the world.

Lakshmi Raj Sharma and his Works

About Author

Lakshmi Raj Sharma is one of the well-known authors from the galaxy of contemporary Indian English novelists. Unlike the contemporary Indian trend of writing English fiction, Sharma looks forward to being counted as a serious fiction writer. It comes true to his claim to be called so, his popularity is vested chiefly on the literary fiction that shows his class of writing novels. Lakshmi Sharma got his education KG to PG and then PhD. from Allahabad. He completed higher education from Allahabad University and later on became the professor of English literature at the same University. He hails from Mirzapur, born and brought up in a well-being family. His current novel, The Tailor's Needle and a few other novels are to his credit. And a few collections of stories and literary discussions are Marriages are Made in India, TS Eliot-Middleton Murry Debate and The Twain Shall Meet. Being a professor of English literature and language, most novels are quite literary and full of literary references. His works reflect a well-learned literary artist who is capable to mingle the artistic ingredients in a very logical order that gives the output naturally. Sharma's writing can be inspirational for the contemporary Indian English novelists who are writing with no purpose. A few novelists from the non-literary background, popular contemporary Indian English novelists, have no intention to serve the value of literature by their novels. They are looking forward to making money out of their writing pieces and thus they have commodified fiction.  

His Works

The Tailor's Needle (2009), Sharma's debut novel, a critically acclaimed that has tried to establish a landmark in the history of Indian English literature. It has brought the experience of the past to the contemporary generation. The novel as a social laboratory has experimented with the Indian value system and the advent of western culture to the current Indian generation. The outcome, partially inherited by Sir Saraswati's three children inherited genes and partially influenced by the surroundings, is the recurrent theme of the novel that we observe in the progress of the characters. Coning to the next, Intriguing Women followed by Marriage are Made in India, a collection of short stories. Intriguing Women is based on a female protagonist who has killed her several husbands. this novel examines the extended circumference of femininity. This novel is supposed to be understood through the spectacles of feminism. It has presented typical successful women, naive ones and at the same time with no identity. Saba & Nisha: A Love Story is his last novella delves into the difficulties and chemistry of the relationship between Indian men and women from a different religion. 

Thus the novels by Sharma have an in-depth approach tracing the issues that our society confronts over time. His writings marked by vehemently used humor and bringing the past experience to modern society. at the same time, weaving the issues into stories naturally proves his artistic maturity that connects and contributes to world literature. Sharma's writing approach can bring a new trend for contemporary Indian English novelists.

Contemporary Indian English Commercial Fiction

Trend of Contemporary Publishing Houses 

We have authors in every nook and corner of the country, nowadays the persons who have little whims for writing go on claiming themselves to be an author. It came true due to easy access to technology for everyone equally- a high headed writer or a petty one. This newly found technology has provided very relevant platforms to reach targeted readers. The instant thirst for publicising the written works have given the birth to a set of mechanism- author promoting/branding, book promotion, publication books in the targeted region like metropolitan cities. Apart from these, many approaches provide ease for the authors to reach the public domain. Besides, the role of social sites can not be neglected as it has been fast-moving social platforms that create a virtual society where everything is possible. The dedicated websites, promotional Book reviews- written and video clips are norms of book promotion. In the fast-moving world, everybody has a hectic life schedule. The academicians or enthusiasts of literary books look for the brief ready-made written stuff for instant information. Therefore, the summary and critical opinions and views are highly demandable nowadays. Thus the meeting for such demands has encouraged intellectual or youths to this segment of the publishing industry. 

Commercial Fiction

However, the pursuit of commercialization to the written piece of works has given birth to a new career area where thousands and lacs of people are engaged to it. During an interview with Amit Mishra, the founder of ashvameghpublication.com has briefed about the ongoing mechanism of the publishing industry:

"In the world of capitalism, everything has become quite easy these days from writing to getting the stuff published. The thing that matters how many writers come up with the money to spend on his/her writing stuff. The commercialization of novels meets both ends".

From the author's side (particularly authors of commercial fiction), the same thing has been sounded, for example, Chetan Bhagat has opinionated that he wants his novels to be next to Jeans and T-shirts in big Bazar or supermarket. Contemporary Indian English writers are in the want of best-selling status irrespective of the contents and issues raised by them. However, Chetan Bhagat has set a trend of writing novels and has been followed by many posterity. His novels meet the choices of wide readers from different walks of life. His novels can be, having very simple language, read by a high-school educated fellow without any difficulty. Therefore, his unprecedented success as an author in the history of Indian English literature has brought the attention of the critics, academicians, and publishing industries. Now, there is an extended unit of publishing houses that has been set and dedicated to reaching the author's presence in the market.

Thus, without considering the role of technology in promoting books and authors, contemporary Indian English literature would remain half done. It is IT (information technology) embedded virtual working platforms that help a lot reaching to the ultimate consumer of the books.

Ladies Coupe by Anita Nair

About Author

Contemporary Indian English literature has indexed many novelists who are writing open-handedly, thought-provoking, and iconoclastic novels. Anita Nair is one of the celebrated Indian English novelists who stands apart from novelists of the popular contemporary Indian English novels. She has authored some well know novels like Ladies Coupé, Mistress, Lessons in Forgetting, Idris: Keeper of the Light. Theses novels have attracted wide readerships across the world and popular amongst critics and thus got wide critical acclaim across the world. Ladies Coupe, published by Penguin Books in 2001, is also one of the remarkable novels from the contemporary galaxy of English novels. Like Canterbury Tales, Ladies Coupe has narrated stories of female existence in the society where women are expected to carry out a predefined set of responsibilities throughout their life. Here we have six female characters to tell the stories of their lives who come from different walks of life, each of them has complaints to their relatives. although the novelist did not claim it as a feministic novel, readers and critics have, sometimes, labeled as a feministic novel that deals with the elements of feminism and existentialism. the novel is set in a train - coach in which, as of today ladies coach, a ladies coupe is reserved only for the female in those days. In the novel, Ladies Coupe has become a battleground for Akhila, the protagonist of the novel, who sets a heroic journey to justify her ways of life by supplying her arguments to other members of the Ladies coupe. Anita Nair has attempted to charge such social norms, by suppling her ardent desire for an ideal lifestyle that suits her most, in this novel. Unlike other contemporary novels that impose unwanted feminism, heterogeneity, and far fetched ideas that seem very alien to this domain, Ladies Coupe stands far ahead and excavates the buried impulse of female life that tries to break through and become a free being. As novelist herself does not claim as a feministic novel that, to some extent, stands true while reading the novel, it comes on the way that the discrimination between males and females is not quite noticeable as the theory of feminism entails.

 

About Novel

Ladies Coupe, unlike a traditional feministic novel that demands the equality between the male and female identities of the society, tries to break through and goes on psychological equality and female existence as a free being, not as subordinate to her counterpart. The novel begins with a journey to Kanyakumari on Udyan express in which Akhila meets six other members of the ladies coupe, and she tries to seek their experiences and their realizations, how they perceive other family members in the family lives whether it is male or female. In the ladies coupe, Akhila with her five other members that board and deboard at the different railway stations. the other five members: Prabha Devi, Janki, Margaret Shanthi, Sheela, and Marikolanthu; each of them has a story that haunts them and suffocates them, prompting them to look for their peculiar longing for freedom, this is the very idea that novelist has dealt with. 

Critical Opinion

Thus, through the novel, Nair has become a mouthpiece for the female existence that demands female emancipation. Seeking this liberty, she goes to such an extent that she tries to erase the conception of family and relatives. The novelist, moving one step ahead of her time, tries to defy the social norms and social pattern in which everybody has their own importance and value in the social ties. As a Chick Lit, it may inspire a selective section of the readership and writers as well. But on a large scale, it could not stand on the circle of serious fiction which has something to do with reality. perhaps it has no inspirational whims that could inspire women to live a dignified life. off the line, Anita Nair is very prominent for her writing among the contemporary Indian women writers.