Evolution of Indian literature since India’s Independence-SINDHI (Part IV)

This as a social and economic background, short stories appeared which had a low paid clerk as a central character. Ishwar Chander’s (1937-1992) short stories mirror this reality of a young man torn under the burden of duty towards elderly dependent parents and demands and aspirations of his personal family. His short story ‘Na maran jo dukh…’ (Grief of not dying). In this story the main character takes loan from his office to meet the expenses of his mother’s impending death. His sisters and other close relations visit him and mother recovers. His money is all spent but mother is still alive leaving him with fear that in the case of actual death where will money come from?  This resulted in his disappointment at his mother not dying. Prior to this in keeping in sync the progressive thought A J Uttam (1922-2005) had written a story “Raja”in which he had contrasted the independence of a ‘mere peon’ as against white colored Clerk. Kirat Babani’s ( 1922-2015) story deals with a low paid employee in a private firm.  With change in time line in Shyam Jaisinghani’s (1937-2009) stories instead of a clerk we find the character of young executive and nuclear family. His short story ‘Another day’(1988) paints the roller coaster of varied experiences of young working couple. Whereas his story “Adai ghar ….” At the  same time the title is a metaphor for the chess Board. This story depicts atmosphere of a young overseas family and shattering of established ‘moral codes’.  The protagonist has a wife in Hong Kong, mistress at Tokyo and parental home at Pune. It is significant to observe that during this period the majority of Sindhi society was occupied with a single point agenda of making money, money and more money. This single minded pursuit of material possessions like any other of neo rich class everywhere made it ostentatious contempt for traditional values customs, culture and life style. It had no concern for literature, language and understanding of rich cultural heritage. This situation was mirrored in most of short stories of Krishin Khatwani and Lakhmi Khilnani (b. 1935). This fact has been underlined by Vasdev Mohi in his poem when he says that  has heart of Leela and feet of Sasui.*(*Referring to Sindhi diasporas across the globe. This has reference to folk tales of Leela Chanesar and Sasui Punhoon. Leela is attracted to pearls and Sasui wanders in the desert). Prem Prakash has invoked the traditional folk form of ‘Bhagat’ to create his mini epic of one to one dialogue exploring and negotiating multiple identities. He is pioneer of Sindhi experimental theater. At the same time Ramesh Jhanjani and Anand Matai obtained training in dramatics at National School of Drama under the guidance of doyen of theater Alkazi. Moti Prakash and Madan Jumani obtained diplomas in Theater from Bombay. This way many dramatic groups came up in which Jewwan Gurshani(1928-1994) at Delhi, Sunder Agnani (b.1936) at Jaipur, S P  Megahnai ( 1934-2017), Madan Juamni, at Mumbai gave impetus to drama writing. Gobind Malhi who had migrated from IPTA to serve Sindhi stage alone wrote about 40 one Act plays. His contribution as a Novelist is not matched in India by anyone else. He has contributed in genre of Short stories and his biography mirrors the turbulent times in which he grew up and spent his life full of struggle as a literary and cultural activist.

Another facet about Sindhi Language needs to be emphasized here. Apart from those Sindhi speaking people who migrated to India, in India itself there are some pockets in Kutch (Gujrat) Jaiselmer- Barmer (Rajasthan) where Sindhi Language is spoken. There one part of Kutch border known as ‘Bani’. The inhabitants are mainly Muslim pastoral community. Kaldhar Mutwa(b.1967) has emerged from among them quite a mature writer and has a distinction of contributing short stories rooted in the soil about pastoral village life concerns. ( At present he is a member of advisory board for Sindhi Language of Sahitya Akademi) His Stories can be called ‘peripheral’ (Such are called ‘Aanchlik’ in Hindi language).  Jetho Lalwani(b.1945) has obtained his doctorate by researching on ‘Folk Songs of Bani. Indian Institute of Sindhology has recorded many hours of folk songs (They still need to be transcribed). In same manner Komal Kothari’s institute has treasure of folksongs waiting to see light of the day.

It would be erroneous to believe that Sindhi literature has remained insular. In Sindhi literature find all the literary trends being reflected as in other Indian Languages. Immediately after partition for more than two decades the progressive trend of literature dominated. Here one important incidental fact needs to be mentioned. Those writers who had grown and were educated in Sind their source of further reading was English and Urdu (With a few exceptions of Persian). Those who came to India in their teens and Pre- teens their source of further study became Hindi Language. In fact at Student level many Sindhi students had passed ‘Sahitya Ratan’ examination conducted by Rashrtra Bhasha Prachar Samiti of Wardha. Thus they were attracted to literature and some of them started writing in Sindhi at very early age. This fact combined with another factor of raging cold war between two blocks with opposing ideologies and intellectual space was not immune to this fact.

This was contest was reflected to great extent in Hindi Literature. In Sindhi literature also it had its impact as works of Agaiya, Dharamveer Bharti and others of his contemporaries were translated into Sindhi. This trend focused on individual and inner life. Characters were removed from social context whereas in Progressive trend individual was portrayed as part of social reality. Thus literature became more of introvert- reflective and explorations of individual relationships.

All these factors prompted the Gen-next to carve their distinct position as they wanted to outgrow from the shadow of ‘Progressive’ writers’ group. In the process three names emerged. Mohan Kalpana, Guno Samtani and Lal Pushap. They created ‘individual’ based literature rather than placing individual as a part of social milieu. There writings were mostly based on Man- Woman   romantic relationships therefore they were called ‘Romantics’ to distinguish them from Progressive writers. (They had no connection with English romantic poets their Philosophy or their aesthetics). Mohan Kalpna wrote in his inimitable style with witticism and Guno Samtani gave his stories classical veneer by use of Hindi words and mythological metaphors and Lal Pushp would embellish his stories with philosophical passages.

As was the case in other literatures of Indian Languages, Sindhi was also influenced by ‘New Wave’ or ‘modern’ trend.  In this modern trend all elements of stream of consciousness- Absurdity of Camus- Existencelism of Sartre and Surrealism and fantasy of Kafka and host of other non Marxist literary philosophers. All were lumped together and this trend was called a ‘New wave’ trend with new sensiblity. This gained ground in Hindi heartland due to sense of alienation from village soil to nameless face less city life and process of urbanization. It was the individual who was at the center of narrative and all the discourse. This came like a flood in Sindhi literature.  It created writers overnight. Some of the established writers also could not resist this force. But with the benefit of hindsight it could be said that though this school of thought gave Sindhi Literature a few talented and gifted writers on which Sindhi literature can take legitimate pride the bulk of the literature produced by that torrent has not survived the test of the time.. Experimental plays by Prem Prakash of that period are exceptional and poetry of Harish Vaswani remains significant while Vasdev Mohi moved  ahead to uncharted paths in his creative endeavors weaving multilayered patterns in poetry and prose.  Short story of Prof: Hiro Shewkani’s ‘Bashe Mal Jo Bathroom’ portrays character of neo -rich who feel that even education be purchased by giving bribes.  It may be said that though in literary/ critical circles post modernism is discussed by at creative level it has yet to make any significant impact. Pram Abhichandani, Anand Khemani and Lal Pushp (who traversed all trends in Sindhi literature and had a very impressionable mind.) are adherents of this trend.  Theories of New Historicism and Magic Realism are yet waiting to be discussed. It has been realized that all the tools of literary criticism and various theories concern more the critic rather than a creative writer. The force of creation is strong to be straitjacketed by any literary theory.