Rajee Seth is a well-known name in Hindi women's writing whose style is markedly distinct from other writers of the language. She usually picks up seemingly simple subjects and through them addresses larger social issues. She has done this once again in her recent collection of short stories, Not Without Reason And Other Stories , where the issues are familiar — domestic violence, mistreatment of old parents, childlessness as a stigma — but it's the women protagonists who have changed.
For instance, the title story “Not Without Reason” deals with the stigma that a woman faces for being unable to bear a child. Even though, in the story, Deepali, the wife, is medically fit and the problem lies with her husband Sudhakar. But fingers point to her as her husband refuses to tell his mother the truth. All attempts by Deepali — going to the doctor and making sure Sudhakar takes his medicines regularly — come to a naught when she discovers that the mother-in-law plans to get her son remarried. It is then she decides to leave, never to return. It is in that moment that one gets to see a strong and decisive Deepali emerge, who doesn't let herself become an object of pity. These are qualities that most women characters in Seth's stories, translated by Raji Narasimhan, exhibit and that is what endears them to the reader.
Determined women
In “Morass”, it's not pity or anger that one feels for Aartee, who fails to hold back her unemployed ex-Army officer husband from going to another town for a job. Rather, one is filled with admiration for the effort she makes to find him a decent job with the help of her boss. And this despite all the taunts thrown at her by her husband whose fragile ego is hurt to see himself at the mercy of his wife. It's women like Aartee that one encounters in these short stories. The protagonist in “The Same Jungle Again” is a victim of domestic violence but she has the guts to walk out of an abusive marriage and give birth to her child. As the story unfolds, one sees her as an independent person, who refuses to bow down to anybody's wishes, not even her brother's, who tries to match-make. The best part of the story is her sudden, irrational decision to meet the woman her husband has married.
In “Amma's Gold”, the woman is old and widowed but someone who has a mind of her own. She lives with her uncaring younger son. Having lost her older son in an earlier war, she wants to sell her gold ornaments in order to contribute to the National Defence Fund during Kargil war. But her younger son is unwilling and plans to take it away from her. The old lady, however, is determined not to give her gold to the son.
Interesting mix
What makes this collection interesting is the mix of stories. Most are centred around women but a few such as “My Option”, “Yatra” and “Wait, Intezzar Hussain” are about human emotions, problems, failings and so on. There is no feminist issue attached here; they are simple tales of people from different strata of society. “Yatra”, for instance, is about Kishan, whose father is a servant in a rich feudal landlord's house. Kishan hates the servile attitude of his father and the way he is treated in the house. Even though circumstances push him into a life of servitude, he decides not to get into it. He even convinces his father to leave the zamindar's house and come with him. In “My Option”, the protagonist is a witness to the marital problems that his sister faces, leaving him with a feeling of helplessness. Also, the India-bashing by his brother-in-law becomes difficult to handle after a point. “Wait, Intezzar Hussain”, on the other hand, is about the painful memories of the Partition which resurface 40 years later when the protagonist reads a book on that historic event.
It's the realistic touches that make these everyday stories a delight to read. Of course, the brilliant translation also helps.
Not Without Reason And Other Stories,translated from the Hindi by Raji Narasimhan, Orient Blackswan, p.119, price not stated.
