Musing on Aranyaka

I am so happy to write this year I have been reading many books in my mother language Odia. It feels as if going back in time. I have been reading words and imageries I did not in years.

Recently we lost one of the most prominent Odia writers Manoj Das. I have always loved his writing style and themes. So I took up one of his short story collection named Aranyaka or Aranyakaw to reread.

Last time I read these stories I was really young. I am so glad I decided to read the book again because I don’t remember getting affected by the stories so much last time. At first glance the stories may seem lighthearted and humourous but on rereading I could see the sadness below the surface.

Generally in literature women are stereotyped to be emotional and male emotions are brushed under the carpet of gun toting masculinity. Manoj Das has done a great service by introducing us to male characters who are sensitive, emotional, lonely, and above all male characters who cry. Each story is told from a male’s perspective and as his mind goes through crises readers are dragged into it.

1. RAISINGH RAW DIARY (Diary of Raisingh)

Writer does not tell us anything else other than the entries from Raisingh’s diary. But the diary entries are written in such a way that readers can find the subtexts easily. Raisingh seems to be a rich landlord (Zamindar). From his entries it is clear he is mentally unbalanced. He imagines elaborate things especially about a young girl. The absurd things he imagines are hilarious no doubt, but the entries are also written by a man, who is slowly losing his mind.

2. SANGOPANAW KAHANI (Secret Story)

After his retirement Sharat is feeling overwhelmingly nostalgic for his youth. But to relive those days he can’t do much other than riding the bicycle and reminiscing. Assuming his son’s friend Jagjjoti to be a sympathetic listener he narrates stories of his youth days, most of which are only stories out of his imagination. It is not because he wants to brag but he wants to remember his youth in a certain way. But is there really any sympathetic listener? When he realises it he feels cheated and helpless. He breaks down when he understands he can’t even maintain an illusion about his youth and nostalgia. Because isn’t most part of nostalgia is keeping the illusion intact? 

3. UPAGRAHAW (Satellite)

A young priest is facing existential crisis because of launching of manmade satellites. It has been his job to appease planets and satellites for his clients through rituals. He gets deeply affected when some people teases him he can’t appease this new satellite which has been sent from earth only. This shifted his whole belief system. Then he gets paranoid imagining the new satellite is not happy with him. How would he assimilate a new satellite and a new phenomenon in his life and in his belief system?

4. BHUTAKOTHIRE EKAW RATI (One Night at Haunted House)

Two friends have a reunion decades after their student days. They meet in a haunted house and then the story of deception, mistrust, hatred, and insecurity hiding under the surface of so called friendship unfolds.

5. HRIDAY PARIVARTAN SANKRANTIYA EKAW KAHANI (One Story about Change in the Heart)

This is a beautiful story of the tender heart of a husband. Society wants him to be a man’s man but as a man he wants some tender moments with his wife. In the contemporary Indian society of 1950s any kind of “romance” between wife and husband was a taboo. How can a sensitive person be not expected to be emotionally intimate with the person he is physically intimate with?

6. RABIBASARIYA SANGITA (Music of Sunday)

This is a beautiful story depicting the delicate boundary between sanity and insanity. A man is supposed to be in control all the time. But once there is a little slip then the whole control slips away before one can realise. 

7. ARANYAKAW (Forest People)

The story which has given the name to the book is little different from other stories. It is about our primal nature which can get out of control so easily. When it is time to regret it is too late.

A group of people spends a night in forest. The night is an orgy of all senses. Each restraint on senses is gone. Once our restraints and power of judgments are gone; is there any difference between forest people and forest animals?

A Hindi film with same name is made in 1994 based on this story. The story has lots of visual imageries. I have not seen the film but I think if done properly the story could have been adapted nicely to screen.

8. JANHARAATIRA GALPAW (Story of a Moonlighted Night)

This is another story in this book, which explores the line between sanity and insanity. Here beauty of nature and art is described beautifully.

END WORDS

Like always, the language of Prof. Das is economical and simple. Readers can see irony and humour in his narration style. As discussed above, the characters are layered. Each and every line of each story is beautiful. I can’t praise the book enough.