Sunday, September 2, 2007

Shodh- by Taslima Nasrin


Hi All!
I read "Shodh" by Taslima Nasrin. It was a great discovery to read that the author was a qualified doctor....and rest we know about her Lajja- n controversies. The preview about the novel said that the author has, unlike her other novels, tried to revolutionize the concept of marriage in tradition bound society. I was obviously tempted to read a new Taslima...
While reading the novel, i felt as if i am reading a chapter of English literature of class 9th syllabus- the language and vocabulary were so easy that i never once had to pick up a dictionary(which i usually have to do with other novels). The novel has very few dialogues and more of thoughts of the heroine- Jhumar. She has in her thoughts described her life before marriage, followed by her love with Haroon, which was just like any normal love affair. And this physics graduate when marries Haroon, she meets another Haroon, who is poles apart from the man she loved. She adjusts completely. There is not a single mention of husband wife tiffs. Jhumar keeps her thoughts to herself and adjusts to be the very good bahu of the house. Her husband even makes her abort their first child as he doubts that it is a result of before marriage college friends. Jhumar surrenders to that too. Later, Haroon wants a child from Jhumar, and Jhumar makes a conscious effort to have a child of her tenant- Afzal(whom she gets attracted to, and develops some physical relations too- for some days). The boy is born, and Haroon least suspects Jhumar . Jhumar's Position in the household changes; she takes up a job too....and lives (hopefully)happily ever after.
The story is written with the background of a typical Muslim Bengali/ Bangladeshi family. So, there wasnt much new to read about their culture.
When the preview says, Taslima has tried to revolutionize the concept of marriage- i wondered how she intends to do it? Will bearing another man's child ,make Jhumar forget that Haroon had made her kill their own son, or that he did not at all care for her happiness, or that her role as bao of the house expected her to be imprisoned in the house, always? What pleasure did that planning of her to bear another man's son bring to her? She wasnt much in love with Afzal. She loved Haroon all the time, and was very respectful to him, inspite of the fact that there was just no love in the marriage...
I read the novel in two sittings, and kept asking myself- if i m getting any pleasure reading it/.....dint really get any answer....

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