Browsing Category: Indian Writings in English

Introduction Narayana Pandit’s Hitopadesha Tales Why do we still turn to animal stories to teach adults how to survive the real world? These timeless fables cut through illusions, revealing raw truths about human nature. Enter Narayana Pandit, the 14th-century scholar who compiled the Hitopadesha—a Sanskrit collection of beastly tales drawn from ancient Panchatantra roots. Unlike modern morality tales that peddle rosy ideals, Hitopadesha delivers pragmatic survival lessons: dodge betrayals, outsmart foes, and thrive amid chaos....

Introduction Jyotirao Phule’s Caste Laws: Challenging Divine Inequality Jyotirao Phule’s caste laws exposed the brutal truth behind India’s social order. For centuries, inequality was not just a social norm; it was treated as divine law. Who was the man who finally called it what it was—slavery? Mahatma Jyotirao Phule, born into the Mali caste in 19th-century Maharashtra, rose against this oppression. He faced a rigid socio-political climate where Brahmin dominance enforced untouchability...

Introduction Anita Desai’s Fasting Feasting opens with the haunting contrast, “One creates a hunger where there is plenty; the other starves where there is famine.” This statement perfectly captures the emotional and psychological landscapes that define Desai’s world. Known for her deep exploration of the psychology of the outsider, Desai uses silence, repression, and longing to expose the invisible struggles within ordinary domestic spaces. In Fasting Feasting, food becomes more than a cultural symbol—it transforms into...

Introduction Mulk Raj Anand’s Coolie captures the tragic pulse of colonial India with a piercing honesty rarely seen in early Indian English fiction. In the West, the ‘picaresque’ hero usually survives. In Anand’s India, he dies. This reversal sets the tone for a narrative that refuses romantic escape and instead confronts the crushing realities of poverty and exploitation. Anand, one of the “Big Three” of Indian English literature alongside R. K. Narayan and Raja Rao,...

Introduction Can you love a language that is dying? This haunting question forms the emotional core of Anita Desai’s In Custody. Set in post-partition India, the novel explores a world where Hindi has become the language of authority, employment, and progress, while Urdu lingers as the fading language of art, memory, and poetry. Through the lens of one man’s dream and disappointment, Desai paints a poignant picture of cultural decay and personal disillusionment. At the heart...

Introduction Ruskin Bond’s The Blue Umbrella captures the charm of the quiet Garhwal hills—where life moves slowly, and every sound echoes through the misty silence. Yet, this serene landscape is suddenly brightened by a flash of blue, a simple umbrella that transforms the lives of those who behold it. Through his deceptively simple storytelling, Bond blends innocence with moral reflection, turning an everyday object into the heart of a profound fable. In his signature...

Introduction Nissim Ezekiel’s Night of the Scorpion plunges us into a vivid rural Indian night. The scent of wet earth and the flicker of lanterns set the stage for an intimate drama. This drama feels at once personal and universal. The iconic poem captures the essence of Indian sensibility and collective village anxiety. It shows the weight of tradition as well as the quiet resilience of family. Ezekiel, known as the “Father...

Introduction Mulk Raj Anand’s Untouchable stands as a groundbreaking novel in Indian writing in English. It places Anand alongside R.K. Narayan and Raja Rao as one of the “big three” pioneers of the genre. Yet, unlike the gentle humour of Malgudi or the mythic scope of Kanthapura, Untouchable takes the novel form in a bold new direction. Anand compresses the entire narrative into a single day in the life of Bakha, a young sweeper in a North Indian town....

Introduction Silence The Court is in Session is Vijay Tendulkar’s most celebrated play, offering a brutal critique of middle-class societal norms. It was first performed in 1967 and later translated from Marathi for a wider Indian and global audience. At first glance, it seems like a simple and playful drama. A small travelling theatre group arrives in a town to rehearse a mock court case as part of their social‑awareness programme. The...