I Take This Woman by Rajindre Singh Bedi....
Introduction
Rajinder Singh Bedi was an Indian Urdu writer of the progressive writers' movement and a playwright, who later worked in Hindi cinema as a film director, screenwriter and dialogue writer. He was born in Punjab, British India in 1915. Bedi is considered one of the leading 20th century progressive writers of Urdu fiction, and one of the most prominent Urdu fiction writers. He is most known for 'disturbing' Partition of India tales.
I Take This Woman is originally a translated novel from Rajinder Singh Bedi’s Ek Chadar Maili Si (A Slightly Spoiled Sheet). The novel, Ek Chadar Maili Si, is a remarkable Urdu novel of Rajinder Singh Bedi, written in 1962. It was translated into English by one of the most contemporary English writers Khushwant Singh with the title of I Take This Woman. The book was later translated into Hindi, Kashmiri and Bengali languages. The novel won the 1965 Sahitya Akademi Award. It is an unusual story of a woman compelled to marry one whom she brought up as her own son.
Theme of The Novel
The novel includes such themes as women suffering, women exploitation, exploitations of the man dominated society and some others. Throughout the novel, we see the suffering of a woman named Rano, and the domination of the society over her. She was forced to marry again by the society. The novel also depicts the grim undercurrent of ruthless tragedy under the placid surface of rural India.
Characters in The Novel
1. Rano
Rano is the central character of the novel. She is the daughter of poor parents and lives with her drunkard husband in a village.
2. Tiloka
Tiloka is the husband of Rano. He is drunkard ekka driver and not an ideal husband.
3. Jindan
Jindan is the mother of Tiloka and mother – in – law of Rano constantly berates her for dowry, always heaps abuses on Rano.
4. Hazur Singh
Hazur Singh is the father of Tiloka and father – in – law of Rano. He is an old blind man. He is always kind to Rano but unable to help her.
5. Mangal
Mangal is the brother of Tiloka. After the death of Tiloka, Rano forced to marry with him.
6. Other Characters
Waddi, Salamat, and Gyan Chand.
Rano’s Struggles
Rano is a daughter of poor parents. She is a feisty woman lives in a village with her husband Tiloka. Tiloka is drunkard Tonga driver. He was far away from an ideal husband. When Rano comes to Kotla, she found new parents and brother – Jindan, her mother – in – law, became a new mother for her; Hazur Singh, Rano’s father – in – law, became a new father for her; and Mangal, Rano’s brother – in – law became a new brother to her. Mangal is barely six years old when she met him. Though Rano is largely content with her husband Tiloka, he beats her often when he gets drunk. Rano’s mother – in – law Jindan heaps abuses on her for inadequate dowry, even years after her marriage. Only her father – in – law Hazur Singh, an old blind man is kind to her but he cannot do anything more for her. The only member who can save her is Tiloka’s brother Mangal.
Death of Tiloka and Rano’s Remarriage
One day Tiloka drops off a young woman of 13 years old at a nearby inn and goes home. The next day, the inn keeper tells him that woman is dead, and he is to take her dead body for cremation, which he does so. On the way there, Tiloka is killed by the young dead girl’s enraged brother. The killer is caught by the police and imprisoned. But this does not solve the problems. Rano gets into trouble after the death of Tiloka and the family is virtually destitute.
After the death of Tiloka, the village elders decide that Rano must either leave the house or marry Mangal. Rano has a social insecurity so, she has to marry Mangal. Rano and Mangal are not married around a sacred fire or holy book; instead Mangal places a sheet over her as a sign of protection.
Domination of Society
In this way, the story would have been a pathetic tale of woman’s suppression. The novel shows a clear picture of male dominated society. The novel also depicts how a woman suffers under the domination of the society through the character of Rano. The central character of the novel, Rano shows the situation of a woman in contemporary Indian society.
Conclusion
I Take This Woman is a pathetic tale of woman’s suppression. In the hands of Bedi, it becomes a triumph of the human spirit above time and circumstances, and becomes a flesh and blood emblem of courage and strength. In short, the tragic story of Rano is actually scathing domination of a social system where poverty is the root cause of all evils.
Rajinder Singh Bedi was an Indian Urdu writer of the progressive writers' movement and a playwright, who later worked in Hindi cinema as a film director, screenwriter and dialogue writer. He was born in Punjab, British India in 1915. Bedi is considered one of the leading 20th century progressive writers of Urdu fiction, and one of the most prominent Urdu fiction writers. He is most known for 'disturbing' Partition of India tales.
I Take This Woman is originally a translated novel from Rajinder Singh Bedi’s Ek Chadar Maili Si (A Slightly Spoiled Sheet). The novel, Ek Chadar Maili Si, is a remarkable Urdu novel of Rajinder Singh Bedi, written in 1962. It was translated into English by one of the most contemporary English writers Khushwant Singh with the title of I Take This Woman. The book was later translated into Hindi, Kashmiri and Bengali languages. The novel won the 1965 Sahitya Akademi Award. It is an unusual story of a woman compelled to marry one whom she brought up as her own son.
Theme of The Novel
The novel includes such themes as women suffering, women exploitation, exploitations of the man dominated society and some others. Throughout the novel, we see the suffering of a woman named Rano, and the domination of the society over her. She was forced to marry again by the society. The novel also depicts the grim undercurrent of ruthless tragedy under the placid surface of rural India.
Characters in The Novel
1. Rano
Rano is the central character of the novel. She is the daughter of poor parents and lives with her drunkard husband in a village.
2. Tiloka
Tiloka is the husband of Rano. He is drunkard ekka driver and not an ideal husband.
3. Jindan
Jindan is the mother of Tiloka and mother – in – law of Rano constantly berates her for dowry, always heaps abuses on Rano.
4. Hazur Singh
Hazur Singh is the father of Tiloka and father – in – law of Rano. He is an old blind man. He is always kind to Rano but unable to help her.
5. Mangal
Mangal is the brother of Tiloka. After the death of Tiloka, Rano forced to marry with him.
6. Other Characters
Waddi, Salamat, and Gyan Chand.
Rano’s Struggles
Rano is a daughter of poor parents. She is a feisty woman lives in a village with her husband Tiloka. Tiloka is drunkard Tonga driver. He was far away from an ideal husband. When Rano comes to Kotla, she found new parents and brother – Jindan, her mother – in – law, became a new mother for her; Hazur Singh, Rano’s father – in – law, became a new father for her; and Mangal, Rano’s brother – in – law became a new brother to her. Mangal is barely six years old when she met him. Though Rano is largely content with her husband Tiloka, he beats her often when he gets drunk. Rano’s mother – in – law Jindan heaps abuses on her for inadequate dowry, even years after her marriage. Only her father – in – law Hazur Singh, an old blind man is kind to her but he cannot do anything more for her. The only member who can save her is Tiloka’s brother Mangal.
Death of Tiloka and Rano’s Remarriage
One day Tiloka drops off a young woman of 13 years old at a nearby inn and goes home. The next day, the inn keeper tells him that woman is dead, and he is to take her dead body for cremation, which he does so. On the way there, Tiloka is killed by the young dead girl’s enraged brother. The killer is caught by the police and imprisoned. But this does not solve the problems. Rano gets into trouble after the death of Tiloka and the family is virtually destitute.
After the death of Tiloka, the village elders decide that Rano must either leave the house or marry Mangal. Rano has a social insecurity so, she has to marry Mangal. Rano and Mangal are not married around a sacred fire or holy book; instead Mangal places a sheet over her as a sign of protection.
Domination of Society
In this way, the story would have been a pathetic tale of woman’s suppression. The novel shows a clear picture of male dominated society. The novel also depicts how a woman suffers under the domination of the society through the character of Rano. The central character of the novel, Rano shows the situation of a woman in contemporary Indian society.
Conclusion
I Take This Woman is a pathetic tale of woman’s suppression. In the hands of Bedi, it becomes a triumph of the human spirit above time and circumstances, and becomes a flesh and blood emblem of courage and strength. In short, the tragic story of Rano is actually scathing domination of a social system where poverty is the root cause of all evils.