Uttaradhikar (Inheritance)

Author: Samaresh Mazumdar
Pages: 279

Uttaradhikar meaning Inheritance is the first installment of ‘Animesh’ series, a classic novel written by Samaresh Mazumdar – one of the greatest writers of modern Bengali literature. The novel is set up on the eve of Independence of India. The writer has shown the world through the eye of a young boy, Animesh, and follows his journey from childhood in the North Bengal district of Jalpaiguri, his education, his adolescence, political exposure and his arrival in Kolkata where he eventually gets embroiled in the Naxalite movement of the 70’s which is the in the next book Kalbela.

About the Author 

Samaresh Mazumdar is an Indian writer from West Bengal. He is best known for his Animesh series, the second of which (Kalbela) won the Sahitya Academi Award in 1984.

Mazumdar spent his childhood days in the tea gardens of North Bengal in Jalpaiguri district. He studied at Jalpaiguri Zilla School and completed his bachelor’s degree from Scottish Church College, Kolkata followed by a Masters in Bengali literature from Kolkata University.

Prologue 

Uttaradhikar is written on the political situation of India just after the independence and partition. In general the book tries to show us how a majority of India was happy because of the freedom they got from the British, but a major section of Bengal inhabitants were not happy and do not believe in the Independence achieved through pleading. During this period the majority of the youth generation of Bengal was going through this confused state of dilemma.

The main character of the book, Animesh, is at a very tender age where he does not know what he should believe in or go towards, and is torn between “Vande Mataram” or “Inquilab Zindabad”. The political situation of India in Animesh’s experience was crisscrossed with many complicated incidents. Animesh’s perception on politics was very rigid, clean and without complexity. What he knew of politics was ‘patriotism’, the song ‘ধনধান্যেপুষ্পেভরা’in “Notun Didi’s” voice, the hoisting of flag on 15th August, the “Vande Mataram” all these was essential to make the country Independent and keep it safe, this was Animesh’s view of country, politics and patriotism but later on with time this idea proved to be naive with incidents like Animesh’s encounter with his younger uncle Priyotosh and the sudden break out of the Communists in Congress’s gathering on 26th January , hearing criticism of congress, participating in various party activities. Before all these, things were easier and simpler. Priyotosh, Animesh’s younger Uncle came to their home and told Animesh with aggression “ye azadi jhuta hain” “This Independence is false”. Then on 26th January “Inquilab zindabad” “May the Revolution live long” totally confused his mind because he was growing up thinking Congress is the one that freed India and they only know the meaning of serving the country and they wish the youth to join them in this great process. He remains confused with many such complicated incidents, not sure which ideology to follow till  he arrives at Kolkata for his higher studies, which is described in next part of the series ‘Kalbela’ novel.   At the last part of the novel, he arrives in Kolkata for further studies at college when his whole vision changes gradually. The day he reaches Sealdah Station, the whole city is on fire and  he gets shot by the police accidentally on the thigh of his one legs and is saved by few communists who think him of their own party member. In the end we can see which path Animesh is going to follow, but definitely this was not easy for him to decide. And slowly he started to believe in the communism ideology but eventually got involved in the Naxalite movement of the 70’s.

Plot Points

The story of this novel begins with the Swarga Chhera tea garden, where Animesh spends his childhood. The first thing that comes to mind is the serene appearance of this solitary tea garden, which is more real than the picture and the feeling of softness. Leaving behind all the tenderness of a tender young heart, suddenly moving to Jalpaiguri town with grandfather and widowed Pishima (parental aunt) and starting a new life, leaving behind the memory of the tea garden, the lost mother and her inability to express her love towards him, growing up  in the midst of his grandfather’s ideals of perseverance, going through adolescence, learning to differentiate between good and evil, becoming conscientious – and so many more images in Uttaradhikar novel.

In this novel, the seeds of patriotism have been instilled in the mind of child Animesh by hoisting the flag at school on Independence day of 15^th August, 1947 with ‘Vande Mataram’ slogan, through the song ‘ধনধান্যেপুষ্পেভরা’ in ‘Notun Didi’s’ voice. Animesh grew up step by step from childhood to adolescence, from adolescence to youth.

Conclusion 

The author has played with feelings a lot. The amount of sadness in the book is a little more, like :  the inability of expressing the love and affection by Animesh’s mother towards him under the shadow of his Pishima’s (paternal aunt) command, the sudden demise of Animesh’s pregnant mother through an accident, getting married by his father once again against the will of his grandfather and Animesh’s non-acceptance, betrayal by his younger uncle to his fiancée, getting shot by police firing on the first day of arrival at Kolkata – which changed Animesh’s life for ever to a tragic one.

The conclusion of the first part of the trilogy leaves Animesh in a very confusing mind state where he had nothing but to question all what he used to believe; In the next part ‘Kalbela’ he did find his way somehow understanding and matching all the odds around.

Uttaradhikaris just not a novel, it is a document that have witnessed a remarkable time through the eyes of an ordinary boy Animesh.

Favourite Quote

“অনিমেষ, আমি অশিক্ষিত এবং খুব গরিব।  কিন্তু আমার পিতাঠাকুর আমাকে বলেছিলেন মানুষ হতে।  আমি চেষ্টা করেছি, তোমাকেও সেই চেষ্টা করতে হবে।  তুমি কলকাতায় গিয়ে শিক্ষিত হও, তোমার স্থিতি হোক সেটাই আনন্দ।  আমি যা পারিনি আমার ছেলেরা যা করেনি তুমি তা-ইকরো।  মানুষের জন্ম পূর্ণতার জন্যে, তোমার মধ্যেই সেটা আমি পেতে পারি।  আমার জন্য ভেবো না, যত দিন তুমি মাথা উঁচু করে না ফিরে আসছো ততদিন আমি বেঁচে থাকবো।  আই উইল ওয়েট ফর ইউ।” This was told by Animesh’s grandfather when he came to station to get him into the train for Kolkata.

(“Animesh, I am uneducated and very poor. But my grandfather told me to be human. I tried, you have to try that too. You go to Kolkata and get educated, whatever your status is, that is happiness. You do what my sons and I  couldn’t do.  People are born to achieve the perfectness in their lives, and I would like to see that through you. Don’t think for me, I’ll live until you come back with your head held high. I will wait for you.”)

And a Memorable moment

অনিমেষ নিচু হয়ে প্রণাম করতেই, শুনতে পেল অনিমেষের দাদু সরিৎশেখর দু’হাত দিয়ে অনিমেষের মাথা ধরে বিড়বিড় করে কিছু কথা উচ্চারণ করছেন। অনিমেষ শেষ বাক্যটি শুনতে পেল, “বিদ্যা দাও, বুদ্ধি দাও, হৃদয় দাও।” অনিমেষের সমস্ত শরীর শিরশির করে বুকের ভেতরটা কেঁপে উঠলো; অনিমেষ আর নিজেকে সামলাতে পারলো না, ঝরঝর করে জল দু’চোখ থেকে গালে নেমে এল। সরিৎশেখর নিচু গলায় বললেন, “চোখ মোছো অনিমেষ, পুরুষমানুষের কান্না শোভা পায় না।”

এই মানুষটির সঙ্গে আজন্মকাল অনিমেষের কেটেছে, তার সবকিছু শিক্ষা এনার কাছে, অথচ আজ অবধি সে ওর দাদুকে চিনতে পারল না এই মুহূর্তে অনিমেষের অনেক কথা বলতে ইচ্ছা করছিল, এই  মানুষটিকে জড়িয়ে ধরে ছেলেবেলায় সে ঘুমাতো তেমনি কিছু করতে ইচ্ছা করছিল।

(As soon as Animesh bowed down, he heard his grandfather Saritshekhar holding Animesh’s head with both hands and muttering something. Animesh could hear the last sentence, “Give knowledge, give wisdom, give heart.” Animesh’s whole body trembled through the inside of his chest ;Animesh couldn’t control himself anymore, tears came down from his eyes to his cheeks. Saritsekhar said in a low voice, “Wipe your eyes, Animesh; Mens do not cry, it doesn’t look nice.”

Animesh has spent a lifetime till now with this man, learning everything from him – his values, his knowledge, his wisdom; but to this day he has not been able to understand his grandfather. At the moment, Animesh wanted to speak a lot, to hug this man – like he used to do while he was sleeping alongwith him when he was a child.)