Socio-political Realities of India in select Novels of Manohar Malgonkar, Khushwant Singh and Rohinton Mistry

Table of Contents

PREFACE

INTRODUCTION – A BRIEF SURVEY OF SOCIO-POLITICAL NOVELS

PRE-INDEPENDENT INDIA – FROM THE MOGHULS TO MAHATMA

PARTITIONED INDIA – A SOCIO-POLITICAL TRAUMA

EMERGENCY INDIA – POLITICS OF POWER

POST-BABRI INDIA – SEARCH FOR SECULARISM

SUMMING UP – SURVIVAL OF HUMANISM

Research Objectives and Key Themes

The primary objective of this dissertation is to examine the socio-political realities of India as depicted in selected novels by Khushwant Singh, Manohar Malgonkar, and Rohinton Mistry. The study explores how these authors portray the historical upheavals, from the pre-independent era through the Partition and the period of internal Emergency, to the post-Babri Masjid landscape, focusing on themes of humanism, political corruption, and social struggle.

• The impact of political events and historical traumas on the general mass of Indian society.
• The representation of freedom struggles and the evolution of the Indian English novel.
• The portrayal of the State of Internal Emergency and its influence on democratic institutions.
• The role of minority communities, particularly the Parsis, within the shifting Indian socio-political fabric.
• The search for secularism and survival of humanism amidst communal aggression and corruption.

Excerpt from the Book

Summary of Chapters

PREFACE: Outlines the scope of the study, covering selected works by Khushwant Singh, Manohar Malgonkar, and Rohinton Mistry to investigate India's socio-political realities.

INTRODUCTION – A BRIEF SURVEY OF SOCIO-POLITICAL NOVELS: Traces the historical development of the Indian English novel and its focus on social and political issues through the lens of realism.

PRE-INDEPENDENT INDIA – FROM THE MOGHULS TO MAHATMA: Discusses the socio-political situation of pre-independent India as depicted in Khushwant Singh’s Delhi and Manohar Malgonkar’s A Bend in the Ganges.

PARTITIONED INDIA – A SOCIO-POLITICAL TRAUMA: Analyzes the human cost of the 1947 Partition, focusing on the chaos and communal violence reflected in specific literary works.

EMERGENCY INDIA – POLITICS OF POWER: Examines the impact of the 1975 Internal Emergency on democratic institutions and the lives of common people as portrayed in the selected novels.

POST-BABRI INDIA – SEARCH FOR SECULARISM: Investigates the predicament of Indian families and the political landscape in the mid-1990s as seen in Mistry's Family Matters.

SUMMING UP – SURVIVAL OF HUMANISM: Evaluates the observations made throughout the study, emphasizing the persistent survival of humanistic values in the face of political turmoil.

Keywords

Socio-political realities, Indian English novel, Partition of India, Internal Emergency, secularism, humanism, Khushwant Singh, Manohar Malgonkar, Rohinton Mistry, communalism, Parsi identity, realism, post-colonial literature, democracy, political corruption.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the core focus of this study?

The dissertation focuses on how selected novels by three prominent authors analyze the socio-political realities of India across different historical phases.

Which specific time periods are covered in the analysis?

The work covers the pre-independent era, the 1947 Partition, the period of the internal Emergency in the 1970s, and the post-Babri Masjid political landscape.

What is the primary research question?

The study aims to investigate how literature reflects the complexities of Indian society, specifically addressing issues of political power, communal violence, and the struggle for humanism.

Which methodology is employed in this research?

The work utilizes a literary analysis approach, tracing historical developments through the thematic interpretation of specific novels to understand their reflection of real-world socio-political events.

What themes are central to the main body of the work?

Central themes include the impact of colonialism, the trauma of Partition, the degradation of democratic values during the Emergency, and the search for identity among religious minorities.

What defines the work's primary keywords?

The keywords highlight the intersections between historical realism, identity politics, and the enduring human element within the broader Indian socio-political context.

How is the Parsi community's dilemma represented?

The work highlights the Parsi dilemma through Rohinton Mistry’s novels, specifically addressing their minority status and the challenges they face in the face of regional chauvinism.

Does the study address the role of women during these crises?

Yes, the study examines the vulnerability of women as targets of violence and political aggression during the Partition and the Emergency periods, as well as their role in family survival.

What conclusion does the author reach regarding the survival of humanism?

The conclusion suggests that humanism survives through communal solidarity and individual resilience, even when the broader political systems succumb to corruption and fanaticism.