Challenging Patriarchy and Voicing Gendered
Space in Society through Phulbhanga
Dr.
Yugeshwar Sah
Assistant Professor & Head
Department of English
C. M. Science College,
Darbhanga, Bihar, India
Phulbhanga by Abhilasha, a young, popular and
prolific writer and critic, is a grippingand fascinating collection of eleven
short stories which deal with the plethora of problems of women which theyhave
to face in our so called civilized and cultured society even after seventy five
years of independence. Abhilasha is a recipient of many awards and accolades
which include Jyotsana Samman in 2018, Dr. Ganpati Mishra Samman in 2020 and
Tirhut Sahitya Samman in 2022. Her important literary creations are Pah(short
story collection) in 2017, Pothi-Paath( collection of critical essays) in 2018,
O Chhodi ( short story collection) in 2020Phulbhanga (short story collection)
in 2024 and Yatha-Prasang(collecton of critical essays) in 2024. Her incredible
achievement as a prominent writer and eminent
critic in this tender age is quite inspiring and imitable.
The first story is Gotras and the last story is Hunarin
this anthology. The other stories are Utri,
Stri- Samay, Tirimiri, Vansh, Stage Dancer, Nepathya Kathak Dancer, Mahjaal,
Phulbhanga, and Majoor. The title of each story is symbolic and
significant, apt and appropriate which explore the various layers which have
been burried in the name of cultures, customs, traditions, social honour and
different exploitative social institutions especially marriage. It is a common
belief in our society that marriage is a
panacea for girls but in reality it proves to be a curse. All the stories of Phulbhanga
is noted for its social realism, sardonicism, and linguistic lyricism. As
readers we are compelled to ponder over pangs and problems which women of our
society face in the name of charming system i.e. marriage. Each story of this
book deals with the voice of the voiceless victims in the fourwalls of marriage
and expose the social evils such as mismatch marriage, incompatible marriage,
forced marriage, child marriage, selling of daughter in the name of marriage,
domestic violence, dowry system, gender discrimination, extra-marital affair,
travails and tribulations of transgender, loneliness, female mental disease,
lesbian relationship etc.
The first story of this book is Gotras which
is centred on the pathetic plight of
woman who is caught in the complex web of forced mismatch child marriage
with an elderly man without any source of income.Rupam had all the romantic
feelings regarding marriage but all her dreams shattered completely. Her husband is unemployed,
shirker, introvert and not ready to shoulder any duty and responsibility.
Marriage must take place on the ground of education and employment. Otherwise
the life of girls and the coming generation gets destroyed. Such marriages
ruins everything and life becomes hell. The tragedy does not stop here but Rupam
gets pregnant just within few days of marriage. The writer very subtly and
symbolicallyexpresses their lust and gratification in this way "maulayal
paudhken khadh- paani bhetlai. Aa samay purn hoyat- hoyat o maay bani geli, aekta beti ke maay"(Gotras, 21).
The beauty of Abhilasha's writing is that at times she becomes a bold
writer like Krishna Sobti, Lili Re and
Arundhati Roy and at times she subtly states lustful relationship.
Keeping in mind the patriarchal hagemony, she tries to maintain the decency and
decorum of her expressions within her sicio-cultural liberty. Socio- cultural
and patriarchal restrain can be seen in her expressions as she could have
vividly and clearly voiced the love relationship but she tries to avoid such
representations which might cause or create sensation and controversy.
Utri is the second story of this book which is
centred on the theme of mismatch marriage where a teenager Rukmini is married
to an elderly aged man who looks like his uncle in age. She is married to a man
forcibly whom she does not love or like but in order to save the family
prestige and social honour, she is sacrificed at the altar of marriage.
Daughters are treated as Utri(shroud) in the Mithilanchal society who must be
thrown away as soon as possible. Rukmini was treated as burden of the family so
she must be got rid of through early marriage. She becomes the mute witness to
the entire tragedy happens in her life but her daughter Mayuri is ready to
question and challenge her father on anything that goes against her will and
wish. The story reminds me a very popular and path breaking play Doll's House
by Ibsen. Rukmini is also treated as remote controlled doll and an object to embellishing houses.
Most of the women of Mithila society waste their life just in order to save
both the families honour. The writer
very subtly raises the voice of the voiceless. She seems to be on the side of
the education, empowerment, employment and emancipation of women so that they
could cherish their dreams and desires.
Stri-Samay which is the third story deals with love,
marrige, pregnancy before maariage and their consequences that Sneha has to
face in this patriarchy orchestrated society. The writer also comments and
condems the loss of village values such as fraternity, unity and harmony among
people. She says "aab nai o gaam, aa na lok. Aa nai ohan baate vichar.
Mukt hansi ta jena saafe uthav bha
gelai. (There is neither the old village values nor the villagers.
Neither there is social etiquette. Free laughter jas been already disappeared).
Sneha wanted to marry gopal whom she loved badly and she got pregnant before
marraige.Her parents could not accept this situation, so they forced her for abortion and she couldn't gather
could not gather courage to protest against this foeticide. Die to this reason,
she was forced to marry a man who had
becaome father before marriage.
Subhgaa's mental depressioncaused due to
extreme torture, torment and domestic violence by her husband Sunil forms the
essence of the fourth story Tirimiri. After her marriage, her
husband brings new woman everyday in the house for phydicalgratification which
hit her heart and hurt her emotionally. When she protested against it, she was
beaten badly. All these incidents led to her mental depression. The writer
through this story highlights the urgent need of women liberation and it is
only possible when they step out the boarders and boundaries of domestic
threshold.
The fifth story Vansh is centred on the infertility of man
and for which woman is being blamed as infertile and inauspicious. It also
explores the new territory that is sperm donor. Uma is the protagonist of the
story and when she comes to know that her husband Raman is not able to produce
a child then she gets shocked and feels cheated since it is a love marriage
against the will of the parents. But after a thorough research on Google and
Facebook, she comes in contact with a haryanvi man who donates sperm so she
decides to buy sperm from that person so that she could become a mother, continue
the generation and throw away the label and allegation of infertile woman given
by her own mother-in-law and the society. The writer gathers enough courage to
write such a story on a completely new theme which is not trodden by any
Maithili writer. Finally Uma gets pregnant and waiting for her new arrivals
despite the fact that her husband has already left this earthly abode. The
story is also noted for the courage and commitment of woman to taking such
decision for becoming mother. Stage Dancer is a poignant tale of
Sonali who has been stolen and sold to the orchestra owner and how she escaped
and reached her home. This also emphasizes on the helplessness and suffering of
a widow who is helpless before the corrupt system and cruel society. She wanted
to register the case but she couldn't do it since she didn't have enough money
and muscle power. Child trafficking has become a serious issue across the globe
in the 21stcentury. Even in this globalised and civilised age girl is being bought and door which is a
stigma on our so called cultured country. Even after seven five years of India’s
independence, women are not safe in our
society.
Nepathya Kathak Manchan is a tale of two girls Sandhya and Simmiwho
are cousins and lesbian partners. There is also a narrative which comes out
through the conversation of Sandhya and her aunt. Her aunt has also witnessed
lesbian moments at her working place. Through her narrative, Sandhya was able
to go back to her past life and bring her sweet past memories which she has
rejoiced with her cousin Simmi. Mahjaal is unique in the sense
that it deals with the exploitation of man in the city. The exploitation of
woman has been in the society since the inception of human history but the
tortures, torments, trials and tribulations of man catches the profound attention of the writer.
Phulbhanga is the most engrossing and captivating story of the
book. The title of this book has been taken from this story. As far as I think
it is the first short story in Maithili literature and language which talks
about transgender and sex change surgery poignantly and painstakingly. This
story is centered on transgender discourse in Maithili fiction which gives new
dimension and direction to Maithili literature. The story also focuses on the
trials and tribulations of a transgender in our society who are still
unaccepted and unaccommodated in the main stream of society. Phulbhanga is the
most representative story of this book which makes this writer different and
distinguished.
Majoor reminds us of the terrible and disastrous pandemic
corona. Corona didn’t spare anyone. It didn’t discriminate in the name of
caste, class, colour, gender, religion and race. But there were a few people
who brought religious angle to this pandemic. People hatched a conspiracy that
it was being spread by the Muslims. But this is an exemplary story of harmony,
unity and fraternity between Hindu and Muslim. The writer sends a clear message
to the people who misuse religion as a political tool and create riot between
these two religious communities. Saiyad and Parmeshwar are two major characters
of the story who break this false narrative that try to divide and rule us in the
name of religion. Hunar serves as the last story of this amazing
book. It focuses on two women of different mentality and mind-set. It deals
with a loyal wife who surrenders, devotes and dedicates everything to please
her husband but she is cheated. Her husband is caught in extra-marital affair.
Despite this the husband wants respect, appreciation and care from the wife.
The wife just serves as the purpose ofglamorous doll who is used for the
purpose of embellishment of the house.
All the stories are dexterously interwoven with the exemplary blend of
past and present. Flash-back and flash forward narrative techniques have been
used artfully which makes the stories enriching, interesting and astounding Like
O. Henry, Abhilasha also gives twists, turns and surprising end to a few
stories. Language used in the stories is captivating and capturing the
attention of the readers. As readers we do not stop reading until the stories
are completed. Lyrical and rhythmic language which flows like a stream
throughout the stories and make this
book charming and readable. Some of the stories which are completely new
to the soil of Maithili land and Maithili literature, for instance, Phulbhanga,
Vansh and Nepathya Kathak Manchan. Phulbhanga advances the
discourse of transgender and gender change, Vansh furthers the narrative
of sperm donor and parenthood for the couple who cannot produce or procreate
the baby. While Nepathya Kathak Manchan incepts the discourse of lesbian
relationship. These three stories set the stage of and prepare the solid ground
for the development of new direction in Maithili fiction. The writer has
trodden the untrodden path and has broken the social taboos. Stories are
written in conversational style and tone which binds our attention. They create
visuals appeals to the minds of the readers.
Abhilasha has shown her profound concerns for the upliftment,
advancement and reformation for the silent sufferers of our society. She has
become the dominant voice of the voiceless of the women in general and women in
Mithilanchal in particular and champion of the common cause through her
influential book Phulbhanga. Her each story carries a strong social
message which shows her enormous reformistic zeal and zest for education,
employment, emancipation and empowerment of the women of our society. As a
writer she has challenged the patriarchal prejudiced and exploitative notions
of various forms of marriage, roles of women in the family and exploitation of
women within the four walls of marriage. She strongly and satirically condemns
the issue of the objectification of women in the society and slavery of women
in the name of marriage, gender discriminationand domestic violence. Hence, Phulbhangaserves
is the mirror of our modern educated society in the 21st century. It is a must
read text in Maithili literature.
Reference
Abhilasha. Phulbhanga.
Maitrayi Prakashan, 2024.