‘Alipura’, a translation of Gyan Chaturvedi’s ‘Baramasi’, is a spoof on life in Bundelkhand

Harvinder Khetal

ALIPURA’, the translation of the story of a lower middle-class family of Alipura — a village in Jhansi district of Bundelkhand — in English by Salim Yusufji of the acclaimed Gyan Chaturvedi’s ‘Baramasi’ makes a good read, even though the punch and rustic flavour of the colloquial language of the original is somewhat diluted in the process.. The retention of expressions like ‘bhaiyya’, ‘hau’, ‘katta’, ‘abe’, ‘yaar’ and ‘halke raja’ liberally peppered in the narrative harks the reader back to the Hindi heartland.

The never-ending hide and seek that fortune plays with the widowed Amma and her four sons (all struggling to clear the ‘Inter’ exam, but for a bright one who cracks the ‘daaktari’ line) and a daughter (with a ‘somewhat subdued’ complexion who goes on to do a BA ‘privately’ as the wait for a ‘boy’ coming to see her saying yes prolongs) of the 1960s is portrayed in a satirically humourous manner, evocatively delineating the prevalent social and political scenario. The trials and tribulations of the protagonists, endowed with unique characteristics and attitudes, provide a huge canvas for a 360-degree socio-economic portrait. It finds ready empathy even today, as 50 years down the line, our towns and villages remain rooted to the same old patriarchal beliefs and customs revolving around honour, caste, romance, politics, corruption, religion, marriage, poverty, crime, etc, that the characters project.

But for an odd progress, like horse-drawn tongas giving way to motorised vehicles for local transport, not much can be boasted of in the name of gains. It partly explains why ‘Baramasi’ remains a perennially best-selling Hindi novel since it was first published in 1999 and which has been adapted into a stage play and is poised for a feature film avatar. The Padma Shri awarded to author Gyan Chaturvedi, a medical doctor, celebrates his uncanny sense of catching the society’s pulse and writing prowess.

However, what seals the universal acceptance of the book is the Dube clan’s unwavering faith in their dreams coming true some day, as also — it keeps them going — a belief for ‘achhe din’ despite the wheel of time moving imperceptibly and, at times, even suffering big reversals. The years passing by are ingeniously brought to life with comic allusions to Bollywood along the lines of Dilip Kumar having become a ‘has been’ and the popularity of Dharmendra rising with every new film, the ‘Sadhana cut’ hairstyle and film songs used to woo women.

Thus, when the tale takes a year’s leap, though their “aangan was littered with the debris of crushed dreams”, there are no dramatic changes. “The interest of writing about middle-class people is that even when everything in life changes for them, their lives don’t look substantially different.”

‘Alipura’ gives a fairly well-rounded peek to this hilarious and typical Bundelkhandi account of the common man who carries on toiling, with the flame of hope never flickering. The journey of Amma (hoping a child of hers turns out to be like her late well-read poet husband) and her children, who she proclaims are all ‘gaus’ (simple and nice fellows like cows) and wishes that all parents be blessed with such children, is compellingly narrated. Her recitation of her good-for-nothing sons’ virtues is a splendid spoof summing up the novel’s gist.

Guchchan, the unemployed wife beater, for Amma is an “utter gau. A sadhu-natured soul. All he cares about is his puja and recitation”.

Chhuttan, the one with a glad eye: “He’s just sat his Inter again. Never misses a trick. He could teach professional crooks a thing or two.”

Lalla, the katta-wielding (country rifle) and body-building one, who goes on to commit an ‘honour crime’: “Isn’t a bad boy at all. Not when you know him. It’s true that studies don’t hold his attention. And he can get violent. He’s a bit headstrong, hot-blooded, but simple.” Chandu, who abandoned his family that had over-stretched its means to make him a doctor: “If God wanted to give such a child to everyone, He couldn’t. So learned. Educated. He has no idea what’s going on outside of his books and studies.” As their dreams that are a riot in their youth gradually snap and then crash as ‘dreams must shatter’, the reader is drawn to their experiences of life and many setbacks and finally agrees with the eternal truth: ‘keep dreaming for life runs on dreams’.