Drought by Sarat Chandra

Introduction

Sarat Chandra Chattopadhyay (also spelt as Sarat Chandra Chatterjee and Sarat Chandra Chatterji 15 September 1876 – 16 January 1938), was a Bengali novelist and short story writer of the early 20th century. He generally wrote about the lives of Bengali family and society in cities and villages. However, his keen powers of observation, great sympathy for fellow human beings, a deep understanding of human psychology (including the "ways and thoughts and languages of women and children"), an easy and natural writing style, and freedom from political biases and social prejudices (actual experience) enable his writing to transcend barriers and appeal to all Indians. He remains the most popular, translated, and adapted Indian author of all time.

Sarat Chandra Chattopadhyay was born on 15 September 1876, in a Bengali Brahmin family in Debanandapur, a small village in Hooghly, West Bengal, about 50 kilometres from Kolkata. He was his father Matilal and mother Bhubanmohini's oldest son and second child. Birthplace of Sarat Chandra in Debanandapur, Hooghly

Sarat Chandra wrote in the English translation of his monumental book Srikanta:

Themes

The story explores themes such as the cruelty of poverty, the interdependencies of nature and rural livelihoods, and the problems faced by the disenfranchised

Drought by Sarat Chandra

Sarat Chandra Chatterjee's "Drought" gives us a graphic account of the miserable conditions of a poor labourer living in a Bengal Village called Kashipur. The writer makes a scathing attack on the Sham morality of priests and landlords. The so-called followers of traditional orthodox principles were really inhuman and barbaric in their attitudes towards poor labourers.

Objectives

The story aims to depict the inhuman and immoral attitude of priests and landlords towards poor labourers. Gafur, a poor labourer is tortured here to such an extent by a priest and a landlord that Gafur escapes from the village at midnight with his little daughter, and prefers to work and the industrial town of Fulbrer.

Story

Gafur, who lived in abject (without dignity) poverty, had to look after his motherless daughter. The thatched shed that provided shelter for him and his daughter was not strong enough to withstand heavy rain. His only property was a bull called Mahesh. The drought had caused him great hardship and suffering.

Tarkaratna the village priest, who was returning from the house of the Zamindar after performing some religious services in connection with the birthday of the Zamindar's son, saw the starving Mahesh. He immediately rebuked Gafur for not feeding the bull properly. Gafur told him that he was down with a fever and that was why he could not take his bull out for grazing. If he let the bull loose, he would start eating other people's paddy and create problem for him. The priest warned him severely that the Zamindar would take him to task, if the bull died of starvation.

The landlord who employed Gafur as a labourer did not give him his share of straw. The priest was not satisfied with the reply but went on accusing Gafur. He pretended to be a lover of cattle, but he was really not sympathetic towards the bull. The priest did not want to give the bull a bundle of hay. Gafur was perturbed because his bull was missing. His daughter Amina informed him that someone had sent Mahesh to the police pen. He rushed to Banshi's shop, pledged his brass plate for a loan of one rupee, dashed to the police pen and paid the fine. The bull was released and Gafur was happy to see the bull back in its usual place. He had an idea of selling his Mahesh and also received an advance of two rupees from a prospective buyer. But he loved his bull so much that he could not part with it. He refused to sell his bull and returned the advance amount Gafur tried in vain to seek employment.

The prolonged spell of unemployment brought untold suffering upon Gafur and his daughter. He scolded his daughter when she told him that there was no rice in the house. There was not even a drop of water in the hut. Water was scarce in the village because of drought. Taking an earthen pitcher, she went out to fetch water from the public tank. All tanks in the village dried up in summer. A few holes had been dug up at the bottom of the tanks, but there was such crowding and jostling for water that the little 8 Amina. could not even go near the tank. She stood for hours and someone took pity on her and gave her water. Meanwhile Mahesh broke loose from the tether, enters the garden of the landlord, had eaten up flowers and destroyed the corn. When tried to catch him he had hurt the landlord's daughter and bade apes the landlord
summoned him to his house but Gafur sent word saying that he was not his slave. Enraged by Gafur's impudence the landlord punished him severely. While Amina was returning home, the bull in its violent thirst knocked down the pitcher from her hand. Gafur who was in an extreme state of distress struck the poor bull violently with a ploughshare and unwittingly killed it. He did not know what he was doing and Amina burst out weeping. A chill of remorse ran through his mind when he realized what he had done. The tanners came and carried off Mahesh on a bamboo pole. Killing a sacred animal was a sin and Gafur would have to pay penance for his wicked act. He did not want to face the landlord and the priest who would treat him as the worst criminal. At midnight he woke his daughter up and left for jute mill at Fulbere. He knew full well that he had to suffer a lot at the jute mill. However, he preferred the industrial town Fulbere to the village 

Revision points

Gafur leaves in poverty with his motherless daughter and his only possession, a bull named Mahesh. The severe drought in the village of Kashipur badly affected his living.

One day Tarkaratna, the village prist abuses him severally for letting his bull to starve. The police arrest the bull and release it for a payment. Amina finds it difficult to collect from the tank. Gafur, in a fit of anger kills the bull for trespassing into the Zamindar’s garden. Fearing capital punishment, Gafur and his daughter leave at midnight to the Industrial town of Fulbere.

Intext questions

What was the attitude of Zamindar towards Gafur and his bull?

Why did the Priest rebuke Gafur?

In what circumstance did Gafur kill Mahesh

Summary

This story deals with how the wealthy landed mad influential people of the society like Temple priest in treated the poor village, especially even in adverse situation like a draught. Here one can see how poor Gafur and his motherless daughter are fleeced of their money by captivating this bull and releasing it only after a payment. One can also see how the poor people of the village have to jostle for hours together for a picture of wate (water) since the village is hit by a drought. Finally, Gafur and his daughter are forced to such an extent that day escape in midnight and prefer settling down in the Industrial Town of Fulbere

Terminal exercise

Describe in brief the poverty-stricken life of the Gafur

Explain how the villagers treated Gaffur's daughter while fetching water

How did Gafur often land into trouble due to Mahesh?

What forced Gafur to kill Mahesh

Why did Gafur and his daughter leave the village?

Assignments

Sketch the characters of Zamindar and the Priest.

Keywords

Drought                    drain is due to below average rainfall

Rebuke               Harsh criticism

Accuse               to blame or find fault with

Pledge                 deposit something as a

Prospective             likely or expected to happen or become

Jastling               to push or shove

Unwittingly        unintentional act

Remorse                  feeling of regret over singing, being sorry

Penance                   punishment for wrong doing