Untrodden
Life in Al Mahmud’s Novels
Al Mahmud (b 1936) is one
of the major poets in Bangladesh. His got his
recognition immediately after the publication of his
volume of verse Lok Lokantor (1963). Later on Kaler Kalosh (1966), Sonali Kabin (1966), Mayabi Porda Dule Otho (1969) established his
position in the row of pioneer and prominent poets of
the country. After the liberation war of 1971, he began
to practise fiction along with poetry. The year 1975
brought his first book of short stories titled Pankourir Rokto, which created a tumultuous reaction
among the Bangla literature readership. The other
volumes of his short stories are Souraver Kachhe
Porajito (1983), Gandho Bonik (1988), Moyurir Mukh (1994) etc. In the meantime he has set
in the world of novels also. Dahuki (Gallinule, 1992), the first novel from Al Mahmud’s pen, could not
prove as a great success but showed the possibility what
he could do. A brighter light of it was observed when Kobi O Kolahol (The Poet and the Chaos) got
published in 1993. The publication of Upamohadesh (The Subcontinent) and Kabiler Bone (Kabil’s
Sister) in the same year declared the genius of his in
this arena. The later efforts that were proved
successful are Purush Sundor, (Man and Beauty,
published in 1994) and Nishinda Nari (A Herbal
Woman), Moru Mushiker Upatyaka ( A Valley of the
Desert Rats), Aguner Meye (A Jinn Girl, all
published in 1994) etc. The most noteworthy feature in
Al Mahmud’s novels is that his pen always dares to
reveal the life that has barely been sketched in others’
fictional works.
In reality Al Mahmud started his novelistic career with
his autobiographical book Je Bhabe Bere Uthi (1984). Though this book is not commonly considered as a
novel, it bears some characteristics available in a
novel. The next book Dahuki brought Al Mahmud the
recognition of a novel writer and he himself admits that
it created the self-reliance in him. Ateka Banu, a
professor of English of Dhaka University is the
protagonist in this novel. The memories of adolescent
Ateka are intermingled juxtapositionally with the present Ateka of
thirty-eight. The other characters of the novel are
Professor Shahed – Ateka’s husband, Keramot – a boy who
served in the farmland of Ateka’s father and became
Ateka’s friend and lover, Sufia – Keramot’s wife and
Firoza – a professor of psychology whom Shahed wants to
marry now etc. The two episodes that are moulded in the
main story line of the novel are of Ateka – Keromot
relationship and Professor Shahed’s boyhood days in a
prostitution area.
The novel opens with Ateka Banu who is on a visit to her
village home Ramrail in the district of Bahmanbaria. On
her holidays of the Eid-ul-Ajhah she pays this visit
with a view to getting peace. If we look into her
conjugal life we will observe the lack of only one thing
that is peace. Ateka and her husband began to sleep in
different beds due to a very silly matter, and that
practice has been lasting till date. In the meanwhile
another woman, Feroza, came closer to Professor Shahed.
During Ateka’s visit to the village home she meets her
classical teacher of childhood days who creates a
mysterious influence on her. Resultantly she returns to
Dhaka and after an open talk with her husband they two
come to a mutual decision.
The other episode of the novel is with Ateka’s girlhood
love Keramot Ateka got separated from her lover since
she left village for schooling but she kindles her love
till date. Now she has given all the responsibilities of
her farmland to Keramot for which her cousins of the
village home do not like Keramot. They spread different
rumours about their relation though Ateka do not care
much for those. Alongside the thing that is worthy to
mention is that Keramot’s wife Sufia hears all these
rumours. She believes her husband but she cannot rely
him completely for which on the night Keramot goes to
meet Ateka, Sufia follows him alone in that night though
not barehanded, but with a Ramda (a sword like
weapon) in her hand. While narrating the stories, the
author inserts the girlhood memories of Ateka with
Keramot or with Kamrun, Ateka’s girlhood friend.
On the other hand, Shahed was brought up nearby
prostitution, where Poribanu, a sex worker of the
brothel, extended her helping hand to Shahed and his
father. After the death of Shahed’s father, Poribanu
provided the necessary financial help for which Shahed
has been able to continue his studies. But the harsh
reality is Shahed denied all his past bindings and the
truth is his denial helped him to attain the present
position. Yes the past memories haunt him though he
cannot ventilate it to his wife. During Ateka’s visit to
village when he goes to the prostitute we can feel the
nostalgia that he nourishes.
It is true that there are some episodes in the novel
that we cannot tolerate – these episodes are related
with the early days of Ateka and Keramot. The dialogue
which came forth of Kamrun’s mouth regarding Ateka–Keramot
relationship seem quite unnatural – because even in
agrarian village society people of tender age do not
speak so much slang before people of opposite sex. Some
other approaches like Keramot’s desire to see the
breasts of Ateka or show the mating of an ox with a cow
also go beyond the natural norm of behaviour.
The next novel of Al Mahmud that we are going to examine
is Kabiler Bone. By now another novel of him
having human love at its centre, has been published
under the title Kobi O Kolahal. Along with that
he has also published Upamahadesh written on the
theme of liberation war. Upamahadesh spans the
whole liberation war on a direct and broad scale; on the
other hand Kabiler Bone focuses mostly on the
dilemma of the Biharies staying in East Pakistan.
The novel ends with the end of the liberation war and
its illumination on a newer aspect draws many to its
uniqueness.
The story of the novel opens in 1960 when Kabil, a boy
of sixteen or seventeen, reaches Dhaka town from a
interior village of the district Sylhet. Completing his
matriculation examinations he has started for Dhaka to
get admitted into a college. In Dhaka he has to become a
guest at his uncle Ahmed Alam’s house whom Kabil’s
father disowned for his marrying a Bihari woman.
Kabil’s auntie welcomes him warmheartedly in her house
and her daughter Roksana, in fact, falls in love with
Kabil at first sight. Later on, the gradual development
of the love affair of Kabil and Roksana is a major theme
of the novel, but surpassing all these the thing that
becomes penetrating is the controversial relationship
between the Bangali and the non-Bangali people. Al
Mahmud has drawn the picture of the tragedy of the
minority in a very heart felt presentation.
The love relationship between the four people in Kabiler Bone is really complex. These four persons
are: Kabil, his two cousins: Momena and Roksana;
Roksana’s cousin non-Bangali Andalib Immediately after
the arrival of Kabil at Dhaka, Roksana gets fascinated
to him though she was earlier interested in Andalib who
looks after Roksana’s mother’s business. On the other
hand before Kabil’s returning to his village home with
Roksana, Jakia Banu, mother of Kabil, was bringing up
her brother’s orphan daughter Momena in her own house
with a view to preparing Momena for Kabil. Much after
when Andalib pays a visit to Kabil’s house, he gets
fascinated to Momena which later on turns to the final
of marriage. But the fact is Momena has a deep love for
Kabil, which was apparently a sort of performing
familial duties by Kabil. At the end of the novel we
discover that Roksana has left for West Pakistan with
Andalib on the pretext that he has no other relative
than she. After the liberation war when the question of
marriage between Kabil and Momena arises, the latter
denies it because she is not inclined to take Kabil as
an alms from Roksana, though Momena herself once tolds
Andalib if she is to choose one between Kabil and
Andalib, her preference will be the first one. Last of
all Kabil marries Anjuman, his friend Nisar’s wife whose
husband was shot dead on 25 March at the university hall
gates by the Pakistan army personnel. Al Mahmud has
delineated the different facets of the complex
relationship of human love very skillfully. The novelist
thus illuminates the unknown core of an individual’s
mind.
But we must agree that Kabiler Bone is much more
noteworthy for its Bangali-NonBangali question. In the
very first part of the five-part novel this dilemma
takes an introduction. For his marrying a Mohajir woman
Kabil’s uncle is not welcomed in the Bangali society
even after being a big businessman. Zakia Banu’s speech
proves that it did not have any root in the personal
view but it was a socio-political aspect. Zakia Banu
says, ‘Are the Bihari people not alike us? Don’t
they have anything like love?’ But the conflict gets
exposed as a social phenomenon in the seventh chapter of
part-I on the day Kabil and Roksana return from Montala.
In the same train the National Leader of the Bangalis Shorawardy accompanied by Sheikh Mujib, arrive.
On that day some Bangali hooligans create a hue and cry
at the station and damage the property and shops of the
non-Bangalis.
Sheikh Mujibur Rahman is a prominent character in this
novel, though his presence is always passive. Al Mahmud
has tried to portray the powerful personality of this
great leader with necessary importance. His directions
to and conversations with Kabil act as a great treasure
in the novel.
Part II of the novel begins with the politics of the
1969, the most tumultuous time in the history of our
nation. In that politics Kabil and Roksana are mostly
involved. Kabil appears a bit more advanced – he is the
Assistant Secretary of the Dhaka University Students’
Union. The novelist has tried to draw the picture of
this time through his plot and characters in Kabiler
Bone. Later on the police arrests Kabil and
gradually he comes nearer to Sheikh Mujib Though some of
his fellow leaders try to present him as a conspirator
with the Bihari people, but they do not succeed
because Sheikh Mujib never identifies a person wrongly.
As a result Kabil is awarded with the foremost
leadership of the students’ wing. At the end of part II
we see Kabil’s mother dies, his uncle follows her
failing to bear the great shock of her death, and Kabil
is again handicapped during his return from the
graveyard.
Part III illustrates the final days of the
pre-liberation era where Sheikh Mujibur Rahman is the
highest leader and the students’ part is led by Kabil.
One day while Kabil is leaving home for Sheikh Mujib’s
Rawnak tells her something and requests Kabil to convey
that message to Sheikh Mujib Her anxiety for the
security of the non-Bangalis has been demonstrated in
her speech. The more the final of liberation approaches
the more the insecurity of the non-Bangalis increases.
Roksana is the greatest victim of this situation. Who
will she support – her non-Bangali mother, or her
Bangali beloved brother? Right before March 25, the
problem becomes more and more crucial – the Mojahirs
begin to crowd in Mirpur and Mohammadpur areas. Even
Andalib has to leave his residential area Narida. Though
Kabil makes some arrangements against it that does not
last long. The fear in Rawnak Zahan also reached the
peak: ‘My daughter’s Bangali, but I’m Mohajir. I’ve no
motherland. I’ve none of my own. The residents of the
nearby locality want to oust me’. Thanks God she does
not have to see every thing in her own eyes – on the
night of 25 March her heart fails. The other two
sufferers Roksana and Andalib leave Bangladesh for
Pakistan. Thus Kabiler Bone becomes a true
document of humanity which becomes most prominent in the
words of Roksana: ‘Observing the cruelties of human
being, I’ve learnt that my only identity in life is my
birth as a human being’.
The next novel of Al Mahmud is Nishinda Nari.
Though it is very thin in volume, it possesses many
qualities worthy to be talked about. Full of images this
novel has been ornamented with a huge number of symbols
that have given it a good height. According to some
critics, this is the most significant novel of Al Mahmud.
The story of the novel is set in a village of
Brahmanbaria by the river Titas. Nishinda, the
protagonist of the novel, appears in the very first line
of the novel and in the very first chapter the two main
components of human history – sex and hunger – appear in
their full appearance. In the same chapter Nishinda also
gets the means of gratification of these two desires in
her dream in which supernatural situation the cows
appear. In her dream the conversation between the cows
and Nashinda gives tongue to the subconscious thought of
this anormal, hungry woman. Every detail of her casts
a sort of spell on the reader. In a very brief span of
time we get many more information about her that strike
the reader and all these characteristics help the writer
create her as a woman beyond the usual trend.
In the dream one of the cows catches hold the corner of
Nishinda’s Sari for which her chest opens bear. When the
dream ends again we get the hints of her bare chest.
Thus the sex elements are intermingled in the main story
line which turn beautiful due to the poetic touch of Al
Mahmud’s pen. Awaking up from her sleep, Nishinda feels
her hungers and decides to go to the nearby pasture
where the herdsmen will miltch the cows and send the milk to the bazaars
at dawn. She does not forget that if her arrival become
exposed to the herdsmen, they will not hesitate to
violate her gangbang. So she takes the ramda with her
for her safety. Later on when Nishinda is caught hold of
by a herdsman he does not fear her Ramda, rather
he praises the bust of her and thus the beauty takes the
upper hand over every other thing else.
But Nishinda Nari does not meet an end here. It
takes a larger horizon for its story line. The next
morning, we learn that Abdullh Majhi has been killed and
the news of his death comes through the policemen. When
Nishinda tells that she suspects everyone for the death
of her husband a new facet opens before the readers’
eyes. Next night comes Khalil, a fellow comrade of
Abdullah – in guise of a well wisher he actually wants
to grab the arms of Abdullah. He even offers Nishinda
cash money for them but her final word is: ‘Before
knowing the killer of Abdullah, I won’t give them to
anyone’. At a moment when Abdullah takes out his pistol,
he loses one of his fingers to the ramda of
Nishinda.
The other person who also loses his finger is the
manager of the brickfield. On advice of the police
officer when Nishinda agrees to leave the household to
the manager, accordingly he comes but not with the
decided money. Thus the conflict arises and when the
manager tries to impose power on her, she rather
snatches the money. In this game of attack and counter
attack, the manager loses his finger being hit by the ramda. Cleansing the weapon when she retires to bed,
the cows of her dream begin to shout: ‘Abdullah hasn’t
died. He’s been killed but he’s not dead. Abdullah will
remain alive among us forever’. Being waked up she sees
all the people of the locality crowding in her courtyard
– they have gathered there to save Nishinda with the
little they have. The similar human treatment Nishinda
receives from the herdsman of the pasture also. On the
second night as she goes to sacrifice herself to that
herdsman for his kindness on the first day, he denies to
receive her because instantly he understands the deep
hunger of Nishinda. Thus the novel becomes an artistic
piece of humanity and beauty.
In regard to Al Mahmud’s next novel Aguner Meye,
it may be commented that the height that Nishinda
Nari got is not available in the next one. The
narrator of the novel Aguner Meye is the Rezaul
Karim, a journalist. Excluding Rezaul along with
Rezaul’s finance Kausari Begum and the house owner,
there is another very prominent character in the novel –
Jahanur N’r, a Jinn. Getting up into the newly rented
house, Rezaul meets this imaginary character on the
first night. The writer has delineated the physical and
psychological features of the Jinn also. Maybe some of
the critics appreciate it for its alien subject, but
finally this novel cannot take the readers to an
uplifted feeling.
We may observe that though Al Mahmud started writing up
novels in the nineties of the twentieth century, more
than two decades after his poetic endevours, he has
invented a world of his own. Innovation of new subjects
for his novels is very worthy to notice. From the point
of lofty idea, Kabiler Bone is appreciated highly
by some of the critics, but on the other hand some other
critics appreciate Nishinda Nari most. No doubt
he has been able to create a permanent place in the
contemporary fiction from Bangladesh
