THE PORTRAYAL OF WOMEN IN ANNA BHAU SATHE’S FAKIRA

Abstract

Fakira, as a novel, is a male-centric heroic saga of an angry young man, Fakira who left an indelible mark on the minds of the readers. He fought bravely against the British colonial rule. Though he did not revolt or fight against the oppressive caste system, he has been shown as a defiant, angry young man and revolts against injustice.[i] The novel portrays several male characters from all strata of society and of all natures. The scope for the female characters is minimal here. However, Anna Bhau, as a novelist, was far ahead of his contemporary writers. The novelist was far away from the depiction of women as their protagonists. Even the Dalits, as a subject matter was not traded except a very few like S. M. Mate in ‘UpekshitancheAntarang [Interior of the Neglected (1941)]; but that too was very sketchy.[ii]

[i]Lanjewar, Jyoti. Dalit KadambaritilStreeChitran. (Pune: SugavaPrakashan, 2008) 74.

[ii]Korde, Bajrang. Anna Bhau Sathe: Makers of Indian Literature, (New Delhi: Sahitya Akademi, 1999) 16.