Review:
Inside the Haveli
Indian English literature is a
veritable mirror to the Indian psyche and Indian tradition. Along with this,
the life and culture of this sub-continent is studied deeply. Indian English
fiction is an important genre that has flourished and has come to be recognized
as an important source of information on Indian people and their culture. At
the same time it has come to be seen as an expression of Indian sensibility.
Socio-political life, history, culture, rural life etc are the major themes and
views studied candidly and accurately by several Indian English fiction
writers. Rama Mehta’s Inside the Haveli
is not an exception to these features.
Born and brought up by
progressive-minded parents, Rama Mehta (1923-1978) had access to good education
in Nainital. Later, she studied at the universities of Lucknow and Delhi and received
her MA degree in philosophy. One of the first women to be appointed to the
prestigious Indian Foreign Service, Rama Mehta was forced to resign her
position as a diplomat when she married Jagat Mehta, himself a member of the diplomatic
cadre. Later, she concentrated on sociology. She documented and identified many
hidden, silent aspects of Indian family values and tradition. Rama Mehta was
twice a fellow at the Radcliffe Institute for Independent Study, Harvard. Here
she framed the theoretical premise for her several sociological studies.
Catherine Atwater Galbraith, Rama Mehta’s co-author for the informative volume,
India: Now and Through Time pays her
a rich tribute:
Rama
Mehta was at home in New Delhi as she was in the seclusion of the haveli in
Udaipur – or in Peking, Dar-es-Salaam, or Harvard. Traditional values and
social change, especially for Indian women, were her passionate concern. Three
hours of her company would pass in a moment, brightened by her whole-hearted
enjoyment of discussion, her sharp comments, her laughter and wit. (Galbraith
and Rama Mehta 7)
By
the time Rama Mehta died in 1978, she had written in a variety of genres:
children’s stories, novels, academic essays, sociological studies, journalistic
pieces. In most of her sociological studies and academic books, Rama Mehta
examined carefully and accurately the Indian woman’s private and domestic
world. Rama Mehta’s academic books include The
Western Educated Indian Woman (1970), The
Divorced Hindu Woman (1975), and India:
Now and Through Time (co-author) (1971). Her works of fiction for children
are Ramu and Life of Keshav.
Inside
the Haveli (1977) is Rama Mehta’s only novel for adult readers. The novel
won the Sahitya Academy Award in 1979 and was appreciated by established
critics such as Srinivasa Iyengar:
Inside the Haveli
is a sensitive piece of realistic fiction, even an authentic sociological
study, and it is written with a naturalness and poise that are disarming and
effective at once. The evocation of scene, character and especially of
atmosphere is almost uncanny….. The balance between repose and movement is well
sustained, there is tension but no cheap sex, there is tension but no violence,
and there is a feeling for the values and varieties. (Iyengar 753)
Rama
Mehta’s Inside the Haveli is actually
a fictionalized version of her academic research book The Western Educated Indian Woman. Indeed, the novel and the
non-fictional book contain common views regarding the issues of Indian women’s
relation to tradition and modernity. Z N Patil examined the whole work as a
sociological case study by presenting a number of taboos that governed the
haveli.
‘Haveli’ is a term which has deep
roots in the tradition and life of Rajasthan. The origin of the word is Persian
and means “a surrounded or enclosed place”. Architecturally havelis were built
according to a basic organization of residential rooms around open courtyards.
More courtyards and rooms were added as a family grew in size or prospered
economically. A typical haveli has separate courtyards for men, women and
servants. As the domestic life was effectively concealed from public view in a
haveli, architectural and social barriers screened the activities of the men’s
and women’s quarters. Family members and relatives met each other according to
various traditional codes of conduct and speech.
Rama Mehta presents a vivid picture
of a tradition-bound haveli in Udaipur – Jeewan Niwas. The author, who herself
had experienced the restricted, traditional atmosphere of Udaipur – the family
home of Jagat Mehta –picturesquely depicts the life in a Rajasthani haveli. The
joys and sorrows and the beliefs and superstitions inside the haveli is
minutely portrayed. The life inside the haveli is presented candidly with the clarity
of a documentary, but the gentle flow of the story is not at all affected by
this accurate presentation.
Udipur which was once the capital of
the State of Mewar is the background of the story. Even though, mow it is just
a town like many others in Rajasthan, the Lake Pichola, the hill of Sajjangarh,
the palace and the havelis make the town a grand one. Sangram Singhji’s haveli
– the Jeewan Niwas – is one of the havelis in Udaipur which still bear the
feudal glory and preserve the customs and traditions. Geeta, an educated,
lively and spontaneous Bombay girl enters this haveli as a bride. She finds the
life in Purdah in her husband, Ajay’s ancestral haveli suffocating. The women
in the havelis declare her an outsider: She will never adjust. She is not one
of us.(29) Ajay, a Professor of Science in Udaipur University comforts and
tells his wife about his plan to get a job in Delhi. So Geeta finds solace in
the belief that the life in Udaipur is only temporary. But such a hope soon
withers away. However Geeta gradually starts to admire the great tradition
provided by the haveli. At last she accepts the warmth of tradition and the
affection of the people in the haveli. The love, care and concern she
experienced in the haveli makes her appreciate and accept the life in the
tradition-bound haveli:
…..Geeta
no longer felt trapped in the haveli….. She had seen the value of kinship ties
and wanted to preserve the ancestral dignity of the haveli. (178)
Geeta’s
modern thoughts and progressive views, for which she has struggled earlier, are
still there. It is through this struggle Geeta has obtained the two important
approvals from the conservative family of her husband. Those approvals are –
right of the girl for education irrespective of her class distinction and right
of the mother to have a decision in the
marriage of her daughter, especially to prevent
a child marriage which has a high approval of tradition. But these
victories never prompt her to underestimate the traditions of the haveli or the
conservative people. Instead Geeta’s adaptability, compromise and forbearance
help to resolve the conflict between tradition and modernity. The concern and
care of her husband and his relatives also help her to acquire this
amalgamation. With this adaptability and compromise, Geeta appreciates the life
in the haveli, adjusts herself and become, finally, its mistress.
After the death of Bhagwat Singhji,
his son, Ajay becomes he master of the haveli and Geeta, the new mistress. The
novel ends here with a promise that the new mistress will bring out a harmony
between tradition and modernity. She will preserve the good traditional
concepts and accept modern values when it is necessary. (Rama Mehta’s narration
and Geeta’s search for identity in the conservative haveli thus concludes with
this positive and hopeful idea though the death of Bhagwat Singhji and the
widows attire of his wife draw sympathy
and produce tears even in the eyes of the readers who are actually involved in
the journey of Geeta through inside the haveli.)
Inside
the Haveli also presents the lives of certain other characters also other
than the life of Geeta. In order to project certain issues the novelist creates
certain well chosen characters with meticulous care. Pari, Lakshmi, Manji,
Nandu etc are the excellent examples of Rama Mehta’s striking characterization.
While lives of Pari and Manji portray the sorrowful life of a widow, Lakshmi’s
life presents the tragedy of patriarchal notions. Lakshmi, the maid servant is
unfairly accused of adultery by her husband and she has to flee from the
conservative haveli. But most unfortunately she ends up in dangerous situations
and becomes an ill-reputed woman. (Lakshmi, the maid and her daughter, Sita are
given an important place in the novel along with the protagonist, Geeta and her
daughter, Vijay. In the beginning of the novel, Geeta and Lakshmi are in child
birth. The novel progresses with the lives and struggles of these two women. In
the concluding section of the novel, their daughters, Vijay and Sita are once
again become the center of discussion in matters related to education and
marriage.)
Apart
from the protagonist’s adaptability, search for identity and silent
transformation the novel Inside the
Haveli also brings out certain carefully illustrated themes and views. Rama
Mehta’s treatment of the plot at the same time becomes literal, sociological
and metaphorical. If we make a journey through Rama Mehta’s Inside the Haveli we will come across
several interesting facts and approaches that are thought-provoking. The
sociologist-cum-novelist, Rama Mehta, not merely presented the details of a
traditional haveli where Geeta’s small adventures would unfold. Inside the Haveli also provides
different interesting accounts regarding the gender, class and tradition
prevalent in the haveli.
Even
though, the novelist illustrates a complete picture of the aristocratic haveli
which itself has all the features of a strong character, Rama Mehta focuses her
constant attention on the women’s apartment. Apart from a few male characters
like Bhagewat Singhji, Ajay and the men-servants, major active characters are
the women. Most of the time, it is through their perspectives that the story
develops. The patriarchal and traditional restrictions are portrayed through
the view point of women. But the interesting fact is that these restrictions
which prevent the women from carving out an identity for themselves and to live
independently, are accepted by the same women as their destiny. The gender
problems are presented in the novel with care and accuracy. Child marriage,
treatment of female child as a burden, purdah system, ill treatment of widow –
almost all of the patriarchal notions and restrictions are present in between
the gold and glitter of the haveli. Geeta, the educated, progressive minded
daughter-in-law could bring out some kind of awakening to the women’s world,
especially to her immediate surroundings. The undercurrent of feminine and
feminist sensibilities can also be viewed throughout the novel. More or less
most of the aspects regarding the life and problems of women have been given
thorough study in Inside the Haveli.
The portrayal of class system and
the problems is another matter of interest in the content of the novel. The
inside of the haveli, Jeewan Niwas, also consists of the servants and maids
along with the upper class people. The life and survival of these lower class
people is also given a detailed study. Geeta’s observation of the women
servants is rich sociological information. Even though the novel presents a
definite master-servant relation throughout the plot, sometimes the warmth of
the relationship increases. The respect and courtesy shown towards the maid
servants, especially to Pariji is indeed valuable. Geeta, the educated, modern
girl has to depend on the uneducated low-class maids for survival within the
haveli culture. The comparison between Vijay and Sita, Geeta and Lakshmi,
Bhagwat Singhji’s wife and Pari etc provide a deep study of the master-servant
relationship portrayed in the novel. The education provided by Geeta to Sita
and other low-class children and servants brings about emancipation in the
servant society. As time passes, the servants are also free from the feudal
tradition and oppressions. The novel honestly presents the decline of feudal
glory and the emancipation of the servant class with accurate details.
Customs and traditions are a strong
presence in the novel. The central conflict is created by the powerful presence
of tradition in the mind of the people in the haveli and modernity brought
forward by Geeta. In the novel, the haveli represents Indian tradition and the
protagonist, Geeta, who is an educated Bombay girl, represents modernity. The
conflict of these two views – tradition and modernity arises from the time of
Geeta’s arrival to the tradition-bound, conservative haveli as a bride. Even
the reserved women n the haveli considers her as an outsider and suspects her
adaptability. The beautiful and metaphorical comparison of the old city and the
new city in Udaipur regarding the difference in life and views throws light on
the central conflict of tradition and modernity. The traditional women in the
haveli equally submit themselves to the patriarchal restrictions also. Geeta
finds these restrictions suffocating and her independent and progressive mind
introduces several modern concepts like education to girls irrespective of
their class distinction. Gradually small changes creep into the haveli. Geeta
also undergoes a silent transformation and finds that traditions are not mere
chains of slavery passed on by the past generations; they also afford strength,
warmth and security. Thus the conflict is resolved by Geeta through her
adaptability and with the care and love of her parents-in-law.
The three major discourses – gender, class
and tradition - create a complete study of the novel. The discourse on gender provides
a feminist touch to the novel. It focuses on the identity-crisis, patriarchal
notions and other gender issues. The second approach, deals with class system
portrayed in the novel. Along with the discourse about class, historical facts
and changes are also presented. Tradition and its conflict with modernity are
also discussed in the novel honestly and accurately. All these discourses are
included within the fabric of this fiction. Rama Mehta’s careful observations
of the society and her sociological findings give strength and voice to these
themes. Though the novel gives the impression and authenticity of a
sociological study, Inside the Haveli
is also praised for its beautiful framework and narration.) With the value and
help of all these thematic features the novel, Inside the Haveli stands out as a great pillar in the haveli of
Indian English fiction.
