Samipya 1991 Vol 08 Ank 01 02

Author(s): Pravinchandra C Parikh, Bhartiben Shelat
Publisher: Bholabhai Jeshingbhai Adhyayan Sanshodhan Vidyabhavan

Page 97

life usually creates. Maheru is drifted to crimes and robbery as he is without job. He defies police and the government authorities. His innate human qualities are suppressed under the hard crust of his hatred towards the exploitors including the Banias, zamindars and government servents. Ashwin gradually associates Maheru with the village activities despite his known notoriety. Maheru is a profile in courage. Ashwin wants to channelize his energies in the right direction. Maheru also has full faith in Ashwin. He is prepared to shed his blood for him. Ashwin, while undertaking his village programme, takes the help of Rama Patel, an honest and hardworking farmer, and Kanji, a Harijan labourer in Rama Patel's farm. The author depicts an encounter between Arun and his associates on the one hand, and reactionary zamindar, though his own relative and neighbour, and government officials, who all the time obstruct his village activities, on the other. The author has shown how Arun gets whole-hearted co-operation from his wife Kusum and Tara, a widow and his childhood friend. At the same time, the author has introduced a character of Chandranan, a foreign educated Marxist and union leader, whose intellectual pride, though at initial stage, does not allow him to mix with the villagers. Chandranan's ambition is to unite the workers of city against the exploiting class. He has no faith in Arun's programme, though he has developed a special regard for him. The author has shown also the tragic death of Arun's child, Rohit, after his critical illness. Arun for the first time realizes that there are thousands of Rohits in the villages who die without getting any medical treatment. To him now each child in the village is Rohit.
The author brings the end of the novel when the government becomes suspicious about Arun's activities. He is seen as creating discontent among the villages by rousing their expectations. He also is seen as encouraging notorious people like Maheru and giving shelter to the revolutionaries like Chandranan. He is charged for treason, and gets imprisonment for five years. Arun is prepared for the consequences. He exhorts his associates to celebrate the day of his arrest as the day of self-sacrifice. His dream seems to be fulfilled as he has created self-confidence among the villagers who would not now need any leader more to guide them for making the villages self-reliant and beautiful with all the basic amenities of modern life, albeit without its bad influences. He is more happy because he could become an instrument to create a lotus-like Maheru out of 'mud' village.
V
It will be seen from the above discussion that the central character of Bharelo Agni, Rudradatta, does not confront such strong characters like Dhana Bhagat in Divya Chakshu and Maheru in Gram Laxmi. Rudradatta's characterization is made almost perfect. While Arun and Ashwin have to discover the authenticity of their mission through the circumstances as narrated by the author, Rudradatta is shown as a completely composed person. Circumstances of the forthcoming rebellion do not disturb him. He points out the futility of violence and hared to all who have come
National Consciousness and its Literary Expression :]
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