Brief synopsis –
1- The Township-
A scene of township, worker’s life, office, and factory. International policies affect even to ground level, the new policy ‘ The Golden Shake’ is a cutter that erases manpower from their works. This shakes everyone; people think privatization means unemployment, more removal of working hands. People go out to agitate, but local leaders look down as the new time doesn’t care about them anymore. Harassed people forced to sign on ‘Golden Shake’ paper, a pre- matured retirement. Protagonist Khakhnoo, too, is forced to sign on the paper. His wife and sons and a daughter, all look for him- what now? Their futures were hanging. Illiterate women quarrel and workers go on gossiping on the issue- welfare state vs. Free State. What’s the reason, why government takes a U- shape turn?
2- Going Back-
Most ousted labourers with their families seek shelter in their native villages. Khakhnoo, the protagonist, too, go back his native home (northeast India) with his family. There they face the new challenges, marriageable daughters, college going sons, all hanging out, without any future…! Again, the new policy favouring Capitalism, tries to penetrate remote villages, creating a market and making all people a mere consumer. The local established leaders and business people do not like any shutter in the existing set up. Again, the protagonist struggles for existence there. This long chapter includes internal family life, their hope, children getting grown up and their future, education and assurance for a peaceful life. The protagonist has to fight inside and outside, showing all assholes of social life together turning worst in the new era of liberalization! As the situation worsened and challenges erect with the ugliest form, protagonist continues fighting utterly through his decent view and action.
3- The Clash-
Protagonist fights for his existence, but he continues to support other deprived people against any law which is ‘forced’ and anti-masses. This attitude makes him an automatic self-made –leader. They look forward to form their own way of cooperative social and economic system. They don’t accept nor they reject Branded Products, but they create their own realities to mobilize people and market their local products. Actually, the untouched socio-economic system has stirred out. It has scenes of the fight between the masses and power holding people and the system. Pro-active and anti- government agencies appear. The protagonist sadly fights within his family, too. The struggle inside and outside of the main characters are seen thoroughly. Fight within the self, fight with personal vs. universal, clash between a guardian vs. children, fight of being local and being global…, the fight between idealism and realism, fight between reality and illusion… And, it seems only struggle make a man, an ousted workman strong enough to open a window in life- to search a metaphysical reality- truth and commitment! This spirit (truth) spread amid the commoners and ask for the vital force of the people to work. In the end, honesty and truth wins. Even his enemies, too are silent. They don’t have a lush life, yet they fight to survive. What they got? - An eternal peace and their own realities- which belong to them, only. Their own creation.
4- Sorry For The Interruption -- With the growth of characters / plot, there are chapters like ‘Sorry For The Interruption’. We get advertisements between a movie or TV show, always it uses to show a material highlighted, similarly, this novel tries to interrupt (sorry..) its readers and letting them point out where we are? Where we should…? These ‘interrupting chapters’ convey readers that there are metaphysical sides of an event, know it! Again, the two different looking stories have a point where they meet- not in a physical sense, but metaphysically yet. A sub-plot is planted where value of coins in a tribal belt is created, a tribal man moves to the city to earn money. Some volunteer workers from city move to a tribal belt to uplift a life- a total irony! There are ousted workmen and there are aborigine men coming in mainstream life- the two approaches unfold many things. How this life has many layers- a man/ woman has to live in multi- layered life. Happy or unhappy- doesn’t matter!
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1. The Township
He was feeling a little tired. The sparkle in his eyes was missing. Tilted mustache, down face, sloping shoulders - he looked like a sick person. He soon left for home with his bicycle. But he was not cycling; he was dragging his way home, slowly. People saw him and understood that there must be something wrong with his cycle, otherwise a laborer can ride his cycle as if it were a Ghazi horse. But surprise, his Ghazi horse was fine in all respects; still he decided to walk on foot, wearing slippers.
He reached home without any warning. He didn’t play the whistle as usual he used to be. His Ghazi horse too not whinnied out. No noise. Otherwise, that day was the payment day, the 1st of the month! Full 30 Days’ Earning! And that day he used to have a box of sweets in his hand! His hands were empty. No sweets or dishes. Finding a place to the cycle, he almost stumbled and entered the room. He knew that his wife and children would ask the same question - today's sweets? Today is your payment day, isn't it?
What would he answer? How would he say that he had forgotten to bring sweets, or that he was tired, that he should promise for the next day? Weave a sheet of lies or tell the truth in one word that he had lost his job. Now pack up your furnishings and go back to the native village. No place for them here now!
Should he tell this to his wife and children in a second? True but cruel..! Or put some sweet coating on that cruel joke they had made for him.
| Language | Status |
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Italian
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Already translated.
Translated by Debora Lanari
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Japanese
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Already translated.
Translated by Horace Miner
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