Reviews

ENGLISH

The Awakening of Indian Women–By Kamaladevi Chattopadhyaya and others. (Printed and Published by Everymans Press; 1, McLean Street, Broadway, Madras. Price Re. 1-8.)

This exceedingly interesting little volume has, as the Publisher’s note tells, "been specially compiled for men and women in the continent of Europe and the United States who require information on (about?) the hopes, aims and ambitions of the women of India." Mrs. Chattopadhyaya has contributed two theses to the volume, one on the ‘Women’s Movement in India,’ and another on ‘Imperialism and Class Struggle.’ The latter ought not really to have found a place in this volume, having practically nothing to do with the subject of Indian Women. The other thesis bears close study, bristling as it is with clever and provocative sentences, like ‘The history of morality has been the history of male supremacy’; ‘The (Hindu) widow was lifted from the pyre’ (meaning the abolition of Suttee) ‘but left in the cremation ground’; and ‘Hindu women, who began as free and equal partners, deteriorated into virtual slavery to men,’–It is, however, a little disappointing to find that even Mrs. Chattopadhyaya, with all her leanings towards scientific Marxism, descends to such supinely nationalist clap-trap as this: ‘Before imperialism laid its dead hand upon our brave ancestors, women did enjoy a great measure of freedom and contributed not a little to the building up of a fine culture.’ This is a definitely unhistorical view, because the position of women was nowhere in the world, except perhaps in matriarchal societies in ancient times, and except perhaps among certain primitive tribes in recent history, anything like what women today desire it to be. And contact with imperialist Britain positively aided the forces that led to the awakening of Indian women. It is a little too much to attribute all the ills of India to British Imperialism, as if, prior to Plassey, India was a very heaven on earth!

Mrs. Chattopadhyaya has many proper things to say about ‘The Enfranchisement of Women,’ and about ‘Child-marriage,’ but a chapter entitled ‘Purdah and Prostitution’ struck the present reviewer as particularly disappointing, because, after putting Purdah and Prostitution side by side in the title of the chapter, Mrs. Chattopadhyaya has failed to drive home the real connection between the phenomenon of purdah and the phenomenon of prostitution. There can be no prostitution in a land where Man and Woman are equal in status and prestige at all points in society. All the ills of womankind have their origin in such inequality. And their greatest ill is prostitution, while the greatest proof of the inferior status of women in India is the purdah system. Every method, except the one that aims at equalising the status of men and women, in India as elsewhere, must fail in the matter of eradicating prostitution. Removal of purdah, unless it is accompanied by equality in education and in the laws of inheritance, cannot solve the problems of Indian women. Mrs. Chattopadhyaya does not state the case so precisely, though she says wisely about Russia that ‘Russia alone has tackled it intelligently and scientifically by attacking the root of this evil; not by regularising prostitution or merely shutting down brothels, the favourite method of all capitalist authorities–but by providing work, decent homes, a living wage, more humane conditions not only to those who are caught in the net but for all workers and potential prostitutes.’ This reveals that, while Mrs. Chattopadhyaya sees prostitution as the problem of unemployed and unemployable women, she does not see it as the problem of society in general. Prostitution arises not so much out of the individual economic disabilities of individual women, as out of the very structure of a society which is based on inequality, cultural no less than economic, between man and man in the first instance and between men and women in the next.

The volume also contains interesting articles by Mrs. Cousins and Mrs. Tampi and Miss Shyam Kumari Nehru, the last of whom deals with the ‘Disabilities of Women in Law,’ in an essay which ought to be read by every self-complacent Indian male.

On the whole, this little volume is very purposive, and ought to find ready response among all types of readers.

BURRA V. SUBRAHMANYAM

KANNADA

Karnataka Sahitya-Sanskriti Darsana–By S. S. Malwad, M.A., B.E.S., Karnatak College, Dharwar. (Kannada Research Granth Publication, Government of Bombay. Price, Calico Rs. 2; Ordinary Rs. 1-8-0. Copies available from Sahitya Bhandar, Book-sellers and Publishers, Hubli.)

Karnataka Sahitya-Sanskriti Darsana is a collection of fourteen historical and critical essays on the varied aspects of Kannada literature and culture. Of these fourteen essays, eleven have already been published in periodicals. None the less, it is a decided advantage to have them brought together under one cover for they constitute a noteworthy contribution to the knowledge of Karnataka literary history, Every one of the essays is distinguished by sound scholarship, clarity of exposition and sobriety of judgment. The book is well-printed and tastefully produced by the publishers.

Though the essays comprised in this volume were written at different times and for different purposes, there is a unity of aim binding them all together. As the author says in the Preface, the chief purpose of the book is to exhibit with the necessary fullness, but without detailed narrative, the rise and development of Karnataka literary and cultural history.

The fourteen essays in this book are divided under five heads, dealing respectively with Sahitya Vihara, Kavi-Kavya Parichaya, Sahitya Charitre, Kavyagallali Charitravsagalu, and Sanskriti Darsana. Under the first group, there are three essays of which the first deals with the principles of criticism as seen in the works of ancient Kannada poets. The second essay–which was first delivered as the presidential address of a literary Conference–is a vigorous piece of writing on ‘Sahityavu Bala Batteya Paramagama.’ After explaining the message of ancient Kannada poetry, the writer concludes, in words of moving eloquence, with an appeal to his fellow-writers to develop in Kannada the ‘literature of knowledge’–a branch woefully neglected in Karnataka–and thus free Kannada literature from the criticism that it has not contributed anything to the stock of the world’s knowledge and inspiration. Then follow three sympathetic and discriminating studies on the ‘Vachanas of Mahadevi Akka,’ ‘Poet Janna,’ ‘Poet Raghavanka,’ which are included under the heading of Kavi-Kavya Parichaya. The next section deals with three important periods in Kannada literary history and is followed by two scholarly studies on the historical elements in Basawaraj-Devaragale and Chikka Deva Raya Vamsavali respectively. The last three essays are historical sketches on ‘Kodiyamath,’ ‘Ballegavi’ and ‘Vijayanagar.’ The Author, after describing these memorials or Kannadiga’s erstwhile might and magnificence, points out how they reflected the soul of Kannada culture and civilisation at their best–a soul that is immortal and which is today expressing itself in new forms and modes.

I hope I have said enough to indicate the great value and importance of Prof. Malwad’s book. It is a book which every lover of Kannada should read; and from which none can fail to derive much that is helpful, stimulating and suggestive.

T. REUBEN