Indian English literature

 

Introduction:- 

                      Indo-anglian literature is not essentially different in kind from Indian literature. It is a modern facet of that Glory which, commencing from the Vedas has continued to spread its mellow light with greater and lesser billions under the inexorable vicissitudes of time and  history. 

                       It is a literature which is combination of Indian literature and Indian English literature. Indian English literature refers to the body of work by writers in India who write in English and whose native or co-native language could be one of the numerous languages of India. It is also associated with the works of members of Indian diaspora.

                     Indian writing in English is greatly influenced by writing in England, "Romanticism" "Victorians", "Georgians" and "Modernists". But in its own way Indo anglian literature has contributed to the common pool of world writing in English. K. R. Srinivasa quoted in his book, the Indian contribution to English literature, that;

The best Indo- anglian poets have given us something which neither English poetry nor any of our regional literatures can give. In other words they have effected a true marriage of Indian processes of poetic experience with English formula of Verse expression.

            Indo- anglian literature has an appeal to Indians and to English man as well. Sometimes it is called that one can't write first class in a learned language. Indian writers sometime suffered from that, but it is not true at all, because Indian writers give glory to the English literature.

Development of an Indo-anglian literature:-

            The seeds of Indian writing was sown during the period of the British rule in India. Now the seed has blossomed into an evergreen tree, fragrant flowers and ripe fruits. Indian English literature continuous to reflect Indian culture, tradition, social values and even Indian history. Indian writing in English is one of the voices in which India speaks. It is a new voice, no doubt, but it is as much Indian as the others. As the late C. R. Reddy pointed out in the course of his forward on Indo anglian literature;

Indo anglian literature is not essentially different kind from Indian literature. It is a part of it, a modern face at of that Lori which, commencing from the Vedas, has continued to spread its mellow light, now with greater and lesser brilliance under the inexorable vicissitudes of time and history, ever increasingly up to the present time of Tagore, Iqbal and Aurobindo Ghosh and bids fair to expand with our and humanity's expanding future.

              Its early history begin with the works of Henry Louis Vivian Derozio and Michael Madhusudan Dutta, followed by Rabindranath Tagore and Sri Aurobindo, R. K. Narayan, Mulk Raj Anand and Raja Rao, contributed to the growth and popularity of Indian English fiction in the 1930s. It is also associated in the some cases with the works of members of Indian diaspora, who subsequently compose works in English.

            The first book written by an Indian in English was "The travels of Dean Mahomet" a travel narrative by Sake Dean Mahomed. In it's early stage, Indian English literature was influenced by the Western novel.

             Bankim Chandra Chattopadhyay wrote "Rajmohan's wife"; it is the first Indian novel written in English. "Bianca" or "The young Spanish maiden" by Toru Dutt, was the first novel written by an Indian women.

              The non-fictional body of prose works, consisting of letters, diaries, political manifesto, articles, speeches, philosophical works etc. in Indian English literature of the 19th and the early 20th century, is rich and varied. The speeches of Swami Vivekananda, Rabindranath Tagore, Chittranjan Das, Bal Gangadhar Tilak, Mahatma Gandhi and Subhash Chandra Bose, to name only a few, shaped the destiny of modern Indian and also destiny of English language in India. Gandhiji's Indian home rule or Hindu Swaraj was written in an indigenous and variety of the English language and challenged successfully the harmony of standard English even before RK Narayan mulk Raj Anand and Raja Rao.

          Raja Rao, Indian philosopher and writer, authored Kanthapura and The Serpent and the Rope, which are Indian in terms of their story telling qualities. Rabindranath Tagore wrote in Bengali and English and was responsible for the translations of his own works in English. Dhan Gopal Mukherji was the first Indian author to win a literary award in the United States. R. K. Narayan contributed over many decades and continued to write till his death.

            Mulk Raj Anand, Raja Rao and R. K. Narayan Wardha novelist who stabilized and fortified the Indian English fiction with their ample work and unique style. It is also remarkable that the theme and technique of novel in Indian literature during this period found based on social upset, poverty, untouchability, exploitation, social movement, political movement etc.

              The contribution of women writers can not go unnoticed. In fact the works of women writers constitute a major segment of the contemporary Indian writing in English. Among women writers Sarojini Naidu ,the great poetess termed the readers with her writing. Feminism themes have also been used by others like Nayantara Sahgal and Rama Mehta. Regional fiction theme has been used by Kamala Das, Anita Nair and Susan Viswanathan. Novelists like Kamla Markandaya and Anita Desai captured the spirit of Indian culture and its traditional values.

              English has acquired rare privilege and popularity in India especially among the elite and the middle classes. It is increasingly being used by writers to give shape to the the conflicting dilemmas and issues that confronts the human psyche. It has definitely become a convenient medium to express the intrinsic talent of the writer. Moreover, Indian English writers use it with enviable ease and gaining mastery of a foreign tongue to articulate the vagaries and vicissitudes of an individual's consciousness in a realm of its own aptly substantiate the expansiveness and verse of the Indian English writer.

Conclusion:-

                To conclude, during one and half or two centuries, Indian writing in English began and spread its influence throughout whole world of English literature. Authors make use of Indian phrases alongside English words and have tried to reproduce a blend of the Indian and the Western cultures.

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