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A Logical
Clash With the Prevailing Prejudice in Jagamohan Lala’s
Play ‘Babaji’
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Paper Id :
18566 Submission Date :
12/02/2024 Acceptance Date :
20/02/2024 Publication Date :
24/02/2024
This is an open-access research paper/article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited.
DOI:10.5281/zenodo.10751401
For verification of this paper, please visit on
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Aryaputri Sthitapragyan
Research Scholar
Department Of English
Ravenshaw University
Cuttack,Odisa, India
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| Abstract
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Reason and religion is always in conflict since time
immemorial. But when this religion becomes the route to regulate false belief
and superstition among people this became detrimental for the civilization
altogether. And in order to make the contemporaries conscious of all these
wrong beliefs, the writer of the play tried to make the audience aware about
the reality of this dramatic world. In this chaos the play Babaji by Jagamohan
Lala becomes the path breaking and most innovative work that enlightened people
of nineteenth century which was filled with the convictions such as
superstitious and illusory in nature.
In the play Babaji becomes the first play to question
such things through the apt characterization which seems equal to the people
prevalent at that time. And this paper would reveal the subject matter and
analyse it through the lance of tradition and transition.
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| Keywords
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Tradition, Superstition, Religion, Reason, Modernism, Challenge. |
| Introduction
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JagamohanLala is the first playwright in odia language.
He is not the first one to publish a play in this era of 19th century but
before that the writer Raghunath
Parichha has already published his Plays during this time. But in modern
content, this play was the first one to do so. He has collected his contents
for the writings from his environment, people and society at that time. His
primary intention was to reform the social system and public consciousness. He
has written many plays such as- BhramaBanjana, Preeti, and OdishaBijaya and so
on. Nineteenth century is the era where so many far reaching changes were
introduced. Such as - sati, female infanticide, Mariah practice, growth of
education. Due to the expansion of British rulling and the growth of western
education, the writers of that time specially used to propagate modern thoughts
that are pertinent to the audience at that particular time.
According to AllardyceNicoll- drama is a copy of life,
mirror of custom and reflection of truth" which is quite relevant to the
text 'Babaji' written by Jagamohan Lala. The characterizations of the play has
been inspired from the daily life and justified to the most. Each and every
character represented are taken from each corner of the society. The promotion
of English education has a great impact on the life of these people. Similar to
the works of Fakir Mohan Senapati such as- Patent Medicine, SabhyaJamindar,
Dakamunis and so on. Where people can the impact of Britishers as well as the
impact of English education that is the excessive consumption of alcohol and
this can also be seen among the characters presented in the play Babaji, such
as- BabuSubalaPatnaik and Yashu Bhattacharya. These are felicitous example of
these real life characters. The character PujariAnand Panda's prankish attitude
shows the bad manners that were prevalent at that time.
Nineteenth century was filled with superstition, bad
manners, prejudices towards each and everything. Since people were innocent and
inexperienced, the devious and cunning people by the use of manipulation they
used to trick these ignorant souls. This work also represents how the people at
that time were lustful and salacious. The incidents that are represented in the
play, were taken from the real life incidents because the similar incidents can
be detected in the newspapers at that time and the name of newspaper is
'UtkalDeepika'. This also shows how the
people of that time represents the corruption through their activities. And how
they are getting imprisonment for their deeds. This piece of art represents
there are so many people in spite of their wrong doings no one is there to
investigate their characters properly. This is quite evident how the nineteenth
century society was filled with evil politics along with wicked characters.
They used to trick people for their benefits. And the instances of the same is
quite prevalent in newspaper as per the sources.
In the name of religion all this misconceptions were
happening at that time. Due to the ignorance, the people belongs to the middle
class society were being trapped by the deceivers. Since religion was such a
sensitive content, raising voice against this was not that easier. People like
Jagamohan Lala and others were the one who initiated such interrogation and
elevated their voice against all this affairs. Among others alcoholism,
prostitution, superstition were quite common among the middle class families at
that time. That are aptly represented in the characters. Castism was also
prevalent in the society where the upper caste people used to harass the lower
caste for their own benefits. Narratives regarding ghost, evil spirits were
quite prevalent at that time. For this reason, the writer has taken characters
to justify the essence of the age. The age was confined with blind faith,
misfortune, and black magic and so on.
In the play Babaji the protagonist emerged as the
mouthpiece of the writer whose primary objective was to reform the society
through relevant characters.
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| Aim of study
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This paper would show how the nineteenth century play Babajihas a contemporary significance.
How it is trying to create a balance in the society by guiding people in the
direction to make the people understand regarding superstition and how the
tricksters are deceiving the people in the name of religion. This also has a
relevance in this modern time. For that reason this book is also regarded a
modem text with modern ideas. |
| Review of Literature
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The context of the paper represent is not at all new
to the audience, that how people are being deceived by the imposters in the
name of religion with the intention of gaining money and fame. Here the book Balaji represents, at that time in
nineteenth century, people were easily influenced by these people in order to
gain more and more material things in their lives. The primary text of that
time was ‘UtkalDipika’ the well-knownnewspaper, where people used to collect
information regarding the contemporary issues.
And accordingly when someone reads the play Balaji, it is quite obvious how these people
get to know the authenticity of the text. This text also tried to educate the
contemporaries, when it was time, where people were not that much educated and
falsely guided by these people of power. It was a time where not very educated
and they used to think, whatever happens that is only because of these people
have blind faith in religion, which are ultimately the deceiver’s plan to gain
advantages from this.
During this time the author JagamohanLala was the
first one to raise voice against this that shows the concern of the author, in
order to aware these people against such deceivers. This was a path breaking
post by the author. He had taken the initiatives to make these people
conscious.
Similar to this work, there was another work that was
being written by an odia writer Fakir Mohan Senapati. The name of this work is Rebati. This book was also published in
the nineteenth century, in order to make the people aware regarding the girl
child education. This was the time people used to think educating girl child
was something sinful and deadly. If anthing bad happens in their lives, the
foremost reason behind this is that the girl is getting education. The people
over there speculate this girl child education as something unfortunate. But
here the author in this story has taken the initiatives to introduce the
concept of girl child education in the society which has some contemporary
significance not in absolute form rather in such a manner that people think of
reading and adding this story to the curriculum of the school and colleges. The
play Babaji, also has impacted people of nineteenth century till today’s time.
This is how the book has covered the idea of tradition to transition and it has
a similar impact throughout. |
| Main Text
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Marching Towards
Chaos:-
This work of art is not an imaginary one rather it is an
initiative that is taken by the playwright Jagamohan Lala and here he tries to
illustrate the evil activities such as- deception by the cunning character,
superstitious, prejudiced towards certain things that are precisely depicted in
this work. This book was only written for the eradication of such superstitious
beliefs from the mind of these contemporaries. Due to the influence of western
civilization countless works have been produced.
This subject matter of this play represents the
protagonist by the name of Babaji and everything is revolving around the
protagonist who is exposed to the superstitious society. When the leading
character reaches the residence for the purpose of alms of SubalPatnaikwho is
drunkard by essence, he was tricked by his servant PujariAnand Panda. By the
application of wickedness he also treated badly and initiated misunderstanding
regarding the saint. Which advocates that the saint can make the dead alive.
He reached another house after being disappointed by the
first one. In that particular scene as well, one may notice he received nothing
from the people present over there. He
became disheartened but at the same time he has no arrogance and contempt for
anyone. While he was resting near the tree he was rubbed by few robbers. He
also dedicated all his belongings to the rubbers without getting any ill
feeling for these people. Due to the misunderstandings that has been created by
the cunning character Pujari, people started believing that the saint is
capable of eliminating all this hindrances and depressions of the lives of
these people. So what they did, they
started approaching the saint for each and everything. But as a leading
character he tried his best to make the people aware about the fraudulent that
are prevalent in day to day life. They must be aware about all this.
There are two characters such as- James and Shiva mantra.
They have come to meet the saint in order to get rid of their grief and unhappiness.
Since they have been informed about mystical qualities of the saint. But these
mystical qualities are the products of deception and dishonesty which was
cleared by the saint. He also tried to make these people understand how the
cunning people are taking the advantages of their ignorance in these matters by
deceiving them with the presence of shadow and spirits.
When the saint net the scornful character 'pujari' and
asked why did he propagated all this myths regarding the saint, he admitted
that out of contempt and anger he did it. And when the character Pujari
disclosed his real identity that how he deceives people by presenting himself
as a protector of these people from the evil spirits. After this the saint made
the character realised about the bad deeds and that he is committing crime by
deceiving these innocent people and the end result of this disloyality. He also
clarified that by the means of honesty and morality one may live a happy life.
These moral lessons needs to be implemented in our life. This is precisely what
the subject matter all about.
Tradition
and Transition:-
The play Babaji is precisely a work that represents the
context of tradition and transition and this transition is not backward but
forward. Since we have already discussed how the nineteenth century society is
and the attitude of people over there. The playwright has represented the
protagonist as the spokesperson of that particular time on what should be done
and what should not be done. People must be aware of the superstitious,
deceptions that are prevalent in the society. He tried his best to let the
people know the reality of these tricksters.
Since this shows the transition towards modernity, the
writer Jagamohan Lala was the first playwright to add such contents in this
work. It was the time full of misconceptions and myths. People were being
deceived due to their simplicity. The primary purpose of this text is to
educate these people about the superstition and misconceptions regarding the
surroundings and life altogether. And in order to make it rich small events
have been adjoined with the main plot to make it a huge success.
Similar to the other structure plays, the playwright has
not divided the plot into acts or scene but in the content one may clearly
define the events into different acts and sections. Similar to the other plays
the subject matter shows there is beginning, middle and end. The beginning of
the first resident where the character Pujari is disclosing his real identity
and denouement would be the point where the wicked character Pujari is going
through the process of realisation and marching towards salivation. The leading
character here not only showing correct path to the sinful character Pujari but
several other characters to lead a happy and logical life in their lives. When
the society was surrounded with such myths, superstition, and misunderstanding
and at this moment the playwright Jagamohan Lala is emerging as activist, who
is communicating the social challenges to the audience over there.
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| Conclusion
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From the above discussion we perceived that how JagamohanLala’s
play Babaji is celebrated a play with the content of logicality and modernity.
But the point is what modernity is? Getting away from your own culture and
tradition is modernity or being logical or rational about each and everything
is modernity.
Due to the impact of western civilization, people started
behaving religion as a synonyms to superstition. But in reality it is not.
Because we may find there are so many rituals in our religion, there are deep
notions behind it and that only can be proved by the perspective of
science. And religion is not
superstition but when superstition comes, it comes through the way of religion
since we feel there is no place for the reason in religion. But people need to
be logical and aware about the superficiality.
In the Victorian era there was the term 'Victorian
compromise ' which suggests one should choose the middle path which suggests
one must not be extremely religious or empiricist rather one should follow a
balanced life to live peacefully.
This is what the leading character Babaji is presenting
in this play. When he made these characters realised their own deeds and ask
them to follow the path of honesty and integrity to lead a better life. And
this is not the absence of religion or reason but presence of both. |
| References
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2. ---, editor. JagamohanLalaKrutaBabajiNataka.
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3. Lala, Gagamohan. BabajiNatak.
Sahadev Pradhan Friends, 1984.
4. ---. BabajiNatak.
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19 Jan. 2024, en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Odia_literature. Accessed 19 Jan. 2024.
6. “Odia Literature.” Wikipedia,
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