Titu Mir

by Mahasweta Devi, Rimi B. Chatterjee (Translator)

Titu Mir, a peasant leader, led a revolt against the British in Bengal in 1830—1831, in the course of which he was killed. This was a period of transition in agricultural Bengal.

Genres: Historical Fiction, India, Historical, Indian Literature

134 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1998

About the author

Mahasweta Devi was an Indian social activist and writer. She was born in 1926 in Dhaka, to literary parents in a Hindu Brahmin family. Her father Manish Ghatak was a well-known poet and novelist of the Kallol era, who used the pseudonym Jubanashwa. Mahasweta's mother Dharitri Devi was also a writer and a social worker.

She joined the Rabindranath Tagore-founded Vishvabharati University in Santiniketan and completed a B.A. (Hons) in English, and then finished an M.A. in English at Calcutta University as well. She later married renowned playwright Bijon Bhattacharya who was one of the founding fathers of the IPTA movement. In 1948, she gave birth to Nabarun Bhattacharya, currently one of Bengal's and India's leading novelist whose works are noted for their intellectual vigour and philosophical flavour. She got divorced from Bijon Bhattacharya in 1959.

In 1964, she began teaching at Bijoygarh College (an affiliated college of the University of Calcutta system). During those days, Bijoygarh College was an institution for working class women students. During that period she also worked as a journalist and as a creative writer. Recently, she is more famous for her work related to the study of the Lodhas and Shabars, the tribal communities of West Bengal, women and dalits. She is also an activist who is dedicated to the struggles of tribal people in Bihar, Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh. In her elaborate Bengali fiction, she often depicts the brutal oppression of tribal peoples and the untouchables by potent, authoritarian upper-caste landlords, lenders, and venal government officials.

Major awards:
1979: Sahitya Akademi Award (Bengali): – Aranyer Adhikar (novel)
1986: Padma Shri[2]
1996: Jnanpith Award - the highest literary award from the Bharatiya Jnanpith
1997: Ramon Magsaysay Award - Journalism, Literature, and the Creative Communication Arts
1999: Honoris causa - Indira Gandhi National Open University (IGNOU)
2006: Padma Vibhushan - the second highest civilian award from the Government of India
2010:Yashwantrao Chavan National Award
2011: Bangabibhushan - the highest civilian award from the Government of West Bengal
2012: Hall of Fame Lifetime Achievement Sahityabramha - the first Lifetime Achievement award in Bengali Literature from 4thScreen-IFJW.

মহাশ্বেতা দেবী একটি মধ্যবিত্ত বাঙালি পরিবারে জন্মগ্রহণ করেছিলেন । তাঁর পিতা মনীশ ঘটক ছিলেন কল্লোল যুগের প্রখ্যাত সাহিত্যিক এবং তাঁর কাকা ছিলেন বিখ্যাত চিত্রপরিচালক ঋত্বিক ঘটক। মা ধরিত্রী দেবীও ছিলেন সাহিত্যিক ও সমাজসেবী। মহাশ্বেতা দেবী বিখ্যাত নাট্যকার বিজন ভট্টাচার্যের সঙ্গে বিবাহবন্ধনে আবদ্ধ হন। তাঁদের একমাত্র পুত্র, প্রয়াত নবারুণ ভট্টাচার্য স্মরণীয় কবিতার পঙ্‌ক্তি ‘এ মৃত্যু উপত্যকা আমার দেশ নয়’ এবং হারবার্ট উপন্যাস লিখে বাংলা সাহিত্যে স্থায়ী স্বাক্ষর রেখে গেছেন।

তাঁর শৈশব ও কৈশোরে স্কুলের পড়াশোনা ঢাকায়। দেশভাগের পর চলে আসেন কলকাতায়। এরপর শা‌ন্তিনিকেতনের বিশ্বভারতী বিশ্ববিদ্যালয় থেকে ইংরেজিতে অনার্স এবং কলকাতা বিশ্ববিদ্যালয় থেকে স্নাতকোত্তর ডিগ্রি নেন।

১৯৬৪ খ্রীষ্টাব্দে তিনি বিজয়গড় কলেজে শিক্ষকতা শুরু করেন । এই সময়েই তিনি একজন সাংবাদিক এবং লেখিকা হিসাবে কাজ করেন। পরবর্তীকালে তিনি বিখ্যাত হন মূলত পশ্চিমবাংলার উপজাতি এবং নারীদের ওপর তাঁর কাজের জন্য । তিনি বিভিন্ন লেখার মাধ্যমে বিভিন্ন উপজাতি এবং মেয়েদের উপর শোষণ এবং বঞ্চনার কথা তুলে ধরেছেন। সাম্প্রতিক কালে মহাশ্বেতা দেবী পশ্চিমবঙ্গ সরকারের শিল্পনীতির বিরুদ্ধে সরব হয়েছেন । সরকার কর্তৃক বিপুল পরিমাণে কৃষিজমি অধিগ্রহণ এবং স্বল্পমূল্যে তা শিল্পপতিদের কাছে বিতরণের নীতির তিনি কড়া সমালোচক । এছাড়া তিনি শান্তিনিকেতনে প্রোমোটারি ব্যবসার বিরুদ্ধেও প্রতিবাদ করেছেন ।

তাঁর লেখা শতাধিক বইয়ের মধ্যে হাজার চুরাশির মা অন্যতম। তাঁকে পদ্মবিভূষণ (ভারত সরকারের দ্বিতীয় সর্বোচ্চ নাগরিক পুরস্কার,২০০৬), রামন ম্যাগসেসে পুরস্কার (১৯৯৭), জ্ঞানপীঠ পুরস্কার (সাহিত্য একাডেমির সর্বোচ্চ সাহিত্য সম্মান), সার্ক সাহিত্য পুরস্কার (২০০৭) প্রভৃতি পদকে ভূষিত করা হয়।

২০১৬ সালের ২৮ জুলাই, বৃহস্পতিবার বেলা ৩টা ১৬ মিনিটে চিকিৎসাধীন অবস্থায় তিনি শেষনিশ্বাস ত্যাগ করেন।


जन्म : 1926, ढाका।

Reviews

[Chitra Ahanthem · Rating 4 out of 5]

Titu Mir, a novella by Mahasweta Devi and translated from the Bengali by Rimi B Chatterjee is a beautiful example of just how much good writing can bring new light, nay resurrect a past so vilified in new light. Following the life of Titu Mir, a Muslim revolutionary from Bengal, what Mahasweta Devi does is bring the many facets of a man whose name is not known beyond Bengal and who was sullied right after his resistance to both the British and the wealthy landlords of the times who went on to take a powerful show of strength and resistance to all things that spell suppression. 
And because the author is Mahasweta Devi, the historical backdrop, the markers of years and details are kept secondary while the mood of the times, the air of largesse that the feudal landlords cutting across religion used to enjoy while lording over the poor peasants come alive in a way that makes reading this historical fiction a pleasure. Set in the backdrop of the 1830s in Bengali, decades before the Revolt of 1857 that would become the national marker for the fight against independence for the country against the British, this short novella makes one examine the many battles that were being fought then within the Indian society with the rich zamindars siding with the British in exploiting poor farmers and peasants. Not much different from present times perhaps: when calls for social change are only stripped down to divisive politics using religion.

Mahasweta Devi's writing is powerful, she makes you think through a lot with just the use of a few sparse words. That is how effective and precise she in in her writings, in her awareness of what she is doing with it. 

[Mohammad Hasib · Rating 4 out of 5]

Reading this book will change one’s views regarding the freedom fighters who fought against the British and the common negative notion against Jihadists. The true definition of Wahhabism as perpetuated by Syed Ahmad will be explored thoroughly through Mahasweta Devi’s literary piece of art.

Authenticity of Devi: There is a vast body of knowledge regarding tribal culture and its illustrious history in the form of tradition. It was passed down verbally from one generation to another. It is impossible to avoid comparing this genre to music, poetry, and mythology. Because they classified tribal literature as fiction, historians purposefully avoided using it. Through her fictional works, she diligently brought up tribal concerns and worked to enhance tribe members' knowledge of their legal rights.

CHARACTERS

Titu Mir: Titu Mir portrays several characteristics that set the protagonist apart from other members of his family and community. He never limited himself to one area; instead, he always yearned to expand the boundaries and perform a brave act in support of society's outcasts. The comment from his father Nisar is relevant when he compared Nolu and Titu, where Nolu was very submissive and passive but Titu was considered very outspoken and rebellious, like an “emperor”. Titu was aware of the widespread exploitation of the weaker members of society. For the benefit of the ordinary people, he consistently rebelled against oppressive people.

Nolu: Titu’s brother Nolu served as the binary opposition to Titu and was symbolic. He was the ideal son of a farmer: willing to settle down and is very passive and not willing to be in a fight.
Rokeya: Titu’s mother was the typical South Asian mother: loving and concerned. In the first two chapters, her character is well portrayed when Titu went off to catch a leopard with his friends. She also had high hopes of her son, that one day he will grow up and do big things. Her inner thoughts served as a foreshadowing to the later revolutionary events that Titu would bring upon Bengal. She was what a mother should be like – caring, protective and supportive.
Nisar: Titu’s father had a strict personality as it was shown in the first two chapters. However, later on, we find out that he was proud of Titu who was then a rebel and identified himself with his father’s name, which was a direct contrast to when Titu went to catch the leopard, he was very angry and asked Rokeya to deny him the meal of the day. He described Titu as if he was an anomaly in his family because to him Titu was like an “emperor” and the farming-oriented family traditions did not suit Titu according to him. In short, his thoughts regarding Titu were alluding to the future of Titu Mir being a great anti-British rebel.

Tajuddin: Titu’s uncle served as his father figure in chapter three because he was guided by Tajuddin regarding various Zamindari and city-life matters. He taught Titu his secret lathial techniques and informed him about the current tense situations between zamindars and the managers. He also advised Titu to go to the city and wrestle to earn money, but the advice did not work for Titu as Titu was not a man who could survive in the bustling city. His significance in the plot dropped after he was injured in a riot, but he was important during the ignition of Titu’s journey.

Syed Ahmad: Syed Ahmad was the one who popularized Wahhabism in India. It was he who inspired Titu to reform Islam and take care of the oppressed. Ahmad went to Mecca and met Wahab, the founder of the Wahhabi Movement, and became learned. He came to India and became a warrior, and soon his influence started to spread so that Titu Mir would hear of it. He befriended the Pathans because the Pathans saw the bravery in his soul and the urge to fight social injustice thrown upon the peasants. It was he who taught that Islam is not a religion that forces assimilation of the minority, but rather reinforces pluralism. According to him, if a weaker non-Muslim is being oppressed by a stronger non-Muslim, all Muslims must help the weaker one. Other ill practices such as worshipping corpses and referring to pirs were also discouraged by him.
Bhudeb Pal: One would describe him as an old-fashioned passive zamindar who has no guts. He feared conflict and he was reluctant when it came to firing people from work. He believed that the peasants deserved a good living standard too and that the taxes imposed should not be harsh upon the poor. He always opposed Ramchand’s predatory ideas that would harm the lower class. That was why he was always in conflict with the Company and the planters because he could not see the benefits of exploitation. Ramchand would soon become his enemy. Overall, he was a good and just man.

Ramchand: One of the main antagonists, who wanted to plant cash crops without the consent of the zamindars. He wanted to plant indigo even though it would not be profitable for the poor. He even convinced Tarini (a manager) to plant indigo which would later lead to a huge conflict between the lathials and the peasants. Titu was present in the conflict too, and he would be sentenced to 3 years in jail because of that.

Masum: Ghulam Masum was Titu Mir’s nephew and his right hand. He was the perfect loyal soldier – could carry out all orders without delay or objection. He supported Titu Mir through thick or thin. One should always pray to have such a companion in their life.
Maimuna: Maimuna could be described as a ‘tradwife’ who was very submissive and always heeded Titu’s words. She was not materialistic nor did she hope for glory – she was just happy with Titu being around, even though Titu rarely tended to her. Conflict with Maimuna was minimal even though Titu was not being the best husband. She was also happy to have her children support their father in the rebellion. Overall, a sweet character and a loving wife.
Krishnadeb Ray and Debnath Ray: These two were two antagonistic zamindars who took the fight to Titu. Krishnadeb was insulted by the peasants when they refused to pay taxes and so he burned down a mosque to enrage Titu because Krishnadeb was a brahman who hated Muslims. Debnath directly confronted Titu in battle and was killed. These two were very vindictive and very communal overall.

Saryatullah and Dudu Mian: While these characters have no significance in the plot, they were useful in developing the historical context. These two would go on and carry a bit of Titu’s legacy in the form of the Fairazi Movement (1837) and Saryatullah’s son, Dudu Mian, would later take on his mantle.

The unnamed fakir: The unnamed fakir in chapter two would make Titu Mir realize that the agrarian life was not for him, but he was rather destined to be a warrior. It was him who ignited the fire in Titu to be whom he was destined to be – a rebellious man against an oppressive force. Even when Titu was in jail, he kept thinking about the mysterious fakir, and decided to go on a life similar to the fakir and reached out to Syed Ahmad.

THEMES

Peasant solidarity and Hindu-Muslim unity: This novel proved that religion does not unite people but rather their status does. Devi’s mention of the Fakir-Sanyasi movement to develop the historical context was an example of a movement that was not communal, but rather religious groups who happened to be in the same economic state that banded together to rebel against an oppressing force. When we move on to Titu Mir’s rebellion, many people believe that Titu Mir was communal as he desecrated a temple, but few realize that he desecrated the temple in retaliation to Krishnadeb’s destruction of a mosque. If he truly believed in the superiority of Islam, then why was he against the pirs and Muslim zamindars? Why did Yar Mohammed, a double agent, betray him? Not only Muslim peasants but also Hindu peasants from all places joined the Mujahid force, although they were a minority due to several socioeconomic reasons. Bhudeb Pal was an example of a zamindar who was a Hindu but he sympathized with the Wahabis’ struggle. This theme can also be compared to the 1971 Liberation War of Bangladesh because Bengalis were sold into the Islamic Republic utopia after the Lahore Resolution which soon in 1948 turned out to be a sham and thus secularism was imprinted into the Constitution of Bangladesh in 1972.

Sheer Will and Nationalism: It was displayed when the well-organized forces of the British were always being flanked or broken apart by the Mujahids, even though the Mujahids were mostly low-skilled peasants. Titu Mir described the sepoys as paid men who have no country to fight for, and so they will value their lives more than the cause. Titu, thus, conclusively said that the Mujahids were stronger even if they were less skilled or less in numbers. The construction of the bamboo fort can be considered ridiculous, but to a nationalist, it is a matter of pride because it showed the willingness of the human soul to be committed to something that it loves so much. It showed the bravery and commitment of the Mujahids as they used everything in their environment (they even dropped small objects from the top of the fort to weaponize anything) to fight against the British, and they continued to do so even though they knew they would lose the battle. Little did they know that they lost the battle, but not the greater war. The Wahhabi movement would continue to live even until the 1857 First War of Independence, and Indians would finally be free from the oppressors in 1947.

Caste system: The oppressive and unjust caste system has been thoroughly illustrated in this novel. The notion of the superiority of the “brahmans” was established in the scene where Ramchand and Bhudeb had an argument and Ramchand accused Bhudeb of trying to sabotage a brahman as if brahmans make no mistakes at all. He also accused Bhudeb of having love for Muslims as if love was a crime. Near the end of the plot, a Dalit boy with photogenic memory was considered a curse by the priests because God decided to put him in the family of an “untouchable” instead of a higher caste family. If he was born into a higher caste family, he would have been considered a blessing instead. Mahasweta Devi was responsible enough to point out the ills and injustice of the 19th century, which are continued even to this day, and it should serve as an awareness for the modern era because such things are still happening in India, Assam, Nepal, etc.

PLOT ANALYSIS

Exposition: The Bengal Famine of 1770, which had turned the country into a wasteland, is brought to life in the novel's start by Mahasweta Devi. Titu Mir is portrayed by Mahasweta Devi as the champion of the subaltern via several occurrences. She describes how police officers and the henchmen of the landlord used the helpless sellers by forcibly stealing their goods or demanding payment in the marketplace. According to Mahasweta Devi, who describes the plight and poverty of the villagers, " the policemen and the armed good began briskly picking the choicest wares out of the vendor’s baskets-fruits, vegetables, fishes. The fish seller threw himself at their feet crying, Sir, I must sell that fish for one anna, I have to buy oil and rice for my family. Please don’t take that one.” (10) This prompts Titu to take it away from the policeman’s hands. Before the inspector can take further action he is immediately reminded by an associate that the fish is not of his use any longer as it is touched by Titu Mir, a Muslim. After some time, the policeman leaves the place. The faces of the vendors lit up with joy as the policemen leave. The courageous Titu stands up against extortions in the marketplace. By helping the poor, Titu shows his retaliation toward injustice in the market.

Rising Action: Syed Ahmed and his followers at the time were working to disseminate the Wahabi ideology, a brand-new religion or belief system with two main objectives. The removal of foreign dominance, the root of all the problems, was the primary objective. The secondary objective was the liberation of Islam from the grip of many superstitions. After making this revelation, his life completely changes, and he dedicates himself to freeing India from the control of the British government. Since this group's theme was the well-being of the nation and its citizens, it attracted not only Muslims but also other Hindus and non-Muslims. Wahabi theology and Titu Mir had great success as Titu Mir joined the movement straight after coming out of jail while remembering the fakir from chapter two. The oppressors, including planters, landlords, wealthy Muslims, and moneylenders, leave the area. The peasants quit cultivating indigo on the property since the tax on the planter's huge unregistered holdings is not collected.

Climax: Titu and his followers built a bamboo fort. Titu presented another way for Muslims and Hindus to get along. Governor General Lord William Bentinck took the matter seriously and gave the administrative machinery a directive to get moving after suffering three setbacks in the battle against Titu. Titu's mujahid troops were engaged in battle by Joint Magistrate Alexander of Barasat, Captain Sutherland, Lieutenant McDonald, and Krishnadeb Ray's men. Titu and his troops fought valiantly. McDonald maneuvered the cannon in opposition to traditional warfare, pointed it towards Titu, and then fired. Titu was severely injured before passing away. This proved the desperation of McDonald in killing Titu, and how influential and annoying Titu was to the British administration. It took not just a lot of men and tactics, but also the contemporary weapons of that time to take down Titu Mir, suggesting the valiance of the Mujahids.

Falling Action: Titu's body and the bodies of Alexander's warriors were to be burned together with the bamboo fort, which Alexander had instructed his soldiers to pile up and fire. Even after Titu's sacrifice, Alexander continued to feel uneasy. He asked them to burn Titu’s body because if they find the body, they will find another inspiration to wage another jihad. That was the power of Titu, coming straight out of a British man’s mouth. If his body was not burned, it would have stayed a symbol of rebellion, and it would have stirred more nationalism in the future.
Resolution: Titu Mir’s image was tarnished because the media then was controlled by the British. He will have been described as a nuisance to civilization, however, the mujahids already knew this would happen and they also knew they would lose the battle. The resolution also reflects what the BJP in India is doing today – painting Islamic rulers as invaders and colonizers, whereas they were truly settlers who brought culture and traditions with them and contributed to various fields in science and economics.

CONCLUSION

Titu Mir had long since refuted the notion that Islam and Wahabism were opposed to a pluralistic society via his strong convictions and genuine grasp of the religion. Islam encourages, supports, and works to advance "pluralism" in society. The story told by Mahasweta also emphasizes the idea that Titu didn't only stand in for one particular religious group; rather, his uprising was one of the downtrodden against the oppressors. His uprising was sparked by the pessimism and desperation of the subaltern, or common people. As such, the book appears to serve as a tool to support the creation of subaltern identities by challenging the denial of their identity in the prevailing historical narratives, and also reminds us that the Muslims were not the aggressors.

[dipayan · Rating 4 out of 5]

The story on the hero of the first war of independence. Interestingly, the hero didn't have a clue to this. He was just fighting for his self-respect. Again, only Mahashweta Devi could have written this book as few have an understanding and empathy for our indigenous culture as well as Mahashweta Devi. She is among the most underrated authors in the world.

[Himali Kothari · Rating 4 out of 5]

Most history books start India's struggle for independence with the Revolution of 1857, Titu Mir is set in the years before this. Through the life of the fictional (inspired?) Titu Mir, the writer narrates the events that led up to the revolution. Engrossing read. The depth of the research is evident. Beautifully articulated.

[Shotabdi · Rating 4 out of 5]

তিতুমীরকে নতুন চোখে দেখলাম।

[Meera Nair · Rating 5 out of 5]

Titu Mir, son of a farmer Nisar Ali is a righteous and willful lad. Since childhood, he has been running wild, helping others with no regard for the danger it might put him in. His family’s expectations of him carrying forward his father’s legacy are crushed when he chooses another life path. Titu goes on to become the voice of the poor folk in Bengal during the time of the British Raj. His valiance exudes the motivation needed to urge the farmers and vendors to take a stand. Soon his sons, brothers, nephew and friends joins him in this patriotic cause. He gathers courageous men from different communities and trains an army to revolt against the corrupt landlords and British authorities. Many planters, landowners and goons stand in his way, underestimating the strength of a lathi-wielding vigilante. They learn their mistakes the hard way. Mahasweta Devi captivates us with this historical tale about Bengal, the riots, the peasant community and the diktats of the British.

The setting of the plot is mostly rural Bengal and focuses on those subjugated by the Britishers. I found it a little difficult to keep track of the multiple villages and towns that were featured in the book. Nevertheless, the story is easy enough to understand. The unfair settlement laws held in place are upturned when Titu Mir takes matters into his own hands. Titu Mir has a family of his own, whom he leaves quite often to train individuals, meet allies, procure necessities etc. It is understandable that a soldier of the nation makes tons of compromises, so expecting him to devote time to his family would be a little unreasonable. The first few chapters involves major time leaps. We read about Titu as a kid and soon after as a teenager and then as an adult. There were many people who were instrumental to his achievements. Something I found to be enlightening about this book is that it clears certain misconceived perceptions about Muslims which gets added to, by the enemies, to portray the Muslims as being aggressive and against other religions. Which is far from true. This book offers a lot of detailed information but not so much so that it becomes a history textbook. It addresses social concerns like oppression, vandalism, theft, arson. The story pulls you in and instills in you a sense of nationalism. I loved the book so much. It is a fulfilling account of the Wahabi Movement and how our countrymen dealt with the British. MUST MUST READ!

[Claire S]

I came across controversy about this author and her work, but I'm simply interested in learning more from all perspectives.