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भूख
Hunger A Novel
by Amritlal Nagar
Amritlal Nagar, considered the doyen among Hindi novelists today, wrote Bhookh (Hunger) way back in 1946, provoked by the war-time famine in pre-partition Bengal. Since then, it has been hailed by readers and critics alike as a modern classic of Hindi literature.
The novel is centered round Panchu Gopal Mukherjee, the headmaster of a village school, which he himself had built and maintained. It is through the eyes, feelings, thoughts and memories of Mukherjee that the horrors of the great famine are delineated. The village is getting slowly deserted with the living skeletons slowly migrating in all directions and slowly dying on the roadside. Hunger is ravishing the land with predatory birds and animals gorging on dead bodies. Yet the local Zamindar and the leading trader are least affected. In fact, they are thriving, helping the war effort and cooperating with local authorities.
Mukherjee himself is reduced to penury, wondering whether to sell off the few ornaments left in the house or the furniture of his beloved school. He sees all round unbearable sights- his brother misbehaving with his own wife, the carpenter-s widow selling her body, the zamindar reveling in drinks, a food riot being quenched by the police, the trader arranging a feast for Brahmins to wipe out his sins and the hungry fighting with dogs and scraping the food from the discarded banana leaves. The novel, yet ends with hope, when Mukherjee picks up a newly-delivered child, whose mother has fallen dead and the life force had ejected the child out of the womb. He wrenches the umbilical card and takes the child home, where his family members are dead or dispersed. Only his starving wide-eyed wife Mangala is there intrigued but happy by the new arrival.
For additional information on publishing your books on iPhone and iPad please visit www.AppsPublisher.com
by Amritlal Nagar
Amritlal Nagar, considered the doyen among Hindi novelists today, wrote Bhookh (Hunger) way back in 1946, provoked by the war-time famine in pre-partition Bengal. Since then, it has been hailed by readers and critics alike as a modern classic of Hindi literature.
The novel is centered round Panchu Gopal Mukherjee, the headmaster of a village school, which he himself had built and maintained. It is through the eyes, feelings, thoughts and memories of Mukherjee that the horrors of the great famine are delineated. The village is getting slowly deserted with the living skeletons slowly migrating in all directions and slowly dying on the roadside. Hunger is ravishing the land with predatory birds and animals gorging on dead bodies. Yet the local Zamindar and the leading trader are least affected. In fact, they are thriving, helping the war effort and cooperating with local authorities.
Mukherjee himself is reduced to penury, wondering whether to sell off the few ornaments left in the house or the furniture of his beloved school. He sees all round unbearable sights- his brother misbehaving with his own wife, the carpenter-s widow selling her body, the zamindar reveling in drinks, a food riot being quenched by the police, the trader arranging a feast for Brahmins to wipe out his sins and the hungry fighting with dogs and scraping the food from the discarded banana leaves. The novel, yet ends with hope, when Mukherjee picks up a newly-delivered child, whose mother has fallen dead and the life force had ejected the child out of the womb. He wrenches the umbilical card and takes the child home, where his family members are dead or dispersed. Only his starving wide-eyed wife Mangala is there intrigued but happy by the new arrival.
For additional information on publishing your books on iPhone and iPad please visit www.AppsPublisher.com
173 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 1, 2008
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38 people want to read
About the author
Amritlal Nagar
47 books42 followersHe started off as an author and journalist, but moved on to be an active writer in the Indian film industry for 7 years. He worked as a drama producer in All India Radio between December 1953 and May 1956. At this point he realised that a regular job would always be a hindrance to his literary life, so he devoted himself to freelance writing.
Often cited as the true literary heir of Premchand, Amritlal Nagar created his own independent and unique identity as a littérateur and is counted as one of the most important and multi-faceted creative writers of Indian literature.
Often cited as the true literary heir of Premchand, Amritlal Nagar created his own independent and unique identity as a littérateur and is counted as one of the most important and multi-faceted creative writers of Indian literature.
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Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews
November 29, 2023
I actually cannot rate this book at 4 stars because towards the end the details, the barbariasm becomes too gruesome. Overall a very realistic description of the famine and the extremes to which man can be driven by hunger. Again demonstrating very vividly that be it war, famine, any calamity women and children pay the maximum price. And the final message that whatever happens life goes on
January 23, 2023
The details are mindblowing. Reading each sentence felt like living the characters pain and suffering. Heart touching nd mesmerizing story. Truly one of its kind
Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews