Prarambh ; The Beginning by Gangadhar Gadgil

by Gangadhar Gadgil, Arvind Dixit

Prarambh or The Beginning, tells the story of the fascinating transformation that Mumbai went through under the impact of new forces during the eventful decades between 1818 and 1869. This dynamic half century saw the setting up of new schools, literary and scientific societies, medical colleges and the building of road, rail and telegraphic networks.

It was also a period when deep-rooted religious beliefs, cultural insularity and the tightening yoke of colonial rule were frustrating the aspirations of a newly emerging society. At the vanguard of this change stood the charismatic figure of Jagannath Shankarshet who ignited and nurtured the hopes of the masses and paved the way for a resurgent India. Institutions such as the Elphinstone College, Grant Medical college and the Asiatic Society stand as lasting testimony to the vision of this great pioneer.

Weaving strands of history deftly into the narrative, Prarambh recreates this vibrant era and recounts the stellar role that Indian enterprise, philanthropy and participation played in the building of a modern India. This finely evoked translation brings to a wider readership a classic of modern Marathi literature.

640 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2006

About the author

Gangadhar Gopal Gadgil was a Marathi short story writer. He was born in Mumbai. After the postgraduation in economics from the University of Mumbai, he worked as professor of economics in Sydenham College and other colleges in Mumbai.

Gangadhar Gadgil was associated with various prestigious literary institutions of India. He also served as Vice President of the Sahitya Akademi from 1988-1993. He received the Sahitya Akademi Award in 1996 for his autobiographical work Eka Mungiche Mahabharata. He has also been awarded with the Abhiruchi Award in 1949; the Maharashtra State Award, 1956, 1957, and 1960; the N.C. Kelkar Award in 1980; and the R.S. Jog Award in 1982. He was a fellow of the Rockefeller Foundation.

Gadgil's style, deceptively simple looking, was capable of measuring up to the complexity of his content. Offbeat imagery is one of its striking features, but it is used temperately. Gadgil had a fine sensibility; and, not being warped, it can respond to the gentle and the beautiful, however unpromising its exterior. Several of his stories have an implied social comment, but the comment widens out beyond the society into the universally human.[1]. Apart from short stories, he has also authored a few novels, children's stories, travelogues, and one-act plays.

Reviews

[Ashish Iyer · Rating 4 out of 5]

Brilliant exhaustive, even some may find it boring. But i loved it. This book begins after the fall of Maratha empire in early 1800s. Prarambh (meaning beginning) is a story of how Bombay/Mumbai and its culture built. I enjoyed every bit of it. Its a historical fiction but with real characters who contributed for Bombay. Through this book i came across Dadoba Pandurang, Balshastri Jambhekar, Jagganath Shankerseth, Bhau Daji, Atmaram Pandurang, Vishnudas Bhave, Jyotirao Phule, Vishvanath Narayan Mandlik, Vishnubua Brahmachari and inception of institutions like Bombay Association, Grant Medical College, Elphinstone College and Bombay Native Education Society. Book does show the glimpses of First war of Independence. I am also glad that writer also mentioned how missionaries were trying to convert Hindus and Parsees by hook and crook.

This brilliant book reminds me of Bangla literature i read last year Those Days (সেই সময়) and First Light ( প্রথম আলো) by Sunil Gangopadhyay. Its on Bengali Renaissance. This is why i love to read such books. Its give you idea, facts, combination of travelogue and those historical figures. Books like this give you various point of views of what our history was and how our city was developed as we know now.

Originally this book was written in Marathi. I read the English one. Its also available in Hindi. I also recommend you to read those two Bangla novels Those Days and First Light, they are available in English and this Prarambh book too.

For me, technically i read two books on two presidential towns of India. Now i will search for Madras one.

[Sagar · Rating 4 out of 5]

This historical novel set in the early 19th century describes in detail the massive contribution of Indians like Jagannath Shankarshet in building Bombay. It is also a great insight into the social mores of the time and makes me wonder how, we Indians, deteriorated to the level described. The book describes how some people, convinced of their erstwhile greatness, rediscover it through the study of forgotten Sanskrit literature. It could also be used as a manual for individuals wanting to engage in social work. It is not glamorous, and barring some parts, isn't a compulsive page turner, but the insights into our past society enriched my understanding of the present. The book also shows how social change can be brought about outside the options of revolution and talks about some Britishers like Lord Mount Stuart Elphinstone in glowing terms, diverging from the simplistic "Britain was completely evil" sentiment taught in our history books. I would recommend this book to anyone wanting to better understand Indian history, but I would warn that it engenders more questions than it answers.