Page 86 - DENG503_INDIAN_WRITINGS_IN_LITERATURE

Indian Writings in Literature

Notes intelligentsia who find bonding with women of their class only, and not with women of Ramchand’s
social class type. The gynocentric view is made complete by shooting arrows not only in the
direction of men, but also women who are mimicked for their false Anglo-rational feminist, ideals
adored and adopted so naturally only to turn deaf to the cries of a marginalized soul for help. A
woman is oppressed by women for their tacit understanding of not understanding her plight.
Kamla is belied, betrayed and berated by class of her own sex whereas a lone male cries for her
existence, her voice, emotion and identity.
Kamla the wronged, robbed, and raped women becomes a symbol and prototype of emancipation
and individuality, though, she says and does things theatrically in a Schizophrenic manner, but it
is the will of weaker woman, which overrules the high handedness of society ladies. The quagmire
of assaults she bears throws a neon light on abyss of women’s agony at the hands of women,
envisioning true feminist to embark on a revolutionary struggle in terms of class conflict among
women. Thus a better study lies in giving micro attention to axis of social constructs intertwined
with gender and synthesising feminist dogmas with socio-cultural dimensions.
Self-Assessment
1. Fill in the blanks:
(i) “The Sari Shop” set in the little city of ............... .
(ii) Geetha Kariappa is a research scholar with her area of interest being ............... .
(iii) She is actively involved in the field of Education and Softskills as a ............... .
(iv) Ramchand is an ............... in Sevak Sari Shop.

9.2 Summary

• Rupa Bajwa has woven an intricate tale of the protagonist Ramchand trying to lift himself
from the dregs of his lonely existence, by engaging with the people he meets on a more real
level. Unfortunately he finds the phrase “two sides of the coin” to be true to almost all
situations in life, where hope and desperation co-exist. Ramchand is ‘everyman’ –living in a
small tenement in one of the bylanes of Amritsar. The contrasting strands of the life of the
privileged and the plodding existence of the poor are like the weft and weave of the saris
that are sold by Ramchand. Somehow threads interweave to create saris but a few crystals
sewn in, or a shot of zari woven through can make a dramatic difference. It almost seems
that Ramchand will lighten his dark lonely days with his efforts at self improvement.
Ramchand for all his feeling of being unschooled, has studied that special language that
women speak when they shop and is good at his job at the Sevak Sari House.
• Feminist enterprise has been so far a long struggle to universalize female behaviour, their
common tales of woe and sufferings under realms of patriarchy and male oppression. Be it
a question of rewriting of male texts or parametering of social structure, the set pattern of
feminist view point has been struggle against androcentric ethics and female sensitivity in
bonding, analysing and understanding each other universally.
• Bajwa introduces a gallery of female characters, all distinct and apart in style, language,
mannerism, ideology and in particular how they choose a sari, admire its texture, colour and
fabric and fancy it wearing them. Mrs Sandhu wife of a chief engineer in Punjab State
Electricity Board , epitomises ‘power psychology’ “as her rolls of fat jiggled as she waddled”
into her spotless house, furnished with latest gadgetry and fashionable architectural feature.
Her picture perfect frame is summed up as “ A beautiful house, status family, a caring
husband and good looks... what more could a woman ask for.”
• The sari imagery reflects both beauty and ugliness of life real and reel. The ‘rust red, blood
red stains on Kamla’s purple sari’ and vomit stains on her blouse after her rape and violence

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