TRANSLATION STUDIES Rudali by Mahasweta Devi

 TRANSLATION STUDIES

Rudali by Mahasweta Devi

10 Two-Mark Questions and Answers

1. Who is the protagonist of Rudali?

Answer: Sanichari.

2. What is Sanichari’s occupation in the story?

Answer: She works as a professional mourner, or rudali.

3. In which region is the story set?

Answer: The story is set in rural Bihar.

4. What societal issue does Rudali highlight?

Answer: The story highlights the exploitation and oppression of lower-caste women.

5. Who are the main exploiters in Rudali?

Answer: The landlords or zamindars.

6. What is the significance of mourning in Rudali?

Answer: Mourning becomes a means of survival for lower-caste women like Sanichari.

7. What tragic event marks the beginning of Sanichari’s life struggles?

Answer: The death of her husband.

8. Who does Sanichari partner with to create a business out of mourning?

Answer: She partners with Bikhni.

9. What does the character of Sanichari symbolize in the story?

Answer: Sanichari symbolizes resilience and survival despite extreme poverty and social injustice.

10. What role do the landlords play in Sanichari’s life?

Answer: The landlords exploit Sanichari and her community, both economically and socially.

5 Five-Mark Questions and Answers

1. Explain the role of the zamindars in Rudali.

Answer: The zamindars, or landlords, in Rudali are depicted as the primary oppressors of the lower-caste people. They exploit the labor of the poor and extract money from them through various means. When these zamindars die, they require elaborate mourning ceremonies to showcase their status, but it is the very same lower-caste people like Sanichari who are hired to perform the rituals. This highlights the ironic and exploitative relationship between the wealthy zamindars and the impoverished villagers.

2. What does Sanichari’s profession as a rudali symbolize?

Answer: Sanichari’s profession as a rudali—a professional mourner—symbolizes the commodification of grief in a society where the poor are constantly forced to find ways to survive. In a world of economic and social hardship, mourning becomes a form of labor for lower-caste women. The practice of rudali highlights the stark contrast between the rich, who can afford to hire mourners for their dead, and the poor, who must sell their emotions and dignity for survival.

3. Discuss the significance of Sanichari’s friendship with Bikhni.

Answer: The friendship between Sanichari and Bikhni is central to Rudali. Bikhni provides Sanichari with emotional support and helps her realize that the mourning business could be a way to earn a living. Together, they turn their shared misfortune into a business, mourning for the rich and surviving off the income. Their friendship is a testament to the strength of solidarity among marginalized women and highlights how shared experiences of oppression can foster resilience and survival strategies.

4. How does Mahasweta Devi portray the theme of survival in Rudali?

Answer: Survival is a central theme in Rudali. Sanichari’s life is marked by a series of tragic events, including the death of her husband and child, and constant exploitation by the upper caste. However, her ability to turn to professional mourning as a means of survival illustrates her resilience. Mahasweta Devi portrays the harsh realities of lower-caste women who must find unconventional ways to navigate a world that offers them few opportunities for livelihood. Sanichari’s endurance in the face of adversity reflects the broader struggle for survival among marginalized communities.

5. What role does caste play in the narrative of Rudali?

Answer: Caste plays a crucial role in Rudali, as it determines the socio-economic status and opportunities available to characters like Sanichari. The lower-caste villagers, especially women, are subjected to exploitation, poverty, and social exclusion. The rich zamindars, who are from higher castes, live in luxury but depend on the lower-caste women to mourn their dead. The rigid caste system ensures that Sanichari and her peers remain in positions of subordination, and the story critiques this inequality by showing how the marginalized are forced to commodify even their grief for survival.

1 Ten-Mark Essay Question and Answer

Question: Analyze the portrayal of the intersection of caste, gender, and economic exploitation in Mahasweta Devi’s Rudali.

Answer:

Introduction:

Mahasweta Devi’s Rudali is a scathing critique of the intersection of caste, gender, and economic exploitation in rural Indian society. The novella tells the story of Sanichari, a lower-caste woman who becomes a professional mourner, or rudali, in order to survive. Through Sanichari’s life, Devi exposes the harsh realities of caste oppression, gender inequality, and the dehumanizing effects of poverty.

Caste as a Mechanism of Oppression:

In Rudali, caste is depicted as a primary mechanism of social stratification. Sanichari belongs to the lower caste, which relegates her to a life of servitude and exploitation. The zamindars, who belong to the upper castes, exert control over the lives of the lower-caste villagers, not only through economic dominance but also through cultural practices. The very fact that Sanichari must sell her mourning services to these landlords highlights the deeply ingrained caste hierarchy, where the upper caste relies on the labor and emotions of the lower caste even in death rituals.

Gender and Exploitation:

The novella also foregrounds the gendered nature of this exploitation. Sanichari and other women like her are doubly oppressed, first by the caste system and second by patriarchal norms. As lower-caste women, they are deprived of opportunities and subjected to hard labor. Sanichari’s journey into the profession of mourning reveals how women in her position are forced to commodify their emotions and dignity to make a living. The practice of hiring women to mourn for the rich also reinforces the idea that women’s suffering is an expected part of their social role, further entrenching gender inequality.

Economic Exploitation:

The story portrays economic exploitation in stark terms. The zamindars accumulate wealth and power, while the lower-caste villagers live in extreme poverty. Sanichari’s transition into professional mourning is a direct result of her economic hardship. The wealth disparity between the zamindars and the lower-caste villagers is evident in the elaborate mourning rituals the rich demand, while the poor are left to scrape by with whatever work they can find. Rudali sheds light on how the poor are trapped in a cycle of poverty, with no means of escape except through the commodification of their grief and emotions.

Conclusion:

Mahasweta Devi’s Rudali is a powerful exploration of the intersection of caste, gender, and economic exploitation. The novella critiques the oppressive social structures that govern the lives of lower-caste women like Sanichari, showing how they are forced to navigate a world that offers them few opportunities for survival. By highlighting the harsh realities of caste-based oppression and economic disparity, Devi calls attention to the urgent need for social change and justice for the marginalized.