An Idea Of Nationalism In Mulk Raj Anand’s Writings

2.5 English-II

Submitted by
Aanand Singh
UID: UG2019 - 02

Submitted to
Sopan Shinde
Assistant Professor

MAHARASHTRA NATIONAL LAW UNIVERSITY, NAGPUR

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Abstract

Mulk Raj Anand who is considered as one of the pioneers of the Indian writing in English
started his literary career by the critically acclaimed novel 'Untouchable' which was published
in 1936.To him the idea of nationalism was quite different from the contemporary writers
whose subject was nationalism. His idea was influenced by the Gandhian aspect of
nationalism. Throughout his whole literary works there is more emphasis on the freedom
from untouchability, abolition of casteism and oppression of peasants. Like in 'Untouchable'
where the story revovles around a dalit 'Bakha' and his oppression by the higher castes and
identity crisis in his own country. From 'Untouchable' in 1936 to 'The Road ' in 1965 his
works satired caste system in India and in the novels like 'Two leaves and a bud' and 'Sword
and Sickle' he talks about the oppression of peasants not only by the Britishers but also by the
Indian landlords. This research work mainly focuses on his novels (Untouchable, coolie and
tries to analyse the fact that there is a need to get independence from these malpractices.

Keywords- Nationalism, Dalit, Untouchability, Peasants, Caste system , Independence

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Introduction

Mulki Raji Anandi wasi borni ni 1905i ini Peshawari ini present-dayi Pakistan.i Ai pioneeri ofi Indiani
writingi ini English,i hei gainedi ani internationali followingi earlyi ini hisi life.i Hisi novelsi Cooliei andi
Untouchablei seti ani entirei generationi ofi educatedi Indiansi thinkingi abouti India'si sociali evilsi
thati werei perpetuatedi ini thei namei ofi religioni andi tradition.i Thesei andi otheri earlyi novelsi andi
shorti storiesi broughti intoi sharpi focusi thei dehumanizingi contradictionsi withini colonizedi
Indiani society.i Throughi hisi writingsi hei revealedi thati ini additioni toi thei foreigni colonialismi ofi
Britaini therei existedi layersi ofi colonialismi withini Indiani society.i Thisi internali colonialismi
stoodi ini thei wayi ofi India'si transitioni toi ai moderni civili society.i Whilei exposingi thei
overarchingi dividei betweeni thei Britishi andi ai colonizedi India,i hei revealsi ani Indiani societyi
creatingi itsi owni layersi ofi colonizersi andi colonizedi therebyi renderingi thei fledglingi Indiani
nationalismi ani extremelyi problematici concept.1

Mulki Raji Anandi cani bei rightlyi characterizedi asi ai renaissancei man,i ai novelist,i ani essayist,i ai
literaryi critici andi ai thinker.i Hisi statusi asi ai novelisti hasi beeni widelyi debatedi sincei thei
appearancei ofi hisi classici worki ‘Untouchable’.i Althoughi iti hasi beeni customaryi toi consideri
Anandi alongi withi Rajai Raoi andi R.K.i Narayan,i threei stalwartsi ofi Indo-Angliani fiction,i thei
firsti Indiani novelisti toi receivei widei acclaimi isi Mulki Raji Anand.i Whateveri thei strengthsi andi
weaknessesi ofi Untouchable,i E.M.i Forster'si strikingi valuationi ofi thei "prose-poem"i andi hisi
decisioni toi writei ai prefacei toi thei noveli cani hardlyi bei discountedi byi anyi studenti ofi Anand.i Thei
criticali reputationi ofi Cooliei hasi noti beeni anyi lessi striking.i Ini hisi reviewi ofi Coolie,i Ronaldi
Dewsburyi remarksi thati thei noveli dealsi withi thei "evilsi ofi exploitationi andi graft."i "Buti thei
book,"i addsi Dewsbury,i "goesi muchi furtheri byi showingi thei inhumanityi ofi mani toi man,i
proletariani toi proletarian,i bourgeoisi toi bourgeois".i Accordingi toi Peteri Burra,i Munooi ofi
Cooliei "isi ai universali kindi ofi figurei ...i thei passioni noti onlyi ofi Indiai buti ofi mankind".i And,i ofi
course,i soi isi Bakhai ofi Untouchable.i Thesei twoi booksi alonei givei Anandi thei well-deservedi
recognitioni andi statusi ofi ai novelisti whoi isi capablei ofi portrayingi somethingi veryi genuinei andi
authentici abouti humani naturei andi thei Indiani sociali scene.i Ini thei famousi Preface,i Forsteri isi
quicki andi forthrighti toi admiti thati Anandi hasi beeni ablei toi accomplishi thati whichi hei himselfi
couldi noti doi ini hisi Ai Passagei toi India,i Stepheni Spenderi ini hisi reviewi ofi Twoi Leavesi andi ai
Budi candidlyi

1
i https://www.loc.gov/acq/ovop/delhi/salrp/mulkrajanand.html

3
recognizesi thati Anandi occupiesi "ai leadingi positioni amongsti contemporary,i revolutionaryi
novelistsi ini England.2

Mulki Raji Anandi wasi borni ini 1905i ini Peshawari ini present-dayi Pakistan.i Ai pioneeri ofi Indiani
writingi ini English,i hei gainedi ani internationali followingi earlyi ini hisi life.i Hisi novelsi Cooliei andi
Untouchablei seti ani entirei generationi ofi educatedi Indiansi thinkingi abouti India'si sociali evilsi
thati werei perpetuatedi ini thei namei ofi religioni andi tradition.i Thesei andi otheri earlyi novelsi andi
shorti storiesi broughti intoi sharpi focusi thei dehumanizingi contradictionsi withini colonizedi
Indiani society.i Throughi hisi writingsi hei revealedi thati ini additioni toi thei foreigni colonialismi ofi
Britaini therei existedi layersi ofi colonialismi withini Indiani society.i Thisi internali colonialismi
stoodi ini thei wayi ofi India'si transitioni toi ai moderni civili society.i Whilei exposingi thei
overarchingi dividei betweeni thei Britishi andi ai colonizedi India,i hei revealsi ani Indiani societyi
creatingi itsi owni layersi ofi colonizersi andi colonizedi therebyi renderingi thei fledglingi Indiani
nationalismi ani extremelyi problematici concept.3

Mulki Raji Anandi cani bei rightlyi characterizedi asi ai renaissancei man,i ai novelist,i ani essayist,i ai
literaryi critici andi ai thinker.i Hisi statusi asi ai novelisti hasi beeni widelyi debatedi sincei thei
appearancei ofi hisi classici worki ‘Untouchable’.i Althoughi iti hasi beeni customaryi toi consideri
Anandi alongi withi Rajai Raoi andi R.K.i Narayan,i threei stalwartsi ofi Indo-Angliani fiction,i thei
firsti Indiani novelisti toi receivei widei acclaimi isi Mulki Raji Anand.i Whateveri thei strengthsi andi
weaknessesi ofi Untouchable,i E.M.i Forster'si strikingi valuationi ofi thei "prose-poem"i andi hisi
decisioni toi writei ai prefacei toi thei noveli cani hardlyi bei discountedi byi anyi studenti ofi Anand.i Thei
criticali reputationi ofi Cooliei hasi noti beeni anyi lessi striking.i Ini hisi reviewi ofi Coolie,i Ronaldi
Dewsburyi remarksi thati thei noveli dealsi withi thei "evilsi ofi exploitationi andi graft."i "Buti thei
book,"i addsi Dewsbury,i "goesi muchi furtheri byi showingi thei inhumanityi ofi mani toi man,i
proletariani toi proletarian,i bourgeoisi toi bourgeois".i Accordingi toi Peteri Burra,i Munooi ofi
Cooliei "isi ai universali kindi ofi figurei ...i thei passioni noti onlyi ofi Indiai buti ofi mankind".i And,i ofi
course,i soi isi Bakhai ofi Untouchable.i Thesei twoi booksi alonei givei Anandi thei well-deservedi
recognitioni andi statusi ofi ai novelisti whoi isi capablei ofi portrayingi somethingi veryi genuinei andi
authentici abouti humani naturei andi thei Indiani sociali scene.i Ini thei famousi Preface,i Forsteri isi
quicki andi forthrighti toi admiti thati Anandi hasi beeni ablei toi accomplishi thati whichi hei himselfi

2
i K.D.i Vermai ,Mulki Raji Anand:i Ai Reappraisal
3
i https://www.loc.gov/acq/ovop/delhi/salrp/mulkrajanand.html

4
couldi noti doi ini hisi Ai Passagei toi India,i Stepheni Spenderi ini hisi reviewi ofi Twoi Leavesi andi ai
Budi candidlyi

recognizesi thati Anandi occupiesi "ai leadingi positioni amongsti contemporary,i revolutionaryi
novelistsi ini England.4

History of nationalist literature in India

Indiani literaturei andi thei emergingi scenarioi ofi Indiani strugglei fori independencei cannoti bei
segregatedi ini anyi discoursei ofi thei genre.i Thei socio-politicali statusi ofi Indiai wasi fulli ofi chaosi
andi confusionsi beforei Independencei asi thei nationali freedomi movementi wasi ati itsi peaki duringi
thisi period.i Literaryi activitiesi ini vernaculari languagesi asi welli asi ini Englishi languagei werei
tryingi hardi toi reflecti thei maini sociopoliticali streami ofi theiri respectivei timei frame.i Thusi ai newi
kindi ofi literaturei evolvedi andi iti wasi coinedi asi 'nationalisti literature'.i Nationalisti literature—
withi alli itsi biasesi andi ideologicali problemsi wasi anti-coloniali ini sentiment.i Iti soughti toi definei
ai nativei identityi differenti fromi Europeani constructionsi ofi thei same.i Thei maini purposei wasi toi
raisei 'nationali consciousness'.i Thisi meanti constructingi imagesi ofi ai tribei ori region'si history,i
glorifyingi itsi pasts,i revivingi myths,i andi rejuvenatingi pridei ini itsi culturali forms.i Thusi thei
nationalisti projecti wasi alwaysi ai culturali one.i Therei wasi nothingi inherentlyi unifiedi abouti thei
diversei cultures,i religionsi andi languagesi thati comprisedi thei Indiani subcontinenti underi
colonialism.i Thei Europeani modeli ofi nationalism,i whichi tooki fori grantedi thei existencei ofi onei
religion,i onei languagei ori onei ethnicityi wasi doomedi toi failure.i Iti wasi fori thisi impossibilityi thati
thei Britishi arguedi thati Indiai wasi noti fiti toi rulei itself.i Iti wasi oni behalfi ofi thisi sensei ofi identityi
that,i beginningi ini thei nineteenthi century,i Indiani writersi ofi literaturei begani toi imaginei culturali
unityi throughi theiri fictionali andi poetici works.

Comingi toi Indiani Nationalisti literaturei iti isi toi bei foundi thati thisi particulari typei ofi literaturei ini
thei formi ofi novels,i essaysi andi patriotici poetryi playedi ani importanti rolei ini arousingi nationali
consciousness,i bothi ini prei andi posti Independenti India.i Thesei writingsi arei excellenti examplesi
ofi thei writers'i ori poets'i delineationi ofi thei ideai ofi nation.i Fori example,i thei noveli Anandamathi
byi Bankimi Chandrai Chatterjeei wasi ai sourcei ofi greati inspirationi toi alli thei nationalisti leaders.i
Thisi Bengalii noveli vibratesi withi patriotici fervouri andi whichi wasi arguablyi thei precursori ofi thei
latteri writersi ofi thei genrei Indiani Writingi ini English.

Caste system as a narrative in ‘Untouchable’ and ‘Coolie’

4
i K.D.i Vermai ,Mulki Raji Anand:i Ai Reappraisal

5
Thei Hindui religioni isi onei ofi thei oldesti religionsi ini thei world.i Therefore,i itsi historyi isi brieflyi
explainedi toi supporti thisi discussioni ofi tracingi itsi rolei ini formingi thei identityi ofi Indiani
charactersi ini thesei novels.i Ai foreigni visitori toi Indiai isi strucki byi thei phenomenoni knowni asi
thei castei system.i Hei mayi noti understandi thei fulli workingi ofi thei system,i buti hei isi awarei ofi thei
facti thati Hindui societyi isi dividedi intoi groups,i knowni asi castes,i withi varyingi degreesi ofi
respectabilityi andi circlesi ofi sociali intercourse.i Ghuryei (1932),i knowni fori hisi castei criticisms,i
conveysi thati castei andi classi hasi beeni practisedi byi thei Hindusi fori soi longi thati iti isi noi longeri ai
foreigni systemi toi thei eyesi ofi thei outsider.i Indiai hasi becomei soi deeplyi engrossedi intoi thisi
practise,i thati iti hasi causedi muchi destructioni toi thei progressi ofi itsi natives.i Hei assertsi thati castei
hasi becomei ani illnessi thati needsi immediatei medicationi toi curei itsi peoplei asi iti spreadsi quicklyi
fromi onei generationi toi another.i Thei practicei ofi thei castei systemi inventedi privilegesi andi non-
privilegesi fori thei membersi ofi thei Indiani societyi byi placingi themi accordinglyi ini thei sociali
hierarchy.i Thei Indiani sociali hierarchyi isi dividedi andi arrangedi accordingi toi thei Rigvedai whichi
explainsi thei sacrificei ofi bodyi partsi ofi thei primevali being,i Purushai intoi ai i pyramidi wherei
brahminsi werei oni thei topi andi thei untouchablesi arei eveni puti loweri thani thei shudras.5

A) Ifi wei takei thei examplei ofi thei Untouchablei whichi i intriguesi one’si sensesi andi provokesi
peoplei toi realisei thei ignorancei thati onei believesi ini andi livesi by.i Bakhai isi ai youngi man,i
agedi 18,i whoi belongsi toi thei outcastei sociali groupi ini India.i Hei isi categorisedi asi ani
outcastei merelyi becausei hei isi borni toi ai scavengeri (father),i thusi hisi identityi byi birthi isi
ani untouchable,i thei lowesti ranki ini thei Indiani sociali hierarchy.i Thei castei systemi
categorisesi thei untouchablesi outsidei ofi thei sociali hierarchyi asi theiri jobi isi toi cleani thei
dirti andi filthi ofi thei society.i Thus,i accordingi toi thei representationi ofi thei castei system,i
thei untouchablesi arei essentialisedi asi thei underdogsi ofi thei societyi whoi arei polluted,i
uncivilisedi andi less-privileged.i Thence,i iti isi vitali fori thisi discussioni toi firsti identifyi
Bakha’si identityi dilemmai byi analysingi hisi inner-conflicts.i Whilst,i thei termi strategici
essentialismi rightfullyi detachesi Bakhai fromi thei stereotypedi imagei ofi untouchablei andi
enablesi thei researcheri toi recognisei hisi inneri Selfi andi hisi idealisedi lifei whichi isi
confinedi withini hisi essentialisedi identityi ofi ani untouchable.

Thei firsti inner-conflicti whichi isi tracedi withini Bakhai isi hisi resistancei towardsi hisi
untouchabilityi andi hisi Indiani identity.i Ini thei novel,i Bakhai isi portrayedi asi wearingi “overcoat,i
breeches,i putteesi andi ammunitioni bootsi ofi thei militaryi uniform”i ,i ai stylei ofi clothingi whichi

5
i Sashikalai Sunmugam,i Identityi Dilemmai ini Mulki Raji Anand’si Untouchablei andi Kirani Desai’si Thei Inheritancei

ofi Loss:i Ai Strategici Essentialisti Reading

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Bakhai callsi fashun.i Hei dressesi upi likei “Britishi andi Indiani soldiersi ini India”i i ati alli times,i andi
hei refusesi toi removei thesei clothesi whichi “havei thei clear-cuti stylesi ofi Europeani dress”i whichi
hadi “impressedi hisi naïvei mind”i .i Bakhai isi veryi concernedi overi hisi Englishi clothesi andi guardsi
themi “fromi alli basei tainti ofi Indianness,i noti eveni riskingi thei formlessnessi ofi ani Indiani quilt,i
thoughi hei shiveredi withi thei coldi ati night”i .i Hei wouldi ratheri shiveri ini thei coldi withi hisi Englishi
clothesi thani allowi ai blanketi (Indiani quilt)i toi touchi hisi fashun.i Hisi preferencei overi Englishi
clothesi andi thei extremei extenti whichi hei goesi toi protecti hisi fashuni fromi thei staini ofi Indiani
touchi connotesi toi hisi inner-conflict:i resistancei againsti hisi owni identity,i thei Indiani identity.i
Bakha’si resistancei suggestsi thati hei isi misplacedi andi sufferingi ani identityi dilemmai becausei hei
feelsi proudi ofi thei Englishi costumes,i yeti oni thei contrary,i hei isi reluctanti towardsi hisi nativei
Indiani values.i Bakha’si resistancei demonstratesi thati thei castei systemi isi responsiblei fori
constructingi thei generalisedi perceptioni whichi categorisesi thei outcastei /i untouchablesi asi thei
lessi privilegedi andi thei underdogsi ofi thei society.i Also,i thei outcastesi arei essentialisedi asi filthy,i
dirty,i andi polluting.i Buti oni thei contrary,i thei untouchablei isi describedi toi bei “strongi andi able-
bodied”i ,i andi Bakhai isi fullyi andi sincerelyi dedicatedi toi hisi “filth”i job.i Fromi ai strategici
essentialismi context,i Bakha’si personalityi (self-values,i self-worth,i self-dignity)i detachesi himi
fromi thei castei whichi hasi dogmatisedi hisi identity.i Bakha’si resistancei andi self-motivationi
reveali thei realityi thati Bakhai isi different.i Hisi identityi depictedi byi thei castei systemi contrastsi
withi hisi truei potentials,i skills,i andi nature.

Thei faultsi thati werei foundi throughi thei practicei ofi onei religioni makei ai mani toi takei anotheri
religioni asi shelter.i Hindui civilizationi cherishedi wheni thei fouri castesi werei livingi ini harmonyi
andi wheni onei castei triedi toi oppressi thei other,i chaosi ensued.i Bakhai knewi thati hei couldi noti aski
firei toi lighti ai cigarettei fromi anyonei ini thei towni asi iti wouldi bei unholy.i Therefore,i hei
approachesi ai Muslimi mani whoi isi noti intoi thei castei system.i Further,i thei traveli merchanti isi alsoi
ai Muslimi whoi helpsi thei crowdi toi disperse.

Thei religiousi conditionsi thati motivatedi ini manyi faithi conversionsi arei clearlyi depictedi byi
Mulki Raji Anand.i Although,i Bakhai doesi noti thinki ofi ai newi religioni understandsi hisi positioni
ini thei currenti onei andi feelsi helpless.i Thei circlei ofi peoplei aroundi Bakhai isi ai symboli fori thei
oppressioni ofi thei outcastesi fromi manyi higheri castesi smotheringi thei movementsi [progress]i ofi
loweri castes.

B) Cooliei isi onei classici examplei ofi thei storyi ofi thei underprivilegedi classi ofi thei societyi
andi ofi thei oppressedi peoplei whoi cannoti eveni makei bothi endsi meet.i Itsi appeali isi soi

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 muchi innate,i humanei potentiali andi widei extensivei thati hasi designedi iti purposivei toi bei
translatedi intoi morei thani 38i languagesi ofi thei world.i Iti hasi earnedi fori Anandi ai globali
reputationi asi onei ofi thei prolifici andi prominenti Englishi novelists.i Thei storyi isi toldi
fromi thei eyesi ofi thei narratori andi bringsi toi lighti thei inevitablei andi hiddeni evilsi ofi thei
Raj,i righti fromi exploitation,i castei riddeni society,i communali riots,i andi policei injustice.i
Thei noveli takesi usi toi differenti placesi andi citiesi showingi thei inhumani andi degradingi
treatmenti thati thei poori Munooi getsi ati thei handsi ofi thei socially,i economically,i andi
politicallyi affluenti andi higheri classesi ofi Indiani societyi andi howi hei copesi withi alli
circumstancesi alone.i Anandi wasi ablei toi strikei ai cordi ini thei heartsi ofi thei conscientiousi
Indiansi withi thei beautifuli andi reali toi lifei portrayali ofi thei downi troddeni massesi ofi
Indiani society,i thei soi calledi havei nots.i Mulki Raji Anandi wasi muchi appreciatedi andi
recognizedi fori thisi noveli andi wasi onei ofi thosei peoplei whoi werei highlyi influencedi byi
Mahatmai Gandhi.i Andi thisi influencei isi clearlyi seeni ini alli hisi worksi includingi Coolie.i
Truei toi hisi Marxisti spirit,i hei alwaysi portrayedi thei reali India,i andi morei specificallyi thei
poori India.i Thoughi thei noveli isi historicallyi locatedi ini 1930s,i iti continuesi toi enjoyi thei
samei contemporaneityi ini thei presenti centuryi India.

Munooi isi thei protagonisti ofi thisi noveli Coolie.i Generallyi thei protagonistsi ofi thei novelsi ofi
Mulki Raji Anandi arei fromi dirti andi dust;i theyi arei tooi meeki toi reporti againsti thei evili forcesi
whichi tendi toi suppressi themi andi theiri like.i Thesei hero-antiheroes,i noi doubt,i arei endowedi
withi certaini admirablei qualitiesi ofi thei headi andi thei heart;i buti thei cruel,i irrationali sociali forcesi
hamperi thei properi developmenti ofi thesei qualities.i Thei diligence,i intelligencei andi
sensitivenessi ofi thesei charactersi arei awfullyi suppressedi thati theyi cani neveri gaini confidencei toi
wagei ai fighti fori theiri cause.i They,i however,i doi sensitivelyi feeli thei torturei ofi thei unjusti
practices,i buti thei reactioni isi limitedi merelyi toi theiri acknowledgementi ofi thei sociali statusi
whichi theyi arei doomedi toi accepti withouti ai hopei fori emancipation.i Thei knowledgei ofi theiri
helplessnessi againsti thei establishment,i sociali set-up,i traditions,i taboosi andi customsi makesi
themi writhei withi acutei mentali agony.i Theyi cani doi nothingi buti accepti theiri faith.i

Nationalism of Mulk Raj Anand and Gandhi6

6
Rajeswari Surisetty ,The Gandhian Influence on Mulk Raj Anand’s “Untouchable”

8
Anand was allowed to meet Mahatma in three months time at Sabarmati Ashram in the
boiling heat of Gujrat In April 1929 to show his novel which he had written. It was opposed
by Gandhi as it was depicting the love- affair of a boy and girl. Anand explained to him that it
was about Bakha, a sweeper-boy, an untouchable. He was suggested by Gandhiji to write a
straightforward pamphlet about Harijans. He defended himself by saying that he wanted to
tell the story just as Gandhiji had narrated his story about the sweeper Uka. He cut down
more than a hundred pages, especially those passages in which Bakha seemed to be thinking
and dreaming like a Bloomsbury intellectual. Following Gandhiji’s advice, Anand revised the
entire novel during his three month stay in the ashram. Out of two hundred and fifty pages,
only hundred and fifty pages were left. He read the revised version to Gandhiji who gave his
approval to it. His stay in the ashram rejuvenated Anand that he practised there awakened his
conscience and converted him to a life of sincerity, simplicity and truth.

Untouchable has no story interest: it is just an impassioned plea for a social cause. And it is
this singleness of purpose i.e. exposing the evil of untouchability and analysing its social,
moral, psychological, religion-based aspects. That provides structural unity to the plot. It is
unmistakably, be hailed as one of the most compact and coherent plots in Indian English
fiction that finds confirmation in the fact that getting convinced of the advice of Mahatma
Gandhi. In his well- known essay On the Genesis of Untouchable, Anand observes: “In
retrospect, I feel that, under the tutelage of the Mahatma, who did not pretend to be an artist
was able to exorcise all those self-conscious literary elements which I had woven into the
narrative in anticipation of what the critics might approve. He thought that the paragraphs of
high-sounding words, in which I had tried to unite the miscellaneous elements in what was
essentially a walk through the small town of my hero, must go. Also, the old man suggested
the removal of my deliberate attempts, at melodramatic contrasts of the comic and tragic
motifs, through which the spontaneous feeling moods and lurking chaos of Bakha had been
somewhat suppressed”. Anand was asked for the deflation of those clever tricks, which had
made the expression of concrete detail into a deliberate effort as style. Observing the three
Aristotelian unities, though unconsciously, the novel records a day’s events in Bakha’s life
which serve as a mirror to the pathetic condition of the untouchables who form the lower
stratum of society in the caste ridden orthodox Hindu society, especially in the pre-Partition
times.

9
The book Untouchable is influenced by the Gandhian philosophy about caste system and it is
also evident that Mulk Raj Anand’s conception about caste system and nationalism is
influenced by Gandhi’s Philosophy.

10
Conclusion

As we have seen the nationalism and caste system as a narrative in the the Mulk Raj Anand’s
most popular Works , by showing these fictional characters in his books who are going
towards an Identity loss because of the prevailing caste system under which people of lower
castes like Bakha and Munno suffered extensive exploitation and partiality which leads them
to crisis where they are struggling for their own identity .

This issue is questioned by the writer through his novels and tried to explain that we are not
only the colonies of the Britishers but these type of practices have also colonised us and said
that to get independence in real and its true form we have to get rid of this practices. So,
nationalism was interpreted by Anand in this form which was influenced by Gandhian
philosophies and was very different from many of his contemporaries.

11
Bibliography

Articles

1. Rajeswari Surisetty ,The Gandhian Influence on Mulk Raj Anand’s “Untouchable”

2. Sashikala Sunmugam, Identity Dilemma in Mulk Raj Anand’s Untouchable and Kiran
Desai’s The Inheritance of Loss: A Strategic Essentialist Reading
3. K.D. Verma ,Mulk Raj Anand: A Reappraisal

Books

1. Untouchable, Mulk Raj Anand

2. Coolie, Mulk Raj Anand

12