GAYATTRI SARAF’S EXPERIENCE RELATED TO THE ‘DADAN’ ISSUE IN WESTERN ORISSA, ESPECIALLY HER BITTER EXPERIENCES AT KANTABANJI IN BOLANGIR DISTRICT.STIRRED WITHIN URGE TO NARRATE THE PITIABLE LOT OF THE PEOPLE THERE. THE SOURCE OF HER LITERARY INSPIRATION, THEREFORE, IS ALSO THE SOIL, HARVEST, CULTURE AND TRADITION OF THE REGION AND HER LANGUAGE. A FREE DEVICE FOR THE EXPRESSION OF ANGUISH OF THE PEOPLE OF THE REGION
Himanshu Guru
Literature reflects society. Writers create fiction with the help of characters. In most cases, they get the characters from society. Sometimes they get emotional seeing the pitiable plight of people and thus try to inform society not to victimise innocent human beings through their literary creations. ‘Dadan’ is a prime issue in western Orissa. A large number of people get victimised due to this. When Gayatri Saraf went to an affected area in Kantabanji at Bangomunda in Bolangir district she personally felt sad and decided to narrate the plight of the people there. The writer’s products spring from the soil and tradition of western Orissa and her prose is one of delicate grace. She was recently appointed the vice-president of the Orissa Sahitya Academy. Sunday POST chats with the writer on a range of issues related to her literary production and the overall scene in the state.
Born to Urmila and Damodar Saraf, writer Gayatri Saraf (now 63) was born in Radharani Para in Bolangir town. She got married to Amalkanta. She served as a teacher for long and retired from the Govt. Girls’ High School, Patnagarh as the headmistress. She got the best teacher award in 2005 and received the national award from former President Dr APJ Abdul Kalam at the Bigyan Bhawan in New Delhi.
So far she has 11 published story collections in her casket. Besides, she has received felicitations from 34 institutions/organisations including ‘Dharitri Samman’, ‘Jhankar Galpa Puraskar’, ‘Konarak Galpa Sammana’, ‘Kadambini Galpa Sammana’, ‘Sucharita Puraskar’, ‘Amrutayana Samman’, ‘Ashok Chandan Smruti Samman’ and ‘Utkala Sahitya Samaj Sambardhana’.
The writer was a member of the advisory board panel of the Kendriya Sahitya Academy from 2008 to 2012. She was also a member of the general council of the Orissa Sahitya Academy from 2011 to 2013.
What were the first stirrings of the writer in Gayatri? “When I was in Class VIII I attended the district level short story writing competition and secured the second position for my short story ‘Khudi’. My parents didn’t know I had participated in the competition. When I was called on to the stage to receive the award, l literally wept in fear (as my parents knew nothing about me). Yet, that was the beginning. But, later, my short story ‘Alokita Andhara’ was published in ‘Sucharita’ and it eventually made me a writer. Back then, I used to blush when someone called me a writer,” says Gayatri.
Normally, writers love to focus on just a few subjects in their writings. About her favourite subjects, Saraf says, “I love to write on human emotion and love and also on people’s plight. I have written on the Dadan issue of Bolangir district to raise my voice against exploitation.” When asked whether she has any practical experience of the migration of daily wage labourers she says, “I get emotional seeing the pitiable condition of the people of the area. I have visited Kantabanji Railway station, places of Bangomunda block and attended workshops on this issue. It was extremely sad and I have narrated my feelings in ‘Basumati Chaligala’, ‘Kalahandira Maa’, ‘Jali Jail Jaluthiba pahada’, ‘Bishi Majhi O Dadan Rutu’. These are all popular ones. Ukia, Basumati, Bini, and Bishi Majhi are my characters who actually tell the heart-stirring tale of the victims.”
When asked how well a writer is accepted in Orissa, Gayatri’s response was mixed. She sadly intimates, “Like film stars or cricketers, writers do not enjoy a celebrity status. Even, TV shows on them are few and far between. However, people should develop love for literary works and more space should be given to literature in both print and electronic media.”
“Media helps a writer to reach a broader forum of readers. However, in my case, as I do not insist reporters from my side, I have been published less,” she adds.
About her position in the Orissa Sahitya Academy Saraf says, “Like the Kendriya Academy, if a nodal officer is appointed in Orissa Sahitya Academy, work can be done more quickly.” When asked about her inspiration, Saraf says the sky, sea, river, spring, flowers and birds as well as the inspiring words from readers all are her inspirations. After retirement Gayatri Saraf has devoted her life completely to literature. Her dream is to write some more novels and short stories and collections of poems. She wants to live with literature till her last breath.
