And the Magsaysay goes to…

Arindam Sarkar

The irony cannot be missed. She fights for the downtrodden and believes in Marxist ideology. But it is her undying spirit that contributed to the ouster of the communists from power in Bengal after 34 long years. Ninety-year-old Mahasweta Devi is physically weak, but intellectually still youthful.

A small, cluttered table with a precariously placed telephone, a bookrack and the divan make the study of the writer and social activist of Bengal.

A woman of conviction, age has not robbed Mahasweta Devi of her spirit and sense of humour. Feeble but alert, tottering in her room and speaking in a hushed voice, the writer who in the last 40 years churned out 114 novels and 20 collection of short stories, said: “I will be writing another novel. Do you know, I conceived and finished writing Hazar Chaurasi Ki Maa in 60 hours.”

Mahasweta Devi said when Govind Nihalani was making Hazar Chaurasi Ki Maa, based on Naxalism, Jaya Bachchan came to meet her. And the author was astonished to know that someone was a complete vegetarian. “I can’t believe how can one eat bhindi all his life,” Mahasweta said mischievously hinting at Amitabh Bachchan.

A true incident in a Rajput zamindar family in Palmau, Bihar, inspired Mahasweta to write Rudali. She could not believe her eyes when she saw that after a local zamindar died his family hired wailers to mourn his death in the house. Rudali was made into a Bollywood film with Dimple Kapadia in the lead.

South Asia’s most decorated author and social activist Mahesweta Devi feels embarrassed to talk about her Sahitya Akademi Award, Jnanpith Award, Ramon Magsaysay Award, Padma Shri and Padma Vibhushan.

“It is not money or awards but sincerity towards one’s mission, honesty and self-reliance that makes the difference,” she said looking out of her study window from the second floor of her modest three-story house on Kasba Connector off Eastern Metropolitan Bypass.

Mahesweta Devi did her graduation from Visva Bharati, where she came in touch with Rabindranath Tagore. She says it is Tagore who taught her to be self-reliant, developed her taste to appreciate art and inspired her to write. Mahasweta disclosed that she does terrific homework before starting a novel. “For Jhansi Ki Rani, I consulted history books and many eminent historians. I did similar groundwork while writing Adhar Manik and Rudali. I believe in homework,” said Mahasweta.

Associated with communist party in her early life, Marxist thoughts influenced Mahasweta in her writings and activism. Her father Manish Ghatak was a well-known poet and writer of Kallol Yug. Her paternal uncle was famous film director Ritwik Ghatak. Her maternal uncles were noted sculptor Sankha Chowdhury and Sachin Chowdhury, the founder-editor of Economic and Political Weekly of India.

Mahasweta married well-known playwright Bijon Bhattacharya, who was a founder-father of IPTA Movement in India. “I was influenced by Marxism but I am not into politics. I have never minced words to criticize the misdoings of the Left or the Right. I have struggled all my life and lived in rented houses. I built this house recently,” she said.

The devastating Bengal Famine of 1943 brought out the activist in Mahasweta. Subsequently, the pathetic life of the tribals in Bengal, Bihar, Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh drew Mahasweta Devi towards them. And soon she became a champion for the cause of the Lodha and the Sabar tribes. “I was in tears to see the debt-bonded labour system of the Palmau tribals. Zamindars exploited them. My book Dust on the Road tells the sad tale,” said Mahasweta.

She was shocked to find people killing the Lodhas of Midnapore, Kheria Sabars of Purulia and Dhikaros of Birbhum just because the British Raj had declared them as “criminal tribes”. The ghastly practice made Mahasweta launch a relentless campaign to protect them.

“My doors are always open for the tribals. We collect donations to work among them in Purulia. I believe one doesn’t need millions to do good work. Ford Foundation had offered funds but I refused. Today, with our meager resources, we run 11 schools in Purulia,” said Mahasweta who is campaigning in the tribal belt to preserve jungles, wetlands and tribal handicrafts.

Mahasweta criticized the 34 years of the Left Front government for ignoring the tribals, forcibly acquiring farmers’ lands and giving them to the corporate houses to build industries. “I criticized former Chief Minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee. The Left has left us with poor health and education system, bad urban and rural infrastructure, water crisis, inadequate irrigation and rampant deforestation.”

However, Mahasweta Devi pointed out that while the  Left Front apparatchiks were approachable and she could discuss the problems of the tribals with them, Mamata Banerjee has not responded to her demands for the tribals.

At one point, Mahasweta Devi's relation with Mamata Banerjee soured when the author as the chairperson of the Bangla Academy rejected the government’s interference in choosing the candidates for the Vidyasagar Puraskar. In protest, she resigned.

But this was not the only reason for her resignation. Mahasweta Devi said the Bangla Academy could do useful work by promoting the rich literature of the State. It could encouraged talents from districts and tribal areas. “But the Bangla Academy is filled with insincere people. Mamata misunderstood me. I was keen to work with her and help her,” said Mahasweta Devi, who subsequently again became friends with Mamata.

Defending Mamata, the author said she is optimistic abut oriborton. But one cannot expect change overnight. “It is not magic. I know Mamata is sincere. She needs to take correct decisions and have good advisers,” said Mahasweta who has a penchant for attacking people in power. She told Kerala CPI(M) state secretary P Vijayan to reach out to the people.

But writing remains Mahasweta Devi's passion. “I am in search of that man who is in the crowd. I am unable to catch him, but the day I catch him, I will finish my new novel,” said Mahasweta with a smile.

Age may have slowed down the prolific, grand old dame. But as long as she has a clear thinking mind and a beating heart, she plans to keep on writing till quits – just like Nobel Laureate Gabriel Garcia Marquez.