माई
A glimpse into the life and consciousness of women of three generations and of the men around them, in a North Indian middle class family. Written in a deceptively simple style, the novel weaves a web of images and events around Mai, the mother, as seen through the eyes of the daughter. The translation from Hindi is followed by a discussion of the many nuances of mother the relationship of fiction to social science, and the question of translation
Authors : Geetanjali ShreeOriginal Publisher : Rajkamal PrakashanPublisher: Zubaan
Translators:
To live in a South Asian country means to grow up with an absolute idea of a mother. A mother is always giving, nurturing, sacrificing and working. Her day begins and ends with looking after the household. In context with India, this notion also seems to be defined by the structures of caste and class. Although an opinion of her position, based upon the ideas imbedded in conscience, takes on different interpretations when seen broadly from the lenses of patriarchy or feminism. With the former, it is more of a responsibility or duty that is taken for granted and in many cases not even given a second thought. In the case of latter, it might be considered as oppression in some situations, where the mothers are deliberately subjugated into drudgery of family grind by the patriarchal structure. ...(contd)