Shraman Paul
M.A in English Literature
West Bengal State University
Feminist approaches in Baburao Bagul’s Mother.
Baburao Bagul’s Mother has evidently brought out a conflict between the very idea of a
mother- selfless, affectionate, a lap where her child/ children feel safe set by the Brahminical society
and a mother from lower class, oppressed by the children of upper caste, burnt by the burning
desire of masculinity and doubted by her close ones in reality. The portrayal of Pandu’s mother is
not only full of boldness but differs from the ideal picture of a mother, it tells the story of a mother
who fails to maintain the image due to circumstances. In the following part of this answer we are
going to discuss this topic in detail.
The short story commences at a school where we come across Pandu, a child from the
lower class, a boy who never smiles listening to a poem about a mother and relating this with his
own in this process: “He started thinking of his own mother as ‘Vatsalya Sindhu’- a river of motherly
love and benediction- just as the poet had done.” (Mother, 14-15) What comes down as a
metaphorical slap on Pandu’s psyche to shatter his conviction, is a derogatory comment passed by
Kisan, his classmate. He cruelly yelled to the class to avoid touching Pandu as his “mother says
Pandu’s mother sleeps with the mukadam like this…” (Mother, 27-29) As the story proceeds we
come to know that not only Kisan’s mother but Pandu’s neighbours, irrespective of gender too bear
the same belief and a whole lot of grudge against the widow. What is noteworthy here is the source
of all these. Her physical beauty, prosperity though being a widow inseminated great amount of
jealousy in the females, jealousy that led to grudge eventually. On the other her widowhood, Dalit
identity and her beauty germinated lust within the representatives of very masculinity, within an
alcoholic named Dagdu. In shaping her outlook towards society and societal norms Pandu’s dead
father, “cruel, alcoholic, deceitful” (Mother, 140) has also played a very significant role. Being
diagnosed with Tuberculosis he could not continue his duty of a breadwinner any more. As a result,
to buy “medicine, and milk, and fruit” (Mother, 165) for Pandu’s father and food for her infant
Pandu she had to take the job of “hurling bricks and cement” (Mother, 166) at a construction site.
But as it is a norm in our society that women must not take the responsibilities and always play the
role of a “second sex” (Simone de Beauvoir, 1949) in their families in particular and in the society in
general, Pandu’s mother’s bold move created suspicion in his father’s mind. Though fully aware of
the circumstances he is found, stripping her and examining “her feet, her thighs, her breasts, her sari
and blouse” (Mother, 173) and “carefully scrutinize her lips and cheeks.”(Mother, 174) Let alone the
attempt of branding her bare body with a hot iron rod. Post-mortem, metaphorical, performed upon
the body of a dedicated woman to her family by a metaphorical, brainwashed doctor from
patriarchal society.
The examination upon Pandu’s mother reminds us of Sita’s Agnipariksha to prove his
chastity before Rama in “Ramayana”. After Pandu’s father’s death she becomes the target of the
children of society. The saturation hits after ten long years of her widowhood when she came across
her hefty overseer and fell in love with him, “She had spent ten long years as a widow, and tried so
hard to love Pandu, she’d lived only for him, till the overseer came along last year.” (Mother, 265-66)
It is noteworthy here that this decision could not be accepted by her son Pandu. But in this case not
only derogatory comments against his mother, fake sympathies showered on him by the neighbours
while cursing his mother, and a framework of ideal mother embedded in his mind are the only
triggers but the negligence of Pandu’s mother towards him too. We witness him craving for the
motherly love and food. We also witness her cursing her child as soon as it seems to her that he has
also joined the group. A group, regardless of gender, playing the role of representatives of
patriarchy. Let alone Pandu catching her mother entangled within the bear-like hug of the overseer.
Though she tried to reach him and convince him, she failed eventually in front of the towering lust.
Desire burning within both the parties.
By tagging our progenitrix with the term ‘mother’ we often forget to consider that they
are also human beings. We often forget to consider their emotions, their individuality altogether.
And put them on a pedestal expecting god like persona from a human being- made of flesh and
blood. The character of Pandu’s mother somewhat challenges that. She helps us to understand that
it’s not only the duty of a mother to shower love but also a respect is important in return. As a
mother it appears also as a protest against patriarchal norms too.
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Bibliography:
Bagul Baburao. Mother, Poisoned Bread, ISBN: 0 86311 254 4, Orient Longman Limited 1992,
First Published 1992.