Kanyadan

by Harimohan Jha, Vibha Rani (Translator)

'A Suitable Boy in Maithili' Amitava Kumar '[A] conscientious and nuanced translation' Namita Gokhale Thirteen-year-old Buchia is quick-witted and pleasant-looking, but in the competitive marriage mart of Bihar, her family needs to be resourceful and wily to find the right groom to uphold their pride. When a match is made with C.C. Mishra, English educated and recently graduated from Banaras Hindu University, everyone believes that a happy ending is near. But unknown to them, the groom dreams of a partner who writes poetry and plays tennis; is more-or-less a carbon copy of the film star Devika Rani. So, when he discovers that his new wife cannot even recognize the letters of the alphabet, their future begins to look less rosy ... When it was first published in 1930, Harimohan Jha's Kanyadan blazed through the Maithili reading world and became the inspiration for numerous Indian novels and films. Translated into English for the first time, this delectable story about Indian matchmaking will charm readers with its cast of imperfect but unforgettable characters.

Genres: Indian Literature, India

104 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1933

About the author

सन् 1932 में पटना विश्वविद्यालय से दर्शनशास्त्र में एम.ए.। इसके बाद पटना विश्वविद्यालय में ही दर्शनशास्त्र के प्रोफेसर और फिर विभागाध्यक्ष रहे।

अपने बहुमुखी रचनात्मक अवदान से मैथिली साहित्य की श्री-वृद्धि करनेवाले विशिष्ट लेखक। भारतीय दर्शन और संस्कृति-काव्य साहित्य के मर्मज्ञ विद्वान के रूप में विशेष ख्याति अर्जित की। धर्म, दर्शन और इतिहास, पुराण के अस्वस्थ, लोकविरोधी प्रसंगों की दिलचस्प लेकिन कड़ी आलोचना। इस सन्दर्भ में ‘खट्टर काका’ जैसी बहुचर्चित व्यंग्यकृति विशेष उल्लेखनीय। मूल मैथिली में करीब 20 पुस्तकें प्रकाशित। कुछ कहानियों का हिंदी, गुजराती और तमिल में अनुवाद।

प्रमुख कृतियाँ: कन्यादान, द्विरागमन (उपन्यास); प्रणम्य देवता, रंगशाला (हास्य कथाएँ); खट्टर काका (व्यंग्य-कृति); चरचरी (विधा-विविधा)।

Reviews

[Parth · Rating 4 out of 5]

Harimohan Jha was an incredible satirist who turned that satire against the regressiveness of Maithil society. It's a shame I, despite growing up in Mithila, wasn't brought up reading his literature. For a book that's 90 years old, some of the societal regressiveness it captures, is alive even today in Mithila. A society that doesn't read can only head towards its own doom.

[Rehana · Rating 5 out of 5]

Buchia is a naive 13-year-old who her parents are trying to sell her hard in the marriage market (literally). When they find a groom who is well educated and settled, they find a way to get them both married. But little did C.C. Mishra know that he was deceived into marrying a child bride who didn’t match his expectations at all. And then begins the story and kind of ends there as well.
 
For a book that’s almost a 100-year-old, I am really surprised how much it spoke about the problems of child marriage, depriving women of education and opportunities and making them ready for marriage as if that’s the only mission they are born with. It is also kind of sad that this book is relevant even today because the scenario hasn’t changed much even after 100 years. Now this is a book that impressed me thoroughly with its language and theme and you shouldn’t miss it. I have read disappointing reviews by readers who read the original because they feel the translation hasn’t been done with such sincerity. But for me, this fared very well. So, go for it. You won’t be disappointed. It’s a quick read as well.

[Anamika Priyadarshani · Rating 5 out of 5]

As a Maithili native, I am late to the party, but I am glad I am here! HarperCollins did a good job with translation and making this classic accessible to non-Maithili people. Stands the test of time.

[N · Rating 3 out of 5]

Published in 1930, it deals with the then-prevalent issues of child marriage, lack of access to education for girls/women, caste discrimination, and stringent gender roles against the backdrop of traditional Indian matchmaking. It also explores the awakening of a new English-educated male generation that seeks partners who are on equal footing with them, but ironically does nothing to actually challenge the existing societal norms.

[Pragya Singh · Rating 5 out of 5]

If at all there is a story about 'Indian Matchmaking' which needs to be streamed on Netflix right now, it is that of Buchia from "The Bride', a translation by Lalit Kumar of the Maithili classic, 'Kanyadan' by famous Maithili writer Harimohan Jha. The book revolves around the life of Buchia who is set to get married and her family members are in search of a groom. The writer gives in detail the happenings of her match making and the participation of female members within the household and the male members outside the household. It also describes how an event like this is a collective enterprise for the neighborhood and rest of the villagers. A complete 'filmy' package, the book has one in splits from till the end, at the same time it invokes pity for the protagonist 'Buchia' and compels one to think about the Bride' of the past and the present, the question of marriage, women, education, agency, modernity etc. The detailed account of the life, travel, ceremonies, food, dress etc., also familiarizes one with the Maithili society. I would like to specifically applaud the translator Lalit Kumar for retaining culture specific words and expressions which I believe serves the purpose of translation and expands the horizon of 'Indian English' as well as 'Indian English Literature'. While one reads translation like this in English however, fetches the imagination of the text in Maithili. It would not be an exaggeration to say that while reading, one borrows the tone of R.K Narayanan's world and gets to explore the Maithili world presented by Harimohan Jha.

[Craartology · Rating 2 out of 5]

I read The Bride sometime in April this year. The Maithili classic-Kanyadan penned by Harimohan Jha, translated by Lalit Kumar and here’s what I think and feel about it.

It is a crisp and plain spoken story of an English graduate being deceived into marriage with an illiterate child bride.

The stark cultural differences between the educated groom- CC Mishra, who mingles with society, pays heed to maintaining a status but is cut-off from tradition desires a literate, beautiful and graceful wife, while Buchia, the bride, lives a simple village life, are evident.

Harimohan Jha, has painted the rural Indian way of life and colonial thoughts that co-existed alongside in a direct tone. The tiny bunch of characters that this story possesses have been created to shed light on the lesser progressive mindset of having a daughter married at the earliest, not much attention is given to her education or her identity as an individual, expecting her to be an obedient, homebound wife and daughter-in-law.

The book is simple but it conveys the complex issues that were a way of life in Mithila (Bihar). The forward and the translator’s note add to the depth of the message the author attempts to put forward.

My experience with this book hasn’t been the best because I felt a lot was lost during the translation, I was detached from the story. However, this is my personal experience and I hope whoever reads the book enjoys it.

Verdict: ⭐⭐✨

[Lene Kretschz · Rating 3 out of 5]

2.5 stars. This is one of those books that are perhaps more important (in this case as one of the first and most popular novels in a significant minority language*) than actually good.

Jha clearly cared deeply about his characters and the issue of women's education and child marriage, he had a sharp eye for the ridiculous and skewers the pompous well, but that's not quite enough to make this novel work as a piece of translated fiction. The novel is episodic in a way that mostly doesn't help to advance the plot or hone the satire and some of the scenes (the opening chapter, the scene with the cowherd lost in the city, the bitter sniping on the ferry, the ridiculous demands the prospective bridegroom lays out in the café) go on far too long, gradually bleeding out whatever potential for humour they initially had. The final chapters are stronger; they are also the least comedic. I'm glad to have read this but I'm not sure I'd recommend to anyone not interested in the history of modern Indian literature.

*Able translator, Lalit Kumar, explains the background of the work and its importance very thoroughly in the introduction to the novel. This introduction and a helpful glossary at the back really help to place the book in context and make the reading experience more illuminating.

[Mousumi Sahu · Rating 5 out of 5]

‘The Bride’ breaks new grounds in the field of translation. The simple and lucid style of the translator makes the novel accessible to common people. It compels the reader to interpret the aspects of Indian matchmaking and marriage system from a different perspective. The multidimensional characters look real and leave an impression on the readers. As the original version of the novel is in Maithili, the translator’s attempts to reach a wide range of audience are commendable. It has the ability to charm all groups of readers. Though a translated work, it has the flavour of an original piece of writing. It is immensely readable with a gripping theme.

[Gazala · Rating 4 out of 5]

A very interesting work. The story is hard hitting. It exposes the marriage market where wealth, caste, class, ancestral lineage hold importance in putting forward the daughters for marriage. The plot also unfolds the significance of education in women's lives. It leaves us thinking about the true prospects of marriage and companionship.

[Natasha · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was written in the pre-Independence era, and tells the story of an English speaking young man who wants a beautiful bride who speaks English, has independent opinions, is willing to learn to play tennis and who can be a companion to him. His best friend manages to convince him to marry his sister who, while fiesty and lively, has never been exposed to anything beyond her native village.
While the story might be slightly predictable, I enjoyed it because it offered a window into Maithaili life, particularly the way relationships were brokered and weddings were performed. While one would hope that with greater education, things would have changed, I am not entirely sure if either women or men have much more agency today than they did when the book was written.
I read this Maithaili classic as a part of the #IndianTranslationReadthon