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Manoj Das is a story teller,a yarn-spinner, and he knows maybe from his experience with children, how to hold one's attention,never tiring one with too much description--just giving one enough to help one picture the scene of theactoin,as for example, in the vivid evocation of the villa in 'Farewell to a Ghost',or of the hut lived in by "The Crocodile's Lady'.
Manoj Das's other Publications are as under
- A BRIDE INSIDE A CASKET AND OTHER TALES (w.w Allen & Co.London,and Times Books International,Singapore)
- MAN WHO LIFTED THE MOUNTAIN AND OTHER TALES (Specter Press,Fareham,Hampshire)
- CYCLONES (A novel)
SUMMARY;
The Submerged Valley is the excellent short story by Manoj Das .at the begining of the story author explain his affection of his village. there was a old tree infront of his school ground and he always like to talk or chattinlg with it. he seem to there when his teacher scold or thrashed him. he feel that ,that tree is giving sympathises to him. writer feel that villegers had tried to harness him to some constructive activity.he found running the wheel for sake of ot good fun,but not for spining. An affluent Farmer commisioned him to guard a pile of paddy. an hour later people saw Lord Shiva's bull lying in place of the paddy rumminating with eyes closed,and the young man entertaining it to a post-banquet song.He as five year old when his faher moved their esablishment to the town.Soon,the village became only memory for him.He heard that a dam that was being planned would submerg it ,he became gloomy.He saw that his mother was wepping when several men of his area visited them and not one of them went back without shedding her tears.his father had a solemn bearing and he talked or smiled little.But if situation warranted, he could be fluent,keeping his solemnity intact.
Author was five years old when his engineer father moved their establishment to the town soon the village became only a memory for him even so the day he heard that a dam that was being planned would submerge it,he became gloomy his father was not connected with the project,his mother and villagers prevailed upon him to exert his influence to fore-stall its execution.his father had a solemn bearing and he talked or smiled little.
Heaping their rain-socked umbrellas and bales on our varandah once a delegation of old villagers recounted to his father the glory of our ancestral area of our pious forefather who had toiled and got inmersed in the soil,of the several good gods who dwelt in the shrines even through rather ineffectual in the current era of falsehool,and of the fertility of the lands.
His father heard in silence and that gave him the impression that he had been moved. But once he opened his mouth,author felt that there was heartlessness not only in his speach but also in the silence that had preceded it for some political matter people suffered couple of hundered villagers arrived in the town bringing their own food along,and went round in a procession.It was a pitible show .Cars and motors-bikes scored them and they were too shy to raise slogans. After meeting the leaders of the ruiling party they decided that half of people went over to an alternative site, a valley eighteen miles away.They carried the duities with them and also led away the bull of Lord Shiva.
Five years had elapsed since the making of the dam.Three districts had now less to fear from floods.Regulated irrigation gave some boost to agriculture,through increase in population did not let it mean anything more than a statistical satisfaction.
Author and his family reached the dam next day.Because his father wanted to attend meeting at the dam.the sky was overeast with moving clouds busy taking up suitable positions.The locality had changed.
Father had news of heavy showers at the source of the river.The water level could rise submerging their destinaton he helped villagers to leave the place immediately.
After meeting the leaders of the ruling party their representatives were observed lacking the old verve in their voices Before long they lost faith in their cause and were reconcoiled to the sistitution. Half of the people went over to an alternatives site, a valley eighteen miles away.They Carried the deities with them and also led away the bull of Lord Shiva.
The rest chose cash compensation and scattered in bazars and towns, seeking sundry jobs or opening small shops.
Character ;
Abolkara
"The Submerged valley" is an excellent story by Manoj Das.He explained his love for his village and villagers.There are few characters in his work but my favourite character is Abolkara.
In the begining Author presented his character very nice way.He explained his identity that he was literaly the disobedient,the funny hero of a series of folk tales popular in his region.After long time when dam would submerge it authors father went to help the villagers suddenly his attention was drawn to bearded jolly fellow,seated on a rock.He was there from five year.He was Abolkara some were asking him insistently,Do tell us will you?how did you manage to brathe under the water for five long years ?What was your diet?Abolkara answered proudly in his usual eerie an indistinct manner,throwing his arms in the air.Visitors who had brought light refreshments with them gave generous shares to him.The relish with which he ate only srengthened the theory that he had more or less fasted for five years.
Authors father announced that water has begun to rise, so everyone should leave without any delay. People were runing here and there to save there life and Author's father shouted "who brought Abolkara?Don't leave him behind please But Abolkara dont't want to come down from rock .Father was sure that he will come doen when boat started but Abolkara sat quiet,dangling his legs and throwing nuts into his mouth all were worry about him but he didn't want to come down from rock also save his life.He is very innocent character but at last author find him in his house.Abolkara shivering like a squrrel and smilling.
THEME;
"The Submerged Valley " written by Manoj Das.He present his life experience in this beautiful short story.
He is affected by his village he explained his emotions for tree,rock,hillock etc. of his village.His father was engenieer they shifted into town when he was 5 years old.Beauty of his village is now sweet memories for him and he became gloomy when he heard that a dam was being planned submerge his village.
Villagers come to his father but his father had a solemn and talked or smiled little.Villagers said that "All will go under water.Despite having begotten a worthy son like you,are we so unlucky that the cruel hand of the government will so unceremoniously throw us out of our God given lands"they repeated,as they wipped their eyes more and more frequently but Author's father heard in silence and that gave them the impression that he had been moved.
For Author whole of history is made of only two factors,construction and destruction-the latter be planned or accidental," he said."where is Harappa today and where is Babylonia?Time has licked them off just for the sake of change on the other hand if we are losing our lands,it is for a change for the better,for the welfare of a larger population.so here author thinking about change and his father also want to devlop it.
After the situation become ok than Author and his family arranged trip for their village.Some old folks Dustered arround his mother and let flow the final instalment of the tears first shed five years ago.There his father heard news that heavy showers at the source of the river.The water level could rise submerging our destination.his father announced "look here,every body,water has begun to rise you should leave without any delay"and he helped them to leave the place immidiately at last "Abolkara"dont want to come down from rock.People were worry about him author also but he didn't come down at the end author looked that his father saved him and he was in his house.
In "Submerged Valley" authors father loves his villagers but his nature and attitude express him solemn,sophasticated but his father have same emotions and love for his village as author have.He realised it by this experience.
*Why I selected this Story?
-> I selected this story because Manoj Das presented his real life experience in this story.He is a good story teller.So he narrate his life experience with the reality current problem of "Dam","Flood"and"Politics" all are included in this story and he reflected reality about villagers emotions and respect are real,and greater than town people.
FORM OF THE STORY.
1)Incident :-
The rage of the short story is not fixed generally the incident of the story is taken from the life or society.Here in the story "The Submerged Valley" the incident is taken from the society or imagination.The main Incident other events revolves around.
2) Plot :-
Plot can be considered as an arrangement of events.It should be considered as the back-bone.The plot presents the entire sequence of events.The plot of the story should be simple.The problem of life presented in the story should be a capable of suggesting a solution.The character must be able to find ways to solve it.So ending of the story reports the result of the characters finally decission about how to solve the problem which may include a change in major character.
3) Exposition :-
It is the begining of the story and in this story author explained how he effects by nature of his village.In the present story the author used direct method.He presents the story infront of us directly.
4) Conflict :-
In short story generally there may be conflict between the hero and the villin but here in the present story there is no villin so there is no conflict.
5) Climax :-
The conflict has to reach at climax there is a plan in the story.
6) Denouement :-
It refers to the end of the story.The complications that had arrision earlier now are solved.
7) Character :-
The characters of the story is the soul of short story or main feature character faces a problem of life and he finds solution some time conciously or unconciously everything that happens in the story comes to the reader identify himself emotionaly and intellectualy.Then the story is completely beliveable and capable of being experience.
