SIGNIFICANCE OF RURAL CULTURE IN THE SHORT FICTION OF MANOJ DAS

Abstract

A brief survey of Indian Short Fiction in English indicates that there is a wide scope for its study. Manoj Das has presented a serene and simple way of life of rural community in India in his fiction which is rapidly disappearing. He is one of the foremost short story writers in Post-Independent India and an outstanding bilingual writer both in English and Oriya at ease. He depicts very effectively and skillfully the way of life of people living in villages, their values, norms, beliefs, attitudes, traditions, customs, superstitions, religion, etc., in his stories. He is a keen observer of the changing socio-political and cultural scenario in the post independent India. The stories of Manoj Das are so subtle and suggestive that they have a concealed element of didacticism, a zeal for social reform as he is keenly interested in fostering and promoting the qualitative life of the rural people of India. Hence, in this paper I presented my views and opinions from Indian perspective keeping in mind the life of the rural people with all their day to day activities and problems as portrayed by Manoj Das. In spite of their penury, the cultural values and conventional ways are not given up. Thus, the author preserves the rich Indian cultural heritage in spite of his depicting the follies and foibles of human life.