LANGUAGE IN INDIA

An Insight into Pratibha Ray's Women Characters in
'The Stigma' and 'The Blanket'

Varun Gulati, M.A., M. Phil., Ph.D. (Candidate)

Pratibha Ray

Pratibha Ray: Life and Career

Pratibha Ray is a renowned educationist and an insightful creative writer. Born in 1943 in Alabol, a remote village in the Balikuda area of Orissa State, Pratibha Ray has an illustrious career. Modest enough to describe her achievements as an M.A. in Education and Ph.D. in Educational Psychology, she is presently a Member of the Orissa Public Service Commission.

Started her literary career at the age of nine by writing a short story, Pratibha Ray has published, so far, 18 novels, 20 collections of short-stories and a travelogue. She has written her first novel, Barsa Basanta Baishakha (1974), in her mother tongue Oriya and gradually developed an affinity toward revolt and humanism in her literature. She has not only represented the urban setting of Oriya culture but also vividly portrayed the miserable plight of the tribal communities living a subjugated life.

Pratibha Ray is described as 'the Queen of Oriya Literature' for her contribution to Oriya novel and short story. This article presents a study of the women characters in Pratibha Ray's two short stories 'The Stigma' and 'The Blanket.'

'The Stigma' - The Saga of a Courageous Lady among the Vultures

Sarami- Duped by the Poverty

Sarami, the central figure of the story, is married to Raghunath Trivadi (known as Raghu Tiadi), an old ugly man in looks, with little left of his manhood. Sarami belonged to a poor family and her father found Raghu to be the best option because of his land and money. For Raghu, it was his third marriage.

"Gosain, you're a big man. You command respect in ten neighboring villages. Surely you do not lack for anything that you will look for a dowry to fill your house! Please accept my daughter as your wife and I'll remain eternally grateful to you." 1 (Indian Writers Series: Pratibha Ray Stories, see the reference at the end for full details.)

Raghu was not easy to melt, but Sarami's gorgeous looks moved his heart and stirred in him a desire to marry again.

Sarami - A Victim of Social Customs and a Target of Lust

Pratibha Ray explores the unjust social customs in this short story.

A woman's good fortune was/is evaluated by the social status of her husband; personal desires, emotional fulfillments, contentment and so forth of a woman have no independent place in the traditional society. After getting married to an old man, Sarami receives an erotic teasing from the male members of the family. Sudam, her nephew-in-law, and Dibakar, her brother-in-law, reveal their erotic intentions toward Sarami, the young wife of an old man. They take many verbal liberties without any hesitation.

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