Delhi Gadhakal (Tales from Delhi) is a Malayalam language novel by M. Mukundan. It was first published as a book by D. C. Books in November 2011. The novel portrays the various events that greatly influenced the author's life during the 40 years spent in New Delhi, since 1962. The novel has as protagonist a leftist Kerala youth, named Sahadevan, who had the shock of his life when he landed in Delhi to hear the news of Chinese attack on India.[1]
It took three years for Mukundan to finish the novel.[2] It was released on 1 November 2011.[3] The novel received much critical praise and soon went on to become one of the best-selling novels of the year. It also won several awards including the first Kamala Suraiyya Award.
Delhi Gadhakal has been penned in the backdrop of New Delhi, the city to which the author's name has been associated probably even more than his hometown, Mayyazhi (Mahe). The novel was inspired by various events that greatly influenced the author's life during the 40 years spent in New Delhi, since 1962. Mukundan had traveled to Delhi in 1962, as a young man, in search of a job, and over the next four decades, while working in the French Embassy, he has observed how the city has been transformed from a small village to a megapolis.[4]
The novel begins with the Sino-Indian War. Mukundan says, "That war was a historical jolt for the Left movement in India. The Left was counting so much on China and its Premier, Zhou Enlai. In fact, in the Kerala of those days, we talked more about Zhou, rather than Mahatma Gandhi and Pandit Nehru."[4] In the novel, Mukundan also describes the impact of the 1965 and 1971 wars against Pakistan on the people of Delhi. But the most important section is on the 1975 Emergency which was imposed by Prime Minister Indira Gandhi. The novel also describes in detail the assassination of Indira Gandhi in 1984 and the subsequent anti-Sikh riots.[4]
Plot summary
The novel narrates a story set in Delhi through the eyes of a Malayali youth, named Sahadevan, who lands in the capital after securing a job in a travel agency. On his arrival in the capital, carrying high hopes and aspirations, Sahadevan is welcomed by a shocker when he learns that China had attacked India. It was a historical jolt for the Left movement. This along with his first sight of old Delhi, which in those days looked like an ordinary village with plenty of wheat and cauliflower fields forms the first chapters of the novel. In the following chapters, several historical incidents such as Indo-Pak Wars of 1965 and 1971, The 1975 Emergency, assassination of Indira Gandhi and the subsequent anti-Sikh riots, and their impact on the people of Delhi have been tellingly narrated. The novel ends with a dream sequence in which a dying Sahadevan sees hundred thousands of beggars storm the Parliament.
Characters
Sahadevan - the protagonist.
Sreedharanunni - A third-grade employee in the Parliament. It is Sreedharanunni who brings Sahadevan to Delhi.
Devi - Sreedharanunni's wife.
Sathyanathan - Sreedharanunni's son.
Vidya - Sreedharanunni's daughter.
Kunhikrishnan - A journalist working in Delhi.
Lalita - Kunhikrishnan's wife.
Vasavappanicker - An artist working in Delhi.
Rosily - A Malayalee Christian woman who is forced to become a prostitute in Delhi.
Kunhikkannan Master - A naxalist leader in Kerala.
Janakikutty - Kunhikkannan Master's daughter.
Uttam Singh - Sahadevan's house owner at Amrit Puri.
Pinki - Singh's younger daughter.
Jaswinder - Singh's elder daughter.
Dasappan - A barber working in Delhi.
Gulshan Wadhwa - Sahadevan's employer.
Om Prakash Jain - Sahadevan's house owner at Jangpura.
Ashok Chimber - Sahadevan's house owner at Malviya Nagar.
Kuber Lal - Sahadevan's house owner at Mayur Vihar.
Harilal Shukla - An art lover and Vasavappanicker's mentor.
Delhi Gadhakal is M. Mukundan's 18th published work. The novelist has been highly successful with his earlier novel Delhi which had rewritten the conventional nuances of Malayalam novels by deviating from the then existing genre. Later, he had also penned a short-story on Delhi titled "Delhi1981". But the writer says that his latest work in no way should be treated a sequel to the earlier Delhi.[5] According to the author, this novel is different from his other novels both thematically and in the style of narration.[2][6] It took three years for Mukundan to finish the novel.[2] He says that the idea of painting Delhi in such a huge canvas has always been in his mind, and he spent most of the time back in Delhi to pen the novel after completing his five-year term as the office-bearer of the Kerala Sahithya Akademi.[5]
Release
The novel was released by former Kerala education minister M. A. Baby on 1 November 2011, at a cultural festival organised in connection with the 13th DC International Book Fair. In the event, Baby lauded the writer for his efforts to explore and recreate the mindset of the people during the Emergency and ‘their view of Indira Gandhi's misjudgement about people's power.'[3]
^ ab"Finished work belongs to readers: Mukundan". The Hindu. 2 November 2011. Retrieved 7 December 2011.
^ abc"The main character is Delhi". The New Indian Express. 28 October 2011. Retrieved 7 December 2011.
^ abK P Sai Kiran (2 November 2011). . The Times of India. Thiruvananthapuram. Archived from the original on 15 October 2013. Retrieved 7 December 2011.
^K.A.Antony (n.d.). "'Delhi Gathakal' to be released on Nov.1". Oman Tribune. Kannur. Retrieved 7 December 2011.
^"Kamala Suraiyya Award distribution, Azhikode remembrance today"
^"ONV and Mukundan gets Kamala Surayya award" 2014-08-19 at the Wayback Machine
^"VVK Award to M. Mukundan". Latest Awards won by Celebrities in Kerala. 9 May 2012. Retrieved 7 July 2018.
^"JCB Award to M. Mukundan". Times of India. 13 November 2021. Retrieved 13 November 2021.
External links
"Delhi Ballads". Matheikal.wordpress.com. 17 January 2012.
January 29, 2023
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Delhi Gadhakal Tales from Delhi is a Malayalam language novel by M Mukundan It was first published as a book by D C Books in November 2011 The novel portrays the various events that greatly influenced the author s life during the 40 years spent in New Delhi since 1962 The novel has as protagonist a leftist Kerala youth named Sahadevan who had the shock of his life when he landed in Delhi to hear the news of Chinese attack on India 1 Delhi GadhakalFirst editionAuthorM MukundanCountryIndiaLanguageMalayalamGenreSemi autobiographical fictionPublisherDC BooksPublication date1 November 2011Pages496ISBN978 81 264 3328 5It took three years for Mukundan to finish the novel 2 It was released on 1 November 2011 3 The novel received much critical praise and soon went on to become one of the best selling novels of the year It also won several awards including the first Kamala Suraiyya Award Contents 1 Background 2 Plot summary 3 Characters 4 Writing 5 Release 6 Awards 7 References 8 External linksBackground EditDelhi Gadhakal has been penned in the backdrop of New Delhi the city to which the author s name has been associated probably even more than his hometown Mayyazhi Mahe The novel was inspired by various events that greatly influenced the author s life during the 40 years spent in New Delhi since 1962 Mukundan had traveled to Delhi in 1962 as a young man in search of a job and over the next four decades while working in the French Embassy he has observed how the city has been transformed from a small village to a megapolis 4 The novel begins with the Sino Indian War Mukundan says That war was a historical jolt for the Left movement in India The Left was counting so much on China and its Premier Zhou Enlai In fact in the Kerala of those days we talked more about Zhou rather than Mahatma Gandhi and Pandit Nehru 4 In the novel Mukundan also describes the impact of the 1965 and 1971 wars against Pakistan on the people of Delhi But the most important section is on the 1975 Emergency which was imposed by Prime Minister Indira Gandhi The novel also describes in detail the assassination of Indira Gandhi in 1984 and the subsequent anti Sikh riots 4 Plot summary EditThe novel narrates a story set in Delhi through the eyes of a Malayali youth named Sahadevan who lands in the capital after securing a job in a travel agency On his arrival in the capital carrying high hopes and aspirations Sahadevan is welcomed by a shocker when he learns that China had attacked India It was a historical jolt for the Left movement This along with his first sight of old Delhi which in those days looked like an ordinary village with plenty of wheat and cauliflower fields forms the first chapters of the novel In the following chapters several historical incidents such as Indo Pak Wars of 1965 and 1971 The 1975 Emergency assassination of Indira Gandhi and the subsequent anti Sikh riots and their impact on the people of Delhi have been tellingly narrated The novel ends with a dream sequence in which a dying Sahadevan sees hundred thousands of beggars storm the Parliament Characters EditSahadevan the protagonist Sreedharanunni A third grade employee in the Parliament It is Sreedharanunni who brings Sahadevan to Delhi Devi Sreedharanunni s wife Sathyanathan Sreedharanunni s son Vidya Sreedharanunni s daughter Kunhikrishnan A journalist working in Delhi Lalita Kunhikrishnan s wife Vasavappanicker An artist working in Delhi Rosily A Malayalee Christian woman who is forced to become a prostitute in Delhi Kunhikkannan Master A naxalist leader in Kerala Janakikutty Kunhikkannan Master s daughter Uttam Singh Sahadevan s house owner at Amrit Puri Pinki Singh s younger daughter Jaswinder Singh s elder daughter Dasappan A barber working in Delhi Gulshan Wadhwa Sahadevan s employer Om Prakash Jain Sahadevan s house owner at Jangpura Ashok Chimber Sahadevan s house owner at Malviya Nagar Kuber Lal Sahadevan s house owner at Mayur Vihar Harilal Shukla An art lover and Vasavappanicker s mentor Vanaja Sahadevan s sister Shyamala Sahadevan s sister Abdul Abdunnissar Vanaja s lover Abdul Aleem Sahadevan s employee Divakaran Potti Sahadevan s employee Seetharam the dhobi He is a victim of forced sterilisation during the Emergency Jamaludheen a Bangladeshi refugee Writing EditDelhi Gadhakal is M Mukundan s 18th published work The novelist has been highly successful with his earlier novel Delhi which had rewritten the conventional nuances of Malayalam novels by deviating from the then existing genre Later he had also penned a short story on Delhi titled Delhi1981 But the writer says that his latest work in no way should be treated a sequel to the earlier Delhi 5 According to the author this novel is different from his other novels both thematically and in the style of narration 2 6 It took three years for Mukundan to finish the novel 2 He says that the idea of painting Delhi in such a huge canvas has always been in his mind and he spent most of the time back in Delhi to pen the novel after completing his five year term as the office bearer of the Kerala Sahithya Akademi 5 Release EditThe novel was released by former Kerala education minister M A Baby on 1 November 2011 at a cultural festival organised in connection with the 13th DC International Book Fair In the event Baby lauded the writer for his efforts to explore and recreate the mindset of the people during the Emergency and their view of Indira Gandhi s misjudgement about people s power 3 Awards Edit2012 Kamala Suraiyya Award 7 8 2012 VVK Award 9 2021 JCB Award for Literature 10 References Edit My works never encouraged drug use says top author Gulf Times 19 November 2011 Retrieved 7 December 2011 a b c M Mukundan 21 November 2011 ഇന ഏത ദ ശത ത ക ക റ ച ച ണ ഞ ൻ എഴ ത ണ ടത Madhyamam Weekly in Malayalam Archived from the original on 24 February 2015 a b Finished work belongs to readers Mukundan The Hindu 2 November 2011 Retrieved 7 December 2011 a b c The main character is Delhi The New Indian Express 28 October 2011 Retrieved 7 December 2011 a b K P Sai Kiran 2 November 2011 Mukundan s Delhi Gathakal released The Times of India Thiruvananthapuram Archived from the original on 15 October 2013 Retrieved 7 December 2011 K A Antony n d Delhi Gathakal to be released on Nov 1 Oman Tribune Kannur Retrieved 7 December 2011 Kamala Suraiyya Award distribution Azhikode remembrance today ONV and Mukundan gets Kamala Surayya award Archived 2014 08 19 at the Wayback Machine VVK Award to M Mukundan Latest Awards won by Celebrities in Kerala 9 May 2012 Retrieved 7 July 2018 JCB Award to M Mukundan Times of India 13 November 2021 Retrieved 13 November 2021 External links Edit Delhi Ballads Matheikal wordpress com 17 January 2012 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Delhi Gadhakal amp oldid 1067523074, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
