Madhu Kankaria’s new Hindi novel Dhalti Sanjh Ka Suraj follows two journeys. First, the protagonist of the novel takes on an arduous journey to meet his mother and understand his motherland. The journey is akin to the writer’s own effort to reach out to Maharashtra’s suicide-prone farmers and understand India’s agrarian crisis.
This columnist recently read Kankaria’s much-acclaimed rebellious Sej Par Sanskrit, a courageous novel against the induction of Jain Bal Sadhvis into a life of extreme frugality and repression. Very few contemporary Indian writers have opposed religious dogma and duplicity in the razor-sharp incisive style that Kankaria has dared to. In fact, her Marathi translator Vasudha Sahasrabudde was fearful of extreme reactions from readers during the launch of the Marathi rendering. Kankaria, fearless as she is, was ready for any consequence that resulted from her writing. “As writers, we cannot curb our expression, merely due to the fear of a backlash. Any writing, whether explosive or not, whether critical or not, whether fictional or inspired by reality, is a creator’s journey, which has to continue against all odds,” says the 65-year-old author.

In Dhalti Sanjh Ka Suraj, Kankaria seems to be on a rather inward journey.  Her motto is very clearly mentioned in the foreword. She wants to put the spotlight on India’s farmers. “When over three lakh farmers of Maharashtra choose death over life, that is news, big news! That is the story to be followed, not just in media, but on every possible literary platform too.  I felt a peculiar urge to write on farmers’ suicides and below poverty line farmers’ families for a long time, which ultimately was addressed in 2016 when I visited Partur [in Jalna].”