Significance of Time and Space in 'Final Solutions'

Significance of Time and Space in 'Final Solutions'

1. Mahesh Dattani Mahesh Dattani was born on August 7th, 1958, in Bangalore, Karnataka. His parents were originally from Porbandar in Gujarat. He went to to Baldwin High School where "Snob Culture" prevailed. Proficiency in English and a westernized lifestyle were considered to hoist one head and shoulders above one's countrymen not similarly endowed. All communication happened in English, and the use of vernacular was looked at with disdain. The contempt of indigenous languages and mores foisted on by the school, however, could not dampen Mahesh's ardour to watch Gujarati, Marathi and Kannada plays with his parents and sisters. These plays were to make a lasting impression on his psyche, kindling his inherent propensity for theatrical art. Being a son of soil, he would channelize his thespian energy to portray the variegated flavour and sensibility of Indian life through a stage plays, radio plays (for BBC Radio 4) and screen plays (films). (Dawande ) Personal Information Prepared by : Avani Jani M.A Sem: 3 Paper : 202: Indian English Literature – Post-Independence Roll no: 3 Enrollment no: 4069206420220014 Submitted to: Department of English, MKBU

2. Significance of Time and Space in 'Final Solution'

3. Road Map Writer Introduction Short Summary of ‘Final Solution’ Significance of Time Significance of space Conclusion

4. Mahesh Dattani was born on August 7th, 1958, in Bangalore, Karnataka. His parents were originally from Porbandar in Gujarat. He went to to Baldwin High School where "Snob Culture" prevailed. Proficiency in English and a westernized lifestyle were considered to hoist one head and shoulders above one's countrymen not similarly endowed. All communication happened in English, and the use of vernacular was looked at with disdain. The contempt of indigenous languages and mores foisted on by the school, however, could not dampen Mahesh's ardour to watch Gujarati, Marathi and Kannada plays with his parents and sisters. These plays were to make a lasting impression on his psyche, kindling his inherent propensity for theatrical art. Being a son of soil, he would channelize his thespian energy to portray the variegated flavour and sensibility of Indian life through a stage plays, radio plays (for BBC Radio 4) and screen plays (films). (Dawande ) Mahesh Dattani

5. Promod K. Nayar consideres Mahesh Dattani as “Daring and innovative” by arguing that Dattani has made Indian drama in English a major genre of social critique today. His increasing presence in college syllabi, research projects and now film adaptations suggests a growing popularity. Mahesh Dattani, perhaps India's most important playwright in English today. Dattani blends conventional themes with some startlingly new ones in his work. His plays combine the intimate with the social, the personal and the public, often exploring the boundaries between these realms. (Chaudhuri )

6. Short Summary of ‘Final Solution’ The play opens with Daksha, a young bride in 1948, yearning for freedom to pursue her singing passion. Her story parallels that of her Muslim friend, Zarine. In the present, in a Gujarat village, tensions rise after a Hindu idol is destroyed, sparking unrest between Hindus and Muslims. Smita, Daksha's granddaughter, receives a distressing call about a bomb blast from her friend Tasneem. Amid growing tension, two Muslim boys, Javed and Bobby, seek refuge in Ramanik's home while a hostile mob surrounds it. Despite resistance, Ramanik refuses to surrender them, and Smita recognizes the two young men. Smita is questioned about her connection to Javed and Bobby. She reveals that Javed is Tasneem's brother, and Bobby is her fiancé. When tensions rise outside, Smita brings them into her home. Amid a heated exchange, Javed expresses his feelings of being a minority. Ramanik, the host, tries to bridge understanding by offering them milk. However, Smita discloses that Javed had ties to a terrorist organization and was disowned by his family, causing a rift. Smita's revelation leads to shock and her sudden departure from the scene. Ramanik provokes Javed about his involvement in terrorism, leading to a heated exchange and a slap. Bobby steps in to calm the situation and reveals a past incident of inter-community violence involving Javed. Ramanik threatens to call the police, but Javed shares a chilling confession about an attempted murder in the name of Jihad. Ramanik is moved and calls Javed brave. Smita apologizes for revealing his secret. Aruna and Smita argue about their differing religious beliefs. Later, Smita, Bobby, and Javed playfully share memories and splash water on each other. Meanwhile, Daksha recalls a violent incident from her past and wishes hardship upon Javed's sister, prompting Ramanik to defend them. Bobby symbolically promotes harmony. The play concludes with no definitive solutions to the age-old communal issues that persist in society.

7. Mahesh Dattani devoted over a year to extensive research for the play. His research included studying books like "Freedom at Midnight" by Larry Collins and Dominique Lapierre, as well as consulting the Kannada weekly magazine, "Lankesh Patrike." Furthermore, he conducted numerous interviews with survivors of communal riots in Gujarat and Karnataka. And as Mister Dhiren Parmar mentions, a. One of the riots that Dattani researched that particularly caught his attention was the 1985 Rath Yatra riot in Ahmedabad. Mr. Dhiren Parmar belives that -”This would have had become his inspiration for the riot that brings Javed and Bobby to the Gandhi family in Final Solutions.” (Parmar ) The play gains added significance due to the political context of the Hindu Right's Ramjanmabhoomi movement during its writing and production. In the early nineties, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) endorsed the demolition of the Babri Masjid through religious processions called Rath Yatras. The backdrop of these Rath Yatras is integral to the play, as they serve as the backdrop for the communal riots depicted. The play highlights this connection through the portrayal of a Rath Yatra being disrupted as it passes through a Muslim neighborhood. "Final Solutions," written and staged in 1993, coincided with a period of heightened tension and urban violence in India. Mahesh Dattani's play was a response to the 1992 Babri Masjid demolition, and it evolved within this specific social context. Dattani's deep social awareness compelled him to tackle the pressing issue of religious communalism, advocating for communal harmony. The play underscores the idea that the only solution to this problem lies in mutual acceptance and empathy toward one another. Significance of Time

8. Time has played significant role as it indirectly represents the background of Playwrights time as well through the character of Daksha / Hardika. The communal violence between these groups brings back Hardika‟s memories of partiton and her life life as a new bride in 1948. Her memories are expressed through the character of Daksha who is shown reading from her diary. This situation throws light upon time. Memory is a crucial discourse in contemporary literature. It leaps out one of thepredominant clear cut societal, mental and psychological panorama. Meory actually retains the Main topical items throughout various modes and models. As Mr. Dhiren Parmar also highlights that - Through the character of Daksha the audience is slowly able to know the two factors that are the source of Hardika‟s animosity. (Parmar ) Forgetting occurs in history, politics and life in general. "The struggle against power is the struggle of memory against forgetting", comments Milan Kundera in his book Book of Laughter and Forgetting (Kundera #)

9. Significance of space T he play is into three spaces one, the mob, two, the Gandhi family and three, the memory of Dakhsha. Mr. Dhiren Parmar feels that various points of time these three separate worlds interact and overlap with each other. (Parmar ) The local Hindu and Muslim communities, symbolized by the Mob/Chorus, are being driven toward conflict during the riots. The communal violence between these groups triggers Hardika's recollections of the partition era and her experiences as a newlywed in 1948. These memories find expression through the character of Daksha, who is depicted reading from her diary. Final Solutions opens with the image of five masked individuals dressed in black. Dattani has named them as Mob/Chorus. Each member has two masks one is of Hindu and other of Muslim.The local Hindu and Muslim communities, representedby the Mob/Chorus are blowing each other for the riots

10. Conclusion In "Final Solutions" by Mahesh Dattani, the significance of time and space is a fundamental element that contributes to the play's depth and complexity. The play's setting in a period of heightened communal tension in India and the specific context of the Ramjanmabhoomi movement adds layers of meaning to the narrative. Dattani skillfully weaves together three distinct spaces: the Mob/Chorus representing local Hindu and Muslim communities, the Gandhi family, and Daksha's memories of the partition era. These spaces interact and overlap, illustrating how communal violence transcends time and affects multiple dimensions of society. Daksha's recollections, expressed through her diary, serve as a powerful link to the past and highlight the enduring issues of communal tension, emphasizing that these issues persist despite the passage of time. The disruption of the Rath Yatra in the play underscores the connection between past and present, emphasizing the continuity of communal issues. In conclusion, "Final Solutions" effectively utilizes the interplay of time and space to shed light on the enduring communal tensions in India. The play underscores the need for acceptance and empathy to address these issues and calls for a collective understanding of history's impact on contemporary society.

11. References Chaudhuri, Asha Kuthari. Mahesh Dattani: An Introduction . Foundation Books, 2005. Accessed 17 October 2023. Dawande, Jitendra. “Mahesh Dattani as a Playwright or the Autobiographical Note in Mahesh Dattani's Plays.” International Journal of Science and Research (IJSR) , vol. 10, no. 10, October 2021. International Journal of Science and Research , https://www.ijsr.net/archive/v10i10/SR211014083450.pdf . Kundera, Milan. The Book of Laughter and Forgetting . Translated by Aaron Asher, HarperCollins, 1999, https://www.amazon.in/Book-Laughter-Forgetting-Perennial-Classics/dp/0060932147 . Parmar, Mr. Dhiren. “Mahesh Dattani’s Final Solutions: an Analytical Study.” International Journal of Humanities and Social Science Invention (IJHSSI) , vol. 8, no. Aug. 2019, https://www.ijhssi.org/papers/vol8%288%29/Series-2/E0808024954.pdf .