Navigating Self and Society: A Critical Analysis of K. A. Abbas’ Bholi

Abstract

1. A. Abbas’s Bholi depicts the sad picture of a young girl who becomes a victim of social norms and society that devalues her on account of false discriminatory standards. But in the midst of this profound neglect, this story brings to the fore a powerful paradox that turns out to be a powerful means for her liberation. Bholi resorted to complete silence and passive agreement to this incompatible marriage in her society, wherein she is constantly reminded of her traditional role of a daughter whose sole responsibility is to uphold her father’s honour at any cost. Her sudden decision not to marry Bishamber is not to be seen as her personal choice or rejection of a groom; it is to be seen as a complete rejection of the age-old patriarchal system that merely treats women as objects of transaction. The teacher’s role is not merely limited to academic lessons, but she stands as a powerful symbol of empathy and an agent of positive change in society through education. The teacher’s positive attitude towards Bholi instills in her the spirit of self-respect and dignity, which helps her to navigate a space for herself that was denied to her for years by her family and society. Bholi’s rejection of the bridegroom at the ‘Mandap’ in an orthodox society is a powerful and dramatic climax wherein one witnesses a girl’s confrontation against societal constraints. Education helps her to choose her own path and navigate personal freedom for herself and thus she becomes the embodiment of a dutiful daughter.