Suraj Ka Satwan Ghoda by Dharamvir Bharati

I had read Dharamvir Bharati's Gunahon Ka Devta around three years ago. The novel is one of my favourite Hindi novels. Since Suraj Ka Satwan Ghoda is much more acclaimed novel than Gunahon Ka Devta, my expectations were much higher. And I must say this short-novel over-delivered on my very high expectations.

The way Dr. Bharati has told the story in Suraj Ka Satwan Ghoda is very much different from the conventional story-telling style. Today, in twentieth century we may have read novels with similar way of story-telling but for a Hindi novel that first published in 1952, it must have been quite revolutionary. Bharati have split the story of the novel in seven short stories.

Bharati, himself, is the story-teller. The place of the events is Allahabad (I suppose) and the time is immediately after India’s independence from the Britain (~1950). The novel starts with an introduction of Manik Mulla, the protagonist of the novel. Manik is a famous personality of the colony Bharati lives in. It’s summer, typical North India style. A group of friends (including Bharati) gathers at Manik Mulla’s house. A regular activity. Some of the friends are playing cards, some are laying on the floor, doing nothing. Bharati is reading a novel. Manik Mulla pulls the book from Bharati’s hands, saying, “You can’t read others’ stories in a story-teller’s house!” And this is how Manik Mulla starts telling the stories. He tells seven stories on seven consecutive noons. All the seven stories prove to be a part of a single story in the end. Manik Mulla tells the conclusion on seventh noon and novel ends.

Unlike Gunahon Ka Devta, Suraj Ka Satwan Ghoda has nothing to do with sacred love and commitment. This novel is all about Indian lower-middle-class people. According to Bharati, economy is more important to Indian lower-middle-class people than love or any other emotion. And this phenomenon has led the entire class to darkness, immorality, inhumanity and apathy. All the people in the novel tend to do injustice to humanity. Their characters seem to be weak and they end up betraying the people around. All because of money or their low values.

If you are wondering what Suraj Ka Satwan Ghoda means then Bharati ji has described it in a very beautiful manner. As per him, despite of all the darkness and sadness, there is something that inspires to light up the dark, lead to the good. The truth, faith and bravery lead the soul to the light in the same way the seven horses lead the chariot of the Sun. The chariot of the Sun has to move forward, always. But it’s destroyed during its journey via the streets of our dark, corrupt, low-value and immoral lives. Except for the seventh horse, all the six horses have been severely injured. The seventh horse is still brave, determined, focused and is moving ahead continuously. The seventh horse is the future. Bharati ji has co-related this seventh horse with the children of his novel’s characters. He says these children, the new generation will lead us to the light and we must have faith in this seventh horse.

A very small but good read. Highly Recommended.

Suraj Ka Satwan Ghoda by Dharamvir Bharati. pp 101, rs 25 paperback. Bhartiya Jnanpith.