Mortuary

The novel 'Murdhaghar' (Mortuary) has not been penned on any new subject. The title also does not reek of any novelty. Rather the situation is contrary. Significant books have been written on this topic and people residing in this segment in nearly all the main languages of the world. The Great Russian masterpiece Yame the Pit, a novel composed by Alexander Kupren, initially comes to our mind in this context. Translated in Hindi by the name of Gariwalon Ka Katra in the 1950s, the book depicts the lower most rungs of society, poverty-stricken prostitutes, and their squalid rather appalling living conditions. A tradition of a particular mode of writing based on realistic surroundings was sparked off by this Russian composition.

I would like to place Jagadamba Prasad Dixit's famous novel Mortuary in this slot. The novel is centered around whores dwelling in the slums of suburban Bombay. The intense authenticity pervading the text is its chief characteristic present with its audio visual impact, a verbal picturisation of their lives. A fermenting world to the extent of appearing loathsome. The nauseating novel is a lament of these lives, swarming with lepers, disabled humans, sexually impaired and disease ridden people, men, women particularly women and children. However all of them share the same common feature. Fearsome and distressing poverty.

**Contents and Sample Pages**