R. K. Narayan ka upanyaas The Dark Room: Bhartiya nari ke Drishtikone
Bhartiya samaj mein nari ka ek anokha sthaan raha hai. Use kabhi sati ke roop main aadar diya gaya hai to kabhi dahej na laane ke liye jalaya gaya hai. Aisi mahilaaon ki kahaniyan kai pracheen bhartiya sahityik pustakon main paayi jaati hain. Prantu samay ke badalne ke saath mahilayen bhi ghar ki char diwari se bahar aakar apni pehchaan banane lagin aur har us kshetra mein safal hone lagin jahan abhi tak kewal purush raha karte the. Inhi visheshtaon ko darshati R. K. Narayan ne apne upanyas The Dark Room mein Savitri aur Shanta Bai jaisi mahilaon ka chitran kiya hai.
The Dark Room ki kahani mein teen mukhya patra hain – Ramani, Engladia Insurance Company ke shakha prabandhak, unki patni Savitri aur Shanta Bai jo Ramani ke daftar mein kaam karti hai. Ramani aur Savitri apni teen santaan Babu, Kamala aur Sumati ke saath sukhi jeevan vyateet kar rahe the. Kabhi kabhi Ramani ke vyavahaar se Savitri gussa ho jati aur ‘The Dark Room’ jo ki ek lagbhag andhera bhandaar ghar hai usmein chali jaati parantu phir bhi jeevan sukhi tha. Ek din Shanta Bai Ramani ke karyalay mein kaam karne aati hai. Kuch hi samay mein dono ke beech avaidh sambandh shuru ho jata hai. Savitri ko is sambandh ke bare main pata chalta hai to wah Ramanai ko rokne ka prayatna karti hai par wah asafal rehti hai. Haar kar wah ghar chod deti hai aur aatmahatya karne chali jaati hai. Par wah usmein bhi asafal rehti hai kyunki Mari naamak lohar use bacha leta hai. Mari aur uski patni Ponni, Savitri ki dekhbhal karte hain. Savitri unke upkar nahin lena chahti. Wah kaam karna chahti hai aur aatmanirbharta tatha swabhimaan se kamaya hua ann khana chahti hai. Wah Ponni ki sahayta se ek mandir ki safai ka kaam aarambh karti hai. Kintu kuch hi dinon ki kathinaiyaan use ghar ki yaad dilaane lagti hain. Use uske bachche bhi bahut yaad aane lagte hain. Apni mamta ke liye wah apne swabhimaan ko pare rakh kar ghar wapas laut jaati hai.
Narayan ki mahila paatrayen aksar paaramparik bhartiya nari hoti hain jo ghar ki char diwaari main apna sara jeevan vyateet kar deti hain. The Dark Room mein bhi, prarambhik samay mein Savitri ek bhartiya naari ka prateek hai. Wah apne pati ke rukhe vyawahaar ke bawajood, ek achi patni, maa aur malkin ki zimmedaari achi tarah nibhati hai. Jab use Ramani ke sambandh ke bare mein pata chalta hai to uska pativrata man is baat par vishwas nahin karta aur jab vishwas hota hai tab bhi wah apne aap ko hi Ramani ke bhatak jaane ke liye zimmedaar samajhti hai. Use lagta hai ki wah ab pehle jaisi sundar nahin rahi is liye Ramani doosri aurat ke paas gaya. Wah Ramani ki pasand ke anusaaar sajna sawarna aarambh kar deti hai. Phir bhi Ramani Shanta Bai ke premjaal se baahar nahin nikal paata. Pandrah varsh ke vaivaahik jeevan ke baad bhi wah bebas thi. Savitri ke aacharan mein jo badlao aata hai wah is baat ki pushti karta hai ki bhartiya naari jagruk ho rahi thi. Savitri apne antarman ki saari shaktiyan ikaththe karke ghar chodne ka nishchay leti hai.
Savitri ke ateerikt, is kahani mein ek aur rochak paatra hai Shanta Bai. Wah chaalaak aur chatur hai aur bhali bhanti jaanti hai kaise apne roop aur adaon ka upyog karke purush ko phasaaya jaata hai. Ramani se uski pehli mulakaat mein hi saaf dikhta hai ki use apne jaal mein phaansna chahti hai.
Ek aur paatra jo ki hai to chota prantu bahut ghanisht jo Savitri ke jeevan mein aham bhoomika nibhaata hai, wo hai Ponni. Ponni Savitri ko naye jeevan ki raah dikhaati hai. Wah apne pati aur ghar dono par shashan karti hai. Wah apne aachaar vichaar mein prabal hai aur jeevan ki har kathinayee ka saamna karne ka dhairya rakhti hai. Jab Savitri ko mandir ke pujaari unchahe prashno se tang karte hain to Ponni unko do tuk uttar dekar unka muh band kar deti hai. Wah apne pati par bhi kadi nazar rakhti hai ki wah kahin kisi doosri aurat ke chungal mein naa phas jaaye. Is tarah Ponni ko har tarah ke purushon se nipatne aata hai.
Savitri ki mitra Gangu bhi ek paatra hai jo bahut murkh hai. Uski kayee mahtwakankshayen hain. Kabhi wah film abhinetri banna chahti hai to kabhi sangeetkaar. Kabhi malgudi ki pratinidhi banker akhil bhartiya mahila sammelan mein bhaag lena chahti hai to kabhi congrees ki neta. Ye ek chota kirdaar hain kintu aadhunik yug mein pravesh karti naari ki abhilashaaon ko poorn roop se darshaata hai.
Anth mein ek aur paatra hai Janamma. Ye ek adhed umr ki samajhdaar mahila hain. Wo hamesha Savitri ki chintaaon mein uski madad karti hain aur use sahi galat ki pehchaan karati hain. Prantu unki ek hi rai hamesha rehti hai ki pati parmeshwar hai aur wo job hi karta hai, stree ko use chup chaap seh lena chahiye aur is liye Savirti ko bhi shikayat nahin karni chahiye. JanaR. K. Narayanmma ke is tarah samjhaane se Savitri hamesha apne aap ko hi galat maanti hai aur apni harkaton par pachtaati hai. In sabhi patron ke vivaran se ye saaf hota hai ki R. K. Narayan naari ke har drishtikone ko achi tarah samajhte the.