QUEST FOR LIBERATION OF THE SELF IN TASLIMA NASRIN'S NOVEL LAJJA (original) (raw)

Taslima Narsin is a secular humanist who writes for freedom, equality and human rights. She gains global fame with the novel Lajja. It is one of the most controversial literary works in Southeast Asian Literature. Lajja is a barbarous indictment of religious extremism and man's brutality to man. Narsin has opposed to the oppression of minority Hindus in Islamic society of Bangladesh. Suranjan, the protagonist, and his father Sudhamoy are secular, nationalist, atheist, and a mix of optimism and idealism who believe that their motherland will not let them down. They are in constant search and in an attempt to assert their autonomy in the social and intellectual world. They faces dilemmas, pulls and pressures of their own emotional world and makes continuous effort for self-discovery and liberation of the self. Lajja is written on the incident of Babri Masjid demolition by Hindu Fundamentalists at Ayodhya, aftermath turmoil fallout is most acutely in Bangladesh, where Muslim Fundamentalists mobs begin to search and attack minority Hindus. Sudhamoy's secular and nationalist world begins to fall apart. His firm determination and trust of motherland breaks down. Suranjan and his family wants to live like a Bangladeshi but the majority Muslims bounds them to live as well as die like a Hindu. There is no recognition for them. They are like slaves and their presence is insignificant, unwanted and worthless. The protagonist Suranjan and his parents leave Bangladesh in a search of liberation of the self. Key Words