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Thematic Reflections in Gurcharan Das’s 9 Jakhoo Hill

Dr Randeep Rana
Associate Professor
Department of English and Foreign
Languages
M.D.U, Rohtak

Indian English Drama made a beginning in the early nineteenth century. But, could not

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secure a firm foothold and build a tradition of its own. Indian Theatre and Drama was occupied
with plays written in regional languages to which the audiences responded spontaneously. Even
during the post-Independence period, Indian English Drama has not been able to match the
popularity poetry, prose and fiction enjoyed in the vast canvas of Indian English Literature.
M.K Naik and H.M Williams observed that Indian Drama in English failed to compete with the
genre of poetry and Fiction . The foremost reason for its failure to create a niche is that English
has never been the medium of natural conversation in India. English language was not

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intelligible to the masses and the playwrights also found it difficult to narrate the situations or
write dialogues in English. Secondly, there has been a paucity of living theatres in India, since
long. Thirdly, Indian English Dramatists failed miserably to utilize the rich mythic past of Indian
folklore and history. Last but not the least, these dramatists were unsuccessful to benefit from the
substantial Western models and techniques despite being influenced and affected by Marxist,
Psychoanalytic , symbolist and surrealist movements, during the 1920s.
Few writers like Rabindernath Tagore,Sri Aurbindo , H.N Chattopadhyyaya and T.P.Kailasam
in the colonial era and Girish Karnard, Nissem Ezekiel, Asif Currimbhoy,Bidal Sircar,Gieve
Patel,Mahesh Dattani and Gurcharan Das in the post colonial India strove to make some impact
in the field of Indian drama in English. Their drama shows bold experimentations in language
and technique alongwith a rich diversity of genre like comedy, tragic-comedy, tragedy,farce,
history plays and fantasy and helped Indian English drama attain a recognizable popularity.
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Indian society during the 1960s experienced the conflicting values of the socio-economic order.
This became manifest in the clash between the capitalistic values of the old conventional order
and the parochial values of the traditional middle classes. Moreover, the development of the
modern outlook due to its collusion with the west, the impact of liberal education on the society
apart from the, new spirit of intellectual protest ,propagated the rejection of conventional norms
and values based on ‘varna’ system. The new emerging trends in the ideologies and values in
society and culture signified a revolt against the dominating upper middle class. The old and
unhealthy traditions of the social, economic and political exploitation of the uneducated and
ignorant people were decried.
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Gurcharan Das , a graduate in Philosophy from prestigious Harvard University America , former
CEO of Procter and Gamble , is a dramatist, a columnist and a non-fiction writer. He has written
Three English Plays namely Larins Sahib,Mira and 9 Jakhoo Hill and a novel A Fine
Family(1990) apart from non –fictional works. His 9 Jakhoo Hill written in 1966 presents a
pertinent theme of decadence in modern Hindu family and social realism in the ever changing
socio-economic order. Regarding the choice of the subject of the play, Gurcharan Das himself
averred, “After writing two plays based on historic personages, I thought that I would turn to

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contemporary concerns. Hence my next play is set in recent times”(16) The play, apart from
being a critique on evolving social-economical order , is a vibrant comment about mother-
fixation, the hold of Indian mother on her son, about a class-conscious traditional society and the
growing incestuous obsessions of ageing uncles. According to Anita Myles, “ Das’s contribution
to English Drama is immense because his plays prove that Indian Drama in English is both
stageable as well as contains literary value”(17) A good play is evaluated by its stageability,
being able to capture the attention of the theatre-goers instantaneously while the interest must
sustain from beginning to the end.

9Jakhoo Hill presents Indian socio-economic and political history of 1960s and 1970s which is

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considered to be the most tumultuous period in the Indian context due to demoralizing Indo-
China war . The play set in Shimla during 1962 is relevant even today in the 21st century.
Referring to the context of the play The Hindu stated :
The political turmoil and disillusionment of the outside world, India’s demoralizing war with
China, the gradual decline of Nehruvian Ideals and optimism is echoed in the sitting room of ‘9
Jakhoo Hill’ where once well to do family watches in comprehension as its genteel world

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disintegrates in the face of a brash new social climbing middle class.
The play is about two migrant Hindu families from Lahore after the tragic partition of India. The
play investigates the ways of living which governed the attitudes, social norms, the psycho-
cultural and socio-cultural behavior patterns of the Simla society .The play is an exposé of
changing social order which affected the socio-economic order of the Indian society in the past
and is affecting it in the present century as well. The play is a resonant account on the cultural
and political history of India.
Gurcharan Das in the ‘Introduction’ to Three English Plays asserted, “ We are Macaulay’s
children, not Manu’s…we have one foot in India , the other in the West, and we belong to
neither culture”(18-19).In the 21st century, under the impact of globalization , liberalization our
life appears to be fragmented and affected by rapidly changing social and economical order,
societal changes ,intensifying debauchery . The ideals of Universal brotherhood, sorority and
forbearance have been substituted by voracity, profligacy narcissism and corruption resulting in
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creation of estranged and alienated individuals all over the country. Gurcharan Das’s 9 Jakhoo
Hill is a realistic portrayal of this gloomy picture of Indian society in 1960s and also in 2010s.
Das reverberates Elton’s views that past always determines the present, “ Those who look upon it
have survived it; they are its product and its victors. No wonder, therefore, that men concern
themselves with history” (Elton 46).
Jawahar Lal Nehru armoured with his idealistic ideals, promoting the policy of non-alignment
and The Panchsheel, dreamt to make India a power. The Chinese incursion, Indian defeat and
mortification hurt the Nation’s consciousness beyond imagination. The result of 1962 Indo-
China war would have been different had Nehru displayed greater leadership acumen and
realized India’s military power.
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The political hubbub and frustration, India’s disconcerting defeat at the hands of the Chinese,
collapse of Nehru’s impractical beliefs, crass materialistic, apathetic and hostile social attitudes
of characters is reverberated in this play. 9 Jakhoo Hill is not only about the traumatic
experiences of partition, one individual’s past but of migrant families in particular and
community in general. The play highlighting the dilemma of contemporary society, illustrates
the impact of Indo-China war on the Indian society in 1962 that ended an age of innocence and
completely devastated Nehruvian ideals.

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Gurcharan Das in the ‘Introduction’ accentuated that sustainable expansion is not possible
without focusing on economic and social development. Maintaing a proper equilibrium between
economic and social development, ensuing that this economic development was shared by the
whole society serves the very purpose of this growth. These economic reforms must take into
consideration the apprehensions of every segment of the society. Regrettably, Indian
Government’s structure of socio- economic growth turned out to be a failure and proved to be a
nightmare that produced , “ …an untrained army of underpaid engineers operating without
clearcut criteria,… licensing committee equally ignorant of entrepreneurial realities also
operating upon….The result was enormous delays-years- with staggering opportunities for
corruption”( TOI.6).

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9JakhooHill is set in the autumn of 1962 in Shimla during Diwali:
The twenty-fourth of October,1962, just before Diwali. The Chinese have invaded India and
every day the papers are full of sad, humiliating news of Indian defeats. It is breaking Nehru’s
heart. The country hasn’t yet realized that it is dangerous to put dreamers in power(144).

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Here a well-to-do family observes ineffectively its unruffled and genial ambiance collapsing
under the impact and influence of the new rising middle class. The writer, through the story of
these two immigrant families from Lahore , has tried to depict the impact of ‘money’ on mutual
human relationship and reliance. The writer, optimistic of the modern societal set up observed, “
The most striking feature of contemporary India is the rise of a confident new middle class,
which is full of energy and drive and is making things happen”(17).
The play probes the lives of two established but displaced families from Lahore during the
partition. Gurcharan Das’s characters reveals that there are two types of people, one , “ …who
hold values dear and …those who believe everything relative as long as one’s goal is met”(The
Hindu 14).
The play is a resounding critique on the families torn apart due to, “ Partition –-that great tearing
apart ,which reduced people to elemental, fearful creatures; desperate to survive, clinging to the
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vestiges of dignity”(143). One of the concerned family is a conventional middle class family
consisting of Amrita, her brother Karan Chand alias Mamu and Amrita’s young daughter
Ansuya. The narrator cum actor Karan Chand discloses , “ Amrita, over there, was born into a
distinguished family ,… into a world of grace , refinement and good taste”(144). Ansuya ,
twenty six years old is an impulsive but intelligent girl who , “ was not born to lead a staid ,
conventional life. Lonely, withdrawn, but with an almost fierce vitality, she wants to live fully
and passionately” (144). Amrita’s husband died during the riots ,they lost all their wealth they
had in Lahore and came to Delhi ,where they had a couple of mills and a big sprawling house in
the Civil Lines. Due to lack of business acumen in Amrita and Karan Chand they were all at sea.
They were forced to sell their mills and their house , as they suffered heavy losses in their
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business. Finally they moved to Shimla , to their summer residence, 9 Jakhoo Hill. This was all
they had been left with, alongwith a paltry income from bonds and shares, too inadequate for
their kind of life.
The other family comprises, Deepak, twenty seven years old young man and a successful
business executive settled in Bombay. He, “…is full of energy and ambition….talented and
smooth, but is also under the excessive influence of his mother. Having had to come up the hard
way, he has cultivated the social graces….He has already done well for himself ,and knows he is

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good. He has a composed voice, shinning eyes anda bright smile. He is self-possesed and good-
natured”(155). His mother, Chitra enduring terrors of partition, moved to Mumbai, where with
an obsessive devotion ensured that her son got the best education and then a good job in a good
company. Chitra, “ has a husband, but he doesn’t count. …is a survivor: street smart, calculating
and unconcerned about her ways” (143).
The play is a pragmatic portrait of the ever changing socio-economical and political situation of
Indian society in the 1960s that influence the outlook and ideals of the society in general and
individuals in particular. Economic restructuring prompted by the Indian Government was the
main power behind these modifications. The play spotlights on the depiction of positive and
negative aspects of socio-economic reforms and their influence on the characters.

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The social relevance of the play cannot be negated even in the present century, when Chitra in
Act II tells Amrita about Deepak’s income.
Chitra: He makes one thousand , two hundred and eighty-six rupees per month,Didi!...We rushed
here, Didi, because Deepak’s company is bidding for a licence, and the big Government uffsar is
here, in Simla(158).
This is reflexive of the materialistic approach of a new rising middle class that was affected by

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the fiscal reforms during the 1960s.
After the agonizing period of bloody partition and dejected cost-effective modifications ,people,
particularly the ones belonging to the pre-Independence period , were desolate, frustrated and
were nostalgic, always clinging to the rich ancestoral past.
Gurcharan Das in his ‘Introduction’ to the Three English Plays stated that the old middle class,
consisting of people like his grandfather and father emerged in the nineteenth century with the
spread of English education. This English education created a class of professionals who,
“stepped into the shoes of departing English in 1947”(17) and for a long period have
monopolized the rewards of not only 20th century modern society but are still enjoying the
rewards of 21st century as well. But, this conventional middle class feels alienated from the mass
of the Indian society and is unsure of its identity , even in the present century. The class was
leisurely,tolerant and ambiguous as compared to this new middle class which is , “ street smart; it
has had to fight to rise from the bottom and it has learnt to manoeuvre the system”(17).Whereas
on the other hand , the new middle class of the 20th century, “ is based on money, drive and an
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ability to get things done. whereas the old class was liberal, idealistic and inhibited , the new
order is pragmatic and refreshingly free from colonial hang-ups”(17).
The old middle class was leisurely,tolerant and ambiguous as compared to this new middle class
which is , “ street smart; it has had to fight to rise from the bottom and it has learnt to manoeuvre
the system”
Before the industrial revolution the old middle class boasting about idealistic, conventional
moral life lost its significance with the coming of new middle class represented by Deepak and
Chitra, as Karan , the narrator comments:
Karan: As you can see,our life had a certain rhythm, a certain quality, even as we were slowly
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getting poorer. It was this rhythm which was shattered when Deepak and Chitra came into our
lives( 153).
The play also explores the conflict between the old, conventional middle class family represented
by Amrita and Ansuya and the new emerging middle class family represented by Deepak and
Chitra. Gurcharan Das has portrayed Chitra, as a die-hard money monger fervently against her
son Deepak’s decision to marry Ansuya because Ansuya’s family is berift of all the luxuries and
affluences and is almost on the verge of being bankrupt.

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Chitra:Stop it Ma? All these yearsI’ve been teaching you: don’t marry beauty; don’t marry for
love; marry a rich girl!
Deepak: Yes Ma, I heard you,’…marry money.’ But on the train up here,you said yourself that
you wanted me to think of marrying Ansuya.
Chitra: that was before I found out that they had become poor.(191).

Ansuya’s family is evocative about its rich ancestral past, where they lived a serene and luxuriant
life during the pre-partition period. They were forced to sell even their house to pay off their
debts. Ansuya craves for city life more than anything else. She is uncomfortable at home and is
unhappy at her Mamu’s advances. She feels stifled by her clogged life and the incestuous elite of

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Simla’s so called affluent society to the extent that despite Deepaks’s warning , “ Bombay can
be heartless and indifferent”(162), she avers:
Ansuya: I’d rather have the indifference than our great hospitality, which suffocates you in the
end. You don’t have Mrs Kumar …(and she mimicks.)…’I wonder what’s wrong with that girl,’
or Mrs Mehra…’Arre, what a fast girl!’(162).
She wanted to leave Simla at any cost and felt that to realize her dream, Deepak was the right

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person and a true companion. According to Karan Chand , our narrator, Ansuya , “ yearned for
the voicelessness of the big city.A great city can be a great solitude. Ansu wanted to disappear in
a crowd of strangers. A big city may be squalid,even callous, but it is also more tolerant to our
fellow men(164).
Gurcharan Das stresses on the impact and effect of economic changes on the characters and
concludes that social relations were based traditionally and conventionally on emotions and
fellow feelings but with the advent and under the influence of rising avariciousness these
relations suffer and begin disintegrating. This change affected even the pious mother-son
relationship. Chitra failed to give Deepak the much needed emotional and affectionate love,
although she tried her best and also succeeded to some extent in making him a business
executive. Deepak’s verbal outburst describes his anger of being bereft of motherly love.
Deepak : Ma, don’t you care about what I want?Don’t you care about my happiness?(191).
Deepak is infact, a pathetic victim of mother-fixation. Inspite of in love with Ansuya he could
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not marry her , because of the excessive control of his mother. His pleadings and appeals do not
affect the money-monger Chitra.
Deepak: It’s my one chance for an honest life. She is fine person, with ideals. Ma.
Chitra: Oh-ho, that girl is only after your position and your job. She has trapped you, you
simpleton. Deepak, think of your future.She doesn’t have a naya paisa to her name. you ‘re on
the way up,son. Your star is going to rise. You need a rich girl to help you climb up. Her family
are on the way down. She should be satisfied with a municipal clerk (192).
Chitra is obsessed by her concentrated quest of success and materialistic gains that she
desperately forces Deepak to marry Rai Saheb’s niece only because of affluent dowry and
bluntly tells Deepak:
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Chitra: Rai Saheb’s niece!Look Deepak, you won’t find another match like her. Beta, beta
thande dimag se soch. My guess is the dowry is not going to be under two lakhs.And maybe they
will also give a car, a fridge and an air-conditioner. Uff ! Main to khushi se paagal ho rahi
hoon!I don’t think I shall be able to sleep tonight, Deepak.(192)
Thus, by persuading Deepak to marry Rai Saheb’s niece instead of Ansuya, Chitra craves
happiness at all cost even ignoring Deepak’s frantic appeal for love.

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Deepak:( Barking) To hell with my promotion, Ma . I want Ansuya… It’s my one chance for an
honest life. She is a fine person, with ideals Ma. (192)
But, Chitra is obstinate to be moved an inch by these emotional hiccups/obstacles. She bemoans
her starved life at Lahore in the pre-partition days and now is frantic to lead a contented life .
Chitra: Oh-oh, we always need more money. There’s never enough. Oh, tu kya jaanta hai, What
it is like to grow up poor. What do you know what it was like to be the tenants of these people in
Lahore? Kisi ke tukdon par palna, tu kya jaanta hai ? After Partition, what do you know what it
was like to be a petty kiranawalla’s wife in Ghatkopar?(191)
Gurcharan Das through Chitra has shown that aspiration for money exceeds the ethical
boundaries as well. Here profligacy is not a bane rather a boon,passport for success. Chitra,in

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order to get the much cherished licence for her son Deepak’s company and get him married to
Rai sahib’s niece willfully agrees/consents for sexual relations with Rai sahib.
Chitra:( Her eyes light up ) Son , it is done .Your future is pucca, and your licence meri muuti
mein hai!... Rai Saheb ke saath gai zaroor thi. But not the club. To his house. Ek ghanta unke
saath bita kar aa rahi hoon! Samjhe?(193)
Thus, decrepitude of societal behavior is reflected in Rai Sahib’s trivial and immoral talks

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about Khanna’s ayah, who was made pregnant by Khanna sahib and he makes fun of this.
In 9Jakhoo Hill Gurcharan Das shows how intricate it is for a company to get a licence, due to
rising corruption and redtapism rampant in the administrative system of India. Through Rai
Saheb he exposes the Government bureaucracy where officers exploit people socially,sexually
as well as economically. Karan Chand , correctly accuses Rai Saheb.

Mamu: Tell us, Deepak, will your company have to bribe him for the licence?(158).
The upcoming new middle class hardworking people is quick to learn and ready to imbibe the
positive impact of economic reforms. In portraying Deepak as a successful business executive
with brain Das presents the positive impact of economic reforms in 1960sand 1970s .
Deepak : Sir, I am proud of what I do and the company I work for. You may think what you like,
but I believe we care more about our people than many academics do for their students.
The most striking feature about the modern economy is that it enthuses optimistic spirit and
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courage in youth, as evident from Deepak’s plan for ‘9 Jakhoo Hill’ to convert it into a hotel so
that they can make best use of it in their critical financial condition by enabling Ansuya to be
confident and self-reliant. He tells Ansuya:
Deepak : ( Speaking like a professional manager). Why not convert it into an exclusive season
hotel?...Give it to a professional company to manage it….And , I tell you, in two years , you
could pay back all your debts and keep the house , too.(161).
Ansuya , taking note of to his advice is able to restart and lead a comfortable life.
According to Jaibir S. Hooda :
The rise of the new middle class with its own values prevails upon the older middle class and its
different set of values. The possibility of survival of this old middle class is only through an
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appropriation of the drive of entrepreneurship and singularity of focus for attainment of personal
fulfillment. Ansuya, finally, plans to lead a dignified life and facilitate the well-being of her
family by appropriating the economical and financial strategy of converting ‘9 Jakhoo Hill’ into
an exclusive ‘ Jakhoo Hotel’. The strategy is Deepak’s brain-child.
The transition in the thinking of the people and especially in the new progressive generation gave
impetus to bring about change in the living condition of the people. There is an increasing
dynamism and a desire to change the economic structure in Ansuya from her present state of

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stagnation echoing the sentiments of the new generation that was rather is progressive ,full of
enthusiasm and vigour to build up a new optimistic atmosphere in the country.
Thus , 9 Jakhoo Hill is a well set play. It emphasizes to maintain a critical balance between
economic upliftment and maintaining social and moral order. The play was relevant in 1962,
when it was written, in 1996 when it was staged for the first time and is relevant even today in
the 21st century as well.

Das’s aim in his play was to shock audience out of their conventional views and attitudes and to
encourage them to think rationally and critically, about all aspects of their society,and
particularly about its inequalities and injustices. Das shifted the focus of attention in Drama from

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conventionally well-made plots to the dynamic inter-relations between character, speech action
and ideas. Indian English Drama has emerged as a fine blend of the East and West. Das has taken
care to focus on the contemporary problems confronting the Indian social milieu. The themes
taken up by him are no more limited to India alone but are universal in nature and hence have
attracted worldwide attention.

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Works Cited:
Das, Gurcharan. “9 Jakhoo Hill,”Three English Plays. New Delhi : OUP.2003. Print.
--------------------. “ Introduction,”Three English Plays. New Delhi : OUP.2003. Print.
--------------------. “ Treasures from Magic Forest,” The Hindu . 14.February. 2005.Web.
--------------------. “ Changing Indian Economy,” The Times of India.31 December 2000.6. Print.
Elton,G.R. The Practice of History. London: Fontana Press.1967.Print.
Hooda, J.S. “ Ideological Conflict in Gurcharan Das’s 9 JakhooHill”
Pramana I.I (2011):88-91.Print.
Myles, Anita. Contemporary Indian English Drama: An Overview. New
Delhi: Sarup Publishers
The Hindu 8August 2003n.p. print.
2010.
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