(Autobiography)/DSE B-3/C.U.

/6th Semester
194 Honours Hand Book
Essay Type Questions with Answers

0.1. Discuss how far Nirad C. Chauduri appears to be:e

an
Book-Iof "Autobiography of An
Unknown Indian". Anglophile in
Ans. The General Preface of Autobiography of An Unknown Indian,
C.Chaudhuri writes Nitad
To the memory of the British empire in Indiat which conferred subjecthood on us
withheld citizenship; to which yet every one of us threwout the challenge: "Civis) but
Sum" because all that was good and living with us was made, shaped, , Britanricua
and quickenedthy
the same British rule.
Chagdhuri is always very conscious of the fact that his knowledge of
and Nirad C. Chaudhuri England is secondhand, yet he persists in descriEnglbinsg
things only in English metaphors. Chapter I begins:
Kishorganj, my birthplace, I have called acountry town, but this description,.im
afraid, will call up wholly wrong associations. The place had nothing of the Engls
country town about it, if lam to judge by the illustrations I have seen and the deseriphos
I have read, these being my only source of knowledge about England, since Ihave na
been there, nor in fact anywhere outside my own country.
This acceptanice of England and things English as the norm for judgy
India is, no doubt, the effect of colonization. The passage from Unknown Indm
continues:
Kishorganj Oasonly anormal specimen ofits class -- one among ascore ofcolletas
of tin-and-mat huts or sheds, comprising courts, offices, schools,shops and residentid
dwellings, which British administration had raised up in the green and broui sy
East Bengal.
One notices immediately that Chaudhuri's tone is quite detached - therei
no sense of closeness to his native village. The tone throughout tenasting
the village, it is one "among a Score", and he is dismissive of all the buildings
whether "residential dwellings" or offices, schools or Courts. From a height&
five hundred feet, the buildi~igs would have looked like "a patch of whiteand
brown mushrooms." The
Pejoratie

comparison with "mushrooms" has growthnot

implications, with the Suggestions s h o r t - l i v e d

There is no attempt to individualise of unplanned, surely,

untidy, the court wOuld
the
have been a hut or a shed, it would havebuildings:
had a permanent brick building
fout
into

The Autobiography is divided into four books and each

book are
chapters. The first is entitled "Early and its four
c h a p t e r

England
s

My Birth Place, (b) My Environment" (d) whict

Ancestral
Together, they describe the Place, (c) My Mother's Place, and
mental
in
"Shakespeare"
the boy Nirad grew up. In environment, both physical and Wel

'Full fathom five..' and the fourth chapter, says R.C.R. Sinha,
the
and t h a t
i

Vividly presented to hisWebster' s 'Call for the Robin red breastand seathe
mind that juxtaposition of land
ligh

England." As he recited 'Earth more

tair c e l e s t i

of dawn in all its has not anything to show the

purity seemed to unfolding

descerid on him,
 Autobiograpby of an Unknown Indian - 195
became familiar with the names of several English and
(London. He
u t y
o f

at a very early age. To him as to the educated Bengal of

p e r s o n a l i t i e s

was 'the epitome, test, and symbol of

fiugpean
Shakespeare
literary culture."
Hat
hime.

did Napoleon
adoration 1 receive, though he belonged to atotally different
Noless Nirad C Chaudhuri's interest in warfare can be traced t the
activity.
eof personality of Napoleon as a military hero. Burke for the
sohere
tic
c

mpeachment of Warren Hastings, received his whole-hearted reverence.

h a r i s m a

siblingsin
the author's family were taught very carefully the names
The
ofthe English Prime Ministers including Lord Salisbury, Mr Balfour,
nd
views

Rosebery, and Mr. Gladstone but they thought that Lord Rosebery was
Lord Prime Minister and Disraeli the coming Prime Minister. For this reason
thelast interested in Lord
feltso
Rosebery when they looked at the picture of the
they
oronation of Edward VII at Banagram. But after the return of Liberals in
ok they were easily reconciled to Sir Henry Campbell-Bannerman, as the
hime Minister. His tragic death was impressed on their minds by the early
hum of their father from the court that day. The author asked him why he
ad returned so early. He replied that Sir Henry Campbell-Bannerman, the
respect. When
Prime Minister, was dead and the courts had closed as a mark of
che author asked who was the new Prime Minister, his father said, "Mr Asquith."
Minister already
Fis father did not explain that Mr Asquith had been Prime English Liberal
the
Or Some days. That brought the knowledge the children of
rime Ministers upto date for the time being.
evoked pictures
Everything they read about the British Isles or English life
when not openly descriptive.
e external appearance of the country even in addition to this they had
and
ey had plenty of verbal descriptions theimpression that
eictures of England to look upon. From there they formed possessed not only
england was a country of great beauty, a country which For example,
eautiful spots but also place-names which sounded beautiful.
Windsor, Grasmere,
here were names like Isle of Wight, Osborne House, speaking,
dolyrood Forth, Belfast etc. Personally
ne author Palace, Arthur's Seat,
liked Osborne Firth of
House and Holyrood Palace best. Their appearance
and beauty seen in pictures produceda vivid effect on him. made a
To coloured pictures seen in a school text-book printed in England
cricket match.
ery deep depicted a
One of them
Cicket wasimpression on the author. siblings also loved football.
They
touch of
Dlayed their favourite game but the
football thought the cricket had a
also but they cricket
always inclined them to
tistocracy
Nas that and refinement.
one of its early
An extra reason which
Bengal was a man
from the
author's
or
pioneers in village only six
istrict,
even who Came of a wealthy family whose
seat was a
over Bengal as
miles from Calcutta and all
was known in rose to be the
Tofessor S. Banagram.Heuniversity teacher and ultimately

tinipalof his
nd in the department of s
Sports he
He taught
Roy, for he was a
was a keen but
angler
college.
mathematics, was
anda great
a
Sanskrit
competent cricketer.
was from the shop run by him in Calcutta that they siblings got their sports
scholar,
 (Autobiography)/DSE B-3/C.U./6th Semester
196 Honours Hand Book
author was at college in Calcutta. Father
goods, years later, when the
descendant of the poet Prior)
asked the author one day if he had Prior(a
the author replied. "I used to play cricket ever played
any games. "Yes",
do you?" observed Father Prior when I was a
that cricket,
boy." "You call
have been the quality of their cricket there was very justly. Bt
no drOss
whatever might in the
enthusiasm of the siblings. Their
school team, composed of the
the boys, was not quite despicable. They had some good playersteachers and all andhe
accessoriesbats, balls, leg pads, gloves, stumps-were by the
show, prod as they were of it, seemed to be reduced toEnglish
total makers,
But their
by the side of the cricket world revealed in that coloured picture. The game drrabness
was transformed; it was cricket suffused with the colours of the rainbow.
Although England of his imagination was aland of beauty and
about Englishmen actually residing in India he came to acquire many queer
notions which were current among Indians. Once he heard from his teacher
that the English race was born of a she-monkey by a demon, and like monket:
they were very fond of bananas. Because of this notion he and his brother one
hid from an Englishman coming up the road from the opposite direction. This
attitude of Indians towards the Englishmen could be explained only in terms of
the hostility of the ruler and the ruled then existed between the two races. The
first three chapters thus give an account of his rural background in East Bengal,
and the fourth of the intellectual background which made him an anglophile

Q. 2.Comment on the describing quality of Nirad C, Chauhuri wit

reference to the Book-I of Autobiography of An Unknovn Indian
Ans. The Autobiography of an Unknown Indian was Chaudhuri's first
book and also his best. He wrote a dozen more: polemical histories an
biographies, an account of his first visit to Britain (A Passage to Eng.anu
1959), and a second volume of autobiogra phy (Thy Hand Great Anarch.
1987). All of them have their bril^liant rewards, but only in passages do they
match the lively courage and descriptive strength of this book, in which many
of his later themes are
introduced.
Chaudhuri's power as a describer speaksfor itself in the pages of Book-Iof
Autobigraphy of An Unknown Indian. he is afascinating, groundlevel witness
and expositor of a vanished Indian way of life and of what British imperialism
then at its height, meant to its humble and not-so-humble subjects. Book l
"Early Environment" is devoted to the background, describing Kishorgan)
his ancestral village, and his mother's village, and Bengali society at the endof
the nineteenth century.
Chaudhuri's diction seems to be based w i t hendless

reservations and qualifications. There is noonnpoetic

bureaucratic
licence jargon,
whatsoever. Instead
of saying that the small town would have looked like a patch of mushrooms
when seen from a height, or when seen from an aeroplane, he Writes, "Had
there been aeroplanes in our boyhood", as if he were giving evidencein acout
of law. Metaphors are always from the West; to of
the

express the
importance
 Antobiograpby of an Unknown Indian : 197
their lifer, Chaudhuri writes, "it was our Nile". In referring to the
plied on the river, he does dot care to describe them in detail,
river
in
which
boats
he institutes
which are meaningless to the common reader,
comparisons
instead

espe-iallyin
India: the "country boats" have "the outlines and gerneral shape of
model boats found in the tombs of the Middle Kingdom of Egypt". The
the
boats, for passengers, "were our triremes."
used
largest
Heis at his best when he gives us concrete particulars, as in his description
rainy
season. Chaudhuri evokes this watery world through minute
of the - their compound was so flooded that they "could not walk from the
details
was our bedand living- room to the hut which was our kitchen
hut which
except on aline of bricks laid at intervals of about two feet or on a gangway
made of bamboos". The reader can visualise the child in the inner courtyard,
fascinated by the"myriads of tiny watery marionettes" which were created by
aheavy downpour". The destnictive aspect of the heavy monsoon rain is
prealed by the "pair of pied mynas. dead and stiff".Chaudhuri is capable of
using short, simple, balanced sentences:oa
"Everything was wet to the marrow of the bone. Neither we nor our
clothes were ever properly dry. When we were not slushy we were damp. The
bark of the trees becarne so sodden that it seemed we could tear it up in handfuls
ike moss."
The description of Durga Puja at Banagram isone of the better passages in
Unknown Indian. It is rich in adjectives. The gory scene of the buffalosacrificed
before the goddess becomes more vivid in its horror because ,of the details he
gives us : "My relatives fell on it, rubbing its neck with melted butter so as to
make the skin soft". The changing moods are well captured. This bloody sacrifice
s followed by chanting prayers to the Goddess.
One interesting feature Chaudhuri mentions about Durga Puja is that it
OCcasion for married daughters to visit their parental home. He is aware
after ethebond between mother and daughter, and the loneliness of the mother
girl is given away in marriage. To indicate the mother's emotions, he
Cite a parallel from French
literature:
"She kept thinking of her girl with an infatuation rivalling, if not
Surpassing, that of Madame de Se~igne for her cold and shrewish daughter"
The allusion reveals Chaudhuri's wide reading, but does very little to
describe this tender bond in a culture where it was not permissible for the
mother to visit home. After the
festivities end, theor stay
marriedwith daughters
her married to go backintohertheirnewhusbands'
havedaughter homes.
heChaudhuri
describes has
it: little sympathy for the ritual crying that goes on. This is how
"Not
gjrls of the only the mother and the daughter, not only the other women and
snufl ing family, but also all the visiting neighbours joined in a chorus of
The
whose only tradition was so well established that the newly-rnaried girl,
who felt thought was to get back to her husband-lover, and the matron,
ever SO worried to have been
away from her well-ordered household,
198 Honours Hand Book (Autobiography)/DSE B-3/C.U./6th Semester
kept up the wiping of the eyes until they were at least five
parcntal village." miles
There an equal excellency in N.C. Chaudhuri's beyond the
describes the houses, and natural beauties of f his describing
birthplace, Kistyleshorgariwhen,
he
mother's village, Kalikutch and Shillong.
The country round Kalikutch was open but the hi s
village itself was
wooded at places giving theimpression of a tropical forest.
openings in the bushes, sometimes they could see real wild cats Through thethiSmalckly
caring for their presence. At places through openings in the dozing without
could see the bizarre scenes of sunrise and sun set. Besides
the
woodland the
woods,
almost everywhere some waterway, marsh, pond, pool and tank I#there was
Kalikutch that the author did not have that fear of trees
almost inborn in the author. When he was in any thickand woods which was
plantation withos
being able to see at least ten yards in front of the author. He had a feeling that
something was passing out of the trees into the author and that sensation made
made the author very uncomfortable. The author had not got rid of this morbidity
even when the author was fully grown up. One bright and sunny morning in
1932 the author was going up the path which leads to the top of the peak above
Shillong in the Khasi Hills. He was greatly enjoying himself, for as he has said
he lobes spaces and solitude,and that morning on the wind-swept downs around
him, very few men were to be seen and none at all felt as intruders.o
But for about one hundred yards the path up which the author was going
skirted a clump of oaks, which grew on the northern face of the hill. The
passage of this stretch cost the author some effort. The place was one of the tew
surviving old sacred grooves of Khasis and there were some scattered abou.
But it was not these associations which troubled him. Having a taste o
archeology the author went out expressly to see these remains wherever ti Was

were to be found. It was not these but the trees of which the authorrecovered
afraid. And he breathed feely only when reaching the open top. He horizon-the
unobstructed vision and found everything stretched out to the for a while
kind of landscape the author has always liked. It was after sitting breathing
on the top of the hills and having a good look at the landscape andatthesight
the keen breeze that he recovered the composure which he had lost was
when he
of the great oaks. Since the feeling was so strong in him even prety
being
past thirty it must it must have been embedded in his childish complete

deeply. But the remarkable thing was that at Kalikutch I becamepass through

free from it he had no fear of trees, although they had very oftento
the
Wooded areas. ability
in

Thus get a clear conception of N.C.Chaudhuri's describing

Book-I of his "Autobiography of An Unknown Indian. Nirad C
of
Book-I
Q. 3. Comment on the autographical elements in was
Chaudhuri's Autobiography of An UnknownIndian.
I n d i a n

nknown
oflndiat

An
Ans. Nirad C.Chaudhuri's Autobiography ofinto rankk
the first
published in 1951, and it at once catapulated him
 -: Autobiograpby of an Unknown Indian : 199
inEnglish. He was an Unknown Indian no longer.
writing
well received. The editor of the The autobiography
Wasextremely
Glasgow Herald writes "This is
an extraordianry book. IIt is written by a Hidu of East Begal who has never
been in Europe, yet with a command of English that is not exceeded by Mr,.
Nehru himself...No other Indian self-portrait can compare, for interest or
challenge, with this product of atortured and assertive spirit."
Autobiography writing is a difficult art. An autobiography is literature of
personal revelation and its mani interest lies in conscious
author. Te write mnust be truthful. There should be no
self-portrayal by the
concealment
away from one's faults and weakness, and there should be no attempt or shying
at self-
glorification, The trth should neither be concealed
nor exaggerated. The
narration should be chronological and the account of the external
life must go
ond in hand with adepiction of inner life. However, all difficulties vanish if
Hhe writer writes because of his inner compulsions, because of an urge for self
exDression which he cannot control. Nirad C,. Chaudhuri was motivated by
Such an urge, hence the greatness of his autobiography.
He begins by giving an account of his early rural background which
became apart and parcel of his being and the influence of which he felt all his
life. His birthplace, Kishorganj, his ancestral village, Banagram, and his
mother's village Kalikutch, exerted the deepest influence on his boyhood and
formed "the buried foundations" of his later life. Chaudhuri's house in
Kishorganj was decorated in European style and umerous famous books
English books were found in his father's library.
Thus, he was brought up in European atmosphere, Chaudhuri had an
anglicised temperamen from his boyhood and it was strengthened as he grew
up. He was fascinated by England in his boyhood. His reading of English
Poetry operned an enchanted realm before him. His father, Upendra Narayan
Chaudhuri, was an individualist and had no faith in old conventions and
aaitions, He was gentle and affectionate and carefully avoided demonstrations.
He did not criticise or condemn anyone. He had great capacity for "moral
indignation" but moraqls were not the central interest of his life. He left the
moral and religious education of his children to their mother, and gave them
impression that he was behind her in everything she did or said. But he took
keen inerest in the education of his children. He had liberal views on education
and he did not want his sons to become mere techicians and specialists but
also "to acquire some ancilliary qualifications in the field of art which would
lend grace to our lide." Nirad C. chaudhuri learnt English from his father.
Chaudhuri's father was a humanist. He tried his best to make humanist
spirit the spiritual heritage of his children. Under their father's guidance
Chaudhuri and his brothers, attuned themselves to the spirit of the English
language
not totally and English life. He was endowed with position
astrong will power and was
indifferent to money, power, worldly and fame.
Chaudhuri'
disliked s mother
falsehood, dishonesty, the complement of each other. She
moralwerecowardice
and father ad meanness. She taught
 (Autobiography)/DSE B-3/C.U./6th Semester
Hand Book
200 Honours an integral part in
shouldform
was fiercely honest.
chaudhurithat
manners
good She expected much from her husband and humanhildrenIife. aSh
ng
when she felt they were not coming upto her expectations. she became frustrate
and embittered. Consequently she suffered from hysteria which killed her befor.
time. Both the parents of Nirad C. Chaudhuri exercised great influence on

him. Chaudhuri's description of his birth place and ancestral village is entiche
with a vivid external description as well as his internal feelings in thog
respective backgrounds. He feels as soon as they arrived at Banagram the
became aware of blood, aware not only of its powerto make them feel superior
to other men, but also of its immeasurable capacity to bring men together. H
honest pride to be a part of his ancestral village where his identification was as
follows:
"Nirad Chaudhuri is the son of Upendra Chaudhuri, who was the son of Lakslm
Chaudhuri, who wgs fh
Naravan Chaudhuri, who was the son of KirtiNarayan
ChandraNarayan Chaudhuri, " and so on, to the fourteenth generation.
Nirad C. Chaudhuri comments,
Knowing the exact lineage of every old man, every middle-aged man, every young
relationshis s
man, every boy, every child, and every baby around us we saw the
graphically worked out that the human beings whom we saw appeared to be no longe
human beings but fruits from the tiered and speading branches of a tree (family tree.
These descriptions by Nirad about make his life story a successful specimen
of an autobiography as we reach very close to the origin of the author. Every
time he describes an person or a pl¡ce or a festival, he dilutes his feelings nt
without any shying. His description helps a reader to visualise those persos
or places or festivals very vividly and in this was the "Unkown Indian" becomte
known to the reader to the core.