Patterns of Imagery: A Study of Inside the Haveli

Pages:296-298
Ginni Rani and Aarti Kadian (Research Scholar, M.D.U., Rohtak. Haryana and Assistant Professor, P.M.C.E., Sonipat, Haryana)

A winner of Sahitya Academy award (1979), the novel Inside the Haveli (1977), is the only novel by the sociologist Rama Mehta. This novel is a vital effort to deconstruct the patriarchal hegemonic structures and aims at liberation of women from the clutches of patriarchy. Simultaneously it depicts a conflict and gradual subversion between tradition and modernity, through the character of Geeta, the protagonist of the novel and the spokesman of the author as well. Inside the Haveli is a panorama of Indian society where Geeta a bold and spontaneous Bombay girl marries into an orthodox family in Udaipur. There she faces sick traditions like veil practice and chauvinistic environment but somehow manages to carve out an identity for herself by imparting education to children of maids. Gradually she herself starts admiring the traditions but still maintains her modern ideals. In the end she decides to live in haveli forever and is declared the mistress of haveli after the death of his father-in-law.