Sunday book pick: Bhisham Sahni’s debut novel ‘Boyhood’ is a prelude to a pain-wracked adulthood

Bhisham Sahni’s debut novel Boyhood, originally published in Hindi as Jharokhe in 1967 and later translated into English by Anna Khanna in 2016, offers a poignant exploration of a young boy's transition from innocence to the complexities of growing up in colonial India. The novel, which serves as a prelude to Sahni’s later masterpiece Tamas, delves into the emotional and psychological landscape of a child navigating the uncertainties of life. Set against the backdrop of a middle-class Hindu reformist household, the story unfolds through the reflective lens of the protagonist’s adult self, who recounts his childhood with a mix of nostalgia and introspection. The narrative centers around a young boy living in a nuclear family with his parents and three siblings. His mother mourns the loss of her three daughters, a grief that permeates the household. Despite this emotional weight, the family enjoys a relatively stable and comfortable existence. However, the boy is acutely aware of the limitations imposed upon him, particularly in understanding the struggles of his parents. His father, a man of commerce, is portrayed as rational and progressive, while his mother, deeply rooted in domestic duties, expresses concern over certain aspects of his upbringing. Their relationship is marked by subtle tensions, occasionally erupting into dramatic confrontations, which unsettle the children but remain largely invisible to the boy. Among the other family members, the older brother Baldev is described as stubborn and distant, while the younger sisters, Vidya and Vimla, are characterized by their playful nature. The boy’s interactions with his father are shaped by the latter’s encouragement of intellectual pursuits, especially for their low-caste servant boy, Tulsi. Though the father supports Tulsi’s education, the mother resists, believing that learning English and Urdu, languages associated with trade, are unnecessary for someone of Tulsi’s social standing. This tension underscores the broader societal constraints that influence the lives of individuals within the household. Tulsi, however, emerges as a key figure whose arc parallels the boy’s own journey toward maturity. Initially content with his role as a servant, Tulsi begins to question his place in society and seeks opportunities for advancement. His attempts to improve his circumstances lead to limited success, as the rigid structures of caste and class continue to hinder his progress. His brief experience working under a charlatan healer proves fruitless, forcing him to return to his previous employer in search of alternative employment. Through Tulsi’s story, Sahni highlights the challenges faced by marginalized individuals in a society resistant to change. The boy’s personal growth is equally complex. As he enters adolescence, he grapples with physical and emotional changes, including recurring nightmares that he interprets as signs of moral failure. Seeking advice from his mother, he is redirected to his father, who responds with harsh discipline. This episode marks a pivotal moment in the boy’s development, reinforcing his sense of guilt and confusion. His internal conflict reflects the broader theme of the novel, that the transition from childhood to adulthood is fraught with uncertainty and misunderstanding. As the story progresses, the boy’s perspective shifts from one of innocence to a more critical awareness of the world around him. His visits home reveal a family in decline, with his father retired and his mother losing her teeth. His brother, once a model of ambition, appears adrift without clear direction. The family’s collective dissatisfaction with their uncertain future mirrors the larger societal anxieties of the time. Sahni masterfully captures the ambiguity of growing up, avoiding conventional narratives of triumph or resolution. Instead, he presents a nuanced portrayal of the emotional turbulence that accompanies the passage from youth to adulthood.