Original language:
Hindi Translated from: Hindi.
Authors: Rakesh, Mohan
Translated by: Urbanavičiūtė-Markevičienė, Ona Žaneta
ISBN: R4703000000-356132-86
Published in: Vilnius
Published on: 1986
Publisher: Vaga
“Closed dark rooms” is a novel written by a famous Indian writer Mohan Rakesh. The story is full of family drama as well as problems of the daily life.
The action of the novel takes place in Deli – the capital of India. One day the main character Madhusudan runs into his old friend Harbans who he hasn‘t seen in over a decade. Madhusudan is a redactor of one well-known local newspaper. He recently moved to Deli from Lakhnau, where he was living, due to work. The life of Mudhusudan is monotonous, uncomplicated and filled with loneliness. He lives in a small rented apartment with his friend and the owners of the place. Madhusudan does not have a family or a loving significant other, so when he runs into his friend Harbans, he is fascinated and a little bit jealous of his life. From a first glance, Harbans could look like a person that has everything. He has a loving wife, beautiful home and a respectable occupation of a lecturer. However, he hides the hardships of his life just as most people do. The family life of Harbans is not as perfect as it might seem. His wife Nilima is a beautiful dancer and views life in an artistic way. Although dancing for Nilima is the main passion, she has to change her career path because of husband‘s reproaches. Thus, she starts painting so that she would still be able to express herself.
The main theme of “Closed dark rooms” is the relationship of a married couple. The family life of Harbans and Nilima is full of difficulties, disagreements and anger. Harbans by nature is a loner who wants to be alone in the closed dark rooms and Nilima is a free spirited human being. She wants to fly through life without any limits. How can two such different individuals live happily together? Madhusudan becomes a part of this complicated and constantly changing relationship. A loner redactor becomes an intermediary and an adviser for the couple. The book also discusses the life of an artist and his or her part in the society.
Mohan Rakesh is one of the most well-known XX century Indian authors. “Closed dark rooms” and his other novels are thought to be one of the most prominent pieces of literature written in Hindi language.