International Journal of Advances in Engineering and Management (IJAEM)

Volume 3, Issue 8 Aug 2021, pp: 462-463 www.ijaem.net ISSN: 2395-5252

“Rebati”; the artistic expression of awareness and

sensitivity
Dr.Baijayanti Nayak
Lecturer, P.G Dept.of Odia Salipur Auto.College, Salipur, Cuttack Odisha India
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Submitted: 01-08-2021 Revised: 07-08-2021 Accepted: 10-08-2021
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

ABSTRACT and she was blamed for this as if she brought this
Rebati is the sad story of an unfortunate girl. Her cholera to the village. Fakirmohan Senapati did not
guilt was that, she was born into a conservative say it directly that Rebati was at fault or Rebati was
family where girls were not allowed for education not responsible for this misfortune anywhere in the
.moreover there was a strong belief that misfortune story but the tragic outcome of the story compelled
was invited by doing so. By chance during Rebati‟s the reader to become sympathetic towards Rebati.
education cholera spread through out the village and Fakirmohan hopes that this sympathy will be able to
she was blamed for this .Although it is the first story eradiate this superstition from the society and create
written in Odia language but it has all the features of absence of belonging one day. He just wanted to
a first class story. This single story is the mile stone show the situation of that time where an epidemic
in the world of Odia fiction which is the dumb caused by the negligence of the society was believed
witness of nineteenth century. This is the story which as the misfortune caused by the woman education
bears the social and cultural history of Odisha,.This which was very disgusting..
article contains the analysis of the artistic expression In October 1998, Fakir Mohan published the
of the writer Fakir Mohan Senapati about the story „Rebati‟ in „Utkal Sahitya‟paper under the
nineteenth century society . Pseudonym Dhurjati. However it is the first
KEYWORDS : (Introduction:literature and society, successful story of odia literature which inspired
Gist of the story, characteristics of the socirty,impact many writers to write short stories in our native
on society. language.
INTRODUCTION Rebati exploded on the new society that was
Literature is the true reflection of social life. formed in Oldisha after 1871. It contains the struggles
The right author examines the intricacies of society of social life in the late nineteenth century. For the
and shapes his experiences in literature. He sees the first time in the History of Oldia literature we can see
out-word and intimate form as the society and the formation of an triangular tradition of love
articulates that Idea in his literature. Although he affection and compassion in this story. The unique
creates his works within a certain period of time he characteristics of „Rebati‟ are:-
and his literature becomes timeless by perpetuating  Opposition to women education by the older
human emotions. In Odia literature Byasakabi generation and welcome by the new generation.
Fakirmohan Senapati was in fact a timeless artist. He  The ruthlessness of the land lords.
has closely monitored the vitality of social, cultural  A soft stream of internal love, affection and
and political life of nineteenth century Odisha, and compassion.
As the symbol of his deep experience he donated four  The helplessness of the poor and the greed of the
novels, many short stories, poems and many prose money lenders and
pieces to Odia literature. „Rebati‟ is his first as well  Extreme Racism.
as Odia literatures first ever story. It is the living
depiction of social life in the second half of the The story has an old generation opposition
nineteenth century. Its subject matter carries the to women education. Grandmother of Rebati
essence of the last decade of 19th century. „Jejimaa‟ was the symbol of the old generation. She
Rebati is the sad story of an unfortunate did not like her grand daughter Rebati‟s education
girl.Her guilt was that, she was born into a and complained that due to the bad effects of Rebati‟s
conservative family where girls were not allowed for education ( at that time women education was
education .moreover there was a strong belief that considered as an unfortunate factor) their life was
misfortune was invited by doing so. By chance during disrupted. Rebati‟s father and mother have died, her
Rebati‟s study cholera spread through out the village tuition teacher Basudev also died as the result of

DOI: 10.35629/5252-0308462463 Impact Factor value 7.429 | ISO 9001: 2008 Certified Journal Page 462
 International Journal of Advances in Engineering and Management (IJAEM)
Volume 3, Issue 8 Aug 2021, pp: 462-463 www.ijaem.net ISSN: 2395-5252

Rebati‟s study. The landlord taken their cows, old jejima said that, „don‟t judge the wealth. Ask the
workers left their field . Jelimaa complained all the caste” this reflects the conservative attitude of the
bad things that happened to them are due to Rebati‟s people towards the caste system”Rebati the female
study.By giving education to Rebati, writer welcomed protagonist of the story ,seems to invite misfortune
women education in the society but it was shattered for her self and her community .Over time Rebati has
by the ill effects of antiquity. become an icon and her story an allegory for female
In the nineteenth century society a new education an emancipation .However the story itself
zamindar (landlord) group was emerged in place of does not advocate for or against these ideas .It is a
the traditional land lords who were the Flatterers of story about helplessness before fate” 1
the British government. Before Rebati Fakirmohan Although Fakirmohan pays more attention to
Senapati had written “Chha mana Atha gunt” (six the subject-matter than the style of the story while
acres and eight) novel where he described the compassing . It‟s useful and timely language
exploitation of Zamindar Ramachandra Mangaraj. He continues to fascinate the reader of all time. It may be
has taken the land of innocent Sharia & Bhagia. Here the first story written in Odia language but it has all
in this story he is able to describe the whole the features of a first class story.
nineteenth century even in the small area of short
story. Here the landlord took the cows of Shyama REFERENCES
Bandhu (Rebati‟s Father) falsely by showing he had [1]. Senapati,Fakir Mohan ;Galpa swalpa,,cuttack
money leftover him. which shows the ruthlessness of students store,balubazar ,cuttack.6th
the land lords of that time. edition,1961
We can also see a beautiful and soft flow of [2]. Edited ,Sarangi Nrusingh ch;FakirMohannka
love in the story. Between Basudev (Tutor) and Galpa swalpa,Biswa books,Binod bihari,ctc.2
Rebati. Their love is restrained such love has never [3]. Mukherjee.M,sahitya Academy, Early novels
existed in Odia literature before. This love does not in India .
have any desire for physical relation but there is the [4]. Dash Sarbeswar, Jugasrastha Fakirmohan,
greatness of sacrifice. This is the finest love story of Grantha mandira,cuttact,5th edition1972,
Odia literature where glory of sacrifice is described. [5]. Samantray Dr.Natabar, Granthalaya, BBSR, 2,
This short story also describes the affection 1st edition,1984.
of Shyambandhu and Jejimas towards Rebati. At first [6]. https;//en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rebati
Jejima condemned her grand daughter‟s education
and said that all their misfortunate were due to her
education. The famous dialogue of Jejima that, she
always utters to rebuke Rebati was -
“Lo Reba “ (Oh Rebati)
“Lo Nian” (Oh fire)
“Lo chuli” (oh chulla(stove))
But by heart she loves Rebati, we can see
Jejimas love when she sold a broken utensil at Hari
Sahoo‟s shop and came home with food and
medicines for Rebati. In the midst of all the
ignorance and superstition of the old grand maa, she
stands as a virtuous woman. There may be hatred,
contempt and disgust in the language in which Rebati
was scolded by her but we can see an unconditional
love of the old heart for her grand daughter. The story
expresses the combination of love and compassion
which gives an eternal value to the story.
This story is about the helplessness of the
poor. The picture of exploitation of land lords and
money lenders can be clearly seen in this story. The
deception of the greedy society of that time is
exposed in the story.
One of the main points of the story is
Racism. Jejimaa (grand mother) first asked about the 1
. Mukherjee.M,sahitya Academy, Early novels
caste of Basudev after Rebati‟s marriage proposal in India ,pg.259
with him. It is simply come to our notice when the

DOI: 10.35629/5252-0308462463 Impact Factor value 7.429 | ISO 9001: 2008 Certified Journal Page 463