Politics and Nobility in the Works of Nayantara Sahgal

Abstract

Nayantara Sahgal is known for her love for politics and nobility in her works. She took in her compass those areas of life, which were familiar to her and of which she had a direct, personal and first hand experience.

My analysis concentrates on her different novels: A time To Be Happy, This Time Of Morning, Rich Like Us etc. and some other sources. By closely examining these works, my project found that she very boldly described the political conditions of India and the socio-political situation in the pre and post-Independent India. The politics which she described in her novels was not only for the politician but it had an all-pervasive influence that affected all aspects of life.

The canvas of Nayantara Sahgal's writing was mostly confined to the upper strata of society. The characters in her novels always were wealthy people. They were politicians, business executives, industrialists, administrators, diplomats, etc. The life presented in her works, was the life of an eating, drinking, merry-making, kissing, hugging, dancing and copulating world, with conferences, committees, public meetings, get-together, discussions, seminars, processions, demonstrations, protests, boycotts interspersed with parties and club activities. She also described corruption, nepotism and other vices in Indian politics, bureaucracy and in high class society.