Post Colonial Theory applied in the novel "Nampally Road"

The cultural, political, and financial implications of colonialism and imperialism are examined by postcolonial theory. It focuses on the methods used to subjugate and exploit colonized people and their territory. This theory helps to balance the unequal power dynamics between colonizers and colonized by giving marginalized people a platform to express themselves and start their own cultural conversations concerning philosophy, language, society, and economy.

Meena Alexander was a writer, researcher, and poet of Indian descent. She was raised in Sudan and India after being born in Allahabad, India. Her life, filled with so many ups and downs, caused her to struggle with her identity. Social politics, feminism, psychological complexity, and cultural richness are all explored in Alexander's work. Nampally Road (1991), her debut book, is a brief, semi-autobiographical tale that takes place in Hyderabad, India. It addresses issues of displacement and the protagonist's search for her place in her native country. The protagonist's journey and problems including cultural and historical inheritance, minority conflicts, and personal journeys are highlighted throughout the work.

Postcolonial elements in Nampally Road include:

• Power and political, social, and administrative apathy
• Subjectivity
• Leadership
• Identity
• Exploitation of women
• Control

Power, Political, Social and Administrative apathy

          The political power in the play's context is discussed in the element of power. In this play, the political elite's authority is crucial. Ramerza Ba and Limca Gowda's characters demonstrate this. As a chief minister, Limca Gowda was a corrupt man. He was referred to be the Father of the City by everyone. Limca was home to the Ever Ready Men, a police unit. When someone is having issues, all of the Ready Men will approach them. The orange vendors in the play were unable to subsist after these individuals imposed high taxes on them; as a result, the populace revolted against Limca Gowda. Another event involves Ramerza Ba, a figure from Hyderabad's Mountain Village. One night, she and her husband returned home late, and at that moment, a group of inebriated policemen killed her husband and raped Ramerza Ba. She was then sent to a prison. Gowda suppresses the underprivileged and adopts an almost Hitler-like demeanor. A noisy road, Nampally Road, is the result of the Chief Minister's birthday celebrations. The general public's tax money is used like water. A lady known as Rameeza is sexually assaulted while under police custody. However, until the celebrations of Limca Gowda's 60th birthday are ended, no one can speak up on any issue. This demonstrates how important the influence of police officers and government figures has been to this drama.

Subjectivity

In the context of philosophy, subjectivity refers to the absence of objective reality. Since subjectivity isn't usually the main topic of philosophical discussion, many authors have given it a variety of unclear meanings. The subjectivity element in this book is expressed through Mira Kannadical's character. A few years after India gained its independence, Mira was born there, and she refused to follow her mother's wishes to be married in an arranged union. She spent several years studying as an undergraduate in England. Mira found living in England to be excruciating since she was unable to adapt to the fast-paced lifestyle of the European population. She went to a few college dance parties, but the strong lighting and loud music made her feel repulsed. She even attempted to follow Western customs and go out every evening with a different guy. She gradually began to acclimate to western culture, and when she was offered a teaching position in Hyderabad, she accepted it without hesitation. She experiences discomfort anew as she acclimates to a new culture in Hyderabad. Additionally, Mira only uses her right hand when eating in England, and everyone in Europe ignored her. Europeans have a custom of folding a knife with their right hand and a fork with their left. When Mira came to Hyderabad, her friends taught her how to eat, and this gave her an impact on eating in accordance with European conventions. This demonstrates how deeply Mira impacted western society.

Leadership

This feature is demonstrated by Limca Gowda's persona, who maintained a covert organization. Instead of addressing the issues facing the people, Limca forced the Ever Ready Man to address societal issues. Every time there is a problem in the book, it is evident that Limca was not there—rather, his organization was. The Ever Ready Men, as we can see from their uniforms, were always in the center of issues. Take the case of the orange vendors, who these men mercilessly dealt with.

Identity

    The main character, Mira Kannadical, is an English professor who, after four years of study in England and a doctorate in Wordsworth from Nottingham University, returns to India. She chooses to leave England to start over in India since she feels lost and unwelcome there. Mira was happy to accept a teaching position in Hyderabad because she believed that living in India would allow her to develop a more distinct sense of who she was. After arriving in Hyderabad, she had the impression that she was a strong-willed lady rather than just a confused young woman. 

    When Mira first moved to Hyderabad, she struggled a little to fit back into Indian culture. Many Anchorites were astonished to see Mira eating with her left hand after she made the error. Mira carried on with her attempts to compose poems in her spare time. Despite all her schooling in the West, she remained deeply confused within. She desired to become a poet in order to create a new identity for herself. If not, her mother will adorn her with silk and gold before selling her to a wealthy estate owner or engineer. 

    Mira had a strong suspicion that she might not be able to endure this kind of marriage. Mira believed that marriage was a personal matter and that she would only enter into a union if she was ready for the arrangement. When Mira first encounters Rameeza Be within the Gowliguda police station, her quest for identification takes a drastic turn. Rameeza was quickly taken by someone to Maitreyiamma's home, where she received proper care and relaxation.

Exploitation of Women

This novel depicts the rape event in which inebriated police officers sexually assaulted Ramerza Ba. The Law Commission of India made strong recommendations, numerous High Court and Supreme Court rulings, laws prohibiting rape, and more, but the police do nothing about it because they appear more concerned with the Chief Minister's birthday celebrations than with the terrible end of a poor woman. Following the rape event, a small group of people band together and become agitated in an attempt to save her, Ramerza Ba. Later, the reserve police swiftly arrest a large number of people and drive them away in the black vans. We may observe that rather than taking immediate action against those who had made mistakes, a number of others spoke up and supported the women.

Control

This feature is demonstrated by the character Dr. Durgabai, who recalls an episode in which a leopard mauled a local boy, and the child's father made him trek fifty miles. This demonstrates that the Hyderabad community lacked water, transportation, and educational facilities for its residents. This demonstrates that the villages are ignored by political figures and are instead left in peace. Under the name "Limca Soda," Limca Gowda starts a business where his son-in-law sells soda water that isn't pure. This beverage was provided to guests attending the wedding reception, and everyone who had the soda ended up in the hospital without receiving any care. But the Limca Gowda’s were thinking about how to popularize their brand. This shows that how the Limca Gowda’s took a control over the people. 

Conclusion

This book uses terminology from post-colonial philosophy, such as "Black Atlantic," where racial and cultural identities are ever-evolving. The term "creolization," which translates as "to bring up," refers to the traditions that are formed throughout the colonization process. Decolonization is the process of reclaiming native forms of knowledge and autonomy. This theory's components all fit the Novel "Nampally Road" nicely.