Gobru: A Garhwali Story subscribing the Honesty of Garhwalis

(Review of Garhwali Story Collection ‘Joni par Chhapu Kilai?’ (1967) written by Mohan Lal Negi)

                                                 Bhishma Kukreti

             Gobru’s mother took loan   money from money lender Gumanu Seth for the marriage of Gobru.  Gobru’s mother expired before repayment. Gobru was poor man and his poverty remains with him for long and could not repay money to money lender. Gumanu Seth took Gobru to the court.

     The rival of Gumanu Seth- Bacchu inspired Gobru to deny straight that his mother took loan from Gumanu Seth. Gobru agreed for denying in the court about his mother taking loan.

  When Gobru took oath for telling the truth Gobru remembers words of his mother about honesty. Gobru accepts that his mother took loan.

  The story is about our centuries back culture that Garhwalis are honest and don’t tell a lie after oath.

  The story deals with struggle for living and money being spent on marriage etc by a poor man. The story teller uses proverbs and daily life language. The words create images of village. Though, the story is about poor men of Garhwal struggling for living and is realistic one but the story is not leftist principle. The description shows the sensitivity of Mohan Lal Negi about the life in rural Garhwal. The story is successful in exploring socio-economical-spiritual aspects of rural Garhwal of old time.

References:

1-Abodh Bandhu Bahuguna, 1975, Gad Matyki Ganga, Alaknanda Prakashan, Delhi, India

2-Abodh Bandhu Bahuguna, 1990, Garhwal ki Jeewit Vibhutiyan (PP287-290), Babulkar Bhavan, Muchhyali, Dev Prayag

3-Anil Dabral, 2007, Garhwal ki Gady parampara: Itihas se vartman

Copyright@ Bhishma Kukreti 4/6/2012

Notes on rural Stories exploring Socio-Economical- Spiritual aspects; rural Asian Stories exploring Socio-Economical- Spiritual aspects; rural South Asian Stories exploring Socio-Economical- Spiritual aspects; rural SAARC Countries Stories exploring Socio-Economical- Spiritual aspects; Rural Indian Subcontinent Stories exploring Socio-Economical- Spiritual aspects; Rural Indian Stories exploring Socio-Economical- Spiritual aspects; Rural North Indian Stories exploring Socio-Economical- Spiritual aspects; rural Himalayan Stories exploring Socio-Economical- Spiritual aspects; Rural Mid Himalayan Stories exploring Socio-Economical- Spiritual aspects; Rural Uttarakhandi Stories exploring Socio-Economical- Spiritual aspects; Rural Kumauni Stories exploring Socio-Economical- Spiritual aspects; Rural Garhwali Stories exploring Socio-Economical- Spiritual aspects to be continued…