Tragic World in Padam
Sing Subba’s Thatthama :
A Structural Overview
Dig Dhoj Lawati
hilihanglawati@gmail.com
Abstract
This paper tries to
find out the underlying structure of narration in Padam Sing Subba’s Limboo
novel Thatthama applying
structuralism as a method of analysis. The narrative mode of novel is
approached using the structural devices. The different modes of narration are separated
so as to find out the real structure of plot of novel. The attempt has been
made to find whether there is connection or opposition between these parts of
narration. This study has been carried out to find out how conflicting parts
contribute to lay out the foundation of structure to convey the meaning of the
text. Structural literary critical tools are applied to analyze the Limboo
novel thatthama in this paper. It,
further, claims there are distinct modes of narration that put the novel in
certain genre of literature.
Keywords:
Structuralism, Structural Literary Critical Practice
1. Introduction
Limbu novel Thatthama is considered
to be the first modern work in novel writing in limbu literature. Though Puspa
Subba Thamsung composed his first limbu novel 'sendipesap' in 2031 BS, he didn't make it public till 2068
BS. Yakthungba Limbu mentions;
'kan nisambein koyemmiba nisambe keraba
takphao te:ruba nidet'
( This novel has beeen
composed to make it the modern novel ) (235)
This novel falls in "koyemmiba/kusangyemmiba
yem 2031BS - Up to Now ( modern age) " according to
Yakthungba Limbu (230). From over all points it is believed as a modern limbu
novel by Limbu literary historians and critics.
It is not only the modern work but it has also
opened the horizon of new world of novel in limbu literature. No one has
explored the society like P S Subba in limbu literature. So, it can be claimed
that Subba is a literary craftman who depicted the limbu society as mirror does. Sabita Subba feels that "Thatthama is
not only based on the social reality that has existed since the long but it is
also a documentation of limbu culture and tradition in its original form"
(142). The plot within the novel is not polished but it has been shown as it
really is in limbu society. The organic picture of limbu society of west Sikkim
can be found in Thatthama.
2. Narrative modes in Thatthama
Tyson mentions,
"structuralist analysis of narrative examine in minute detail the inner
workings of literary texts in order to discover the fundamental structural
units (such as of units of narrative progression) or functions (such as
character functions) that governs texts' narrative operations (224). This
structural approach to literary text is known as narratology in literary
criticism. Different modes of narration of Thatthama have been separated and examined to
find out how a given narrative pattern construct Nunamphung's tragic
world.
Likewise
Lohini, Adhikari, and Subedi state, "structuralism is a method of
analyzing and organizing concepts in anthropology, linguistics, psychology,
literary criticism, and other cognitive
and social sciences in terms of contrasting relations (esp. binary oppositions)
among sets of items within conceptual systems (55). In this paper different
parts of narration in Thatthama have been figured out and strived to find their
contrasting ralationship. The 'grammar' of narrative 'seek-find-lose' is
applied in briefly to trace the real underlying structure of limbu novel
Thatthama.
2.1 Seeking mode of
narration
From part 2 to part 8 of nattation, the
protagonist Nunamphung is depicted as incomplete; so she strives to be complete
by finding someone. She is from middle class family residing in Ladham, west
Sikkim. She grows up in the village in typical Limbu family. Everyone in village
call her by her nick name Chapati. She doesn't feel any lackness in her family.
She spends her childhood happily in the village. In the mean time she becomes young and
attractive. Though she has her family members, relatives and friends around
her, she is not satisfied. She is searching for someone who can fulfill her incompleteness. The following lines from
Thatthama shows the Nunamphung's anxiety;
Kumma-kumba, kumbhu-kunne,
pangbheba kak kundenglam kuno chapta nu kuno
panchekwalle chogulle mim nu hena
nunamphungle khosuang waye.karasang
kuhingbrammo themai themai megerenba meghosunba immok pokkhebe kusing
nisu. Kuningwa pangse kuningwa hanghang chokse Nunamphung chapyen chapyen
mangha-manghaang yarakse kere (4-5) ' Nunamphung
has got love and respect from
her family members and friends in
village but she feels that something is lacking in her
life. To relax her mind she
sometimes goes to far away to dance yalang.'
Nunamphung is always in search for someone . One day she and all her
friends from Ladham village go to the fair
in Jorthang where she meets Manhang from Sirbung village. She feels like she has
got something that is lost. Meeting Manhang at fair, strange
feeling occurs in her. They dance
yalang whole night. Manhang and Nunamphung fall in love from that
onwards. They meet eachother time and again on different occasions. They
exchange their feeling on palam while dancing yalang. Finally
Manhang decides to beg her hands by taking ingmeba to Nunamphung's home.
She eagerly waits to Manhang and thinks that she is now going to be
complete by getting married with him.
Manhang comes to her home with ingmeba to beg her hand. Her parents
agree to give her hand to Manhang with ingmebas.
2.2 Finding mode of narration
From
part 9 to 11 of novel depicts the
achievemment of the protagonist Nunamphung. She suceeds in getting what she is
waiting for long time. She gets married with Manhang. She now reaches Sirbung
village from Ladham. They get married according to the Limbu tradition.
phejikum phedangmelle mundhummo kewawaba panha sellaptusi, khahun
pirusi,
sesephung wappanghusi, mangenna metusi, sewan pirusiang sewamo
panghusira
mekkamle mundhum suru (34) 'Phedangma questions them about
things in Mundhum;
gives didaction; lets them put on vermilion; conducts mangenna (
a custom of worshipping
Gods for one's welfare); letting them to greet to relatives, he ends up
the marriage ritual'.
She often comes to Ladham to meet her
parents. A year after marriage, she
gives birth to the baby boy named Pahang. Everything is going on fine in their lives.
Nunamhung is happy to have her son and husband around her. But one day Manhang
brings a shocking proposal to her. He finds that Ranhang, his friend has
brought lots of ornaments of gold to his wife by joining the army. Ranhang who
had got married later than they did. Finding out the success of Ranhang,
Manhang also wants to join the army. He considers about the ornaments of silver
worn by Nunamphung. He feels weak not being able to give his wife happiness
like Ranhang. So, he also wants to decorate his wife with lots of jwellery. Nunamphung
is reluctent to let her husband go to join army. She says to him that she is
happy with what she has got.
2.3 Losing mode of narration
Part 12 to 16 and part 1 of narration in Thatthama shows the tragic loss in Nunamphung's life. The
happy moment does not last long in her family life. Manhang joins army. He keeps
in touch with his family by sending letters time and again. Nunamphung engages
herself in household works. Pahang starts to go to school. Actually she is not
happy to be away from her husband. She thinks that she will run a small
business when her husband returns from platoon and makes him leave the job. She
looks after the farming in village along with taking care of her son. She
shares everything with her son. Pahangf is only one who saves her from being
alone.
One day while returning from school Pahang is disturbed by thunder and
lightening on the way. His way is blocked by the fallen tree along with heavy
rainfall and snake. Nunamphung goes up to half way to receive him. Pahang falls
ill. He is treated by local shamans but he does not recover. Finally, the first
loss occurs in Nunamphung life. Pahang passes away.
Panunuba Pahangin nim kerangbara samkerobara taktenno keyakpa Pahanin
ain hop,
kerek kunjumha, pangbhesabaha, kummasi pakthasiang pe, alla yammo
apphaleang khen
taktenno nimedetnen, kuikla khemmedetnen (43-44) ' Lovely
Pahang who always appeared
at houseyard singing and dancing is no more; he passed away deserting
his friends,
villagers and mom; he wont be seen at houseyard'.
When Nunamphung's family is in preparation of Pahang's last rite,
another news of great loss comes to house. It is informed that Manhang became
myrter in Kashmir war. Hearing the news
Nunamphung falls unconcious. One by one what she cares disappear from her life.
People in village say;
Tukhein taille kakkerik ta........sakma nasingmaang khomedetnen,
akkhe chokmasang
sanarung medanen (45) ' Misery
comes in such a away that we hardly have a time to
breath; nothing can bring peace'.
Such a unbearable loss strucks Nunamphung's
life. As a consequence she starts to act abnormally. Lots of efforts have been
made but she does not come back to normal life. Finally she becomes Thatthama
(half-minded). She wanders here and there carrying a bag. She often reaches
Gangtok , Jorthang, Darjeeling, and Kalinpong. At last, she takes final breath
arriving Sirbung village.
3. Conclusion
In this way Nunamphung is defeated by the
complexities of her life. She dreams of happiness
but she
never attain it. She is human, like others, and so she suffers. The tragic loss
and death of
Nunamphung in Thatthama generates the tragic
meaning. The narrative grammar seek-find-lose
perfectly works
as underlying sructural pattern in Thatthama to reveal the meaning. As a binary
opposition romance vs tragedy compete
each other but romance is defeated by the tragedy in Thatthama.
REFERENCES
Lohani, Shreedhar, et.al. 1996. A
companion To Literature. Kathmandu: Modern Printing Press.
Tumyahang, Amar, et.al. 2005. Padam
Singh Subba Apatan Byaktitwa Ra Krititwa. Kathmandu:
Kirat Design.
Tyson, Lois. 2006. Critical Theory
Today. New York: Routledge Taylor & Francis Group.
Yakthunba Limbu, Malisha. 2015. Yakthung
Pandang Nu Sapsak. Kathmandu: Kanchan Printing
Press.
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