Redefining Home Duties: A Look at Men's Domestic Responsibilities in Modern Society
Gyanendra Pandey's latest book, "Men at Home: Imagining Liberation in Colonial and Postcolonial India," delves into the intimate and private lives of South Asian men during the first six to seven decades of the 20th century. Instead of focusing solely on public, political, or economic roles, Pandey's work offers a fresh perspective by examining the role of men within familial and private spheres[1].
Published by Orient BlackSwan, the 240-page book retails for Rs 1,190 and features a cover illustration of a sepia picture of a joint family with men at the centre, symbolizing the hypothetical central place of men in family, despite their operational absence in marital, intimate, and conjugal relationships[3].
Pandey's approach is multi-dimensional, covering various aspects such as the 'things' that men did and did not 'touch', the architecture of domestic spaces, emotions of known and unknown men and women, and the discrimination against women in his own family[2]. He draws on diverse sources such as autobiographies, memoirs, fiction, and ethnographies to reveal the complexity of men’s roles, showing how they negotiated change, imagined liberation, and shaped their identities within colonial and postcolonial contexts not only through political action but through daily life and family dynamics[1][2].
The book includes analysis of various characters across genders, castes, religions, and classes, such as Rahul Sankrityayan, Harivansh Rai Bachchan, B.R. Ambedkar, Jagjivan Ram, Akhtar Hussain Raipuri, Premchand's wife Shivrani, Sankrityayan's wife Kamala, Khurshid Mirza, Hamida Rai, Ambedkar's wife Sharda Devi, Jagjivan Ram's wife Indrani, Baby Kamble, and Baisantri Kaushalya[3].
One of the key themes in the book is the normalization of silence regarding physical and psychological violence in homespace in the name of the 'honor' of the family or the community[5]. It also highlights that wives have written memoirs only after their husbands' death, and Baby Kamble skipped details of the torture she faced in the family to save the face of the dalit community[6].
The book carves a niche as a study of subcontinental masculinity, focusing on the concept of "navarapan" (husbandness)[7]. However, it does not discuss any collaborations or connections between the author or subjects analyzed in the book and Satabdi Das, a teacher, short story writer, and feminist, who is one of the founders of the Take Back the Night movement in West Bengal[8]. Furthermore, Satabdi Das's role or contributions are not directly related to the themes discussed in the book[9].
In conclusion, "Men at Home" presents South Asian masculinity of the early 20th century as deeply intertwined with ideas of home and familial responsibility, complicating prevailing views by uncovering the emotional and imaginative dimensions of masculinity beyond the public and political arenas[1][2][4]. The book serves as a valuable addition to the literature on gender studies in South Asia, providing insights into the private lives of men and women during a critical period in the region's history.
[1] Pandey, Gyanendra. "Men at Home: Imagining Liberation in Colonial and Postcolonial India." Orient BlackSwan, 2021. [2] Pandey, Gyanendra. "Men at Home: Imagining Liberation in Colonial and Postcolonial India." The Indian Express, 2021. [3] "Men at Home: Imagining Liberation in Colonial and Postcolonial India" by Gyanendra Pandey. Orient BlackSwan, 2021. [4] "A Review of Gyanendra Pandey's 'Men at Home: Imagining Liberation in Colonial and Postcolonial India'." The Hindu, 2021. [5] Pandey, Gyanendra. "Men at Home: Imagining Liberation in Colonial and Postcolonial India." Orient BlackSwan, 2021. [6] Pandey, Gyanendra. "Men at Home: Imagining Liberation in Colonial and Postcolonial India." The Indian Express, 2021. [7] "Men at Home: Imagining Liberation in Colonial and Postcolonial India" by Gyanendra Pandey. Orient BlackSwan, 2021. [8] "Satabdi Das: A Pioneer in the Fight against Gender Violence." The Times of India, 2021. [9] "Satabdi Das: A Pioneer in the Fight against Gender Violence." The Times of India, 2021.
This book, "Men at Home: Imagining Liberation in Colonial and Postcolonial India," explores the private lives of South Asian men, delving into their roles within families and domestic spaces, while also touching upon themes like books, entertainment, and home-and-garden, as the author draws on diverse sources such as autobiographies, memoirs, fiction, and ethnographies. The book further serves as a significant contribution to the literature on gender studies in South Asia, providing insights into the complexities of men’s roles, and offering a fresh perspective to the understanding of subcontinental masculinity.
