Post-Independent Agrarian Crises in Selected Indian Fiction

Abstract

The Indian agrarian crisis is a complex, multifaceted issue with deep historical roots, especially since the country gained independence in 1947. Land rights, debt, low agricultural output, environmental degradation, and governmental indifference have been issues affecting Indian farmers despite promises of land reforms and agrarian development. The situation has only worsened over time, leading to an increasing number of farmer suicides, despair in rural areas, and general poverty. This article analyses the causative factors, impact, and literary presentations of the post-independence Indian agrarian crisis. It follows the methodology of close textual analysis while focusing on Shiv Kumar's Kashi Ka Assi (1997), an account that focuses on socio-economic issues of rural India. The protagonist of the tale is Raghunandan, a middle-aged teacher from Varanasi, struggling with his inner demons related to spirituality, religion, and the commercialization of faith. He questions religion's place in modern life when he sees the increasing materialism and hypocrisy in the religious rituals of the city.