Pterodactyl is one of the famous novels of national award winner Ban
gala writer-Mahashweta Devi. Actually Pterodactyl
is half man and half animal that
can fly with its wings like bird is considered as a god and in which the tribal
people see the spirit or soul of the
ancestors. The novel has been woven around
this myth. Though, knowing fully well that there’s nothing like that the writer
compelled us on this belief that there must be something existing like that! With
marvelous writing and wonderful coordination a situation has been created which
not only tells about the pain and suffering of tribal people but also depicts a
dimension of their spiritual and cultural consciousness.
The central story of this novel starts with striking of drought at
Pirtha village. The block officer-Harisharan calls out one of his close
journalist friend-Puran- to cover the report of drought. Before Puran –a
reporter Surya pratap had also come but he made the report as sensational. The
block officer didn’t like that report, terming it as biased and fabricated and
then confiscated his entire photograph as it was not fit for publication. Later
that reporter was removed from his job. Though it was not clear throughout the
novel what that report was. It remained as suspense.
When Harsharan and Puran made a visit to that drought stricken tribal
village the Puran gets to know something about the tribal culture and
traditions of that village. There’s one village head man (Surpunch) who love to
introduce himself as the descendent of GondaRaja Shanker Singh (the king of
Gond.).He has published a booklet of his family tree-all for getting respect
from others.
Yet in another story that go along with the main is about Rakhya and
his god. The whole story is woven as the fantasy in poetic way! A myth which
can’t be denied or reject as false or an imaginary. Neither nobody could dare
to oppose Rakhay’s orders. Whatever he asks to do the villagers have to obey
and follow. Puran-the new reporter was very impressed with Rakhya and his god
and wanted to know the cause of god’s displeasure and its remedy. Eventually
the Puran too got turned as the god figure as his arrival to that village
brought down the much awaited rain-the cause of drought!
There one another different story in the middle of this novel is about
a love story between Puran and the tribal woman-Sarswati. The language of this
novel is very rich and has been written in many style of story telling which
makes this novel
interesting to read. The reporting style is one of them. This
novel doesn’t only bring the pain and helplessness of tribal people to the
surface but also expose the corrupt bureaucratic machinery!
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