INTRODUCTION:

Ecocriticism is a literary and cultural theory that emerged in the 1990s, with the aim of examining the relationships between literature and the environment. It seeks to understand how literary texts represent and shape our understanding of the natural world, and how they reflect and respond to environmental concerns and crises. Ecocritics analyze a range of literary genres, including fiction, poetry, drama, and nonfiction, and explore how they reflect and influence attitudes toward the natural world.

Ecocriticism draws on a variety of interdisciplinary perspectives, including environmental studies, ecology, geography, and cultural studies, to examine how literature reflects and influences our relationship with the natural world. Ecocritics explore how literary representations of nature shape our attitudes and behaviors toward the environment, and how environmental issues are represented in literature. It also considers the role of literature in promoting environmental awareness and activism. By examining literary texts that engage with environmental issues, ecocritics seek to understand how literature can inspire us to take action to protect the natural world. Cheryll Glotfelty, the leading proponent of this emerging theory, defined 'ecocriticism' as follows:

Ecocriticism is the study of the relationship between literature and the physical environment. Just as feminist criticism examines language and literature from a gender-conscious perspective, and Marxist critique brings an awareness of modes of production and economic class to its reading of texts, ecocriticism takes an earth-centered approach to literary studies. (Glotfelty xviii)

By analyzing the textual techniques and thematic elements of literary works, ecocritics are able to identify how human beings interact with the environment, and how these interactions are represented in literature. They explore the ways in which literature can challenge or reinforce environmental attitudes and values, and how it can inspire us to take action to protect the non-human world that surrounds us. This sense of consciousness forced the writers to give their ecological concerned ideas through their writings in order to prevent the future degradation of mother earth. According to Jana:

We are facing a global crisis today, not because of how ecosystems function but rather because of how our ethical systems function. Getting through the crisis requires understanding our impact on nature as precisely as possible, but even more, it requires understanding to reform them. Historians, along with literary scholars, anthropologists, and philosophers, cannot do the reforming, of course, but they can help with the understanding. (Jana 256-257)

Many writers have shown their concern towards the destruction of nature due to growing population and depletion of environment. Issues related to nature were focused as one of the major themes in many of the literary works in Indian English novels.

DISCUSSION:

Kiran Desai's novel "The Inheritance of Loss" (2006) is set in Kalimpong, situated in the beautiful foothills of Northeastern Himalayas. Through her vivid descriptions of the natural beauty surrounding her characters, it is evident that she has a deep appreciation for the environment and the world around us. The novel highlights the importance of preserving the natural world, as well as the impact of human actions on the environment. The characters in the novel are shown to be affected by the changing climate and environmental degradation, and the author uses these issues to highlight the need for greater environmental awareness and action.

Desai's love for nature is evident in the way she describes the breathtaking scenery of Kalimpong, with its misty mountains, lush green forests, and beautiful waterfalls. The novel may also explore the theme of human exploitation of nature for their own gain, where the relentless pursuit of power and dominance over others results in the degradation of the environment. The approach used by Kiran Desai is eco-centric. The natural environment and the landscapes that she describes in the novel are just amazing in their beauty. She has a deep appreciation for the natural world. Both the beginning and the ending of the novel include descriptions of the mountain Kanchenjunga, which serves both to establish a sense of balance and to highlight how significant the mountain is to the development of the narrative. The writer describes the house of an elderly judge which is set in a serene and picturesque environment. The Judge lives with his pet dog named Mutt, his granddaughter Sai and the Cook. The novelist start her description in the following manner: “A crumbling isolated house at the foot of Mount Kanchenjunga lives an embittered judge. He wants to live in peaceful atmosphere by isolating himself from the messy world.” (Desai 01)

The mist moving like a water creature across the mountains, the wizard phosphorescence of Kanchenjunga, and the thick, old forests create a captivating atmosphere. Desai uses personification to give life to the bamboo thickets, describing them as gloomy and the trees as moss slung giants with roots resembling tentacles of orchids. This imagery adds to the overall sense of the ecological richness and beauty of the region. Kiran Desai gives a description of mist that was acting like a dragon, dissolving, redoing, and drawing boundaries. The wealthy nation of India benefits greatly from the north eastern Himalaya, which is home to stunning mountains that glisten like opal and dense forests. It is a shining example of India's potential as a global power. It was a wetter climate, and the scenery was reddish green with paddy fields. There was a river called the Teesta that was flowing and leaping between two banks of white land. by the riverbank wild water racing by, the late evening sun in polka dots through the trees, they parted. To the east was Kalimpong, barely managing to stay on the saddle between Deolo and Ringkingpong hills. To the west was Darjeeling, skidding down the Singalila mountain. The nun tried to offer a final counsel, but her voice was drowned out by the river roar. (Desai 31)

When Gyan comes to Cho Oyo to teach Sai, the natural beauty pleases him, filling him with a sense of awe and wonder. The majestic snow-capped peaks, the pristine glaciers, the lush green valleys, and the pure air of the Himalayas captivate Gyan's heart and soul. He finds solace and peace in the lap of nature, and it becomes his refuge from the disappointments and challenges of his job search. “He enjoyed the walk to Cho Oyu and experienced a refreshing and simple happiness, although it took him two hours uphill, from Bong Busti where he lived, the light shining through thick bamboo in starry, jumping chinks, imparting the feeling of liquid shimmering” (Desai 71). Sai, on the other hand, is a young woman who lives in Cho Oyo, a small village nestled in the Himalayas. She is a nature enthusiast and has grown up surrounded by the breathtaking beauty of her surroundings. She finds joy in every little aspect of nature from the chirping of birds to the blooming of flowers, from the gushing of the rivers to the rustling of the leaves. Nature is her muse and her source of inspiration.

As Gyan and Sai spend time together, they bond over their mutual appreciation for the beauty of nature. They embark on long walks, exploring the wilderness, breathing in the fresh mountain air, and witnessing the magic of nature in all its glory. They sit by the roaring rivers, watch the stars in the clear night sky, and feel the spiritual awakening that nature bestows upon them. Through their love for nature, Gyan and Sai discover a deeper connection with each other. They find solace and inspiration in the serenity of nature, and it becomes a backdrop for their blossoming romance. They realize that nature has its own rhythm, its own wisdom, and its own way of guiding them towards each other. Similarly, Sai’s happiness knows no bounds in the monsoon months. She is able to understand the greatest philosophy of love; “the greatest love is love that’s never shown” (Desai 87). Gyan too found joy in the beauty of rain in Kalimpong. He would often join Sai on the veranda, and together they would witness the magic of nature unfolding before their eyes. The misty mountains, the glistening leaves, and the fresh scent of wet earth filled them with a sense of awe and wonder. It was during these moments that Gyan felt a deep connection with Sai and nature, and it brought him a sense of peace and contentment that he had been longing for: “A fine drizzle spelled an ellipsis on the tin roof…. Moments clocked by precisely, and finally she couldn’t bear it—she closed her eyes and felt the terrified measure of his lips on hers, trying to match one shape with the other.” (Desai 125)

Kanchenjunga appears in this text as having been forced to pay the price for the violence committed by humans; the beautiful, serene, and peaceful environment that formerly existed there has been completely destroyed as a result of man's greed and struggle for power. A similar kind of thing has also been seen in Kalimpong, which is located in the Northeastern region of our country. Nepali insurgency was the root cause of the loss of human life and property. Animals are also brutally killed. However, the GNLF men, driven by their political agenda, remain adamant in their demands. They insist on being provided with food, shelter, and access to Jemubhai Patel's licensed rifle. They use intimidation tactics and threaten to cause harm if their demands are not met: “They have come through the forest on foot, wearing leather jackets bought from the Kathmandu black market, khaki pants like ‘bandanas universal guerrilla fashion.”(Desai 154)

The terrorist activities of these GNLF men turned the heavenly nature of Kalimpong into a hellish one. Let us recall such lines as: "They laughed a movie laugh, and then, also as if in a movie, the boy with the rifle pointed his gun at Mutt (Jemubhai's pet dog)" (Desai 05). Thus the bond of love between man and nature is broken by the Indian-Nepali insurgency. We may recall such lines as:

The GNLF boys had burned down the government rest house by the river, beyond the bridge where Father Booty had photographed the polka-dotted butterfly In fact, forest inspection bungalows all over the district were burning, upon whose verandas generations of ICS men had stood and admired the serenity, the hovering, angelic peace of dawn and dusk in the mountains.... Kalimpong was transformed into a ghost town, the wind tumbling around the melancholy streets, garbage flying by unhindered (Desai 280-281).

The Gorkhas do not bother about sabotaging their own motherland and its natural resources. They do not think of the loss they cause to nature. It is only because of the cross-cultural problems that the tranquil atmosphere of nature gets disturbed. However, some sensible people are still there to think seriously about the preservation of nature. SDO is one of them. He says: "I have become a keen gardener... since I arrived in Kalimpong. I look after my plants exactly as if they were babies” (Desai 226). When he looks at the beautiful flowering creeper in the garden of the judge, he says: "Beautiful blossom, Justice Sahib. If you see such a sight, you will know there is a God" (Desai 226).

Desai's novel also delves into the theme of racial prejudice and its harmful effects on individuals and communities. The encounter between the East and West cultures, as depicted in the novel, brings to light the complexities of identity, discrimination, and the damaging consequences of prejudice on individuals and their surroundings. This underlines importance of natural life of village where everything is fresh and original. This emphasises the value of village lifestyle, where everything is new and unique. After having a negative experience in America, Biju came to appreciate the value and joy of rural life. He used to spend the evenings sitting outside the house with his father. His father was satisfied with that rural lifestyle. “How peaceful our life is? How good the roti tastes there it is because the atta is ground by hand, not by machine and because it is made on choolah, which is better than anything cooked on gas or kerosene stove. Fresh roti, fresh butter, and fresh milk still, warm from buffalo.” (Desai 103)

Even the cook has an extreme fear of disturbing cobras since he treats snakes with the same reverence as if they were deities. As mentioned in the text: “I went to the temple and they told me that I must ask forgiveness of the snakes. So I made a clay cobra and put it behind the water tank, made the area around it clean with cow dung, and did puja immediately, the swelling went down” (Desai 27). In one scenario, Lola reveals her callousness and her westernised attitude by removing a caterpillar from a cauliflower and tossing it to a nearby bird. The bird then pinches the body of the caterpillar like toothpaste, which demonstrates Lola's lack of concern for the creature. Humans are prone to natural calamities such as landslides, storms, dense fog, severe cold, and the aqueous season. Desai has skillfully embodied the natural world. She reflects the best of both the natural world and humanity. The heavens were ablaze as a blue fire engulfed the pine tree, causing it to perish in an instance and leaving behind a stench of charred wood, a charcoal-like substance, and a crisscross pattern of branches on the grass. The rainy season lasted between four and five months. That had a significant impact on every single aspect of the situation. “Condensation fogged the glass of clocks and clothes hanging to dry in the attic remained wet for a weak” (Desai 106). The challenges of environmental problems, such as overflowing rivers and excessive rain, disrupted communication and movement among people. The overflowing of Jhora river, resulted in the bridge being carried downstream, cutting off a vital transportation route. The Gorkhas, expressing their discontent through strikes and processions, were unable to achieve success in their efforts. The excessive rain also flooded the streets, making it difficult for people to move about freely. The bad weather confined everyone to their houses, preventing outdoor activities and movements. This suggests that the severe weather conditions had a significant impact on daily life and routines, limiting people's ability to communicate, travel, and engage in regular activities. Desai's portrayal of these environmental challenges showcases the disruptive power of nature and its impact on human societies. It underscores the need for adaptation and resilience in the face of such adversities, and the limitations and constraints that extreme weather conditions can impose on human activities and social interactions.

CONCLUSION:

In conclusion, The Inheritance of Loss highlights the interconnectedness of human actions and their ecological ramifications, even though the major focus is on the ruptures caused by politics in human relationships. Desai's storytelling prompts reflection on the delicate balance between human concerns and the environment, and how political turmoil can impact the relationship of individuals with their natural surroundings. The novel serves as a reminder of the need to recognize and address the entwinement of human concerns and ecology, and the consequences that arise from it. Through her skillful portrayal of these themes, Desai leaves readers with a thought-provoking narrative that underscores the significance of our relationship with the natural world, even amidst political strife. Desai's novel offers a delicate exploration of the issues of human concerns and ecology, making it a compelling read that encourages readers to contemplate the complex interplay between human actions, politics, and the environment.

REFERENCES:

1. Abrams, M. H. and Geoffrey Galt Harpham. A Glossary of Literary Terms. Cengage Learning, 2015.

2. Berry, peter. Beginning theory: An introduction to Literary and Cultural Theory. New Delhi: Viva publication, 2007.

3. Bennett, Michael, and David Warfield Teague, Eds. The Nature of Cities: Ecocriticism and Urban Environments. University of Arizona Press, 1999.

4. Buell, Laurence. (2005). The Future of Environmental Criticism: Environmental Crisis and the Literary Imagination. Oxford University Press, Blackwell.

5. Desai Kiran. The Inheritance of Loss. India: Penguin Books, 2006

6. Glotfelty, Cheryll. Ecocriticism Reader: Landmark in Literary Ecology. Athens: University of Gorgia press. 1996. Print.

7. Jana, Ujjwal. Representations of Nature in Ancient Indian Literature: Some Reflections. In Sivaramakrishnan. Murali & Jana, Ujjwal, Eds. Ecological Criticism for Our times: Literature, Nature and Critical Inquiry. New Delhi: Authors press, 2011. Print.

8. Rueckert, William. Literature and Ecology: An Experiment in Ecocriticism. IOWA Review 9.1, 1978. Print.

Received on 13.05.2023 Modified on 22.05.2023

Res. J. Humanities and Social Sciences. 2023;14(2):105-108.

DOI: 10.52711/2321-5828.2023.00022