The Humiliation and Degradation of Women in Jyotirmoyee Devi's Epar Ganga Opar Ganga: A Critical Study

Abstract

The Partition of India in 1947 was not merely a political event; it was a profound humanitarian tragedy that reshaped the lives of millions. While Partition literature has extensively documented the violence, displacement, and communal conflicts that accompanied this historical moment, the gendered experiences of women have often remained marginalized. This paper examines the humiliation, degradation, and social exclusion experienced by women in Jyotirmoyee Devi's novel Epar Ganga Opar Ganga. Adopting a feminist literary perspective, the study explores how communal violence and forced migration deprived women of their families, social identity, dignity, and bodily autonomy. Through the character of Sutara, the novel reveals that women endured not only physical violence but also lifelong psychological trauma and social ostracism. The study argues that Jyotirmoyee Devi challenges patriarchal notions of honour, purity, and caste by exposing the hypocrisy of a society that victimizes women while holding them responsible for the violence inflicted upon them. Ultimately, the novel foregrounds women's resilience and their struggle for identity and survival in the aftermath of Partition. By highlighting the intersection of gender, caste, religion, and nationalism, this paper demonstrates that Epar Ganga Opar Ganga is a significant feminist intervention in Partition literature and an enduring critique of patriarchal social structures.