Exploring Indian diasporic identities through Socio cultural and historical aspects A study of M G Vassanjis literary works

Abstract

Success is hidden behind hard-work, diligence and never-give-up attitude. Such success stories carry a bundle of tears and perspiration. Success has been the newlinebiggest motivating and driving force in the lives of human beings. The basic instincts to move and explore the world have encouraged the entire human race first newlineto be wanderers and then farmers, traders, investors and finally contributors to the generations to come. It would not be wrong to say that movement is a key concern newlinefor human beings who breathe, dream and live for gold and glory; name and fame. Thus, the basic nature of adventure has led the human race to the economic, social newlineand cultural progress. It is interesting to observe that such hi/stories and concepts are at the heart of the Greek term Diaspora that means dispersal and scattering. The subject of diaspora finds its connecting threads to the various disciplines of Economics, Social Sciences, Cultural Studies, History, Politics and Geography. The present thesis is an attempt to deal with the theoretical perspective of Indian diaspora in three phases: pre-colonial, colonial and post-colonial. These three newlinephases are analytically studied with the support of M. G. Vassanji s literary works that portray the protagonists in the backdrops of all the three phases. Vassanji s newlinecharacters start their voyage of discovery (AS 221) from homeland to host land as indentured labourers, small skilled labourers and then as educated people who move newlinewestward for higher opportunities. Thus, the reasons for these migrations vary from natural calamity, to political strife, socio-cultural hierarchies, caste-class divisions on the homeland or the search for better lifestyle. Such adverse situations find a ray of hope on the host lands that holds promise of economic betterment. Thus, the migratory movements have been governed by the push factors from homelands andpull factors from host land. Based on these factors, reasons and the consequences of failure or success, the present thesis, though limited to the study of