Untouchable : Summary

                        UNTOUCHABLE

Untouchable is not only the magnum opus of Mulk Raj Anand but also the most popular, compact, and well-knit novel. It is classic in limited sense and it was first published in 1935. At that time Anand was a writer without eminence and fame. The novel underwent several revisions. The book did not appeal the publishers si it was discarded by as many as nineteen publisher. The book was published on 1 May 1935. It's sale enhanced several times and it's growing popularity made Anand a celebrity. It has been translated into over twenty international languages.
      Untouchable presents an account of a single day in Bakha's life, a scavenger boy of eighteen, and the central character in the novel. The novel starts with a description of the society of most exploited class of people on the outskirts of the town of Bulasha in the vicinity of the cantonment. Bakha the protagonist, is a life-size character and presents the virtual pathos of an exploited human being. He is young, and sturdy boy of eighteen. His mother passed away long ago. His father is old and quite unable to work because his feeble limbs have lost the strength to work due to ageing. Like most Indian families the responsibility to cater to the requirements befall Bakha. He works relentlessly. He works for meagre wages that is hardly sufficient to support even the basic needs of life.
  Besides these excruciating experiences he has an unusual passion for English ways of life. He loves to wear English clothes to experience a sense of distinction. He smokes Red Lamp, a brand cigarette. His father did not like his extravagance and discouraged his new passion. Even his own community members scoffed at him and Chota and Ram Charan cut jokes with him for his queer way of living, calling him Pilpali Saheb.
A Morning with Bakha
Bharat singh calls, ohe, Bakhya!  Ohe scoundrel of a sweeper's son ! Come and clean a latrine for me !" While turning sides in his bed with cold he ignores the call of Bharat Singh for sometime. His father's coughing and abusing in a routine matter and this compels him to detest his father from the core of his heart who is worthless and a burden and good for nothing. Further Charat Singh gives a brand new hockey stick to Bakha. It comes as an unexpected boon and renders him elated. Bakha finishes his morning shift of work and comes back home. He is hungry and thirsty for he has not eaten anything since morning. Sohini tries hard to lit the fire but the wet fuel fails her. She realises that there is no water. She balances the pitcher and goes to the well of the caste Hindus where she counts on the chance of some gentleman taking pity on her and giving her the water she needed. Fortunately a caste Hindu priest approaches. He is suffering from chronic constipation. He wants to relieve himself of this trouble by drawing water from the well. He draws water and pours it into sohini's pitcher because her sylph-like form, well-rounded hips and globular breasts appeal to his prurient desire. Sohini comes back with water. Lakha scolds her for being late,. She pays no heed to her father's invectives. She prepares tea and breakfast and serves to her insistent brothers, Bakha and Rakha, and her father who has least resistance to hunger. Bakha leaves home to do the work which his father instructs him to do in his stead.
Bakha comes out of his house and proceeds to the town out of his colony. He is in playful mood and rather jovial. He begins to sing to himself. He stops when he realizes that he is being watched by Ram Charan and Chota. He felt abashed ay being seen absorbed in singing to himself. Bakha is informed that Ram Charon's sister is going to be married. Chota persuades him to work. But he decline making and excuse that he has a lot of work to do and that his father is ill. He is then asked to participate in a game of hockey the afternoon and he co concedes. Bakha proceeds and buys a packet of cigarette from the betel shop. But Bakha is much humiliated by the shop owner. He joins his hand and begs to know where he could put a coin to pay for a packet of Red Lamp. He buys some cheap sweets because he cannot afford expensive ones. He was relishing sweets but very soon his fancy proves to be short-lived, unreal and illusion as caste Hindu begins to abuse him and accuses him of polluting, Bakha apologises but callous cast Hindu does not melt. He slaps Bakha and spoils his sweets rendering unfit to eat. Bakha tends to be angry but he soon comes to realise that he is an outcaste therefore he has to shout and announce his approach when he moves on a public road. Bakha sets his turban again and proceeds announcing his approach.
Bakha now reaches the temple, a colossal, huge turreted structure of massive stone. 'Ram, Ram,Sri, Sri Hari.' many people chant the names of various deities and enter the temple. Bakha also finishes his work and due to his strong desire to see God enters into the temple. He sees two priest performing the Hindu rituals. He was affected by the rhythm of the song. He joint hand unconsciously, and his head hung in the worship of the unknown god. Suddenly an outcry and hullabaloo raise, "polluted ! Polluted ! Polluted ! " The commotion renders him completely unnerved. His eyes are covered with darkness. He cannot see anything. For a second he was as if dead. Sohini, Bakha's sister is molested by pundit Kali nath as Sohini herself reports, "He-e-e just teased me. And then when I was bending down to work, he came and held me by my breast". Bakha becomes angry and rushes like storm to punish the Brahmin dog but in the mean time Sohini arrests his progress by dragging hard at the lapel of his overcoat. But then Bakha relaxes when he is assured by his sister yah her modesty is not ravished. He offers himself to go instead of Sohini, to collect bread.
Bakha wanders in search of food. Because he has to collect today's bread. Otherwise they will have to sleep without bread. He begs his daily bread because his meagre earning can't meet the requirements of daily bread.
Bakha wanders from door to door with scant hope in his eyes. He begged and voiced his demand, "Bread for the sweeper, mother." It is a heart tension scene. A woman hurdles abuses on him because he sat at her doorstep. He moves to next door. As he moves on, a woman from roof top throws bread to him. He fails to catch and collects them from dirty brick pavement and sets for home. All the concentrated anger of the morning was tormenting his soul. A fresh insult added his grief. He want to forget everything but it is not possible,they have became an indistinguish part of his life.
He feels excessively hungry and going home with sagging limbs. He broods the bread under his arm is not sufficient. Lakha will ask for bread because Sohini did not go out to collect.

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