Environmental Concerns in Sanjeev’s Novels

Rakhi

Rakhi

Research Scholar, Hindi Literature

B.R.A. Bihar University, Muzaffarpur, Bihar

Abstract

          The contemporary age can rightly be called the age of environmental crisis. Industrialization, urbanization, and uncontrolled scientific progress have exploited natural resources so recklessly that the balance of the Earth is continuously deteriorating. Climate change, deforestation, water and air pollution, soil erosion, and the depletion of biodiversity have become some of the most pressing problems of our times. While the modern model of development has provided humanity with material comforts, it has simultaneously endangered the very existence of Earth’s environment. Literature has always been considered the mirror of society. Whenever society has faced crises, literature has given them a voice through its creative expressions. Hindi literature is no exception in this regard. In modern Hindi novels, the pain of nature and the environmental crisis have found strong expression. Among the notable writers addressing these concerns, Sanjeev holds a significant place.

          Sanjeev has portrayed environmental issues not merely as problems but as phenomena deeply rooted in social, cultural, and political dimensions. He emphasizes that nature is not merely a resource for fulfilling human needs but is the very foundation of human existence, culture, and social fabric. The severance of this intrinsic relationship between man and nature due to blind modern development has led to crises. Industrialization and urbanization have left severe impacts on the environment: degradation of arable land, pollution of rivers, reckless felling of forests, and the displacement of tribal communities from their traditional habitats. Capitalist development has enriched only a small section of society, pushing the majority into crises of survival. Farmers, laborers, and tribal lives have been shattered. Literature has deeply depicted this tragedy, and Sanjeev’s novels stand as witnesses to these realities.

Sanjeev

Main Article

           Sanjeev, whose full name is Ram Sajeevan Prasad, is an eminent figure in Hindi literature. He was born on 6 July 1947 in Sultanpur district of Uttar Pradesh. Though trained in science and employed in a chemical laboratory in West Bengal, his literary inclination drew him toward writing. Over time, he received many accolades, including the Sahitya Akademi Award. His major novels include Kisangarh Ke Aheri (1981), Circus (1984), Savdhan! Neeche Aag Hai (1986), Dhaar (1990), Paanv Tale Ki Doob (1995), Jungle Jahan Shuru Hota Hai (2000), Sutradhar (2002), Aakash Champa (2008), Rah Gayi Dishayen Isi Paar (2011), Faans (2015), and Pratyansha (2019).

          In Sanjeev’s works, nature and environment appear as central elements. His novels such as Circus, Savdhan! Neeche Aag Hai, Jungle Jahan Shuru Hota Hai, Rah Gayi Dishayen Isi Paar, Dhaar, and Faans depict the environmental crisis arising out of development projects, deforestation, and the reckless exploitation of natural resources. At the same time, he not only illustrates environmental destruction but also portrays tribal lives, their culture, and their deep connection with the natural surroundings. Thus, Sanjeev’s writings highlight environmental consciousness while interlinking social realities and the struggles of marginalized communities with nature.

         In Circus, Sanjeev uses the circus as a metaphor. The glitter and artificiality of the circus symbolize the false glamour of modern civilization. Here, nature is lost amidst artificiality. Animals are confined for entertainment, removed from their natural habitats, and turned into mere objects of display. This novel compels us to reflect on the insensitivity of human relationships with nature and animals. The grand circus tent emerges as a metaphor for the nation, reflecting human struggles, joys and sorrows, hope and despair, as well as social contradictions. The pain of animals and their separation from nature symbolize alienation, while the life of circus performers mirrors human emotions, conflicts, and pretenses. Thus, the circus becomes not just a site of entertainment but a symbol of modern life’s complexities, contradictions, and its uneasy relationship with the laws of nature.

          The novel Savdhan! Neeche Aag Hai presents the ecological crisis caused by industrialization and mining. It vividly portrays the underground fires in coalfields—fires that are not merely physical but symbolic of the destructive tendencies of modern development. These fires render the earth unsafe, displace entire communities, and create zones of crisis. The narrative reveals how industrial development pushes both nature and human life toward devastation. Sanjeev realistically depicts the plight of coal miners, their entrapment in exploitative systems, and their struggle for survival in toxic, unsafe conditions. The novel critiques capitalist consumption-oriented approaches that exploit both laborers and nature. Viewed through the lens of ecocriticism, it emerges as a significant ecological text, connecting literature to debates on environmental justice and sustainable development.

          In Jungle Jahan Shuru Hota Hai, Sanjeev explores the forest as a site of life and culture. The destruction of forests is not merely about losing trees, but about erasing biodiversity and tribal culture. Forest conservation, therefore, is not just an ecological necessity but a matter of social justice and cultural survival. This novel highlights how so-called development projects, industrialization, and globalization turn into a curse for indigenous communities by depriving them of their fundamental resources—water, forests, and land. Sanjeev portrays their struggles not just with empathy but as a voice of resistance against mainstream cultural and political structures. The narrative stresses that the alienation of tribal communities from their natural resources is both an existential and cultural crisis.

          Rah Gayi Dishayen Isi Paar widens the scope to represent global ecological imbalance. This novel is not confined to one issue but portrays the larger environmental crisis—nature’s pain, human greed, and distorted notions of development. It warns that unless a balance with nature is restored, human civilization itself faces destruction. Sanjeev connects myths, science, ethics, and human existence with ecological issues, making the novel a profound text of environmental consciousness. Through metaphors such as forests crying under axes, poisoned soil, and biodiversity loss, he underscores the catastrophic consequences of human exploitation of nature. By including themes like cloning, genetics, telepathy, gender transformation, and surrogate motherhood, Sanjeev links scientific advancement to environmental and social distortions. The novel resonates with discourses on ecocriticism and environmental justice.

           In Dhaar, Sanjeev foregrounds the water crisis—one of the most pressing issues of the 21st century. The novel shows how water scarcity devastates villages, ruins agriculture, and forces communities into migration. It strongly advocates the need for water conservation.

          In Faans, Sanjeev turns to the agrarian crisis, particularly farmers’ suicides linked to genetically modified seeds, indebtedness, and ecological degradation. Inspired by real incidents, the novel explores how droughts, natural imbalances, and exploitative market forces push farmers into unbearable distress, often culminating in suicide. Sanjeev depicts the intimate bond between farmers, their livestock, and their environment, offering a poignant critique of modern agriculture and ecological exploitation.

          From these novels, it becomes clear that Sanjeev presents environmental crisis in multidimensional ways. He shows that it is not only a matter of resource depletion but also of social justice, cultural identity, and human survival. His works not only depict problems but also hint at solutions—emphasizing the need to balance development with ecological preservation and to protect tribal and agrarian cultures as a way of conserving the environment.

Conclusion

          In conclusion, Sanjeev’s novels are not only treasures of Hindi literature but also serve as warnings and sources of inspiration for environmental conservation. They teach us that a writer is not merely a creator of beauty but also a vigilant guardian of society and environment. His works compel us to realize that nature is not an object for human consumption but the very soul of life and culture. Sanjeev’s writings instill the belief that if literature and society work hand in hand, solutions to the environmental crisis are indeed possible.

References

1. Sanjeev, Savdhan! Neeche Aag Hai, New Delhi: Rajkamal Prakashan, 1986.

2. Sanjeev, Circus, New Delhi: Rajkamal Prakashan, 1984.

3. Sanjeev, Jungle Jahan Shuru Hota Hai, New Delhi: Rajkamal Prakashan, 2000.

4. Sanjeev, Rah Gayi Dishayen Isi Paar, New Delhi: Rajkamal Prakashan, 2011.

5. Sanjeev, Dhaar, New Delhi: Vani Prakashan, 1990.

6. Sanjeev, Faans, New Delhi: Rajkamal Prakashan, 2015.

7. Shukla, Ramesh; Hindi Upanyas aur Samajik Yatharth, New Delhi: Vani Prakashan, 2002.

8. Tiwari, Chandrabhushan; Hindi Upanyas ka Vikas aur Paryavarniya Chetna, Sahitya Akademi Journal, 2018.

9. Mishra, Vijay Ratan; Hindi Upanyas aur Adivasi Jeevan ka Yatharth, New Delhi: Bharatiya.

10. Guha, Ramachandra & Madhav Gadgil; Ecology and Equity: The Use and Abuse of Nature in Contemporary India, New Delhi: Penguin Books, 1995.

11. Sharma, Shambhunath; Paryavaran Vimarsh aur Hindi Sahitya, New Delhi: Vani Prakashan, 2016.

12. Gupta, Vijay Bahadur; Hindi Sahitya aur Paryavarniya Chetna, New Delhi: Rajkamal Prakashan, 2010.

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Setu, November 2025