Legal And Social Aspects In The Book "The Ministry Of Utmost Happiness"

Shweta Mathew, BA LLB, Symbiosis Law School, Hyderabad

ABSTRACT

The novel “The Ministry of Utmost Happiness” by Arundhati Roy discusses the social and political environment in India by narrating two different stories. The author at first delivers the story of a 'Hijra' or a transgender person. It talks about the birth of Anjum, the protagonist, and describes the struggles he or she faced in life as a member of the Muslim transgender community. Anjum, born as Aftab, leaves home to 'Khwabgah'where hijras live.When she grows up, she adopts a kid who later falls ill. Anjum goes to Ajmer for prayers and returns to Ahmedabad with a friend, where she becomes a refugee due to ongoing riots. She returns to Khwabgah only to leave that place and move to a graveyard where she builds a home and lives with a Dalit man who wants to seek revenge for his father's death. The other story is about an illegitimate child, Tilottama. The plot revolves around men who loved her and how they helped her. The author interconnects two stories at the end. The novel discusses issues such as the Indo-Pak war, Hindu-Muslim riots, lives of Hijra in India, the Caste system, Freedom of speech and expression and military encounters in Kashmir. The research aims to find out and analyse the social and legal aspects present in the novel.

Keywords: Hijra, Social Aspects, Freedom of speech and expression, Legal Aspects