This research paper titled – “Historical and Political Consciousness: A Critical Study of Basavaraj Naikar’s The Sun Behind the Cloud” leads to the exploration of the idea of the historical and political consciousness dealt symbolically and metaphorically in the said novel. The novel – the Sun Behind the cloud by Basavaraj Naikar portrays the picture of the revolt of 1857 when Indian freedom – fighters across the country started raising their strong protest against the tyranny and oppression of the British rulers, the East-India Company, led by Lord Dalhousie. This movement gained momentum under the leadership of Rani Lakshmi Bai, (the queen of Jhansi) Tatya Tope, the last Mughal emperor – Bahadur Shah Zafar, Begum Hazrat Mahal. Lord Dalhousie, the British ruler projected the policy of misappropriation and divide and rule. Thus, this novel loosely deals with the genuine idea of the historical and political consciousness. This fire kept sparking up from Meerut city, when Mangal Pandey happened to be the first protester who raised his rebellion against the British administration. Bhaskararao Bhave, the chief protagonist of the novel, a very bold and adventurous hero, hailing from Naragund Kingdom, happens to bring about a historical and political revival of the unsung heroes of the past and the legacy of the mighty regional monarchs who very adventurously kept fighting against British imperialism in the South India. The historical and the political consciousness unveils the natives’ resentment against unjust and oppressive legislation. Bhaskararao Bhave brought about rebellion against the Doctrine of Lapse (which disallowed Indian rulers from adopting legal successors) and the Disarmament Bill. This novel not only brings about allegations on the British colonialism but it also criticizes and satirizes the impotency and hollowness of mapping of India during the pre-independence period. The tragic failure of Bhaskararao Bhave’s patriotic fight gets attributed to the British diplomatic policy of divide and rule and the destructive betrayal by his own people and officers.
The story of the novel keeps revolving around the interplay of destiny and martyrdom. The chief protagonist of the novel, Bhaskararao Bhave, coincidentally gets a narrow escape from the British imprisonment, when a loyal cook offers himself to the gallows and the hero is drifting away to Nepal in disguise to meet Tatya Tope.
Thus this novel fictionalizes the colonial conflict between Bhaskararao Bhave of Peshwa dynasty, the brave king of Naragund and the authorities of the tyrant rulers of East India Company during the revolt of 1857. Officials like Banya Bapu and Krishnaji Pant happen to commit treachery against him. His dream of independence gets shattered, making him “a mute witness to the triumph of the British Raj”.
The title of the novel is very much metaphorical and symbolic. The Sun metaphorically stands for independence and self-identity and it is eclipsed by the dark clouds of the British Empire, operated by East India Company. The Sun was temporarily obscured by the dark clouds of the British sovereignty reflecting the cyclical and transformative nature of the historical progress.