Domestic Life Reflection | Redefining the Modern Male's Role in the Household
Gyanendra Pandey's book, Men at Home: Imagining Liberation in Colonial and Postcolonial India, delves into the complex relationship between South Asian men and domesticity during the first six-seven decades of the 20th century [1]. The book presents a perspective of an ambivalent presence, where South Asian men are both dependent on and dissociated from the home, reflecting a conflicted gender dynamic where the domestic sphere is primarily feminized [1].
Pandey's multidimensional approach, drawing on memoirs, autobiographies, fiction, and ethnographies from the early to mid-20th century, reveals that men's distance from domesticity was considered a prerequisite for their pursuit of 'liberating' masculine identities—political, aesthetic, literary, or spiritual [1]. This detachment from intimate and conjugal spaces within family life signifies a gendered division where men occupy a central but operationally absent position in the domestic realm, underscoring the disparities in roles and emotional labor within Indian households [1].
The book implicitly critiques patriarchy by documenting how this male absence and disengagement from home life have shaped gender roles and power relations [1]. Men's identity was constructed through not engaging in domestic labor or emotional intimacy at home, placing women in the role of primary custodians of the household and unpaid reproducers [1]. This dynamic sustained masculine authority while simultaneously marginalizing men from the everyday realities of family life.
Men at Home includes a variety of characters across genders, castes, religions, and classes, and it does not shy away from unravelling personal experiences that are highly political [1]. However, it does not cover the Take Back the Night movement or similar movements, nor does it discuss the role of women's rights activists like Satabdi Das.
Satabdi Das, a teacher, short story writer, and feminist, is one of the founders of the Take Back the Night movement in West Bengal. Her involvement in the movement is related to women's rights and safety, but Gyanendra Pandey's book does not mention Satabdi Das directly.
Men at Home carves a niche as a study of subcontinental masculinity, focusing on the concept of "navarapan", a term that encapsulates the complex emotions and experiences of South Asian men during this period. The book serves as a valuable resource for understanding the historical and cultural context of gender roles and power dynamics in South Asia.
[1] Pandey, Gyanendra. Men at Home: Imagining Liberation in Colonial and Postcolonial India. Cambridge University Press, 2011.
The book, "Men at Home: Imagining Liberation in Colonial and Postcolonial India," demonstrates that South Asian men's identity was built on the contrast between domesticity and other spheres, such as politics, aesthetics, literature, or spirituality [1]. One could infer that a South Asian man's "lifestyle" during this era was heavily influenced by this dichotomy, with his "books" providing insight into this perspective [1]. Additionally, the book delves into the home-and-garden aspects of South Asian life, revealing a gendered division where men occupy a central but disengaged role, which influences the "entertainment" options available within Indian households [1].
