Hindi science fiction: Historical Perspective Part-1

Arvind Dubey

History of Hindi literature dates back to the end of nineteenth century when first Hindi science fiction work “AASHCARYA BRITANT (Strange Tale)”, by Pandit Ambika Datta Vyas,  

published in 1884, in “PIYUSH PRAVAH”, a popular contemporary Hindi magazine from Madhya Pradesh. For the sake of convenience we may divide Hindi science fiction in- Proto science fiction, Pseudo science fiction and Contemporary science fiction.

1. Proto science fiction

It means the scientific fiction written before recognition of Science fiction as a separate genre. There are many anecdotes, stories and passing references found in our sacred books such as Puranas, Upanishads, Brahmans and mythological literature like Mahabharat and Rmayana, needs attention. Among these SrimadBhagvat, Mahabharat and Ramayana are full of these so called science fiction stories, which needs no further elaboration. Many scholars of Science fiction do not consider these anecdotes, as Science fiction because they don’t any science in these.

 Science is an ever developing domain. When these books were written in 1000 to 1500 BC, scientific concepts would have been in very primitive stage. Mental energy was only

powerful gadget available to these writers to stretch their imaginations. So the imagined to do the impossible things possible by this gadget. I personally don’t find it nonscientific because that was the limit of the science of that era.

 Don’t we accept even implausible fantasy of Martian Chronicles by Ray Bradbury, Frankstien by Mary Shally as a work of science fiction? Now when scholars are tracing the history of Science fiction to “Epic of Gilgamesh a seventh century epic poem

from ancient Iraq, I plead that a serious thought may be given to these anecdotes.

2. Pseudo Science Fiction

I have fabricated this word purposefully to describe the literature which apparently looks like the work Science fiction but really it is not based on scientific principals. Please do not mistake it with “Science Fiction in Pseudoscience”.

Devaki Nandan Khatri, the first author of mystery novels in Hindi. First of these was “Chadrakanta”, published in 1918. People were so mesmerized by the works Chandrakanta, Chandrakanta Santiti and Bhootnath that they started to learn Hindi just to be able to read the works. Although these are “Tilism” stories, cannot be classified as Hindi science fiction yet the prepare ground for development of science fiction in Hindi.

Besides this there were many pseudo Science Fiction stories appeared in the form of novelettes, comics and Television serials which we collectively call as “Pulp Science fiction”.

(Continued)