Indian English Fiction in recent times has shown remarkable sensitivity to the changes in the lives of people in the wake of mutually oppositional cultures coming in close contact. The drama is intensified in the consciousness, which is aware of its inability in the face of this rather awesome socio-cultural phenomenon. Kamala Markandaya has focussed her attention exclusively on this phenomenon seeking to gauge the strength of human commitment and integrity to the cultural identity in her novels. In her works, we do not find a simple presentation of two mutually incompatible ways of life, rather, through these we discover a sincere attempt to plumb the depth of human relations. By the time, Markandaya's last novel Pleasure City (1987) came to be written, India's socio-cultural growth had arrived at a point that showed notable maturity and flexibility. The winds of globalization and liberalization began sweeping the country bringing about a degree of advancement never seen before. The mood of identifying the national character with an exclusivist religio-cultural set of values and nationalistic fervour in the era of 1940s-50s had mellowed into a full-brown, ripe world view, when assimilative tendencies ruled the socio-cultural ethos. In her later novels the sharply outlined bipolarity of the two worlds is very much pronounced, although the solution is seen to be intelligently suggested. It lies not in total absorption but in overcoming of strong prejudices out of a genuine love for other people.
Dr. Dalbir Singh Yadav (b. 1964) is presently working as Associate Professor of English in Govt. College for Women, Rewari (Haryana). He has a total of 19 Years of teaching experience at U.G. and P.G. levels. He completed his master's degree from J.N.Vyas University, Jodhpur with first division and subsequently earned his doctoral degree from Mohan Lal Sukhadia University, Udaipur (Rajasthan). He acquired P.G.C.T.E. and P.G.D.T.E. from E.F.L.University (formerly C.I.E.F.L) Hyderabad. He has presented research papers in various National and International Conferences and Seminars. He has published a dozen research papers in various National and International research Journals of repute. His areas of study are post-colonial literature, diaspora writings, partition literature, dalit literature and Indian women writings in English.
First of all, I would like to acknowledge the contribution of Professor Ashutosh Mohan in the preparation of this study. His guidance and support was like a strong puff of air on a summer day. I also take this opportunity to record my deep gratitude to Professor Sharad Rajimwale for his valuable guidance and noble support extended to me during the course of study, without which it would not have taken this shape. I am highly grateful to my friend Dr. Satish Kumar Harit who has done long and insightful deliberations with me on diaspora writings, expatriate sensibility and post-colonial situation in India and has helped me in a number of ways. My thanks are also due to my friend Dr. Sanjeev Kumar who devoted his valuable time in fine tuning certain aspects of this work. My thanks are also due to Dr. Karan Singh without whose support and suggestions this book would not have seen the light of day. I am indebted to my parents who inspired me to go in for higher studies. I am thankful to my all family members and friends for their inspiration. I would miss a great deal if I don't express heartfelt gratitude to my wife, Leela Yadav, daughter Pratima and sons Mohit and Vaibhav Yadav who allowed me to concentrate on my studies and bore with me patiently during the study even while I was perforce neglecting my duties towards them. Last but not the least, I sincerely thank Mr. Nitin Garg and his team for giving their fullest attention in shaping this study in present form in a meticulous way.
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