Published Paper Details:

History and literature are indissoluble and in this context, no other novel can be as worth proving as Coolie. The period of British Raj in India, which lasted from 1757 to 1947, is often portrayed as a time of great development and modernization. However, this period was also marked by widespread exploitation of Indian labourers who were subjected to hunched working conditions, low wages, and a lack of basic human rights. The British colonizers exploited the Indian labour force by creating a system of indentured labour. Under this system, Indians were forced to work in plantations, mines, and factories for long hours and low wages. Many of these workers were brought to British colonies like Mauritius, Fiji, and South Africa, where they were used to build infrastructure and extract resources. The conditions under which Indian labourers worked are deplorable. Workers were often subjected to inhumane treatment, including physical and sexual abuse. The labourers were forced to work for long hours, without any breaks or rest periods. They were often subjected to extreme heat or cold, and many suffer from exhaustion, dehydration, and malnutrition. Anand's novel Coolie is an epitome of such exploitation where Munoo, the protagonist is well associated with the exploitation by the forces such as capitalism, industrialism and colonialism. Munoo represents thousands of labourers who are denied their right to life and happiness. So this paper is a thought provoking attempt to explore the experience of labourers and coolies during the British rule in India.