Anthropological Study of Arundhati Roy's Ministry of Utmost Happiness

Literature and anthropology are complementary in nature that the former reflects upon the lives of people while the latter studies the human nature and culture through a scientific and systematic framework. In the present day context a scientific approach to the study of humanity and culture is required to rationalize the modalities of human life. Such an enquiry is possible through the examination of literature in a systematic backdrop. This hybridity of study would help the anthropologists to get the real time facts to their research and critics a reason for the change in trend of behaviour of people. Ministry of Utmost Happiness, the second novel of the author Arundhati Roy presents a holistic socio-political scenario of Indian sub-continent. This novel helps people to understand the different needs and goals of the people across this nation. An anthropological study of this novel would help in the scientific estimation of the different behavioral templates of pan India which is known for its oneness in otherness. The present study would help even the critics to understand literature better. The study deals with few instances from the novel against the theoretical ideologies of Hall, Harris and Mervin.