NAVI STREE

‘नवी स्त्री’ ही वि. स. खांडेकरांची अपूर्ण अशी कादंबरी असली, तरी तिचं स्वरूप पाहता ती एक पूर्ण ‘स्त्री प्रबोध गीता’ आहे. नव्या स्त्रीनं कायदा जाणायला हवा, १४४ कलम तिला माहीत असायला हवं; शिवूâन तिचा विवाह तर होणारच, पण त्या पलीकडे जाऊन तिचं सामाजिक मन घडणार आहे कां? की ती केवळ रबरी बाहुली राहणार? तिचं मन मुलां / पुरुषांप्रमाणेच स्वातंत्र्य घेऊन आलेलं असताना समाज ते तिला का देत नाही? पुरुष स्त्रीला मैत्रीण का नाही मानत? - अशा प्रश्नांचं काहूर खांडेकरांच्या मनात माजलं असताना सन १९५० मध्ये निर्माण झालेली ही कादंबरी आज पन्नास वर्षांनंतरही तितकीच वाचनीय नि विचारणीय ठरते. खांडेकर ‘दुबळे ललितलेखक होते’ म्हणणाNयांना ‘नवी स्त्री’ वाचनाने ते क्रांतदर्शी विचारक व स्त्री उद्धारासाठी तळमळणारे संवेदनशील कादंबरीकार होते, हे उमजायला वेळ लागणार नाही. 

This novel is in a true sense "the complete apperception of a woman`. The author has left it incomplete, but it completes itself with the awakening of the mind so we should not consider it as incomplete. The author has written this novel in the year 1950. But even today it is most interesting and readable. Till the publication of this novel the novelist was known to be a weak creative literature writer, but the above said novel brought his strong side in front of the readers, he was revolutinary, pensive writer and had a very sensitive mindset and wanted to help women in their upliftment. The author always felt that the modern lady should know law, especially the section 144. It is true that she is going to get married even after being educated, but after and before marriage her mind should get moulded. The continuous process of moulding, that to of social moulding should take place in her life or is she going to remain a puppet in her husband`s hand even after education? Why does not the society recognise that like the male members of the society she also has a mind, a freedom? Why does not a man consider a woman as a friend? Why is a woman looked upon only and only as a woman? Aren`t these questions equally applicable to today`s woman too? Even in the 21st century?