Himu

Himu (Bengali: হিমু) is a popular fictional character created by the Bangladeshi writer Humayun Ahmed who appears in a disjunct series of novels.^[1]

Naming

Himu's real name is Himalay. When Himu was young, his psychopathic father killed his mother so as to prevent her from interfering with the way he intended to bring him up. Himu is a shortened form of Himalay. His father named him Himalaya because the Himalayas symbolized greatness. He could have also been named Akash (Sky), but the sky can not be touched.

Although it is mentioned in the novels that the name "Himu" is short for Himalay, Humayun Ahmed said he actually derived Himu from his own name, Humayun. When asked whether Himu is his alter ego, he said that he is half Himu, and half Misir Ali (another popular character from his books). In the foreword to one of his books, he mentioned that while writing stories about Himu, he feels that he himself is Himu and this feeling isn't there when he is writing any other book.

Appearance and activities

Himu is a young man whose age may be between 25 and 35. His appearance is odd. He always wears a yellow Punjabi and walks barefoot. His cousin "Badal" is highly influenced by Himu's vagabond lifestyle and Badal tries to imitate Himu all the time. It's possible that some readers find his strange behavior annoying or just bizarre e.g. having cockroach soup or fleeing with his uncle's Mercedes. Despite that, in every book Himu is trying to improve the human condition using his `anti-logic'. Himu has a great knowledge of politics, literature, and contemporary events. His way of talking with the unknown person and some of his relatives, neighbors are great and sometimes it offers the reader a different level of witty humor. He has ESP (Extra Sensory Perceptions) of having intuition or the ability of soothsaying, that he never acknowledges. The great author Humayun Ahmed wants him to be in different problems to solve that's why he wrote in the preface of one book that he is curiously watching what Himu is doing when he is in grave danger(Ekjon Himu Koyekti Jhin Jhin Poka).

Life style

Himu lives like a vagabond or a gypsy. He does not have job and, therefore, no source of income. He prefers the life of a beggar than that of a hard worker, often praising begging. However, Himu walks endlessly – never using any forms of transportation. He likes to meet people from odd walks of life and charm (or perplex) unsuspecting people with prophetic comments or counter-intuitive remarks. He remains unnerved when caught in awkward situation.

His father wanted to make him a "Mahapurush" [Bengali: মহাপুরুষ] (a great man, possibly with supernatural powers) by raising him in an environment for him to understand the dark side of human nature. Later, when Himu grew up he thought that his father was not a psychopath, and he was right to try to make Himu a "Great Philosopher". Moreover, it is seen that Himu often develops ambivalent feelings towards his father- often thinking that he failed his task and at other times thinking the other way round.

Personality

Himu is decidedly eccentric. This makes him popular with teenagers. The way he responds to different and seemingly unwanted situations is unusual and unpredictable. For instance, he can give a 500 Taka note to a beggar or a rickshaw-puller or he can spend a night in rail station - acts which are totally random.

Himu has a rare courage of speaking the truth before powerful people.

He also attracts people by his great sense of humour.

Intuitive power

Himu appears to possess a strong intuitive power though he dismisses any of his intuitions coming true as mere coincidence. Some people think Himu has similarity with the characters created by a Dostoyevsky. He also has the ability to make people angry and he thinks this should be done because according to his opinion anger makes a man healthy.

Evolution of Himu

The first book having Himu as a central character was Mayurakkhi published in May 1990. Since then as many as 23 books have been written by the writer with Himu as the protagonist.

In the recent stories of Himu, his super natural powers are increasing. In the early novels he tricked people by his influencing presence, and he led them to a pre-determined future (he set up the situation, as people didn't know, they thought that as a supernatural power, e.g. "Chole Jay Boshonter Din").

Himu as a protagonist

Himu can be considered a protagonist that has been created by Humayun Ahmed as a silent but powerful protest to modern human personality. The common traits of modern man, namely, ambition, greed, opportunism, self-mindedness, materialism, compliance, fear of the state and police, lie, hypocrisy and trickery are conspicuous in Himu by their total absence. Himu is smart because he can stand up to any situation, but he does not try to be smart by conventional norms. He lives in the present and is not obsessed with the future. He does not suffer from sense of guilt which is a common feature of modern psychology. The author's approach in creating the character is unbiased. Nevertheless, it has turned out to be impressionistic. The young adults of Bangladesh and West Bengal (India) are highly inspired by the uncorrupted spirit envisaged in Himu's character.

Literature

Novels featuring Himu

1. Mayurakkhi ময়ূরাক্ষী (in Bangla). Anannya. 1990. 
2. Darojar Opashe দরজার ওপাশে (in Bangla). 1992. 
3. Himu হিমু (in Bangla). 1993. 
4. Parapar পারাপার (in Bangla). 1994. ISBN 978-9848683675. 
5. Ebong Himu এবং হিমু... (in Bangla). 1995. ISBN 978-9844580985. 
6. Himur Hate Kaekti Neelpadmo হিমুর হাতে কয়েকটি নীল পদ্ম (in Bangla). 1996. 
7. Himur Dwiteeyo Prohor হিমুর দ্বিতীয় প্রহর (in Bangla). 1997. ISBN 978-9844371453. 
8. Himur Roopalee Ratri হিমুর রূপালী রাত্রি (in Bangla). 1998. ISBN 978-9848485057. 
9. Ekjon Himu Kaekti Jhin Jhin Poka একজন হিমু কয়েকটি ঝিঁ ঝিঁ পোকা (in Bangla). 1999. 
10. Tomader Ei Nagore তোমাদের এই নগরে (in Bangla). 2000. ISBN 978-9844121171. 
11. Chole Jay Basonter Din চলে যায় বসন্তের দিন (in Bangla). 2002. ISBN 978-9848681763. 
12. Se Ase Dheere সে আসে ধীরে (in Bangla). 2003. ISBN 978-9848682531. 
13. Angul Kata Joglu আঙ্গুল কাটা জগলু (in Bangla). 2005. ISBN 978-9844373266. 
14. Holud Himu Kalo Rab হলুদ হিমু কালো র্যাব (in Bangla). 2006. ISBN 978-9848683965. 
15. Aaj Himur Biye আজ হিমুর বিয়ে (in Bangla). Anyaprokash. 2007. ISBN 978-9848684153. 
16. Himu Remande হিমু রিমান্ডে (in Bangla). Anyaprokash. 2008. ISBN 978-9848684641. 
17. Himur Modhodupur হিমুর মধ্যদুপুর (in Bangla). Annesha. 2009. 
18. Himur Neel Jotsna হিমুর নীল জোছনা (in Bangla). Anyaprokash. 2010. ISBN 978-9848685938. 
19. Himur Ache Jol হিমুর আছে জল (in Bangla). Anyaprokash. 2011. ISBN 978-9845020015. 
20. Himu Ebong Ekti Russian Pori হিমু এবং একটি রাশিয়ান পরী (in Bangla). Gyanakosha. 2011. ISBN 978-9848933602. 
21. Himu Ebong Harvard Ph.D. Boltu Bhai হিমু এবং হার্ভার্ড পিএইচডি বল্টু ভাই (in Bangla). Anyaprokash. 2011. ISBN 978-9845020428. 

Other Himu-related books

1. Himu Mama হিমু মামা (in Bangla). 2004. 
2. Himur Ekanto Shakhkhatkar O Onnannyo হিমুর একান্ত সাক্ষাতকার ও অন্যান্য (in Bangla). 2008. 
3. Himur Babar Kothamala হিমুর বাবার কথামালা (in Bangla). Annesha. 2009. 
4. Moyurakkhir Tire ময়ূরাক্ষীর তীরে (in Bangla). 2011. 

See also

• Highway to Heaven
• Misir Ali
• Khaleja

References