In the contemporary literary scenario the epic Mahabharata holds a position of reverence and the various “re-writings” of the epic is testimony to the fact that people in different regions of India are making an ongoing effort to reinterpret the epic to elicit deeper meaning and insights from the epic. It presents a realistic picture of a man’s struggle and his heroism against odds that makes it a suitable material for rewriting new fiction. The tendency to write new tales has been instrumental in recreating the tales of the great epic that have a universal and timeless appeal. The relevance of it to the contemporary society is underlined by the fact that the characters from the epics have infilterated Indian psyche to such an extent that they have become reference points for people in their day to day lives.
Yajnaseni: The Story of Draupadi is a re-writing of the events of the Mahabharata, related to the life of its central female figure Drapuadi, accounted by herself at the time of her death, highlighting the somberness of her life as a woman, where at every step she is used as an object by men to suit their designs. She is an epic heroine whose predicaments and sufferings seem endless. Despite making all compromises in her polyandrous marriage, no one around her bothered to empathise with her. Born of sacrificial altar, true to her appellations, Yajnaseni throughout life burns in the fire of men’s lust and her actions, reactions cause burning in others. Ray draws on the element of irony relating to Yajnaseni's position as well as predicament. Yajnaseni is a deeply wronged woman, all decisions about her are taken by others without ever taking her token approval. Everyone right from gods, her father, mother-in-law, husbands use ...
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“Arranging a Marriage in India” by Serena Nanda is a well written, informative article aimed at sharing the view of the Indian culture on arranged marriages and also showing how much effort is put into the process of arranging a marriage. Our own culture has evolved into accepting the fact that we are all independent individuals who could not imagine having someone else make such a significant decision for us. Serena Nanda does an excellent job of using her sources within the society as evidence of the acceptance of the arranged marriage aspect of their culture.
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Mahasweta Devi, always writes for deprived section of people. She is a loving daughter, a clerk, a lecturer, a journalist, an editor, a novelist, a dramatist and above all an ardent social activist. Her stories bring to the surface not only the misery of the completely ignored tribal people, but also articulate the oppression of w...
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When it comes to literature the world has a lot to offer. From novels to poems history has given us plenty to read and learn from. Some literary works are more than just for reading purposes such as the great epic of Mahabharata. In Hinduism Mahabharata is one of two major factors that led to the creation of the religion, the other being Ramayana. Around 3000 BC Mahabharata was told in the form of stories or gossip between gods, kings, and common people. “It presents sweeping visions of the cosmos and humanity and intriguing and frightening glimpses of divinity in an ancient narrative that is accessible, interesting, and compelling for anyone willing to learn the basic themes of India's culture” (Fitzgerald 5). This shows why Mahabharata is more than just apiece of literature, it teaches us the connection between destiny and dharma and how one can get lost in the mist of finding out which is the right path.
This total idea of challenging and creating a new identity may seem quite a utopian concept but it is not so impossible. The present paper will illustrate the writings of Mridula Garg and Arundhati Roy. The characters in their work are not extraordinary and utopian but common people like us whom we can come across in our day today life. Here for the purpose of analysis Garg’s three short stories have been chosen. They are: Hari Bindi, Sath Saal Ki Aurat and Wo Dusri.