MYTH, MAGIC AND PATRIARCHY IN INDIAN DRAMA: A CULTURAL STUDY OF GIRISH KARNAD’S THEMATIC VISION

Abstract [English]

The present study aims to analyse the text Nagamandala by the famous modern Indian playwright, actor, director Girish Karna through its various aspects like the struggle between the myth, reality and dream like situation that the protagonist of the play faces. The extensive study of the play reveals how Karnard has used materials from Indian folk lore as a backdrop of the dramatic analysis of contemporary life. The playwright employs all the devices used in folktales and mythic patterns, such as the imputation of superhuman qualities to human beings and non-human entities, to highlight the deplorable state of a typical Indian female, who is ruled by the patriarchal order while simultaneously being bound by cultural constructions. The play tends to combine conventional modes through its four narrative levels. The interrelated stories and plots with triangular relationships and triple endings tend to reflect the cultural complexities present in the fabric of Indian society. The present study aims to analyze the magical and mythical framework of the text, utilizing cultural studies to reveal complexities in the social fabric.