In Search of their Voice: Women on the Periphery in Naga-Mandala

Abstract

Relationships among different components of society form the core of Karnad’s plays. For Karnad man and woman are two forces which make and run the society. At the same time he is also conscious that woman does not get her due in our society. Naga-Mandala, published in 1988, presents the voice of ordinary women of our society. Women in our society form the core of existence—be it family or society, yet they do not get to express themselves. In fact, they have no say in the familial or societal matters. Thus women form their own groups where they share their innermost feelings. And though they are forced to live on the fringes, they voice their opinions and concerns as thinking and intelligent human beings in and through these women groups.  The present paper explores this need of women to speak and to be heard through Karnad’s Naga-Mandala. Karnad here uses two folk tales to bring before us the situation of women in the present social warp and weft. The paper makes an effort to show how Naga-Mandala elucidates that women, though living on the periphery, voice their opinions and concerns and lead a life of their choice within the boundaries fixed by the society.