IMPURE REVENGE, PURE SACRIFICE: A STUDY OF GIRISH KARNAD’S PLAY THE FIRE AND THE RAIN

Abstract

This paper is an attempt to discuss the notions of revenge and sacrifice as depicted in Girish Karnad’s famous play The Fire and the Rain. The sacrifice is a major ceremony to appease gods in most of the religions all over the world. From ancient times this idea of sacrifice is prevalent. Even in pagan societies when religions were not developed in the sense we perceive today, then also humans practice offerings of animals and sometimes humans too to the supernatural power to please and to have blessings. Revenge is more of a psychological and emotional state that gets activated automatically and provides a strong drive in people who feel they have been wronged by another. Yavakri, Raibhaya, Parvasu, husband and brother of Nittilai are the characters in the play who are burning in the fire of revenge for various reasons. They think that they have been wronged and killing of their opponent is only the way to solve the problem. The death of Jesus on the cross has been considered as the greatest sacrifice. Jesus gave his life to clean the sins of society. Girish Karnad uses the mythological story from Mahabharata, in his play the Fire and the Rain to discuss the concepts of revenge and sacrifice in which the purity of Arvasu life and his sacrifice delivered the state from drought and there is Rain. The title is symbolic when rain stands for hope, life, flora and fauna, blessings, creation, radiation and rejuvenation and fire stands for purification something that is crude in us is to be burned out. Even fire also represents passion, hatred, jealousy, revenge and prejudice. Yavakri wants to take revenge, so he goes for the penance to get power to take revenge on his uncle Raibhaya. Parvasu left the fire sacrifice to remove his own father which is a threat to the fire ceremony he is performing. The brother and husband of Nittilai take revenge on her for running away by killing her.