Rereading minor women characters of the Ramayana and the Mahabharata through their contemporary adaptation in the novels of Kavita Kane

Abstract

This study explores the changes in the portrayal of minor women characters in the Ramayana and the Mahabharata to that of the contemporary fictional narratives of Kavita Kane. Women’s struggle, except in the Vedic period, expresses their endeavor for self-reliance and individuality. It also carries their subsequent efforts to camouflage or appropriate the patriarchal norms to be at peace with society. The struggle of marginalized women in epic stories—whether misrepresented, represented, or silenced—is now being brought to light by reframing their roles as protagonists who assert themselves, fight for their rights, and challenge the pre-determined social and cultural expectations that have caused their oppression in a male-dominated society. These stories prompt us to question gender and class-based discrimination by highlighting female characters’ neglected mental abilities.