Professional Documents
Culture Documents
Naga-Mandala: Themes
and Techniques
5 Pandey 166
Naga-Mandala (1988) is Karnads one of the finest plays. It was first published in
Kannada and then translated into English by Karnad himself. This play brought
Karnataka Sahitya Academy Award of 1989 for Karnad in the category of the most
creative work of the year. The play Naga-Mandala, directed by Vijaya Mehta in
its 30th anniversary celebrations in 1993. The play Naga-Mandala is divided into a
Prologue and two Acts. It is based on two folk tales of Kannada. These two oral tales
The first story, about the lamp flames that gather in a village temple to
exchange gossip about the households they inhabit is part of the outer
The second story, about the woman who has visited by a King Cobra in
woman in a sari and it tells itself (as the inner play) to an audience
It combines folk with mythical and strange elements to present oral tales with modern
The place of the play is the inner sanctum of a ruined temple of an unidentified deity.
The time is the night and the Sutradhar in the Prologue is a man who addresses the
audience and tells them about his predicaments. He is cursed for being a playwright
and story-teller. A mendicant had advised them that if he could keep awake at least
one whole night he would not die. That day was the last day of the month, and he kept
himself awake in order to overcome the curse of death. He, then, swore to himself that
if he could survive that night without sleep, he would have nothing more to do with
story writing. After some time, he heard some voices and then saw some flames.
Karnad says that he has heard that in some remote villages, the flames had the ability
to speak. The flames talk to each other in female voice. Flame One says that her
master was a miser so he did not buy the oil for the lamp and thus she could come to
the temple early. Flame Two says that she came from a family, whose master was a
lustful man. He needed the light to see his wifes body. Flame Three says that,
hereafter she could come early because her master and his wife were engaged now to
enjoy worldly pleasures. The masters mother had died and now both of them were
free to enjoy. They have turned me out to enjoy themselves in private. Flame Four has
a different story to tell. The lady in her house was doubtful about her husband and she
had a story and a song inside her mouth, which she kept for herself. She did not reveal
it to anybody. One day, while she was snoring, the story and the song jumped out of
her mouth. This story became a lady and the song took the form of a saree. When the
woman woke up, she saw a young lady, coming out side her husbands room. It is
reported that there were some hallucinations in the mind of the woman. This story and
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song tell a new story and this new story uttered by a story in the form of woman, is
the tale of Rani. All these flames are not merely flames, but they represent the society.
The play deals with the loose morals that are being practiced in society.
There is a deep symbolic significance of this set up of flames, ruined temple, story
and man. Here, Flames represent the evils prevailed in the society. The society is
made up of individuals, and if individuals are not good in characters and nature,
definitely society will be filthy. The playwright through his four flames throws light
on the attitude of society. Modern people are becoming miser, loosing respect to the
parents and elders and blocking to communicate the cultural and traditional heritage
to the next generation. At the same time, ruined temple symbolizes the decaying
structure of the society where the morals and ethics are vanishing day by day.
Interestingly, man in this scene shown by the playwright represents that still reforms
are possible. In the play the man has to awake one whole night then only he can save
his life. It symbolizes that modern generation is standing at the eleventh hour of its
demise. The playwright symbolically suggests that if modern men connect themselves
Girish Karnad presents the appalling state of women in Indian society. According to
Karnad the story and theme of Naga-Mandala are taken from a folk tale which he
heard from A. K. Ramanujan. The folk tale about a prince whose extreme mistrust of
women prevented him for any woman and whose encounter with a womans desire
for love. Ramanujan writes about this tale as many as forty variants. The central
theme of these tales is, as Ramanujan remarks, the narcissism of the self-involved
hero, who undergoes a test put to him by the wife, in order to survive. The
psychological inadequacy that the young man is caught in prevents his self
effect by driving the material of the play from the folk tales and also by using the non
materialistic techniques of the traditional Indian theatre. The title of the play is not
the name of a human character, but it is that of a snake. As the name suggests itself, it
As this play is based on folk tales it could be observed that the serpent plays an
important role, as in most such narrations all over the world. Readers are forced to
believe that there exists a theory that the mothers of great men in history such as
Scipio, Alexander the great, and Augustus Ceasar were all impregnated by serpents.
Naga in Indian Mythology and even in Indian Tales is referred to the powers of
in Rani (Budholia 82). It is a fact that snake myths are found extensively in
Brahman, Buddhist, Lamaistic and Japanese stories. In Naga Mandala, the story of
the cobra suggests that the play is intended to dramatize not merely the folk tales, but
also to imply a deeper meaning at various levels. The folk tale element of the Naga-
Mandala and the magical power, which the cobra possesses continually, remind the
spectators that they are only watching a play. Naga-Mandala is based on two oral
India, many houses have their own shrine which is often a grove
The existential problems found throughout Karnads plays are more comprehensive.
Naga-Mandala is not only about the male difficulty to trust and love women, it seems
to be about the socialization process of both men and women, particularly in the
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Indian society, where marriage is more often the first experience of sex and love for
most of the people. In India, the transition from childhood into adolescence and then
into adult roles have many different stages and here psychological and cultural
relationships are totally different from other less tradition-bound societies. In the
words of Rakesh Joshi, Girish Karnads Naga Mandala presents the deplorable state
of women in Indian society. The playwright wants to say in the prologue that man is a
bundle of weakness but he is either not aware of them or he cannot get rid of them
(Joshi 143).
Myths and folk tales in a patriarchal society represent primarily the male unconscious
fears and wishes. In these stories the female experiences and inner feelings are not
given importance. They do not probe much light on womens fears, anxieties and
In a folk tale, there is a magician or a snake that assumes the forms of the prince,
enters the palace and woes the beautiful princess, locked up in the palace. When the
original prince becomes aware of this, he exterminates the snake/magician and the
princess sets him a riddle. If he fails to answer, he has to die. This existential crisis is
treated in the folk tale in different ways. In Karnads play, the story takes a happy
turn, both Rani and Appanna adjusting to the family and community in a socially
useful manner. But this is achieved after upsetting the male egoism and exaggerated
sense of power over women. The play mocks at the false assumption of male
dominance through which man controls over the body, sexuality and virtues of
a young girl named Rani, who is the only child of her parents. She is also called Rani
because she is the queen of long tresses. When her hair was tied up in a knot, it looks
as a black cobra lay curled on the nape of her neck. Her father finds a match for her
and gets her married to a young man who is rich but his parents are no more. Ranis
husband Appanna, proud and jealous, ill treats her. He comes home only during lunch
and staying away with a concubine at night. Kurudavva a best friend of Appannas
mother is blind but her regard for her departed friend is shown by her concern to
Appanna and his married life. She asked her son Kappanna, to know about the
proceedings of Appannas house hold activities. When she comes to know that
Appanna keeps his newly married wife locked up like a caged bird, Kurudavva is
filled with pity on the condition of Rani and asks her not to worry. She sends her son
Kappanna to bring the roots, which produce the magical quality of love in the heart of
the man who eats it. Kurudavva gives the roots to Rani with the instruction, Grind it
into a nice paste and feed it to your husband. And watch the results. Once he smells
you, he wont go sniffing after that bitch. He will make you a wife instantly (Karnad,
TP III. 34).
According to her instruction Rani pours the paste into the curry, but as it becomes red
in colour she fears that Appanna will not eat this curry, therefore, she pours the curry
into the ant-hill. As she turns out from the ant-hill, a cobra lifts its hood, hissing out of
the ant-hill. Thus, the Cobra falls in love with Rani. It was the effect of the curry.
Here, Destiny decides the situation; after this point Ranis character moves as per the
will of Fate. Unfortunately, Rani could not serve the curry to her husband; it was
any external interference in his family life; especially he wanted to avoid his late
mothers friend Kurudavva. Appanna has brought a dog to keep the blind Kurudavva
away from his wife Rani. Even then Kurudavva succeeded and her advice works.
After tasting the curry, the Cobra falls in love with Rani.
The playwright uses the technique of shape shifting to change the form of Naga the
Cobra, into the form of Appanna. Perhaps, Karnad has taken this style of changing
form from one shape to another from the ancient mythological stories and folk tales as
he himself accepted that the play Naga-Mandala is based on the two oral tales. The
Naga comes every night in the form of Appanna through the drainage pipe when the
original Appanna is away from the home. Rani gets confused on observing the dual
nature of Appanna. She experiences two extremely different attitude of her husband
Appanna, who behaves in hasty and arrogant manner during the day at lunch time,
and the same persons behavior is changed in loving and caring husband during the
night.
Due to the conjugal relationship of Rani with Naga, she is impregnated. Appanna
becomes angry when he comes to know about the pregnancy of Rani. It was shocking
news for him. He blames the charge of adultery to his wife Rani. He wishes to expose
his wife in front of the society members and brings the matter in the Panchayata for
justice.
As it was customary system of the society then, that the chastity of women tasted
through a walk on burning coals. But, here Naga is aware about the reality of the
event between Rani and him, therefore he (in the disguise of Appanna ) suggests that
she should propose to put her hand into the Cobras hole and takes the Cobra in her
hand for proving her loyalty and chastity in front of the Panchayata.
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The Cobra does not bite her, but slides up her shoulder and spreads its hood like an
umbrella over her head. The crowd gets stunned while the elders declare her as a
goddess, a divine being Appanna asks her forgiveness and takes her fondly into his
arms. Rani gives birth to a beautiful son but, Appanna knows the fact that he is not the
father of the son, but under the pressure of society he unwillingly accepts this. Now,
he lives with his wife Rani and his son. This development brings despair in Cobras
NAGA. Why should I not take a look? I have given her everything.
Her husband. Her child. Her home. Even her maid. She must be happy.
But I havent seen herIt is night. She will be a sleep. This is the right
II.61)
The Cobra could not bear the separation, ties a tress of Ranis hair around his neck
and strangles itself to death hiding in her hair. Naga ties a tress into a noose and
places it around his neck( Karnad,TP II.62). His mental state can be compared with
that of the male protagonists of Porphyrias Lover, the great poem of Robert
Browning. But in this case he commits suicide, whereas in Brownings poem the
The dead Cobra falls on the ground when Appanna combs her hair, Rani who now
understands all about the Cobra, diplomatically convinces her husband to give a
decent funeral to Nagas body with proper respect and traditions. Our son is the
blossom of our family. He has been saved. He has been given the gift of life by the
the play. Bhagabat Nayak remarks, The Cobra is more understanding and humane in
the beastly form than Appanna the beast in human form (120). One can observe the
barbaric nature of Appanna and a kind and generous attitude of Cobra through the
Fig.13
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Thus, Appanna who is married to Rani proves rogue in her life. Inspite of being a
social animal (man) his cruelty for Rani makes him beastial. On the other hand, a
reptile enters as cool wave in Ranis life and proves itself more human than Appanna.
The Cobra shoulders all the responibibity of an ideal husband and confers her
conjugal love, a child, safety, social status and above all the authority in the society
for which the entire marriage institution is created. Eventually, Rani comes to know
the reality that to whom she is making love as a husband is not her real husband
Appanna, but the Cobra in disguise of Appanna. In spite of this, she continues the
relation with Cobra, this shows the playwrights vision that he considers woman as a
woman first, a full biological entity, rather than imposing any other relationship
bounded with manmade ethics. Satya Dev Dubey considers Karnad to be the only
playwright in the history of Indian theatre to have treated adultery as normal and
Mandala, Rani volunteers to bear the burden and invites the Cobra, Get in (to my
hair). Are you safely in there? Good. Now stay there. And lie still. You dont know
how heavy you are. Let me get used to you, will you?( Karnad,TP II.64). In other
words Rani accepts her lover Naga forever in her life and family. As Santosh Gupta
comments,
imagination. The dutiful and loyal wife may observe the social moral
code entirely, yet within her live the memories of the perfect lover who
In this play, the Cobra plays the role of a lover as the original husband refuses to love
Through this play, Karnad reveals that he is a modern dramatist in proving that the
Cobra is better in loving which is a human passion whereas a man is worse in treating
his wife who is so innocent. Rani is a simple and innocent girl. She has grown
physically but not mentally. She lives with her parents until she reaches womanhood.
After marriage, she goes to live in the village house with her husband Appanna, who
is a rich but adulterous youth. Every night he leaving Rani lonely in the house goes
out just uttering: Well then, Ill be back tomorrow at noon, keep my lunch ready. I
Appanna is involved in an extra marital relationship and has lost interest in his
beautiful, obedient, quiescent wife and goes gallivanting, imprisoning his wife at
home. This helpless Indian village girl simply stands perplexed; unable even to weep.
Karnad through Rani portrays another problem faced by Indian women. A newly
wedded Indian bride is left in the house, with not even the freedom and courage to
Dhanavel observes: She is treated not even like a maid servant. She is locked in the
house like a prisoner. She is worse, still not allowed to speak with her husband by
him (41). She struggles for words and when she hesitantly says, Listen (fumbling
for words) Listen-I feel frightened alone at night (Karnad, T.P.I.28). He retorts,
What is there to be scared of? Just keep to yourself. No one will bother you.
(Karnad,TP I.28)
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Rani looks at his bewildered; she has neither voice nor choice of her own. He pays no
attention to her and goes out, shuts the door and locks it from outside and leaves
without worrying about his newly married wife. She runs to the door, pushes it, finds
it locked, peers out of the barred window. He is gone (Karnad, T.P 1.27). Her fateful
situation remains the same every day, while he enjoys in the arms of his concubine.
Rani has to remain locked all alone in her house throughout the nights. When
Appanna comes the next morning, warns her against idle chatting and orders, Do, as
you are told, you understand (Karnad, T.P I.28). Reacting to Ranis miseries C.N.
Ramchandran remarks:
in a Hindu society in which she can see her husband only at night. In
fact, the picture of Rani, shut up in a huge house for most part of the
day and night alone, and who, in the end, has to go through barbaric
His attitude towards women reminds us of Sircars play, Evam Indrajit, where it is
said, Girls must follow the rules men can do what they like but women must be
obedient (21).
Rani is allowed only to cook lunch for him. He exercises absolute supremacy over her
and arrogates to himself the power of spending the night with other women without
any qualms of conscience. She is just reduced to the status of a housemaid and there is
expects his wife to serve him as a robot with absolute obedience. He mercilessly
keeps her starved of affection and love, which are indispensable for the growth and
the sustenance of human mind. This solitary confinement of Rani indirectly results in
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the inhibition of womens talent of house work and in the negation of womens right
Rani is the very image of an ideal Indian woman demure, unquestioning and
uncomplaining. The empty house where Rani is locked symbolizes the chain of
restrictions placed round women, which denies even her legitimate rights and hinders
her natural growth. She is one among the passive victims of a male dominated society
while her husband Appanna is a dominant and cruel type of man, who exercises
gender discrimination in Indian society. Women are oppressed and exploited highly in
Indian society. Actually due to patriarchal order of society, women do not have their
powerful voice. Women bear the atrocities of men, performs the entire household
works and some of them do additional jobs in addition to bringing up their children.
Women are ill-treated and tortured by their husbands and in-laws for various reasons.
Indian society which has accepted the laws of Manu, denies womens education and
thus mental growth. Manu says women have no right to study the Vedas. But in
modern India, women are allowed to be educated so that they become self-dependent.
Her father protects her in childhood, husband in young age and children in old age.
This is a reality; none has a genuine interest in the independent existence of women. It
is rather a veiled form of male dominance under the pretext of protecting her, she is
Karnad says women are full of desires and dreams, but they cannot lead a life of their
choice happily because they are denied their right to live with a man of their choice.
husbands even under the most unpleasant circumstances. Karnads some women
characters like Swarnalata and Sharmishtha in Yayati, Nittilai in The Fire and the
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Rain are expectedly stereotypical-they are docile, shouted at, told to mind their own
business or worse still, rejected and backed off to their parents. Here, Rani has been
portrayed as a helpless woman, shut up in an old and huge house for most part of the
day and night. She has to undergo barbaric ordeals and through this, Karnad makes a
severe indictment of the male dominated society. Rani has become a passive sufferer
in a fit of circumstances that are beyond her control. She may be compared with the
mythological character, Ahilya, who was cursed by her husband Sage Gautam for the
In practical life, men in India ill treat their wives; even then women are truly
affectionate towards them. Here, Rani is so innocent that she is completely unaware
of sex and her genuine rights. The old lady Kurudavva has been the best friend of
Appannas mother. Kurudavva feels very much concerned for Ranis miserable plight.
She gives Rani a piece of magical root, which was given to her by a mendicant to win
her husband. When Appanna comes as usual for his lunch, Rani mixes the paste of the
aphrodisiac root in the curry. As it turns red and looks sinister she dared not pour it
serve him this? That woman is blind, but he isnt. How could he possibly
not see this boiling blood, this poisonous red? And then - even if he does
happens to my husband what will my fate be? That little piece made him
In a fit of dilemma she throws it into an ant-hill in front of the house. When she
comes back, suspecting her, Appanna slaps her so hard that she falls unconscious on
the floor. Rani is a typical wife who does not want to cause any harm to her husband
Pandey 180
though he ill treats her. Appanna, as a typical husband punishes her severely even for
a pity thing like her going out though, she has been serving him without any grudge
since he has brought her home. He as a male chauvinist thinks he has the right to do
But for women in India their husbands are everything though their husbands neglect
them and go in search of other women. The society does not consider this as a matter
of concern at all. The ethos of Indian society does not permit any violation of female
chastity and loyalty to their husbands in their pre as well as post marital phases.
Karnads own imagination Swarnalata in the play Yayati accepts false charges of
adultery, for the sake of her husbands mental peace and satisfaction.
religion. People live in dejected gloom and this seems to be the largest mystery of
human existence. All the characters of Karnad are greatly influenced and even
bounded by the social ethos. Karnads characters are portrayed as prisoners who are
unable to escape from their miserable existence. Realistic situations from the warp
and woof of all literature and their depiction in depth and variety prove to be the mark
of genius. Karnads mark of genius is quite evident from his portrayal of real
Here, Girish Karnad exploits a typical technique to open the play with a prologue,
which describes the place, where the idol is unidentifiably broken. A man, who sits
inside yawns. By giving the realistic pictures the author attacks the public officers and
politicians who lack interest in social affairs. The different flames are introduced as
characters and they are interested in gossips. One of the flames says:
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FLAME 4. My master had an old, ailing mother. Her stomach was
bloated; her back covered with back sores. The house stank of cough
and phlegm, pus and urine. No one got a wink of sleep at night (Karnad,
T.P. 24).
This is a direct attack on people who do not pay proper attention to the needs of their
elders and hardly look after the aged who are unable to do any work for the younger
generation. The matter of social deformity, which is found here in the play, might
have been the concern of the playwright. Naga-Mandala probes into the development
of human beings and their adjustment on the basis of gender discrimination, with the
society roles which are entrusted to them by the traditional society. Each flame is a
female, a story teller, sharing with the others her observations and new experiences.
The author himself enters into their conversations and listens to a new tale that has
just escaped from an old womans mouth. It is noteworthy that the playwright has
given Flames the responsibility of storytelling; this expresses his attitude that he
considers only women as a link between the new generation and the tradition.
Through the identification of the flames with young, sprightly and vocal woman,
Karnad used his creative ability in a particularly female context in the man-oriented
Karnads plays are theme oriented and symbolical. His themes and their treatment are
varied and well suited to the issues which he wants to raise. His plays deal with the
mystery of human existence. All major aspects of human existence including love,
religion and faith feeling of responsibility find a conspicuous place in Karnads plays.
The thematic analysis of his play Naga-Mandala reveals that love, marriage, sex and
motherhood are the main themes. Love and marriage have been common subjects for
many creative writers, right from the beginning, be it Shakespeare, Kalidasa, Shaw or
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Brecht or say Karnad. But the treatment varies from person to person and place to
place. Karnads treatment of love and marriage falls within the jurisdiction of Indian
opportunity for love, sex and motherhood for the first time in life.
Karnad has written Naga-Mandala as a family opera in the Lok Katha (Folk Tale)
world of fantasy, which is found everywhere in the oral tradition of Indian folk. It has
The playwright by using the technique of Prologue sets the tone and mood of the play.
disbelief. Interestingly in the play too, a strange writer who is the playwright himself
is told a story by the story, an abstract character in a temple. The temple connotes to
the usual practice of the day in which temple used to be a center for storytelling,
songs and prayer. The story and the flames are female sex in the play and they
provide a female context to a male oriented text. Santosh Gupta rightly observes:
He brings within the play the strong association between oral narrative
societies. Women tell many of these folk tales, myths and legends and
In the Introduction, Karnad says that women tell stories when putting children to bed
or while doing their household chores. In the presence of other women and children,
women give expression to their own point of view and experiences which are not
Rani, the protagonist and the heroine of the play has two images-one of a suffering
Ranis fidelity and chastity are set against Appannas fidelity. Appannas illicit
relationship with woman is known to all including the elders but he is never
questioned in this male dominated society, where social codes have been framed by
men, they enjoy certain privileges. Indian society is not an individualistic society and
especially in case of a woman, her claim to individuality is out of question. The duty
individuality:
repression one has to put up with is usually very severe and resultant
Rani gets no love from her social counterpart only cold indifferences. It is the curry of
aphrodisiacs root meant for Appanna but poured on the ant-hill that makes the king
Cobra love her.Through the use magical root Karnad reduces the tension created in
the minds of audience by the cruel behavior of Appanna for Rani by making the same
figure amiable in the night. This creates a kind of suspense and thrill in the audience.
The dramatic situation gets increased when Rani feels sorrowful and says that she can
say nothing if he spins a riddle like this. Now, the Cobra knows that his identity will
be revealed unless Appanna suppresses her reason and intuition by using patriarchal
authority.
relationship, as Naga comes to her in the form of Appanna and she cannot
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differentiate between the two. Naga adroitly covers up the difference of conduct by
plainly asking her to choose either of the two or reconcile with the duality of his
conduct i.e. the behavior of Appanna in the day and the loving attitude of Naga at
night:
day?
RANI. Who am I to tell you that? Its your house, your pleasure.
NAGA. No, lets say, the husband decides on the day visits and the wife
Rani, who has never seen her husbands love and affection and has never had any
communication with him naturally, accepts any condition for having a nice company
of her husband. No matter, if it is a part time business. After all something is better
than nothing. Her loneliness makes her dreamy and she swings between dream and
reality until Naga enters into her life. In this way she weaves stories and
Perhaps, it is in her fantasy that she makes a lover. Her story expresses
her psychoneurotic needs which she does not fully understand. But she
needs to relate someone, for it is through her relation with some other
heavens. However, opposite, irreconcilable the couple may be, they have
compromised to adjust with each other in order to preserve the social setup.
Audiences are compelled to feel, how the elders look at Rani with veneration.
Marriage brings a turning point in a girls life. Her identity changes from the daughter
of so and so and she becomes the wife of so and so. And the third stage is the mother
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of so and so. It is the fulfillment of a woman, as without motherhood she is considered
When Appanna comes to know about her pregnancy, he is shocked and he calls her
whore and harlot. It is natural for him as he has never had any physical relationship
with his wife and for Rani, it is baffling. She gets a warm response at night and a
sound beating and abuses in the day from her husband. It has been a practical
experience that even a cruel husband loves his pregnant wife. But how can Appanna
love her, who knows that the baby in her womb is not his but of somebody else.
Indian male ego cannot bear this situation. He tries to kill the child in the womb but it
is rescued by her own father, Naga. Appanna takes her to the public trial. Naga
consoles her and prepares her for the trial. He asks her to swear by the king Cobra and
speaks the truth. There is an enormous ant-hill under the banyan tree. Almost like a
mountain. A king Cobra lives in it. Say you will put your hand into the ant-hill
(T.P.II.53).Naga genuinely feels sorry for her. I am sorry but it cant be done.She
said, Give me poison instead. Kill me right here. At least Ill be spared the
humiliation. Wont the cobra bite me the moment I touch it? Ill die like your dog and
mongoose (T.P.II. 53). When she expresses her fear that the snake would bite her, he
assures her, No it wont bite. Only you must tell the truth (T.P.II.53). Rani further
asks to satisfy the rising question in her mind, And suppose what I think is the truth
turns out to be false? (T.P.II.54). One wonders does she have any amount of doubt
about the man who beds with her at night? Or if it is simply born of fear? However,
Naga tries his best to give her practical as well as emotional support. His honesty and
integrity in love cant be questioned. He is as humane as a human being can be. May
be this humanity is the consequence of human creation. His deep felt words are, It
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must be true-I cant help it, Rani. Thats how it has always been. Thats how it has
Again he takes recourse to the established tradition to convince Rani of the practice of
taking an ordeal. His final assurance is also born of his deep love for Rani, All will
be well, Rani. Dont worry. Your husband will become your slave tomorrow. You
The truth is on both sides. The truth for Rani is that, she has been faithful to her
husband and loyal to him. She has been submissive like cow and has never raised a
word against his tyranny. On the other hand Appannas truth is that he has never
touched Rani and that he is not the father of his would-be-son. The result of the test
depends upon how the words are put in her pledge. Fortunately, it is the language of
Rani that saves her life. Had she said that the baby is of Appanna and none else the
snake would have bitten her? But her language became the savior:
Rani: Since coming to this village, I have held by his hand, only
two.
Appanna: (Triumphant) There. She admits it. Two, she says two! Who
are they?
Rani: And this cobra. (Suddenly words pour out) Yes, my husband
and this king Cobra. Except for these two, I have not
touched any one of the male sex. Nor have I allowed any
other male to touch me. If I lie, let the Cobra bite me.
possible only on the part of a real genius. One can see the dramatic irony, since the
truth is hidden from Rani. This is conveyed artistically and effectively as well as
convincingly to the audience. People call her as a goddess. Immediately people start
falling at her feet. This drama is found not only in books but also in the real life. The
eloquence of Rani can be compared with that of Yudhishthir, elder in Pandavas, who
was famous for his truthfulness. But in the war field at Kurukshetra, when he was
asked about the reality of Ashvatthamas demise by his Guru [teacher] Dronacharya,
Kunjarova"that means Ashvatthamas has been slanted, but he didnt know, whether
it was an elephant or a man. At the same time, the Charioteer of Arjun, Lord
could not listen properly and concluded that his son has left his physical abode.
Karnad gets irritated with the people who are dual in judgment. Elders appreciate
Rani to a great extent after she proves her innocence. The play here proves that people
are firm and rigid in their false beliefs. Even Appanna starts appreciating her. When
she is questioned by the husband, people start questioning her but they start accepting
the dramatic truth once it is proved. Thus, Karnad in the Naga-Mandala ridicules the
men who seek only sexual satisfaction and deny the importance of love and trust of
woman in family and personal relationship. The genesis of the world lies in
Kakkar says an Indian woman knows that motherhood confers upon her a purpose
the baby in Ranis womb that she runs inside the house and locks herself in. In this
APPANNA. Open the door! Open the door you whore! All right then.
Ill show you.Ill go to the village elders. If they dont throw that
child into boiling oil and you along with it, my name is not Appanna.
As a mother Rani is seen in the last part of the story to be in command of the
household, with full authority of decision making power. Appanna even agrees to her
demands that sound baffling to her. For example, he cant make out any sense of her
demand that their son should give Mukhagni (lit the ceremonial) to the dead Cobra
and that every year on this day our son should perform the rituals to commemorate
its death (Karnad, T.P.II. 63). It is a matter of fact; this ritual is performed by a son
only for the father when the father leaves for his heavenly abode. It is not clear if Rani
has got the truth about Naga or it is simply in excess of gratitude that she regards it as
a father figure who has saved the child. Appanna obviously questions, But arent you
going too far? I mean-Thats done only for ones own father. And I am still alive
(Karnad, T.P. II.63). Rani observes a mystic silence after saying, Please dont say
no. However, her earlier remark indicates of her indebtedness for the Cobra, when
she suggests that their son has been given gift of life by the Cobra.
However, she comes closer to acknowledge her love for the cobra. She saves it from
being killed by Appanna by hiding it in her thick hair. She says softly to the Cobra:
RANI: (softly, to the cobra) You? What are you doing here? Hell kill
you. Go. Go away. No! Not that way. Hes there. What shall
hair down to the floor) quick now. Get in. Are you safely in
there? Good. Now stay there. And lie still. You dont know
how heavy you are. Let me get used to you, will you?
bathroom, looking for the snake. Rani pats her hair.) This hair
The play ends with this note of love. But there is another aspect of love in the play
aptly demonstrated by Naga. This is the sacrificial love. Love does not mean
possession; it demands sacrifice and a true lover like the Cobra does sacrifice. He
feels the pangs of love and of the sense of loss but sticks to higher values of love. It is
she curl around him as passionately every night now? And dig
her nails into her back? Bite his lips? And here I am-Sloughed-
off skin on the tip of a thorn. An empty sac of snake skin. No.
I cant bear this. Someone must die. Someone has to die. Why
While observing the supreme value of love he gives her everything she wants in her
life a happy married life, a docile husband and a lovely son and finally prefers to die
in her tresses to avoid his any possibility of coming in their blissful married life. But,
why a snake is set against a man as a lover. Does it not belittle mans integrity as a
Pandey 190
lover? In his play he deals with the mystery of human existence. All major aspects of
human existence including love, religion and faith find a prominent place in his plays.
He highlights how love, religion and death can be life giving forces. Here, love
emerges as a benevolent force destroying evil and conflict and making environment
charm and thrill. Karnad derives his supernatural power and figure from the original
myths or folk story. They are not superimposed. These elements make audience aware
that as if they are watching a magical show. In the play Naga-Mandala, Karnad shows
his full capacity in displaying the greater supernatural power. It is very interesting to
note that the play begins with supernatural characters and the Sutradhar is also
elements by using the device of personification. In the opening of the play, one can
find speaking Flames in the inner sanctum of a ruined temple. Along with this there is
husband Appanna (the symbol of manhood) that she has been denied in
her marital life. Her actions based on folk belief fulfill her desires. The
tradition). (213-214)
Karnads extra-ordinary use of imagery and metaphor create a vital situation and
mesmerize the audience, by giving heart and soul to the theme and plot of his play. He
It is night. Moonlight seeps in through the cracks in the roof and the
his eyes wide. Closes them. Then uses his fingers to pry open his
In the story, a female abstraction is a Sutradhar. She is wrapped in the Saree and the
Saree is the song. She tells a story to the man, who is professional playwright. In the
beginning the man introduces himself and his problems to the audience. He is at a
temple at one night and there comes several flames giggling, talking to each other in
female voices. They are lumps, flames floating on their own. It is interesting to quote
tonight.
FLAME 1: That master of our house, you know what a skinflint he is!
even an hour old, they ran out of Kusbi oil. The tin of
peanut oil didnt go far. The bowl of castor oil was empty
Pandey 192
any way. So they had to retire to bed early and I was
(Laughter)
FLAME 2: (Sneering) Kusbi oil Kusbi oil! Peanut oil! How disgusting!
FLAME 1: ..But at least I come here every night. What about your
friend, the Kerosene flame? She hasnt been seen here for
FLAME 4: Actually from today on I dont think Ill have any difficulty
Different flames like Kerosene lamp after the lights have been put out for the night
escape from their respective houses to gossip and have some entertainment. The
fantasy element is enhanced when they speak like the female voice and evoke an
ambience of a magical world. It renders the impossible events that ensure in the
course of the play quite probable. In such a setting, the non human things are
articulated; even a cobra speaks and fathers human child; the story itself becomes a
dramatic person and gossips with the flames. A folk mind conjures up many fanciful
things. A man, on seeing the speaking flames, says, I dont believe it! They are
naked flames! No wicks, no lamps. No one is holding them. Just lamp flames on their
There are enormous supernatural and fantastic elements which amuse the audience
remarks: flames begotten of flames all trying to save a dying man, a man shocked by
the floating images, shade more than image more image than shade (37). It is an
Pandey 193
unreality that a dying man is saved by the story clad in a song, manifested as a woman
In Naga-Mandala, there are elements which make it metamorphic play; Karnad with
the help of this unique technique of metamorphosis (shape shifting) presents the
development in the character of Rani. The Naga or Cobra creates a .protective circle
for Rani, with his help, an innocent girl, longing for her parents; is changed into a
woman, becomes a loving wife and is then transformed into the divine mother at the
end of the play. Rani can be compared with G. B. Shaws Eliza Doolittle, who was
changed by Prof. Higgins from a gawky girl to a sophisticated and cultured lady.
Though there was not any indication of physical relationship between them in the play
Pygmalion. Appanna, too changes from a hostile husband into a doting one. The
various stages in Ranis development of her personality are influenced by her fancies
and reveries which are the projections of her suppressed desires. The remarkable
new woman. With the help of Cobras love she has got a confidence to face the life
and the society. When she becomes pregnant, she seems courageous. She has got a
that like Hanuman a woman has great power but she should be reminded of this
power by anyone like Jamvant in case of Hanuman. It seems that Karnad uses various
unusual techniques to make his stage spectacular and he has strengthened all her
female characters by this or that way, Rani with the help of Kurudavva , Cobra and
magical root, Padmini with the help of Goddess Kalis boon and so on.
When the Story begins narrating the tale audiences are told that she is an only
daughter of her parents. Hers has been a child marriage and she has to face queer
attitude of her husband. Marriage is a milestone in a persons life and since it presents
a hostile environment; her mind indulges in dreams in order to calm her troubled self.
Her unbearable loneliness makes her weave stories about herself that express her
deepest longings. These fantasies and dreams reveal her psychological development.
At first, her deepest wish is to go back to her parents. She, like a hurt child, dreams of
a fairy land and in the seventh isle dwell her parents in a magic garden and the eagle
carries her across the seven seas back home. She slept between her father and mother.
In her second day dream she wakes up to find a stag with golden anklets at the door
calling out to her. She refuses to go, I am not a stag, he replies, I am a prince
(Karnad, T.P.I.28).
The stag is a prince of her dreams, an expression of her natural life instinct, Eros i.e.
Libido, present in every individual. In her endeavor to find love and companionship
Rani finds the much needed comfort of a mother in Kurudavva. Interactions with
Kurudavva and her support puts a balm on Ranis tortured and tormented psyche, and
Pandey 195
at last she finally finds a glimmer of hope in her otherwise lonely and gloomy life.
This promise of love and hope represented by Kurudavva who shows Rani the path to
a better future is symbolized by the whale of Ranis dream who rescues her from the
clutches of the demon. Whale symbolizes the motherly love and protection, the image
Similar to the dreams of Rani, which are personal in nature. Myths are the expression
Myths, legends, stories or folk narratives are the parts of cultural constructs intended
to shape the individual in accordance with the moral and traditional codes. Social
codes and cultural influences are all inherent in myths and folk narratives. Symbolical
in nature, they disguise the truth not only to maintain the social and cultural order, but
also to express the hidden instincts whose open expression can pose to be a threat to
social order and conduct. Particularly in a patriarchal society myths represent the male
urges:
Girish Karnad seems to have used myth with a view to exposing the
absurdity of life with all its elemental passions and conflicts, and also
Myths exist as a kind of rationale for social customs, observances and codes, and
many a times also as the explanation of events and incidents that transgresses these
codes thereby mending any services that might have occurred in the social structure of
norms. The appearance of love filling the emptiness of Ranis life with love and care
is explained through the myth of Naga, a folk tale and local culture of Kerala where
when she met Naga. As it is an established fact that Naga is closely associated with
Pandey 196
Shiva and Lord Shiva is well known for his mercy and grace. He does everything for
the sake of his devotees. It may be conferred that Cobra appears for Ranis help and
snake god of Hindus who grants the wishes of his devotees, especially
the wish for fertility. In the play, Naga grants Rani all her wishes which
she does not express openly. She grows mentally and becomes a
confident lady. She is cured of her frigidity. She gets a devoted husband.
Her husbands concubine becomes a lifelong servant maid for her. And
she begets a good son. Naga, in addition, makes Appannas heart fertile
with love and affection for his wife. At a higher level of symbolism,
This entire episode, its outcome and the characteristic development of Naga-Mandala
can be analyzed on Mandala Theory. Girish Karnad has a quench to search the term
identity in its real perspective, for which he exploits this technique in almost all his
plays. He for the search of identity highlights the physical and corporeal side rather than
spiritual and ethereal aspect. In the play Naga-Mandala, the basic theme itself is rooted
in corporeal and sexual relations.To highlight the corporeal aspects, Girish Karnad for
Fig. 15
Here one can observe that circles, which are indicative for spirituality, are dimmer,
because all the characters of the play and their deeds are least spiritual and ethical. No
one in the play seems austere, spiritual and ethical, even on social codes. The ruined
temple described in the very beginning is itself highly symbolical. Temple i.e. the
abode of God is ruined means spirituality is spoiled. It reminds the readers, Yeats
Both the leading characters, Appanna and Rani are indulged in illicit extra marital
relationships. Both do not follow the spiritual knot and sacred oaths, taken at the time
of marriage. Above all the most interesting fact is that, even the Naga (Cobra) who is
Naga, in the disguise of Appanna exploits Rani at corporeal and sexual level. Though
he helps Rani in this way, yet his actions cannot be justified on ethical codes. On the
basis of above mentioned illustrations, it can be said that the spiritual and divine
elements are weaker in this play. On the contrary, Squares which are the symbols of
Corporeal, sexual and physical actions are sharper. The relationship of Naga- Rani-
Appanna- Concubine makes a corporeal square, is the basic theme of the play.
Pandey 198
Nagas action is objectionable because he does not expose his identity in front of
Rani. If he would have offered his love to Rani with his original identity, the scene
would have been different. But as he concealed the truth therefore, he too, is
responsible for the entire episode. This shows only the corporeal aspect of Naga, but
in his character the divine side is always present and active. One may easily find the
second thought in his psyche. After confessing his position in the married life of
Appanna and Rani, he proceeds towards death and hence commits suicide. Like a true
lover, he feels delighted in the satisfaction of his beloved, Rani. Here, he seems like
Yayati, who leaves for Vanaprastha in the last phase of his life and Paravasu offers
In Naga-Mandala, Karnad gives the public what it wants. It has the ingredients
makes her dream about a fantasy world where she can have doting Appanna. When
Rani is unable to attend to the call of her husband he beats her and then goes off. She
goes to bed and begins to sleep. From then onwards, she seems too long for a loving
Appanna and creates him in her world of fantasy. Therefore, in her fantasy, the Cobra
in the ant-hill becomes Naga. She also fantasizes the two ends of Naga. The snake
dies by getting embroiled in Ranis tress and Rani allows the infant snake to hide in
her tress. What she thinks about Naga is nothing but her fantasy. Karnad allows his
female protagonists to fantasize freely, as Veena Noble Dass thinks, The play Naga-
Mandala presents a fantasy world (276). Literature reflects the society and delights
the readers. Girish Karnad has the potential to transport the performer as well as the
introduces shape-shifting of characters in his plays and thus entertains his audience.
Pandey 199
As a medium of entertainment, drama depends on shape-shifting which enables the
characters to be someone else and thus create a make-believe world within the make-
believe world that is drama. Shape-shifting is a device very cleverly and effectively
used by Karnad. He makes use of this device in his plays not merely for entertainment
or as a central structural strategy but as a means of reviving the ancient and sacred
function of drama as rituals. The play Naga-Mandala has several examples of shape-
shifting. The prominent one of course is the Cobra assuming the form of Appanna in
order to make love to Rani. The flame takes on human shapes to gossip at the temple
after they have been put out in the houses. When a new flame comes and joins the
others, it narrates a story of the old woman who knew a story and song. The story
becomes a young woman and the song a sari. Wearing the sari, the story walks out of
the old womans house. Shape-shifting serves as a vehicle for the dramatist to project
his ideas. This structural and thematic device is a kind of transgression, which always
has a heavy price tag as Markarand R. Paranjape utters; The artifice of shape-shifting
The notable features of this drama are the use of female chorus, song and music. The
flames sing all the songs. Flames are the metaphors of the women of the village who
have gathered at this time of the night to tell tales and sing songs. The play is a folk
drama, because the cobra is regarded as possessing magical powers. It leaves the
audience to reflect and the social law which discriminates a woman from a man and
Karnads Naga-Mandala presents a hypocrite and biased social and cultural trait of the
Indian society and its effect on the feminine psyche. The play mocks at and
questions of the unjust values of our patriarchal society (Babu 75). Highlighting the
woman face in this regard from society. A story of a womans voyage from being a
naive to an experienced one, the play depicts her metamorphosis and rebellion to
Girish Karnad is also a great and gifted technician, who attempted to create a form
suitable for the expression of his ideas. His plays are known for flawless expression
and well constructed plots. As a technician he was influenced by Yakshagana, the folk
myths, legend, symbol and allegory. In this play, he uses the non-naturalistic
techniques of the traditional Indian drama, myth and folk tales to explore the
One can easily observe that in Naga-Mandala, Karnad repudiates the values of
empathy or emotional identification with the characters and of catharsis. At the end of
the play the audiences do not feel any kind of purgation of feelings of fear or pity.
What one achieves at the end is the critical awareness of the social stand on the
institution of marriage and family, the double standards of the society in its approach
to men and women and the problem of belief and feminine identity. Not only this, but
also the experiment with the multiple possibilities of ending leads to a purely literary
discourse. The play leaves the audience in the possession of their critical faculties and
makes them conscious of the social realism underlying the magic realism of the play.
Karnads dramatic art is both simple and complex. Its power seems to lie in his
which grows upon the mind, not by repetition of any central idea, but by magic as it
was. He weaves his words into the most delicate pattern of dramatic art. His dramatic
art is simple in style and expression; it is complex in the variety of its forms and the
Pandey 201
depth of its meaning. One can come across a variety of structure in his plays. The
forms of his plays are always shaped by the need of its themes.
Karnad is prolific in creating his plots which are the expression of his ideology and
character and human nature, only give you something in raw melodrama
pretty much equivalent to the adventures of our old friend, Mr. Richard
that it changes according to the requirements of his plots. The play Naga-Mandala is
based on folk tales and hence all the ingredients of a folk story are deftly employed in
it. The dramatist introduces tension and conflict, which are essential for the plot.
Girish Karnad successfully presents the full concentration of truth through his
imagination. He successfully portrays the picture of Indian women and the adultery,
treachery of male protagonist- all within his plots. The play Naga-Mandala is based
on cultural concepts and theatre devices that are drawn from Indian traditions. His re-
writing of myths and folklore instills unique emotional and intellectual perspective to
the given prototypes and thus attains a larger range of references. Karnad himself has
justified that he has gone back to the old myths and oral tales not because he does not
Pandey 202
have an amazing inventive power, but because they are very much relevant even in
The purpose of drama is solely to depict the life of the whole universe and Girish
Karnad through the element of myth has effectively portrayed the contemporary
world making his portrayal universally appealing. Karnad has been hailed as one of
the most appealing and successful dramatists of the contemporary Indian theatre.
Evaluating the excellence of the play, Indian Express Magazine comments A fine
play, powerful, gripping and exciting uses tradition creatively and sensitively to
create a new work which not only entertains us, but replenishes us culturally and also
Naga-Mandala makes a high achievement in the evolution of the playwright. The text
shows the rare quality of highly suggestive images and concepts transcend realism to
myth, the play creates a mysterious and powerful experience through the dual
representation of the Cobra and Appanna. They are inseparably connected in the tale,
her oath-taking heightens the suggestive quality of the play. The personification of
story and the flames and their action-oriented representation make the entire play very
powerful and help to project a wide range of human experience. The most fascinating
in the play is the playwrights attempt to recreate the Kannada myth to portray the
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