CHAPTER-I INTRODUCTION

Indian writing in English has achieved the position of an independent literature like the literature of other nations due to the efforts of some of the creative minds in the country. Indian English has been nurtured by two cultures- the western literary tradition as well as the literary tradition of India. This twofold aspect of the Indian English is the source of inspiration and challenge to the creativity of Indian writers. Among the various forms of Indian writing in English, it is well known that fiction and poetry have drawn worldwide attention whereas Indian English drama has not so successful There is a general climate of opinion that Indian English drama is not so welldeveloped a genre as Indian English fiction and poetry, which is one of the reasons why for this research work two writers who have been wielding the genre of drama have been chosen. Murlidas Melwani comments on the exiguity of Indian dramatic literature in English: As against every play performed or published, three novels or six collections of poetry (including anthologies) are published. 1 While Indian English fiction enjoys a huge market, drama in English has had lesser chances to success.

Poetry and drama emerged in almost the same period with Henry Derozios Poems (1827) and Krishna Mohan Banerjis play The Persecuted (1831) whereas the first Indian English novel Bankim Chandra Chatterjis Raj Mohans Wife appeared a little later in

1864. Yet drama did not flourish as poetry and fiction have done. Drama is a complex art form. It requires various supplementary elements like actors, theatre and audience for its success. Various factors are responsible for the meager achievement of Indian English Drama. The first and the chief reason is the lack of a living theatre. Even many of the early writers who wrote plays in English or translated their plays into English seem to have had a readership in mind and not a viewership. In order to communicate completely and become a living dramatic experience drama requires a real theatre and a live audience. It is a well-known fact that the real success of a play can be tested on stage. A playwright needs a living theatre to put his work on acid test, evaluate its total effects on the audience and thereby get a chance to improve upon his performance. This handicap has not allowed him to pursue playwriting, in a systematic and comprehensive way.i [ 2 ] Secondly, there was the language problem. English being a foreign language it was not easy for the playwright to write a crisp and natural dialogue in colloquial English. For many it was not the language of ones emotional make-up and every day transactions.

Drama is a growing art and it requires constant experimentation. When compared to the vastness and scope offered by the dramatic field, the level of the experimentation carried out by Indian playwrights has been rather poor. Thirdly, writing plays posses greater difficulty than writing fiction, as the spoken idiom needs to be more natural than the idiom employed by writers of fiction. Another vital factor for the meager achievement of Indian English drama is the playwrights inability to explore the Indian classical dramatic tradition, myth, ancient literature and folk forms. As M.K. Naik, remarks It is a shocking fact that he (The Indian English playwright) has mostly written

as if he belonged to a race which has never had any dramatic tradition worth the name. ii [ 3 ] Due to the lack of proper external communication to express the inner experience honestly, the playwright failed to create exciting action on the stage. In spite of these drawbacks, Indian English Drama begins with the publication of Krishan Mohan Bnerjis The Persecuted, or Dramatic Scenes Illustrative of the Present State of the Hindu Society in Calcutta in 1831. This social play presents the clash between orthodoxy and new ideas that came from western education. The play deals with the East-West encounter theme, which has been an important theme in the complete range of Indian English literature. Michael Madhusudan Dutt translated his play like Ratnavali (1858), from Bengali to English. Manipura Tragedy by Ramkinoo Dutt came in 1893. A Few dramatist like

Rabindranath Tagore, Sir Aurobindo, H.N.Chattopadhyaya, T.P.Kailasam, A.S.P.Ayyar, Bharati Sarabhai,showed their interest in writing drams in English in the beginning of the twentieth century. Treatment of theme from history, myths, legends and the contemporary social problems is a remarkable feature of these dramatists. India, a country with an ancient civilization, is known for its variety of cultures, customs, languages and literature. Ancient Indian drama has a rich and glorious tradition of its own. It is said that the classical Sanskrit Dramas originated from the folk theatre and grew as a sophisticated form in course of time. Each assisted the other and developed. Drama as a form of entertainment and as a form of literature is of very ancient origin in India. It was considered as the Fifth Veda and was supposed to have been of divine origin. It came under the category of the Drusya kavyas and Bharata has given the concept of Indian drama in his treatise Natyashastra. The title Natyashastra literally means The science of drama. The Sanskrit word for drama Nataka has its root in the word nruth (nrt) which means to dance and hence drama should have developed as an art of studied gestures and expressions from the basic arts of dance and music. Bharata Munis Natyashastra is much wider in range and scope than Aristotles Poetics and it is a comprehensive book that discusses all aspects of dramaturgy. The major playwrights of classical Sanskrit drama are Bhasa, Bhavabhuti, Kalidasa, Asvaghosha, Harsha, Sudarka and Vishakhadatta. The period of these dramatists was considered to be the golden age of Sanskrit drama. The plays of these

playwrights i.e., serious plays like Urubhanga, romances like Abhijnana Sakuntalam and historical plays like Mudrarakshasa form an eternal part of our literary heritage. It is apparent; that a drama with catastrophe or tragic end has never been admired in india .Sir Aurobindo describes the spirit of Indian drama An atmosphere of romantic beauty, a high urbanity and a gracious equipoise of the feeling, a perpetual confidence, is the sunshine and the flowers are the essential spirit of Hindu play: pity and terror are used to awaken the feelings, but not to lacerate them, and the drama must close on the note of joy and peace: the clouds are only admitted to make more beautiful the glad sunlight from which all come and in to which all must away. iii [ 4 ] Indian drama is closely related to the Indian notion and the philosophy of life that exist here. There has been a great difference between the two artistic expressions that draw upon the Indian and the western way of thinking. From the 17th century onwards, there has been a notable decline in the quality and originality of Sanskrit drama and the reasons for this are not quite clear. At the end of the eighteenth century, theatre was revived as part of the social awakening. Meanwhile, the folk theatre continued to have its influence in many parts of the country, for instance Jatra in Bengal. Apart from Sanskrit, regional languages in India also depended upon myths and borrowed their themes from the ancient epics, The Ramayana and The Mahabharata. Folk theatre flourished more strongly in the regional languages in the nineteenth century.

However, drama in the regional languages emerged under the pre-dominating impact of English literature. The impact of English literature on Indian literature was creative, but the early writers in Indian English overlooked the indigenous our culture and heritage and imitated the western forms. Realism in drama was an entirely new and alien idea to the theatrical conventions of time in India. New drama influenced by western drama was confined to school and colleges until recently. As a result, drama had to develop as a pure literary form. It seems that Indian English playwrights were impressed more by western dramatists such as Shakespeare, G.B.Shaw or Henrick Ibsen, than by the rich and long tradition of classical Sanskrit drama and the folk theatre of ancient India. Dr. M. K. Naik writes about the development of Indian English drama: If Indian English literature is the Cinderella of literature in English, drama in English is the Cinderella of Indian English literature. iv [ 5 ] He also explains the reasons that are responsible for this state of drama: Drama is a composite art in which the written word of the playwright attains complete artistic realization only when it becomes the spoken word of the actor on the stage and through that medium reacts on the mind of audience.v [ 6 ] But Indian English drama is purely a literary form due to the lack of theatre, actors and audience. Besides, the influence of western drama on serious drama in the regional Indian

languages has been adverse, leaving the folk theatre and the commercial theatre in a hopeless situation. In Pre-Independence India, Rabindranath Tagore and Sir Aurobindo, the two great philosopher poets, are also the first Indian playwrights worth mentioning. Rabindranath Tagore is well known as a poet of great excellence; he occupies a prominent place in Bengali as well as in Indian English drama as a dramatist. His extraordinary dramatic career includes over forty plays. Like Henrick Ibsen in Norwegian literature. Tagore dominated the Bengali dramatic literature scene trying his hand at a wide variety of dramatic genres and styles during his career. He won extraordinary recognition all over the world on the basis of translation. Tagores collection of writing is enormous and most of it has been translated into English as well as in other languages of the world. Though some of his works have been translated by others, it is apparent that Tagore himself had a deep and active involvement in this project and he himself translated many of his writings, which include Malini (1996), The King and the Queen (1889), Chitra , Autumn Festival (1909), Muktadhara (1922), The Cycle of Spring (1916), Kacha and Devayani ,The Mothers Prayer , Karna and Kunti (1899), The Post office (1912), Natirpuja (1931), The King of the Dark Chamber (1910) and Chandalika (1938) were translated by Marjorie Sykes and others. Rabindranath Tagores first play Valmiki Pratibha (The Genius of -Valmiki) was published in 1881. Through his writings, Tagore expressed his views on philosophical,

religious and educational problems. He has written essays on almost every important social, political and cultural aspects of his time. Tagore was regarded as the mystic sage who became a representative of Indian culture. Sir Aurobindo is a major Indian English dramatist. He has written five complete blank verse plays and six incomplete plays exhibiting his profound knowledge of Eastern and Western thoughts. His plays are based on the Elizabethan model; however, sometimes they have the classical flavour of Sanskrit drama. His complete plays are Perseus the Deliverer (1955), Vasavadutta (1957), Rodogune (1958), The Viziers of Basaora (1959) and Eric (1960). Sri Aurobindos plays deal with the different cultures in different times and have a variety of character, moods and temperament. All the plays of Aurobindo emphasize the necessity of the instinct of love. In his plays, love emerges as a benevolent force destroying evil and creating harmony and serenity. One cannot deny the influence of Sanskrit playwrights like Kalidasa, Bhasa and Bhavabhuti in these plays. Sri Aurobindo has contributed a great deal to enrich the Indian drama in English. Another playwright who has made considerable contribution in the growth of PreIndependence Indian English drama is Harindranath Chattopadhyay. His dramatic career started with Abu Hassan (1918). He has written seven verse plays published in Poems and Plays (1927) based on the lives of Indian saints. His Five Plays (1937) is collection of social plays, The Windows, The Parrot, The Sentrys Lantern, The Coffin and The

Evening Lamp. These plays are realistic and symbolic. These plays are more effective than other plays. A. S. P. Ayyar (1899-1963) is another dramatist of the time whose notable plays are In the Clutch of the Devil (1926), Sitas Choice and Other Plays (1935), The Slave of Ideas and Other Plays (1941), The Trial of Science for the Murder of Humanity (1924) and A Mothers Sacrifice. He is a vigorous critic of contemporary life. His themes are reformist and plots melodramatic. His fame rests mainly on his exceptional verse play, The Flute of Krishna. T .P .Kailasam (1885-1946), a bilingual dramatist, wrote both in English and Kannada. He was familiar with the splendid tradition of Kannada drama and the rich cultural heritage of India. His published plays are The Burden (1933), Fulfillment (1933), A Monologue (1933), The Purpose (1944), The Curse of Karna (1946) and Keechaka (1947). In his plays Kailasams original talent and gift of dramatization is noted. He was influenced by Greek and Elizabethan models in technique and pattern and neglected the glorious dramatic tradition of classic Indian theatre. G.S.Amur highly regards Kailasams works and rightly remarks A talented actor who appeared on the amateur as well as the professional stage, he brought to the writing of drama an intimate knowledge of the theatre. It is for this reason that his plays whether in Kannada or English have a uniform technical excellence. vi [ 7 ]

Bharati Sarabhai is only women playwright during the colonial period of Indian English drama. She has successfully written two plays, The Well of the People (1943) and Two Women. These plays reveal Sarabhais dramatic talent and skill in character delineation with a command over language. Another great playwright in Pre-

Independence Indian English drama is J. M. Lobo Prabhu. He has written a number of plays, but only Mother of New India: A Play of the Indian Village in Three Acts (1944) and Death Abdicates (1945) appeared before Independence. In 1956 his Collected Plays was published. He was capable of writing dialogues with aptness and creating situation. Apart from these early dramatists, a few more playwrights may be taken into consideration, though their contribution to Indian drama in English is not really substantial. Some of these were Sudhindra Nath Ghose (Colours of a Great City), R. K. Narayan (The Watchman of the Lake), K. R. S. Iyengar (The Storm in a Tea Cup and The Battle of the Optionals), Balvant Gargi (The Vulture and Other Plays) and Mrinalini Sarabhai (The Captive Soil). During the Pre-Independence period, various dramatic organizations such as the Indian National Theatre and Ebrahim Alkazis theatre unit, the Bharatiya Natya Sangh, came into existence. The Post-Independence government also encouraged drama. The National School of Drama, Sangeeta Nataka Akademi, and other institutions for training in dramatics were established. The beginning of the National Drama Festival in 1954 also gave impetus to the dramatic movement in India. But it was restricted only to regional languages and did not accept Indian English Drama. There may be a few organizations

like Akshara Little Theatre in New Delhi and Bangalore Little Theatre, which are only meant for drama in English. But being small in number they have not been able to cater to the need of Indian English playwrights all over the country. However, the new writers realized the need to employ folk elements to make their plays impressive on the stage. In addition, there has been a growing awareness among the playwrights of the need for experiment in language also. Using spoken languages for social themes has helped to reduce the artificiality in dialogue. Asif Currimbhoy, Nissim Ezekiel, Pratap Sharma and Girish Karnad are some notable examples in this direction. They have manifested their skill in making careful use of Indian words, if they cannot find appropriate English equivalents of the same meaning. All such experimentation has played a vital role in improving the quality of future Indian drama in English. Indian English drama moved away from being common place and has been enriched by such talented dramatists as G. V. Desani, Lakhan Deh, Girish Karnad, Vijay Tendulkar, Mahesh Dattani and many others who experimented with new methods and techniques. It is noticeable that most of the plays have been written in prose, though simultaneous poetic plays also have survived in the post-colonial era. Mnjeri Isvarans Yama and Yami (1948) is a dialogue in poetic prose with a prologue and epilogue. An entirely different kind of play Hali (1950) by G. V. Desani has been highly praised by Indian as well as European critics for its originality. Lakhan Dehs Tigers Claw (1967) and Murder at the Prayer Meeting (1976) are notable contributions

to historical drama. There is a striking comparison in almost all the aspects between Murder at the Prayer Meeting and Murder in The Cathedral by T. S. Eliot. Vivekananda (1972) is one more play by Lakhan Deh. Apart from these, there are a number of other verse plays. But the number of prose playwrights is larger than the number of verse playwrights. Among the modern dramatists of the Post-Independence period, Asif Currimbhoy has deserved a special place. He is one of the most prolific and successful dramatists, who has written and published more than thirty plays. The distinguishing features of his dramatic writing are variety and versatility. Almost all the dramatic forms like farce, comedy, melodrama, tragedy, history and fantasy are handled by Currimbhoy with great ease. His plays are dominated by political, social and historical themes. Some of his important plays are The Tourist Mecca (1959), The Restaurant (1960), The Doldrummers (1960), The Captives (1963), Goa (1964), Monsoon (1965), An Experiment with Truth (1969), Inquilab (1970), The Refugee (1971), Sonar Bangala (1972), Om Mane Padme Hum (1972), Angkor (1973) and The Dissident MLA (1974) . Pratap Sharma has written two prose plays are. A Touch of Brightness (1968) and The Professor has a Warcry (1970). He has written an effective dialogue with a keen sense of situation. Nissim Ezekiels Three Plays (1969) consisting Nalini: A Comedy, Marriage Poem: A Tragic Comedy and The Sleepwalker: An Indo-American Farce, have their share in enriching Indian drama in English. However, Ezekiel is remembered for his poetic creations and not for his dramatic skill.

Gurucharan Dass Larins Sahib (1970) a historical play dealing with Henry Lawrence of the Punjab is distinguished from other Indian English plays, due to its successful use of Indian English for dialogue. His other plays are Mira (1971) and Jakhoo Villa. Mohan Rakesh, a rare literary person, creates something new and challenging in his plays like Ashadh ka Ek Din, Adhe Adhure, and Lahron ke Rajhans. He never accepted the traditional set-up but always aspired to find and project something, which is challenging and new. Rakeshs language separates him from other Hindi playwrights and puts him on a higher level of competence. Badal Sircar, the great Bengali playwright, deals with social, political and psychological problems in his plays, Evam Indrajita, Baki Itihas, Bagh, Pralap,Jadi Aur Ekbar ,Third Theatre and Bhoma and Basi Kabar. These plays have secured a higher place in Indian English drama. A large variety of themes like individuals isolation and his confrontation with unfriendly social surrounding and violence, in his plays like Vultures, Silence! The Court is in Session, and Sakharam Binder and Ghasiram Kotwal, this plays are distinguished Tendulkar from other contemporary Marathi playwrights. These four plays of Tendulkar are considered representative plays of the Marathi drama of cruelty. At present Indian English, drama includes plays of every kind such as realistic play, comedy, tragic-comedy, farce and historical play. Gradually drama too is gaining its own identity and significance in Indian English literature. The Indian English dramatist is

making innovations in theme and technique. The modern Indian dramatist in English has realized the need to use folk forms to introduce technical innovations in his plays. He is using more and more spoken language to reduce artificiality in dialogue. The rich

tradition of classical Sanskrit drama and the folk theatre can help to improve the stage ability of his plays. It is noticeable that younger writers like Mahesh Dattani and Manjula Padmanabhan have been promising in the field of Indian drama in English. Mahesh Dattani is the first Indian English playwright to be honored by the Sahitya Akademi Award. Dattani is a versatile theatre personality, a drama teacher, stage director and Bharat Natyam, Exponent. He has written plays like Where there is Will, Tara, Final Solutions and Dance like a Man. Instead of trying his hand at conventional subjects, he reveals the mean, ugly and unhappy aspects of human life. Manjula Padmanabhan is another promising Playwright in the recent Indian English drama. Her play Harvest won the Onassis award and gained popularity throughout the world. As drama is meant for performance and in order to flourish, this complex art form needs a living theatre. A play if staged can educate the people by creating awareness in them about the advantages and weakness of our society and nation. In this respect greater encouragement from the Government is also needed. The Modern dramatist may carry out successful experiments avoiding the earlier drawbacks. He may find his substance from the rich materials of ancient myth and history, problems of contemporary society and politics. Modern Indian drama in English will be enriched if ancient myths and

legends will be given modern interpretation.

Further innumerable problems of this

ancient land of a variety of cultures and language can provide a constant source of the social themes for drama. So to improve the quality of his plays, the Indian English dramatist should try to find his roots in the rich and glorious tradition of classical Sanskrit drama and folklore and the culture of India. The process translation of the works of Indian literature in regional language, has assumed paramount importance in the post-colonial phase of Indian history in order to regain our national pride and identity in an era of globalization and westernization. People in India have got back to their traditional roots and package of native wisdom reflected in the literature of the regional languages. Indian English Drama has also been enriched through English translation of Hindi, Bengali, Marathi and Kannada plays into English. The plays like Vijay Tendulkar, Mohan Rakesh, Badal Sircar, and Girish

Karnad have added a new dimension to Indian drama through their contribution. Some of the Indian English plays have seen and are being staged in western countries. In India, also English plays are occasionally stages in capital cities like Delhi, Calcutta, Mumbai and Chennai. It can be said that Indian English drama has achieved considerable success in recent times. If it has survived the test of time and it is capable of securing a place for itself in future in the Indian dramatic literary scene. Modern Kannada Literature, which began in the early years of the twentieth century, has now run course of one hundred years. Though, literary developments do not concide either with decades or with centuries. Modern Kannada Literature passing

through various phases like The Navodaya (Renaissance), Pragati Sheela (Progressive), Navya (Modernist) and Dalita- Bandaya (Protest) seem to have reached a point of stagnation towards the end of the century. Kannada Literature of the last hundred years is so rich and vibrant that it has won ample recognition at national level through translation. The very fact that it has won seven prestigious Jnanapith awards and one Kabir Samman for different forms of literature shows its inner strength and vast range of achievement. The Most outstanding playwrights of modern Kannada Literature are Girish Karnad, P.Lankesh, Chandrashekhar Kambar, Chandrashekar Patil, and many others who have made tremendous contribution to the development of modern Kannada Drama. Drama in its early stages of development depended on Myth, which provided the fable for the evolution of the form. Adya Ragnachary alias Sriranga is dramatist of great ability and artistic resourcefulness. His contribution to modern Kannada drama is singular indeed, who dominates the Kannada stage, which he has kept alive for last four decades. He deserves a high place in the history of Kannada Drama by his plays like Harijanvara, Darkness and Light. Samsa is another dramatist, who came very near to Kailasam in dramatic genius; one of his best plays is Vigadavikramaraya. P.Lankesh is one among modern Kannada dramatists, whose notable plays are Waves (Teregalu) (1966). The Married Life of T.Prasanna (1964) and A Bridgroom for my Sister (1965), (Nana Tangigondu Gandu Kodi), Preparation, Death (Giliyu Panjaradolila).

Chandrashekar Patil is one among the modern kannada dramatists, who has turned to play writing after a successful career as a poet. He has already published three plays Umbrellas (Kodegalu), Father (appa), and Acquaintances (Gurtinavaru). Patil plays are greatly influenced by the European Absurd Drama and are superb in the use of Languages for comic effects: Apart from this dramatist N.Ratna, Poorna Chandra Tejaswi, Chandrashekhar Kursur and Sumatheendra Nadig are some of the other significant writer. These writes also attempt to develop the modern Kannada drama. So we can be said that Indian drama in English has achieved considerable success in recent time

REFERENCES: 1. Kumar, Satish. A Survey 0f Indian English drama. Bareilly: prakashana Book Depot, 1993. Print.(p.71) 2. Saryuga, Yadav. Indian English Drama: Tradition and Achievement. Indian English Drama: Critical Perspectives. Ed. Jayadipsinh, K.Dodiya and K.V.Surendran. New Delhi: Sarup and Sons, 2000.print. p.19 3. Naik, M.K. The Achievement .Perspectives on Indian Drama in English. Madras: OUP, 1977 print.p.187 4. Saryuga, Yadav. Indian English Drama: Tradition and Achievement. Indian English Drama: Critical Perspectives. Ed. Jayadipsinh, K.Dodiya and K.V.Surendran. New Delhi: Sarup and Sons, 2000.print. p.60 5. Naik,M.K. Dimension of Indian English Literature. New Delhi: Sterling, 1984 print.p.151

6. Ibid, p.151 7. G.S.Amur, Kailasms Quest for Greatness M.K. Naik, S.K.Desai and G.S.Amur .Ed. Critical Essays on Indian Writing in English. Madras: Macmillan, 1977. p.186

CHAPTER-II GIRISH KARNAD AND CHANDRASHEKHAR KAMBAR AS WRITERS WHO USED FOLK RESOURCE MODERN

Girish Karnad is a contemporary writer, playwright, actor and movie director in Kannada Languages. He is one of the seven recipients of Jnanpith Award for Kannada Literature. The highest literary honour conferred in India after Kuvempu, Dr.D.R.Bendre, Masti Vekatesh Iyengar, Shivaram Karanth, V.K.Gokak, and U.R.Ananth Murthy. Girish Karnad has become one of Indias brightest shining stars, earning international praise. For four decades, Karnad has been composing marvelous plays, often using history and mythology to tackle contemporary issues. He is also actor in the world of Indian cinema working as an actor director and screenwriter earning numours awards along the way.

Girish Karnad was born on 19 May 1938 at Matheran town near Bombay. His childhood was spent in small village Sirsi in Karnataka where he had his schooling. It is here that he had firsthand experience of native folk theatre that left a lasting impression on his mind. He recollected his experience. In my childhood, in a small town in Karnataka, I was exposed to two theatre forms that seemed to represent irreconcilably different worlds. Father took the entire family to see plays staged by troupes of professional actors called nataka companies which toured the countryside throughout the year. The plays were stages in semi permanent structures on proscenium stages with wings and drop curtains, and were illuminated by petromax lamps. Once the harvest was over, I went with the servants to sit up nights watching the more traditional Yakshagana performances. The state, a platform with a back curtain was erected in the open air and lit by torches. By the time I was in my early teens, the nataka companies had ceased to function and Yakshagan had began to seem quite, even silly to me (Appendix 1.301-02)vii [ 1 ] During his formative years, Karnad went through diverse influences. He was exposed to a literacy scene where there was a direct clash between western and native tradition. It was India of the fifties and the sixties that surfaced two streams of thoughts in all walks of life-adoption of new modernistic techniques, a legacy of the colonial rule

and adherence to the rich cultural part of the country. Karnads position was akin to that of John Dryden, the seventeenth century British Dramatist who, while writing his plays, had to choose between the classical tradition and native tradition. In the first, norms had been set rigorously by Aristotle; the second was more liberal, native approach that was practiced by Shakespeare. Dryden evaluated the merits and demerits of both the

traditions in his famous critical treaties Essay on Dramatic Poesy. Karnad was fascinated by the traditional plays; nonetheless, the western playwrights that he read during his college days opened up for his A new world of magical possibilities. viii [ 2 ]

After graduating from Karnataka University Dharwad, in 1958 Karnad moved to Bombay for further studies. In the meantime, he received the prestigious Rhodes Scholarships to do his masters degree from Magdalen College Oxford; he spent three years over there from 1960 to 1963. It gave him a wide exposure to the western plays and theatre activities. During his stay at Magdalen college oxford, Karnad felt immensely interest in art and culture. On his return to India in 1963 he joined oxford university press, Madras. This offered him an opportunity to get exposed to various kinds of writing in India and elsewhere, such influences made an indelible mark on the creative genius of Girish Karnad. In 1974 he received an important assignment and was appointed Director of the film and television institute of India, Pune. In 1987 he went to the USA as Fulbright Scholar in Residence at the Department of South Asian Language and Civilization at the University of Chicago and also he served as chairman of the Sangeeth Nataka Academy,

New Delhi. While preparing for his first trip to England amidst the intense emotional turmoil, he found himself writing a play. One day as he was reading the Mahabharata just for fun, he read the story of Yayati. It clicked in his mind, he started writing, and it came as a play. He suddenly found he was a playwright and a Kannada playwright at that this was so sudden and so natural. Girish Karnad is a product of cross-cultural fertilization. Marathi is his mother tongue Kannada is the language of his childhood that became the language of the writer. English is the academic language in which he has acquired proficiency. Besides these he knows Hindi and Sanskrit too, on the other hand he inherited Indian tradition of drama as well as he acquired modern techniques of drama. He makes good use of Indian mythology in his plays and find parables for the contemporary situation. He picks up stories and characters from Indian mythology and history and through them, he dramatized the contemporary realities. Girish Karnad is a pioneer in the field of new drama and all his plays are actable. Their story is generally borrowed from ancient myths, folk literature, or history his memorable contributions are as bellow. Yayati, Karnads first play was published in 1961. It is a retelling of the Hindu myth on the theme of responsibility. It shows that an old king Yayati wants to exchange his old age with the youth of one of his sons. His two sons refuse and the third one accepts the proposal to enable him to continue with his youthful sensual pleasures. He

searches his identity in worldly pleasures and does not learn from his errors. He ultimately suffers. The son having accepted the exchange and the curse becomes old, older than his father. But the old age brings no knowledge, no self realization only the senselessness of punishment meted to him, for the crime he had committed. Girish Karnads Hayavadan is based on folk themes. Its plot is borrowed from an ancient collection of stories in Sanskrit; entitled Kathasarita Sagara Karnads Play is narrated by a ghost to an adventurous king. Tughlq (1964) is Girish Karnads historical play there is a curious mixture of fact and fiction in the play. The central character Muhammed Tughlaq is well known historical figure. Besides, he there are numbers of character who surrounding him are historical. But characters like Aziz and Azam are the dramatists own invention. The action covers over five years. It begins in Delhi then shifts the road to Daulatabad. No doubt, the play lacks unity of action. Some episodes are superfluous for example those episodes that deal with the woman whose child dies and with the man who has six children. The comic sub-plot dealing with the story of Aziz and Azam parodies the story of Tughlaq. Tale-Danda is the second play of Girish Karnads after Tughlaq in which he has used the history of medieval India to depict the situation of contemporary India. (Tale-Danda translated in Hindi as Raktakalyan, was also a great success). His TaleDenda records the social uphold evils of 12th century Kalyana of Karnataka. It traces the

life and time of Bhasaveshwara, the pioneer who brought about a social revolution by his struggle against the deep-rooted caste system in India. Karnads concerns for caste and class tensions, social and political upheavals, bickering family relationship unbridled lust and selfish desire have all found indirect expression in his play. The Dream of Tipusultan: As Karnad himself explains in his preface, this play was originally written in English on the invitation of the B.B.C in 1977 to commemorate the Golden Jubilee Year of Indian Independence and coincidentally, the 200th death anniversary of Tipu Sultan. It was first staged in front of the famous Dariya Daulat Palace built by Tippu Sultan in Srirangapattan. It is a historical play that depicts the life and vision of Tipu in the last phase of his life. Naga- Mandalaa(1988) is based on two folk tales from Karnataka which Girish Karnad had heard several years earlier from professor A.K.Ramanujan. The first story about the lamp flames that gather in the village temple to exchange gossip about the household they inhabit and the second about a women who was visited by a king cobra in the form of her husband. The Fire and the Rain (1995) is one of the most ambitious in the entire oeuvre of Karnad. The main theme is provided by the story of Yavakri narrated by Lomash to Yudhistar in the Vanaparva of the Mahabharath. The play within the play Indira Vijaya is nicely interwoven into the main play. The story of a hunter- maid Nittilai, totally

unconnected to the Mahabharata, and the stories relating to the actors taking part in Indra

Vijaya also woven in to the main play. Bali: The Sacrifice is a play this portrays the traditional Indian mindset where even the royal families believe in certain set and superstitious belief. The short play also draws the line between the rational and the irrational in addition to two religious faiths divided on the observance of certain rites. And his other play Hittina Hunja is based on the theme of adultery. By writing two Monologue- Flowers and Broken Images in 2004, he has broken his earlier image of writing first in Kannada and then translating into English, for the first he has written these monologues along with The Dreams of Tipu Sultan in English and then translated them into Kannada. These two monologues also demarcate his dramatic career in the sense that earlier he wrote full-fledged play. Now first time he has tried his hand in the monologue successfully. Most of his plays have been translated into major Indian language including the national language Hindi. Five of his plays Tughlaq, Hayavadan, Naga-Mandala, Tale-Danda and The Fire and the Rain have been translated into English. Girish Karnad is not only translated his own plays into English. But also he has translated Badal Sircars Evam Indrajit, which was well received in literary circle. He found translating the play very enjoyable and rewarding. Karnads plays have received an international recognition. These have been widely performed in Europe and America. The play Tughlaq has been translated into Hungarian and German. The B.B.C London broadcast it in 1979 and

Hayavadana in 1993 Directed by E. Alkazi, Tughlaq was presented in London by the National School of Drama Repertory Company as part of the festivals of India in 1982. Karnads mythical play Hayavadana was presented at the Berlin

Festival of Drama and Music in Germany in 1985, directed in German by Vijay Mehta. The play Naga-Mandala directed by Vijaya Mehta in German was presented by the Leipziger schauspielhaus at Leipzig and Berlin for the festival of India in German in 1992. Again, it was performed at the university theatre at Chicago and subsequently at the Gutherie theatre in Minneapolis as part of its thirtieth anniversary celebrations in 1993. In the same year Gutheric theatre commissioned Karnads latest plays The Fire and the Rainix. Girish Karnada is an important film-maker and writer of film scripts. He has written the script and dialogue for the film Samskara (1961) in Kannada based on the novel of the same name by V.R. Anantha Murthy and played role in it with B.V.Karanth, he has co-directed the film Vansha Vriksha (1971) in which he has also acted and Godhuli (Hindi) Tabbaliyu Ninade Magane (Kannada) in 1977. He has also directed films like Kadu (1973) and Ondanondu Kaladalli (1978) in Kannada, Utsava (1984) and Cheluvi (1992) in Hindi. His roles in Manthan (1976) and Swami (1978) are among his best in Hindi art cinema. Karnad has also published a number of articles the most significant being In Search of a New theatre in contemporary Indian tradition, edited Carla Borden.

In Girish Karnads plays, the essence of human thought and action as drama and performance, revolves around the concepts of shared experience primarily and myths and folk tales that draw upon collective cultural memory, and for as history that communicates across ages and as performance that serves as the means to explore, understand and develop a thought, an individual, an identity, a psyche, even a culture. His plays as drama text and theatre, demonstrate a two-tiered structure, best illustrated by the two plays drawn from folk tales. Girish Karnad, fascinated as he is with the rich Indian folk and mythic-lore, draws the material from it for his dramas. His Tughlaq mythicizes history; Hayavadana derives its idea from Vetala Panchavitmasati, Yayati and The Fire and the Rain present retelling of episodes from the Mahabharata. Myths, legends and folk forms function as a kind of cultural an aesthesia and they have been used for introducing and eliminating, in our racial unconscious, cultural pathogens such as caste and gender distinctions and religious fanaticism. Like Jean Anouilh. Girish Karnad makes use of myths and folk forms in his plays to exercise socio-cultural evils. He says, The energy of folk theatre comes from the fact that although it seems to uphold traditional values, it also has the means of questioning these values, of making them literally stand on their head (The plays of G.K. Jayadipsinh Dodiya).x [ 3 ]

So that Girish Karnad is considered one of the most significant Indian dramatists, he has enriched the Indian scene by his contribution to art culture, theatre and drama.

Chandrashekhar Kambar is one of the popular writers of Karnataka and a practitioner of a variety of literary forms like poetry, fiction and drama. Academically a folklorist, he is deeply rotted in the native folk tradition of North-Karnataka. Unlike the modernist writers of Karnataka, who copy or imitate the western writers, Kambar does not fall a prey to this slavish habit as he is deeply rotted in the native tradition of the North-Karnataka. As he says in his interview with Kirtinath Kurtikoti, As you know, I belong to Belgaum district, which was under British rule. Belgaum was the centre of a British regiment. The atmosphere was oppressive and filled with suspicion. Right from my childhood I began to suspect anything that was foreign alien to our native sensibility. [ 4 ] His lack of knowledge of English language has saved him from the undesirable pseudo westernisation. His collaboration with A.K.Ramanujan in the collecting the folk tales of North-Karnataka has given him an additional advantage of understanding the rich texture of folk culture of North Karnataka. Folk mythology has exercised a deep
xi

influence on him, which is why many of his plays like Jokumaraswamy, Huliya Neralu (The Tigers Shadow) have folk mythical dimensions. Kambar is happily free from the disease of Westernization or Anglicisation; he has not only internalized the folk culture, language, literature and mythology of North Karnataka, but also creatively deployed them as vehicles of his literary vision. In this

sense, he may be compared with African dramatist, Wole Soyinka, who deliberately defined the Euro-Centric concepts of drama and experimented with the revival of native (including folk) tradition drama, although he employed the colonially handed English language. But the difference between Wole Soyinka and Kambar is that the latter is as powerful in his virile Kannada as poor in English. But as far as the imaginative reconstruction of folk myth is concerned Kambar has no parallel in Karnataka. As U.R. Ananthmurthy says, Kambar has no parallel not in India but also in the contemporary west. Obviously Ananthmurthys opinion is not exaggeration. As for as the depiction of mythology themes is concerned Kambar may be easily compared to W.B.Yeats, who deliberately avoided the classical mythology and choose to dramatis the Celtic myths. Chandrashekhar Kambar was born in Ghodageri Village in Belagavi district January 2, 1937. From an early age, he was interested in folk art, local cultural and ritual, he started using north Karnataka dialect of Kannada language in his poem and plays which is not very common in Kannada literature that is why he compared with D.R.Bendre. Kambar was the founder and vice chancellor of Kannada University in Hampi. He served as the chairman of National school of Drama New Delhi from 1966 to 2000 and the president of Karnataka Nataka Academi from 1980 to 1983. Kambars Plays are an extension of his poetry. His plays inspired by folklore He has written near about twenty two plays, his contribution include, Bembattida Kannu (1961), Narcissus (1969), Rishyashring (1970), Jokumar Swamy (1972) Sangya Balya Anabeko Naddolag (1975), Kittiyakathe (1974), Alibaba (Sahitya Academi Award 1989),

Kadu Kudure (Filmed and got national award 1979), NaayiKathe, Kharo Khara (1972), Mathanthara, Kambara Avara Natakagalu (1984), Siri Sampige (1989), Boleshakar (1991), Huliya Neralu (Filmed 1980), Puspa Rani (1990), Mahamayi (1999), Jaisida nayaka (1975),Harakeya Kuri ( Filmed and awarded National Award in1983 and SambaShiva Prasanna (1987). The true significance of his early play like Narsissus and Rishyashranga, both published in 1971, was not grasped at the time when they appeared, but later plays like Jokumar Swamy (193) and Siri Sampige (1989) Kadu Kudure (1979) Huliya Neralu (1980) have made tremendous impact on the contemporary theatre and have won wide critical acclaim. He has portrayed as well as strongly protests against the colonial rule that deformed and deeply wounded the Indian Civilization. Chandrashekhar Kambar is not only playwright folklorist, film director, but also a prominent poet, who has enriched the tradition of Kannada literature. He has integrated content and form in his great poems, creating a new path in modern Kannada poetry. His poetries established strong ties with the mental status of the lower castes and their psychological realities, myth rituals etc. Kambar stated writing poetry at a very early age and he was exposed to the world of folk poetry. He used the folk- lore as a language a kind of meta-language for his poetry, some of his finest poems written during different phases of his career. They are, Mugulau (1958), HelatenaKela(1964), Takaraninavaru (1971), Saavirada Neralu (1979), Aayada Kavanagalu (1980), Bellimeenu (1989), Akkakka Haddugale (1993), Chakori (1996).

Apart from these poems, he has also written four novels. Anna Tangi (1956), Karimaayi (1975), G.K.Mastarara Pranaya prasang (1986), Sirgarevaa Matthu Aramane published in 1982 it tells about the Male-dominance over woman. Kambar has directed number of movies on the plays written by him Karimayi, Sangeeta, Kadukudure are some his Major films as a director, and Huliya Neralu, Harikeya Kuri are also filmed. He has also adopted his play Jeeke Mastare Pranaya Prasanga for television. Kambar has produced several documentaries for the state and central Government. Kambar has been conferred with many prestigious awards including Padmashri by Government of India in 2001, Kabir Samman (2002), Kalidas Samman and Pampa award in 2003, Kendra Sahitya Academic Award for his Siri sampige in 1991. He was also nominated as a member of Legislative counsil representing Indian National Congress. Kambar is a genuinely immersed in the traditions, which he uses with remarkable originality, he fashioned a theatre of his own. In his plays shivapura becomes the theatre of the imagination where all things happen. It also provides Kambar with the addresse of his dramatic discourses. His plays explore the dualities of human existence frustration and fulfillment, oppression and liberation, faith and betrayal, mastery and slavery, fertility and barrenness the self and other.

Kambar a man of the masses derived inspiration from folk myth and folk literature for his experiments. Over the year he has perfected a symbolic from which effectively communicates his vision of man and human condition through, a theatrical language, which derives its vitality from the life of the people and yet remains distinctively individual. What he has been able to achieve is not a refinement of folk theatre as in Shivaram Karanaths experiments with Yakshagana but a revitalization of traditional form, which has brought a new sense of freedom to Kannada drama and theatre. Chandrashekhar Kambar was not only deeply rooted in the rural, native and folkmythical tradition, but also was deeply influenced by the folk-dramatic form of bayalata (open-air play) of North-Karnataka with its categories like Dodata (Big play) and Sannata (Small play). For Kambar, folk theatre total theatre by which he means that it is not just a medium for the playwright but a context in which the playwright, the actors and the spectators have an active role to play. Speaking of his own dramatic practice Kambar syas My drama is a dramatic counterpart of a ballad which tell a story moving forward and backward, creating pattern of emotion through the interaction of characters without and historical identity.xii [5 ]

His theatre is total also in the sense that it includes dance drama narrative, songs, sex death and religion. The religion context is important for Kambar because as in the Greek plays it provides a sanction for the liberation of suppressed and inhibited emotional experience.

In Kannada drama, the unique genius of Kambar made it possible for the genre to negotiate with the conflicts of a modern sensibility by employing non-modern theatrical traditions, in comparison with intellectual colonization the effect to achieve decolonization through the symbolic forms of culture (including drama) is far more challenging. Kambars plays have revealed meaningful possibilities in this direction. The notion that drama should deal with the social reality alone is a delimiting one. Perhaps Bharatamunis description in the Natyashastra that theatre is also a means of comprehending the world is more adequate, Kambar has used many forms including poetry and fiction for his exploration. He has employed drama with all seriousness and complexity for dealing with themes ranging from the exploitative nature of the feudal system to the dualities of life. He has been singularly successful in become and significant Indian dramatist while remaining faithful to the Kannada tradition.

REFERENCES:

1. C.L. Khatri, The Man and the Playwight Thunder on Stage: A Study of Girish Karnad Plays. Jaipur India: Book Enclave, 2008 p.2. 2. . Dhawan, R.K. Girish Karnad: The man and the writer. The plays of Girish Karnad:

Critical perspective. Ed. Jaydipsingh Dodiya. New Delhi: Prestige, 1999. Print. 3. G.S. Amur 4. Naikar, Basavaraja. Duality of experience in Sirisampige, Glimpes of Indian Literature in English Translation. New Delhi: Author Press, 2008. P.241 5. Amur, G.S. Essays on Modern Kannada literature. Bangalore: Karnataka Sahitya Academi, 2008 .print.p.336

CHAPTER-III INDIAN MYTH AND INDIAN PSYCHE

Drama in the beginning heavily depended upon myths. Myth is a way for expressing reality in a concrete way as the idea does in an abstract way. A new

interpretation of a myth does not change its structure. The myth retains its original feature without the disintegration its structure and meaning when it becomes drama. The myths belong to the pre-literature culture whereas drama is the creation of the postliterature culture. Drama which is man-made communicates some massage or meaning. The study of myth as literature, contributes in more than one way in our everyday life. As the contemporary Indian seems to be affiliated by a sense of amnesia for their glorious past in which myths has the dominating influence on life. Myth provided the fables a complex of action and character which assumed the shape of drama. Indian English drama too has dealt with philosophical views, religions, convictions, political issues, and social problems, psychological complexities through myth, legends historical events and day-to-day happenings. Myths being a

traditional study of unknown origin handed down from the earliest times have close resemblance to legends. Although the words are frequently used interchangeably, a myth properly deals with Gods and legends with men, myth and legends are the types of folklore. Myths embody the primitive beliefs of the people and provide a romantic explanation to the wonders of nature when scientific explanation are lacking. Natural forces were personified and defied.xiii [ 1 ]. Broadly speaking there are four types of myths cultural, ritualistic, nature and creation, besides these there are philosophic social, political and psychological. Now we let us have a brief view of the myth in general. As Yung says We see the antique spirit creates not science but mythologyxiv [ 2 ]. Myth was a bricolage of understanding the world. One may ask the fundamental questions as to why the primitive man used the myth for understanding and expressing his view of life. The commonly accepted view is that myth is the universal language of the primitive man to express the general or universal truth of life.Like bricolage on the technical level, mythical reflection can attain brilliant and unforeseen results on the intellectual levelxv. [ 3 ] Another feature of the myth, according to Levi Straus is that it is structured on the basis of binary opposites, which has to be x-rayed by the critic intelligently. The binary opposite like God and devil, light and darkness, mother and child, storm, sea and ship etc are found in the myths of the world, of course, with local variations. Mythical discourse does not teach the moral lesson directly but indirectly in a disguised fashion. Myth has to convey a moral lesson or message to mankind. That is why some scholars considered

myth as picturesque metaphysics or philosophy. Joseph Comphell supposes that myth is a system of metaphysics: it is a revelation of transcendental mysteries it is symbolic of the spiritual norm for man the Microcosm.xvi [ 4 ].Many scholar assume implicitly or explicitly that myth is philosophy, that it is a system of metaphysics or symbolic thought, that it is a theology, a body of dogma or a world view that is in direct opposition to sciencexvii [ 5 ]. The sophists of the Greek enlightment interpreted myth as allegories reveling naturalistic and moral truthxviii [ 6 ]. Mythical discourse does not teach the moral lesson directly but indirectly in a disguised fashion. Mircea Eliade considers myth as sacred history and sacred narrativexix [ 7 ].As

Wole Soyinka explainMyth arises from mans attempt to externlise and communicates his inner intuitionsxx [ 8 ]. Another important feature of myth is that it is closely associated with belief, religious or secular. Most of times, myths are closed related to rituals. As Radcliff Browne says, In the case of both ritual and myth the sentiments expressed are those that are essential to the society [ 9 ]. There is no ritual without a myth but yet there are

myths without ritual. Myth is thus both a model and a justification for ritual. Myth invariably uses the symbolic language because it deals with higher truths of life not to be easily portrayed by the realistic or empirical details. Hence it may be said that myth become mythopoeic in the sense that the underlying truth is expressed in terms

of some images, similes and metaphors and so on, there is thus a close connection between the mythical symbols and archetype, which are quite common to the entire humanity. Michael Grant considered myth as Para history.xxi [ 10 ] According to him,

Para history is a record of the beliefs of the people with which they have led their lives and viewed different life-situations. Such a Para history is incorporated within the myths of those communities. Thus, the combined knowledge of both history and Para history of a particular culture helps scholars to have a comprehensive and holistic picture of their past. Myth may be define as a story or a complex of story elements takes as expressing and therefore as implicitly symbolizing certain deep lying aspects of human and transhuman existence.xxii [ 11 ] .The Characteristic elements of transformation are natural feature of mythical characters. The modern playwrights can freely use it for symbolic purposes. Each writer uses myths in his own way, for different purposes, i.e. W.B.Yeats has used Irish myths in his writing in order to give larger meaning to his personal emotions. Myth could be used for various purposes. Many writers like Yeats and Eliot found that ancient myths could sustain and enrich their own poetic and dramatic sensibility. Indian playwrights freely interpret and make use of the myths in their own way. The theme may

be mythological, but the interpretation is different, myths are used to suit to the new mood and new awakening of the people. In India, there has been a long tradition of using myths for aesthetic purposes. Almost all the plays in India written in Sanskrit are based on myth or legend. Other Indian languages also depended upon myth and borrowed their subject from the myths to a great extent especially from two celebrated epics the Ramayana and the Mahabharata differentiating myth from legend. In the nineteenth Century drama in the regional languages was remarkable influenced by English literature. Our own culture and tradition seemed to have reached a point of stagnation. The plays based on old myths and legends are the source of inspiration for the creators of works of art. Myths and legends help the playwright to discover and renew our cultural heritage and make us aware of our own spiritual and cultural identity. They are a part of the spiritual life of the people. The characters of the two famous epics the Ramayana and the Mahabharata are more familiar to the people of India than their own kith and kin. Mythology goes meaning to their life and their surroundings. It is natural that the early playwright in English turned to the myths, they did not employ the myth directly in its original form, on the other hand they wrote play, based on myth, which was borrowed from the epics as well as from the Sanskrit plays. Girish Karnad dramatises a few mythical tales of this choice in his plays, Yayati (1961), The Fire and the Rain (1995) and Bali: The Sacrifice (2004) with contemporary

relevance he is dramatiging of the tales and incidents from purans (myths). He uses them in our orthodox religious environments, changing socio-political situation and in the construction of the present by imbibing values and morals in our existential reality when the spiritual environment dominated by profanity. He rewrites them with Indias cultural and political orientation with universal overtones. In his attempt to dramatise myth in his plays Karnad purpose fully initiates virtues in man. He adumbrates individuals existential dilemma in his/her discharge of duty in the parenthesis of Karma and Dharma. In his rewriting of myth, he never intends to attacks or criticise faith or practice but dares to analyses myth with a new orientation, to philosophies life with the vision for a welfare state. Exploring the myths in contemporary heteroglossia, he illustrates them with history and heurism in our Socio-Cultural dynamics for the establishment of the values like tolerance Broad Sympathy, liberal outlook and richness of life. Chandrashekhar Kambar a man of masses derived inspiration from folk myths and folk literature for his experiments over the years he has perfected a symbolic form which effectively communicates his vision of man and the human condition through a theatrical language which derives its vitality from the life of the people and yet remains distinctively individual. The Psychoanalytical school Freud and Jung consider myths basically an expression not of the external world but of the collective or individual unconscious. The repressed dreams desires, hopes and fears and so on stores in the unconscious mind of

man will be waiting for a chance to express themselves in a disguised fashion so that they may be accepted by the society. India is a country with rich cultural and traditional diversity, which is evident from its glorious past. The same is reflected by the people living the values, customs and traditions are of great values to Indian society. The psyche of Indians is also influenced by the variety in the culture and social aspects. Indians are generally known for their simplicity and true nature. India has been a center of cultural exchange as several invaders have left their touch to this place, which is also visible from the practices, faith and social fabric of India. But the basic thing is the ideology and psyche of the inbitants of this rich country India people here are deep rooted to their basics and are cultural strong, with Dharma and Karma considered as the soul of life. Indians also respects elders and are inclined towards spiritualism. The psyche of the Indian are also different as per their areas of living, as all scattered around the country with regional geographical, food, lifestyles, all have an influence on their mind and habits. They love celebration and festivals with their cultural heritage offering an array of festivals. Which have different flavours and adds a new real to their life? But here also the family values remains at the top with all united and

involved. Myth invariable used the symbolic language, because it deals with higher truths of life not to be easily portrayed by the realistic details.

REFERENCES:
1. 1 Feder, Lilian. Ancient Myth and Modern poetry. Princeton University press, 1997 Print. P-11-12. 2. Jung, C.G. Psychology of the Unconscious. London: Kegan Pul, Trench, Trubner and Co. Ltd., 5th impression, 1946 print. P.12. 3. Derrida, Jacques Structure, Sign and Play Contemporary criticism: An anthology. Eds. V.S Sethuraman. Chennai: Macmillan Company of India, 1998. Print. p.304. 4. Richard, Chase. Note on the study of myth. Twentieth century criticism. Ed. William J. Handy and Max Westbrook. New Delhi: Light and Life publisher. P.245. 5. Ibid- p.245.

6. Lalit, Handoo. Flok and Myth, Mysore: Central institute of Indian Languages 1988 print p.35. 7. Ibid-p.33. 8. Soyinka, Wole. Myth Literature and African World. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1999-p.35. 9. Lalit, Handoo. Flok and Myth.p-35. 10. K.L, Gopala Krishaish. Purana (myth). Bangalore: Karnataka Sahitya Academic, 1990 .p.31. 11. Joshi, RG. Myth in Indian Drama Delhi: BRPC, 1916 print p.539.

CHAPTER-IV REPRESENTATION OF MAN-WOMAN RELATIONSHIP IN FOLK METAPHORS

Girish Karnad is an instrumental in taking Kannada drama to international heights. Dramatic events and the conflicts of the characters are essential features of theatre. They are absorbingly utilized by him. The Problems of the modern man and the ensuing advertisities are well addressed in his plays. As such, his works have created a new era of pleasure in Kannada drama. Male and female characters depict the human

considerations and Karnad appears to express the inevitable inter-relations through these roles. The biased attitude of the society, towards the female does not affect him much. The themes of his drama are extracted from mythological, historical and folktales. The woman of those ancient times enjoyed a special status and as such they were of a different mindset from that of the woman of the present. They were more powerful. Even in folklore, women were endowed with special abilities. Karnad has attempted to visualize this difference and has succeeded in giving a proper meaning and status to the women of our time. Yakshagana, the most popular form of folk drama in North and south Kanara, was a natural choice and he made excellent use of it in Hayavadana. He continues his in Naga-Mandala, employs too. Girish Karnad analyses the relationship of man and women in the background of folklore. The cruelty, lust and deep love and three different facets of single imperfect soul, these are represent through Appanna, Naga (Cobra) and Kappanna. Rani has to balance all these persons; she has to experience their intensity all together. The pressure of these three faulty souls upsets her mind and she is unable to keep her cool. Girish Karnad plays reflects upon contemporary Indian cultural and social life through the use of folk tales myth, and historical legends. He weavers together timeless truth about human life and emotions contained in modern life. His plays are particularly concerned with the psychological problem, dilemmas and conflicts experience by the

modern Indian men and women in their different social situation.

His play Naga-

Mandala (1988) is a powerful portrait of the agony and anguish faced by both men & women in their development into a dual roles and social adjustment in a society where the indidual given little space for self-development, awareness and independence as a being. Girish Karnad uses the folk tales in its feminized form to represent the problem faced by man and woman and woman in marriage and the process of transformation of the immature and emotional under-developed person into a mature and fully-grown adult. Naga-Mandal depicts the man and woman pass through several stages of doubt, uncertainly and even failures before they become mature and learn to live harmoniously as husband and wife, within the family fold. The play dramatizes the cruelly and frustration involved in the marital relationship between Appanna & Rani and the adulterous relationship between Rani and Naga. In the centre of the play, we have the character of Appanna. Rani and Naga, Rani is a mature, lone daughter to her parents. She is quite beautiful and adored by her parents. Appanna marries her, he is an orphan. He provides all the paraphernalia required to run a family and (promises) tells her that he would return the next day. He locks her up in the house and leaves. Rani is shocked and confused. Naturally, she is subject to hallucination and dreams in her fitful sleep. She is alone bereft of her parents to spell out the mind of the lonely girl; the author successfully uses dreams such as an eagle carrying her to the anxious parents and the form of a prince & in her utterances while cooking their food.

He has relationship with concubine with whom he spend his most of time. Kurudavva and Appannas mother are childhood friends. She comes to acquaint herself with new entrant (daughter in law) Rani is already victim of her husbands insensitive and cruel attitude. She is moved by the tender affection of Kurudavva. Rani brings out all her pent up feeling before her. Kurudavva asks, Is he friendly with you when she realizes the girl is very innocent Havent your mother sister or other told you about this amicable fellowship? The simple woman reminds us that conjugal knowledge is essential before marriage. Kurudavva gives some root to serve her husband as a soup. This is supposed be an aphrodisiac. Rani is terrified at the exploiting red brew prepared as the soup. Hes conscience does not permit her to serve it. She thinks that it is a heinous act; she throws the concoction on the anthill. Naga is the serpent, a symbol of fertility, which drinks it and is naturally attracted towards Rani. It enters through the hole in the bathroom and takes the form of Appanna. He embraces the girl. Rani is a mixture of fear and surprise. Naga appears her and pulls her into trivial conversation. He is quite clever to win the heart of the girl. Rani he arrives on the subsequent night and she succumbs to his gentile sensual caresses. She is aware that her husband has two faces. He behaves differently in the night and day. She is scared out of her wits the following events confuse her. She searched for Naga in the house. He is nowhere to be seen and the door in locked from outside later, the real Appanna enters. The house is unlocked the door from outside. On the night the dog died, his face was smeared with blood. But Appanna of the morning is clean and

there is no sign of dirt on him. She announces of her pregnancy to her husband at night and Naga leaves immediately. She tries to stop him but she notices that the man has vanished through bolt of the door is intact. She does not try to analyze the situation. Karnad has well exposed the uncertain and fearful mind of the woman here, whereas he is not so explicit in similar circumstances with regard to other characters. There is no conflict in anyone (perhaps this is in accordance with our times). Naga asks her to perform Nagadivya(snake ordeal) she herself is doubtful of the truth. The author has utilized this attribute as the trump card for the progress of the play. The side story of Kurudavva and Kappanna moves collaterally to main theme, Mohini, a spirit, succeeds in separating Kurudavva and Kappanna. In here effort to help Rani in her sexual pleasures, Kurdavva loses her son Naga and Kappanna disappear from the scene together to show the similarity of their roles. Cruelty, just and deep love are three different facets of a single imperfects soul. These are represented through Appanna, Naga and Kappanna. Rani has to balance all these persons. She has to experience their intensity all together. The pressure of their three faulty souls upsets her mind and she is unable to keep her cool. A score of people is expected at the Village court. But people assemble in thousands. The snake comes from the anthill with its hood open, Rani scared to the core, joins the running crowd. She declares that she will swear by holding a red-hot iron red. She takes refuge behind Kurudavva to escaping from the scene. She reproaches Appanna who is preventing her from escaping. Rani is facing the

charges of adultery all the day but on the support of Kurudavva, she explodes with boldness. This is natural. Rani holds the serpent. As it adorns her neck a jewel. The elders of the village come to the conclusion that she is an incarnation of the goddess. They feel that the Lord has influenced Appanna at allege her infidelity to reveal the miracle. The elders order Appanna to work as a servant. Appanna falls to her feet supporting the oracle of Naga. Eventually it is a happy life for Rani with her husband and child. This is according to the rules of folklore that tale should have a happy end. We are not sure of the relationship of Rani and Appanna. The narrating man exclaims with horror Alas! If I were to be Appanna He reveals. The mind of a man forced to accept an unfaithful wife. He is not convinced of the miracle. The trusty moves of men are always different hence; Rani reacts differently to the advances of her husband Appanna. The story progresses with a desire to have a happy end in the true fashion of folklore. Society imposes a duty on the killer that he should cremate the dead cobra. Rani wants to her son to do so as Naga has saved him. Her decision asking her song to after the funeral cakes to Naga helps us to infer that Rani has finally accepted the paternity. Appanna is perplexed but bows down to the proposal, as it is form the goddess. He wants a smooth future of his family. She resigns herself to the security offered by Appanna since it reminds her of the security offered by her parents during her childhood. The woman is a mother of a goddess and the flame of the man who is not bothered by malefemale relationship.

At the end of the play Kurudavvas voice call her missing son Kappanna Appanna awakes up responds Yes later he says In sleep I heard as if my own mother called me out Appanna had lost his mother soon after he was born. In away Kurudavva and Appanna become mother & son. Chandrashekhar Kambar the celebrated contemporary Kannada playwright. Shot into fame with his plays Jokumarswamy and Siri Sampige based on folk myth of North Karnataka Siri Sampige dramatizes the cruelty and frustration involved in the marital relationship between Sivanaga and Siri- Sampige and adulteries relationship between Siri Sampige and also the play dramatizes a folk-myth of North Karnataka dealing with the duality between the material and spiritual, between the body and mind. The twin brothers have love-hate relationship with each other until they realize their oneness through experience. The similarity of their looks, behaviors and tendencies to confusion, which may be sometimes tragic and sometime comic. Kambar has grafted this story that of the split penalty and achieved a peculiar beauty in the play. The Prince of Shivapura, son of King Nagara Nayaka, has reached the age of sixteen when, on his mothers wish he has to be married. But the prince himself has felled in love with the impossibly perfect Lamp-Maiden who comes to life one night in his bedchamber and disappears dancing into his own body. He now demands that his body be split in two and the equal parts stuffed into two pots. Out of one he emerges unscathed (as he, according to prophecy, can only die if his

brother dies and he happens to be the sole heir. to the throne) But out of the other pot emerges, not the Lamp-maiden of his dreams, but a hooded cobra. Since the princes hop of marrying his dream girl, the Lamp-maid is shuttered he has to yield to the pressure of the Queen Mother and Elders and marry Siri Sampige ultimately. Although queen Sirisampige, daughter of king Pushparaj of Sevantipura is a good wife Prince, Shivanaga does not find her satisfaction. Being he is in the grip of his earliest infatuation will have nothing to do with his young wife. He periodically takes to visiting the Lamp-Maiden, in a pool outside the town into which he gazes. The princes searching for the Lamp-Maiden is a mythical expression of the symbolic truth. It symbolises his search for the transcendental truth or ideal image or spiritual light. The image of lamp easily connotes spiritual light in addition to signifying the physical light. His dissatisfaction with his neogamist Queen Siri Sampige, who is liked by all one and all in the royal family, suggests that the prince is not an ordinary person of the mundane world, but an extraordinary one with a hunger for the higher truth of life. From the first day of their marriage, there is no relationship because he would disappear at any time come back at any time. He goes off as if searching for something he has lost and returns as if hopeless at not finding what he seeks. He does not talk to anyone, when the family god was consulted. He sobbed and did not open his mouth to say anything. I cannot bear to see the face of my daughter-in-law, who is weeping all the time, my sons face I do not see. Queen Mother worried when she heard the news from

Awali that the Prince used to look his own reflection in water of the pond and cry for the joy of seeing the Lamp-Maiden in it. The Queen Mother deeply worried. What should not have happened, what I was guarding against for sixteen years, has happened now out of my sight. The only difference is that he, who should have become a monk on seeing his reflection, is now thinking of the Lamp-Maiden (P.18) She does not understand why the prince prefers the Lamp-Maiden to her daughter-in-law, who is a thousand times prettier than the former. She attributes the princes abnormal behavior to some kind of madness The princes description of his experience of the pond makes explicit the

multiple aspects of mystic or transcendental experience as codified in all the organized religions of the world. Man-God relationship is always a mutual affair to god. There is thus always a balance between desire and satisfaction quest and fulfillment. Mans life will be complete only when he attains the divine consciousness or spiritual harmony with the absolute. The union between man and god has been described by all religions of the world as yoga Samadhi. The prince has achieved such a mystical union at the pond. Meanwhile SiriSampige herself has charmed by the snake god, Kalinga, yields to him and conceives when prince Sivanaga fails to pay attention to his wife. Siri Sampige, because of his, obsession with the Lamps-Maiden, Kalinga wakes up and listens to Siri Sampige is voice being a symbol of sexual instinct. Kalinga begins to long for her hair. Siri Sampige inspite of being a married woman feels the sexual Urge and attraction for a non-husband inwardly. She says I have become like a boat caught in a storm and

overturned. Someone is opening the doors of my youthful breast, and shaking all my desires to awaken them. Kalinga declares his love and persuades Siri Sampige like any adamant lovers. He changes his guise to that of prince Sivanaga, when the Queen Mother enters Siri Sampiges chamber. He periodically takes to visit the Siri- Sampige, meanwhile she yields to him and conceives. Suspecting his wifes infidelity the prince orders a trail in which Siri Sampige proves her chastity. She takes the snake, which coils round the Nagalinga, on her own body. She remains unharmed. In the end, in a fit of jealousy, the Prince kills the snake and dies himself, fulfilling the ancient prophecy that he will die upon the death of his brother. He explains the meaning of his vision to his mother. The Queen would have understood all these things Siri Sampige has not committed any wrong, mother, when I split myself; we got separated into body and mind. Kalinga became my body, I became his mind. Siri Sampige became pregnant by my body (P.49). Whereas the tragedy is division and half-ness forms main theme of the play, that of twin or double-ness forms the subsidiary but contrastive theme of the play. As already observed, the playwright has grafted the folk motif of the split with that of the double. Whereas prince Sivanaga represents the luminous side of human life, Kalinga represents the dark side of the same, as his very name indicates. He is obviously a dark god of the nether world (incidentally, he brings to our mind the Lawrenlian concept of dark God). He easily symbolizes the sexual urge in human being a la Sigmund Freud. In the present play, he provides a binary

contrast to the prince. Whereas the prince represents the angelic aspects of human life, Kalinga represents the devilish aspects of the same. The battle between the two aspects happens in the life of Siri Sampige. Whereas Sivanaga belong to the upper world (i.e Kailasa of Lord Shiva) Kalinga belongs to the nether world. Sivanaga is caught in the conflict between light (symbolized by the Lamp-maiden) and darkness (Symbolised by Kaling) or between conscious mind and unconscious mind respectively. Her frustration with her husband is caused by his negligence of the physical or sexual aspects of marriage and his going away to the pond in his search for a god or transcendental experience. It only proves that generally no normal wife would go in for a lover unless similarly the prince was also frustrated with Siri- Sampige, as he could not see the Lamp-maiden in her. Thus, both of them are frustrated as they suffer from half-ness or in completeness; there is a tragedy of half-ness in completeness and imbalance. It is exactly this tragic suffering which Siri Sampige has undergone and which she articulates. I am half widow, my lord you cant understand the grief of one, who is always half a widow! When you split yourself, you split me also. When you are before me, my body is widowed, when I am with him, lying with him, my mind is widowed. Thus, I am always half widow. There is nothing to equal such a torture. The story of the twin brothers, Awali and Jawali forms the Sub-plot of the play reflecting the theme of the main plot in a minor key. The twin brothers, Awali and Jawali represent the peculiar problem of indigenous to them. Their physical resemblance to each

other adds to the confusion of their physical resemblance to each other adds to the confusion of their identities similarly their hierarchy also cannot easily be ascertained for example. Awali and Jawali do not know and cannot decide who is elder and who is younger between them in spite of their physical separateness, there is a resemblance between the two as far as their constitutional tendencies, are concerned their relationship with each other. Is characterized by ambivalence? There is a love-hate relationship between the two for example, both of them look think and talk a like thereby adding to the confusion of identities. Awali and Jawali, the sexual theme reappears: Jawali can make love to Kammala only when he turns into a snake. Although Awali has killed Jawali out of jealously, he now realizes that he is in complete without lather. He begins to suffer from great scenes of loneliness. When Awali has killed Jawali, he also has got to die somehow or the other. He kills himself by trying to kill Jawali, whose reflection he sees in the water of the pond, and jumped into pond, and dies. The Sub-plot of Awali and Jawali provides a contrast to the main plot of prince Sivanaga and Kalinga. But in both the cases the duality of being or experience has to be overcome and converted into unit of being. In a way, the life of Sivanaga & that of Jawali run almost parallel. The similarities between Sivanaga and jawali include many

dissimilar aspects in their life situation and death also, whereas Sivanaga dies my mistaking reality for false hood, Jawali meets his death by mistaking falsehood for reality.

CHAPTER-V THEMES OF TWO PLAYS: ANALYSIS

The Karnataka Sahitya Academic awarded play Naga-Mandala (1992) is Girish Karnads most creative work based on two oral tales from Karnataka, which Karnad had heard from A.K.Ramanujan (Karnad three plays 20) the first is a famous South-Indian folklore about the chatter of the flames in some isolated place during night where they narrate stories. The other folk tales is about a married traditional Indian young girl Rani, who was visited by a king cobra in the form of her husband. Naga-Mandala is a kind of serpent worship. The serpent is worshiped by people belonging to different state of society irrespective of caste and creed. The serpent

worship is a semi Vedic tradition. This includes the popularly known Sarpa Samskara (Funeral Obsequies of a serpent being killed or found dead). Naga-Mandala is a form of worship of Naga, the cobra commonly performed by the members of panar community .xxiii [ 1 ].The religious tradition is very much prevalent in the drama. Naga-Mandala is the story of Rani, narrated to a playwright by story. Story is a women character in the play. She narrates certain incidents and conducts the play. She is the Bhagavata of Naga-Mandala, a modified version of Yakshagana (folk theatre of Karnataka). The plot of Naga-Mandala has been ingeniously designed. It has a prologue and two acts all of which are knit together. The prologue sets the tone of the play and

provides a beginning. The play opens in the inner sanctum (holy place) of a ruined temple, where the idol is so broken that it can be hardly identified. A man-a playwright is sitting, who is trying his best to keep himself awake for he has been told by a mendicant: (In the prologue Karnad reveals that man has a bundle of weakness, but he is either not aware about them or does not want to get rid of them.) I may be dead within the next few hours A mendicant told me, you must keep awake at least one whole night this month, if you can do that, you will live if not you will die on the last night of the month xxiv [ 2 ] The man talking to the spectators pledges that if he survives that night he will have nothing more to do with themes, plots or stories; I asked the mendicant what I had done to deserve this fate and he said. You have written plays. You have staged them; you have caused so many good people. Who came trusting you to fall asleep twisted in miserable chairs, that all the mass of sleep has turned against you and become the curse of death Suddenly the man perceives the naked flames conversing as they enter the temple. The flames transform and assume female voices. They come from different to exchange their views on the present social scenario. The flame discovers that most of the people are engaged in the worldly pleasure and are asleep to the spiritual thrust of man. As new flame has a different story. The old mistress had a doubt lurking in her mind that her husband has illicit relations with some young women. In fact, the old mistress had a

story and a song impression in her mind; both the story and the song simmer to be full. Therefore, the story transformer into young women and the song becomes a sari, however the story comes to the temple and desires is be heard by somebody. The man offers to hear the story if he will be kept awake all the night. Thus, the prologue explores the aberrations of man and woman to convey the message that men in general are slaves of passion and are asleep to the hard realities of life. This is the subplot. The main story begins with the story addressing this audience: A young girl Rani the only child who is treated like a queen in her family a beautiful girl with long hair likes Rapunsalis married to appanna who is according to kappana should have been born a blind beast or a reptile. By some mistake he got a human form. Her father fond found her husband the young man was rich and his parents were both dead. xxv [ 3 ] Ranis parents were least concerned about the character and the behaviours of Appanna, Rains husband. She is given to a man who is a philanderer and of loose morals. Karnad calls appanna Any man the most powerful force to inflict physical and mental torture on Rani. Appanna brings her to his village no welcome ceremony or bridal song is there. Rani is nonplused to hear Well then I will be back tomorrow at noon. Keep my lunch ready. I shall eat and go. (p.27). He pays no attention to her goes out shuts the door and locks it from outside and goes away. She runs to the door, finds it locked. She doesnt know what happening stands perplexed. She cant even weep. She goes and sits in a corner of her room, talks to herself indistinctly, tired and exhausted goes into sleep; sees nightmares cries for parents. Next morning when Appanna Comes,

Rani tries to explain the pain of loneliness, and tries to win his sympathy. He very coldly rebukes.What is there to be sacred of look, I dont like idle chatter. Do as you are told, you understand. (p.28). He finished his meal and goes out, locks her. Thus, days roll by Rani, mechanically goes into the Kitchen, starts cooking and talks to herself. She becomes a cage bird whereas Appanna is a philanderer regularly visiting his concubine. One day Kurudavva an intimate friend of Appannas mother comes to Rani, since she is blind and old, she is brought by Kappanna her son. She talks to Rani and feels her through the window. She learns that Appanna stills visits his concubine though he has a beautiful wife. Rani wants to go back to her parents and request Kurudavva to send the message to her parents but it is no use. Mental oppression of Rani brings tears in the eyes of audience and there is no physical relationship between Rani and her husband, she decides to help her. The old lady has three pieces of root with magical power given by a mendicant, one of which she had already used to get a husband. Now the remaining two she hands over to Rani and instructs her to grind the root and mix it in Appannas food. So that she can have the love of Appanna. She feels very happy, mixes the first root in the milk and gives it to him. Though full of doubt about the result. There is violent reaction and Appanna falls down. For the next trail Kurudavva advises her to use a bigger piece of root and assures Rani of good result. Kurudavva narrates her own experience about the magical effects of the root. Subsequently Rani makes a tasty carry and mixes the paste of root in it. The curry becomes blood red. Ranis mind is full of mixed reactions and she

fails to go ahead more worried about safety of Appanna, who on the contrary is least concern about her: What horrible mess is this? Blood, perhaps poison shall I serve him this? That woman is blind, but he is not even if he doesnt see it how do I know it is not dangerous? Suppose something happens to my husband? What will my fate be? That little piece made him ill who know? (p.37) Rani pours the curry into the ant-hill where king cobra lives and that cobra lifts it hood, hissing out of the ant-hill and follows Rani. The Cobra assumes the shape of Appanna visits Rani at night, sexually exploiting, her Rani is grossly abused like Ahaly. This change in Appanna surprises Rani as to how a man who is so cruel in daytime becomes so sincere a lover at night. She tries to know from Naga why he changes like chameleon during daytime.***** Rani you talk so nicely at night. But during the day I only have to open my mouth and you hiss like astupid snake. But Naga tells her not to try to unravel the mystery Rani has no option but to accept it. Every night Naga visit her and vanish at dawn. He also kills the dog and the mongoose Appanna had brought to guard the house and this continued for some months. Rani is unaware that it is a snake. She is totally puzzled by the polar oppositeness of Appannas behavior cruel during the day and very loving at night. In course of time, Rani becomes pregnant. It is news of joy for her as fulfillment of a womans dream. Naga is not happy because her pregnancy can reveal his identity; he does not know what to do

just ask her to keep it secret from him as long as possible. She feels utterly confused and helpless because she can neither hide the pregnancy of five month nor have it aborted, she must have thought that the man is a mystery. The next day, Appanna discovers that Rani is pregnant since he has never slept with her. He knows that she has committed adultery these infuriates him and he pushes, kicks and curses her. He does not accept her innocent. He cannot stand that she has caused him. He drags her out and tries to throw a huge stone at her to smash her illegitimate child to be born. At the moment, the cobra comes out and hisses loudly. Appanna throws the stone at the snake which escapes into ant-hill Rani at once gets in and bolts the door behind her, he demands her to open the door and she does not obey her husband in order to escape his wrath. He goes out to request the village elders to sit in judgment and punish her severely. That night Naga comes and find her crying. He sits glumly nearby and Rani asks*****why are you humiliating me like this? Why are you stripping me naked in front of the whole village? Why dont you kill me instead? I would have killed myself. He assures her that everything will be all right; All will be well dont worry you husband will become you slave tomorrow you will get all you have ever wanted. (p.35) She suddenly runs to him and embraces him she says Please hold me tight I am afraid.(p.35) Rani is forced to face an ordeal to prove her chastity. The traditional test in the village court has been to take the oath while holding a red hot iron rod in the hand

occasionally, the accused has chosen to plunge the hand in boiling oil. But Rani insists on swearing by the King Cobra holding it in her hand viewing it as an equally convincing proof the elders agree her proposal on the appointed day She plunges her hand in the anti-hill and pulls out the cobra. The cobra slides up her shoulders and spreads its hood like umbrella over the head the crowd grasps. The cobra sways its hood gently for a while, these becomes docile and moves around her shoulder like a garland (P. 58). The crowd is enchanted by this miracle and elevates Rani to the position of a Goddess the crowd surges forward to prostrate it before her Appanna is seated next to her in a palanquin, and the couple is taken in a procession to their house. He is admonished: Appanna, your wife is not an ordinary woman she is goddess incarnate, dont grieve that you judge her wrongly and treated her badly. This is how goddess reveals themselves to the world. You were the chosen instrument for revealing her divinity (P.59) the elder two exhorts him: spend the rest of your life in her service. You need merit in ten past lives to be chosen for such a holy duty (p.No.59) When all the people are gone, Appanna also falls at her feet and says For give me, I am a sinner, I was blind (P. 40) she gently takes him in her arms. Thus as promised by Naga, she gets everything Appanna becomes a devoted husband. Appannas concubine becomes her servant maid. In course of time, Rani gives birth to a beautiful child.

In spite of all this, Appanna is not convinced of Ranis chastity. He says, Have I sinned so much that even the nature should laugh at me? (P. 41) when Rani sleeps with her husband on the Day of Judgment, she comes to know that Naga in the guise of Appanna has been with her all these nights. She expresses her gratitude to Naga for all the help by making her. Son cremates the dead cobra who commits suicide. Appanna also concedes to her request that their son should not only light the funeral pyre of Naga but also perform the annual rituals every year to commemorate his death. Since the day of trail Appanna has never bothered about the purity of his wife and he and Rani have enjoyed happy marital life. The fact must be made clear Rani know that the man who loves her deeply at night and the man who treats her brutally during day time are two different men. She is not that naive or innocent but yet, she is a victim of her husbands exploitation, brutality and cruelly, she is helpless therefore, though she has committed adultery, she wins our sympathy. The fact that she know that she was carrying Nagas child is clear only towards the end of the play. Karnad gives two ending for the play. In the first ending, Nagappa climbs into Ranis hair while she is sleeping with her head on Appannas hand. He dies complaining of headache. Rani requests her husband to comb her hair, while he is doing so, the corpse of the dead Naga falls down. She says that the snake has saved her sons life and granting one life is equal to offering oblations to ancestors. Therefore, she says that her son should light the funeral payer of Naga and

perform his last rites by offering oblation in his honour. All this points to the fact that she know that Naga was indeed the father of her child. In the second ending, Rani asks Appanna to comb her hair while he is doing so a small snake falls from hair when goes out searching for a stick to kill it Rani takes it up and put it back into her hair saying Quick now, get in are you safely in there? Good now stay there, and be still, you dont know how heavy you are, Let me get used to you, will you? It is already dawn. The Story girl and the lamps vanish. The playwright confirms, touching himself, that he is still alive and delighted the play ends. The Side story of Kurudavva and Kappanna moves collaterally to the main theme Mohini a spirit succeeds in separating Kurudavva and Kappanna. In her effort to help Rani in her Sexual pleasures. Kurudavva loses her son. Naga and Kappannas disappear from the scene together to show the similarity of their role Siri Sampige is the play by Chandrashekhar Kambar one of the best playwrights of modern Kannada Literature, he is also poet and novelist. He has intended content and great form in his plays Siri Sampige, is a legitimate extension of a basically religious form into secular domain of the modern stage, which is translated into English by Rowena Hills, K.P.Vasudevana and N.S.Ramaswamy. Siri Sampige is based on a mythology and is the fruit of a creative intervention of the mythology. This play is written in the form of Yakshagana. The present play

dramatizes a folk-myth of North- Karnataka dealing with the duality between the material and the spiritual, between the body and the mind. The story of Siri Sampige revolves around the prince Sivanagadeva, he is the protagonist of the play, the prince of Shivapur, son of Nagara Nayaka. When he has reached the age of sixteen, and the negative path of his destiny is revealed to his mother through an oracle. The Bhagavata articulate it as follows: Our family god spoke through an oracle, and foretold his future see! Two dangers theatres: When his voice breaks he may become a monk, when his brother dies, he also dies (p.1-2)xxvi [ 4 ] The oracle reveals in a seminal form his spiritual orientation or tendency of the protagonist and his congenital connection with his brother. After hearing the divine oracle, Queen Mayavati is deeply worried about the future of prince Sivanaga. At the request of the Queen the family god suggests a way out.When you sons voice breaks arrange without delay for his marriage make sure he does not see his own image in water (P.2) being thus alerted by the family God. Queen Mayavati wants to expedite the prince marriage. She tries to reason with prince Sivanaga I am only a woman and becoming old, and I can no longer bear the responsibility of the Kingdom, so I desire to celebrate your marriage in a way acceptable to you, witness your coronation and spend the rest of my life in peace. The Elders of the family have therefore, been sent the Sevantipura to see king Pushprajas daughter Siri Sampige and have approved her as a

bride for you. Now you must accept (p.3). The mothers desire to get her son married is frustrated by the sons unwillingness to get married. But when the mother persuades the Prince, the latter he expresses his private problems, Only because the maiden you chose all had some defects or other. I have refused to marry for no other reasons(P.4). The Princes idea of a bride is a platonic in that he has an inner picture of an ideal bride because of which all the real brides of the world fall short. But still he keeps on searching for an ideal bride*****I have faith that a flawless one must exist, Mother. From the day my voice broke, I have felt that she is hiding somewhere, like butter in milk. She is also trying to come out of her hiding place somewhere. Give me time to show her to you (P.4). In the meanwhile, something marvelous happens in the palace. When the prince is sleeping in his palace, he sees a dream in which a lamp maid comes alive, dances and finally dissolves into his body. Marvelous experience is possible only in the mythical world and not probable in the real world. The marvelous experience is vividly described by the Prince, Oh! What a marvel! Could it be some goddess under a curse, turned to stone all this time, who has now rid herself of the curse and come to life again? Or some nymph, who fell in love with me and hid in the stone waiting for me and has not come out of her stone hiding place and bloomed into life? That creature, who kept the burning lamp in the palm and leapt like flashing lighting, has dissolved into my body! Is she suggesting that this is how I should get married? Yes, she must be the woman that

satisfies all desires, who I have been longing for these many days. If that is so, I have found my longing bride (P.9). Having seen the ideal bride and dream girl, the Prince confesses the secret to Jawali and agrees to marry her. In a way, his search for the ideal has been fulfilled. Later he tells his Mother and Elders of his palace that he is willing to marry the girl provided they agree to the condition to be laid down by him. The Queen and Elders, who are eager to arrange his marriage, agree to his terms by swearing, by the feet of the family god. They promise to arrange his marriage with ideal bride of his choice. The Queen mother and the Elders, who are very practical in their approach, wish to know his desire; he expresses his desire as follows: Split, split my body into two equal halves Chop; chop it into even pieces. Place at once those pieces into two pots! Thats not all after I have been cut into two; each piece should be stuffed into a pots. Both pots should be buried among flowers on the next full-moon day, when you open the two pots, you will see come out of one and Prince of matchless charm, thats myself. From the other will come the palace lamp-maiden, a women of statue-like beauty holding a light in her hand. Then you should get the two of us married. If this is agreed, there will be a marriage. If not no (P.12). Both laying down a condition and laying down an impossible condition are possible only in the folk-mythical world and not probable in

the real world. On hearing the Prince condition, the Queen Mother and Elders are simply shocked and attribute it to madness and possession by a spirit. Deeply disturbed by the strange development in the family, the Queen Mother implores the Elders to solve the problem of the Prince marriage without tarnishing the prestige of the lineage. All of them helplessly agree to fulfill the Princes desire to be split into two. Accordingly, the Queen Mother and all the Elders gather at the shrine of the family god and split his body into two and bury the two halves into two pots. But when they open the pots after a month, they are shocked to learn that a snake and a Prince came out of the two pots, but not any Lamp-maid. They are all disappointed to know that no lamp-maiden has come out of the pot. The Prince hope has misfired. The Queen Mother attributes it to the curse on their family. What is the madness son? Listening to the words of your youth rashness, we have done many things that we ought not to have done. All this comes from the curse on our lineage .Why else should it happen? By the blessing of the family god, you have come through to a new birth at least. Thats enough(P.13). After reborn from the pot the Prince asks the Elders about where the Lamp-maid is, they reveal the harsh truth to him by saying that what came from the other pot was a hideous horrible demon an evil creature or a ghost the Prince feels furious to know that he is cheated. But the Elders tell him that it is they, who are cheated and not he thus things have gone aware due to the family curse and they have to continue according to the dedicates of destiny. Since the Princes hop of marrying his dream girl, the Lamp-maid is shattered, he has to yield to the pressure of the Queen

Mother and Elder and marry Siri Sampige ultimately. Although Queen Siri Sampige is a good wife prince Sivanaga does not find her satisfactory .He therefore, goes in search of Lamp-Maiden. The Prince search for the Lamp-maiden is a mythical expression of the symbolic truth. It symbolizes his search for the transcendental truth or ideal image or spiritual light. The image of lamp easily can notes spiritual light in addition to signifying the physical light. His dissatisfaction with his neogamist Queen Siri Sampige, who is liked by one and all the royal family. The Queen Mother and the Elders do not and cannot understand the meaning of the Prince search for the Lamp-maiden. The Lamp-Maiden may easily be accepted as symbolic of light especially spiritual light. But they want to ascertain where he goes repeatedly and what he does there. Therefore, order Jawali to spy of the Prince by following him and stealing his activities secretly. According Jawali follows the Prince secretly and observes what the latter does there. He returns and reports to the Queen Mother that the Prince used to look at his own reflection in water of the pond and cry for the joy of seeing the Lamp-Maiden in it. The Queen Mother grows deeply worried,What should not have happened, what I was guarding against for sixteen years, has happened now out of my sight. The only difference is that he, who should have become a monk in seeing his reflection, is now thinking of the Lamp-Maiden (P.18)

When Jawali accuses the Prince of madness, the latter denies the charge and describes his vision of the Lamp-maiden in the pond, which is nothing but the mystic experience of the union with the transcendental reality. Today I was beside a pond. She was inside it, she was swimming the waves and ripples glittering like a fish. Moving her tiny arms. I must catch her, I thought No I thought I can catch her in my hand, and I stretched out my cupped hand. When my breath touched the water in my hand- do you know? She trembled for love. Slowly she dripped down again between my fingers saying silly girl I pinched her check. She laughed- do you know? Like lines running in the waves. Seeing her I laughed too, and I spoke. She also spoke as I did, or everything she did I did too; there was so much harmony between the two of us that like two halves coming together we had become one. Jawali, the materially oriented person, cannot understand the higher spiritual experience of the prince and therefore, accuses him. What you saw was your own reflection (P.20). Ay! Blast my foolishness in arguing with an ignorant person like you. Seeing ones reflection and becoming one with it means seeing the shape of the soul. But you cannot understand all this. You are stuck to the body. People, who refuse to see any, further than body, cannot understand such things (P.20). The Princes description of his experience of the pond makes explicit the multiple aspects of mystic or transcendental experience as codified in all the organized religions of the world. Man-god relationship is always a mutual affair. God will not descend to man until and unless man ascends to God [ 5 ].

There is thus always a balance between desire and satisfaction or quest and fulfillment. Mans life will be complete only when he attains the divine consciousness or spiritual harmony with absolute.The union between man and God has been described by all religions of the world as Yoga Samadhi. The Prince has achieved such a mystic union at the pond. Meanwhile, Siri Sampige gets charmed by the snake Kalinga, who can take any form to please her; she earlier refuses to yield to his provocations. She feels herself to be a boat caught between stromes, and overturned. Though her desires are awaked, she decided to sacrifice her judgment to such base desires and so makes up her mind to take to him and chide him away. However, Kalinga takes the form of the Prince (and

Succeeded to convince the Princess his love for her) when the Queen Mother enters Siri Sampiges Chamber.When Kalinga in the guise of the Prince rests his arms on SiriSampige shoulders, she is sexually electrified and wonders at his magnetic quality So much joy wells up on me at his touch. Who is this wizard? Who has come to plunder me (P.24) But still she is not able to understand his exact identity. As she has noticed, his ability to change his guise at will. She therefore, asks him Before madness overcomes me, please tell me who you are. You were like a hissing snake, and now you are like the prince, how many existences do you have? (P.24) Kalinga answer her As many as you want (P.24) Kalingas double identity help him deceive Queen Siri Sampige. She yields to him and conceives.

Prince Sivanagas transcendental experience at the pond does not last long the god who showed smiling in the water dripping from his cupped hands, has gone back to the depths, he feels he is cheated by his god. His faith in his god is shaken because of his wife secrete adultery with Kaling. This experience shows that man cannot be happy when he is divided. He can achieve real happiness only when he can harmonize the two aspects of his personality like physical and spiritual. He tells SiriSampige Rejecting my body, leaving it with you, I went to the pond to see the god. What came floating in the water neither the Lamp-Maiden nor god? It was not even my reflection, lady, it was my corpse When I repented and come back my body itself had vanished. In the meantime, someone had entered it and gone off with it. Now I am almost air, Lady, I cannot even make your skin feel my touch. I dont exist except as air that speaks. I need a body to show myself in. My hunger for life is growing lady. I need a please help me(P.31). He suspects that his body has been stolen by Kalinga and therefore wants to test his wife through a public trial. Siri Sampige is really puzzled by his behaviors and asks him why she should undergo the trail. He answers her that it is meant for the revelation of the truth of her illicit pregnancy. His Queen Mother is also shocked by the words of the Prince and tries to defend her daughter-in-law. Intent on exposing his wifes sin, the Prince calls a meeting of the Elders and the Queen Mother at the Nagalinga temple and cleverly asks them What should be the punishment for a woman who has abandoned her husband has illicitly joined with another and has become pregnant. (P.33) The Elders suggests that

the question should be solved by the inmost conscience of husband and wife or by an ordeal.Then the Prince tells the Elders, the woman who has committed a crime here and is illicitly pregnant is the Queen of the country and the one who is asking for justice is the king(P.33). The Elders and the Mother are, obviously shocked by the Prince request. All of them become helpless and agree to arrange a divine ordeal. Princess Siri Sampige agrees to prove her chastity by undergoing the ordeal publics look that snake, which in crawling there on the Nagaling I will let it climb on my body. If I am pure and virtuous wife, it will move over my body without stinging me and go away. Otherwise, it will use its poison and sting. By this trial the truth can be tested and punishment be given at the same time (P.35). Everybody accepts the condition and watches the divine ordeal curiously. Siri Sampige proves her chastity; she takes the snake, which coils round the Nagaling on her own body. She remain unharmed by showing this miracle, Siri Sampige has become an angle. All join their hands in a salute. The Prince is not convinced by the ordeal at all. His suspicion of a rival, who has been sleeping with his wife, continues to harass him mentally. The prince has realized that somebody has been acting as his other half and stealing his wife. He therefore, wants to detect and catch him. The adulterous relationship between Queen Siri Sampige and Kalinga has continued consequently SiriSampige has given birth to a child. Kalinga wants to his child and continue his flirtation with Siri Sampige, but she reminds him I also have my responsibilities and my honour Kalinga (P.39) and asks him to go, away from her.

Prince Sivanaga, who suspects his wife has a regular love affair with a lover, wants to catch the culprit. He has appointed Awali to guard the harem and capture the culprit who might be escaping from there. As soon as they heard, the Kaling voice from inside the palace thus ready to capture him but it is impossible because he escaped in the guise of Snake. Awali obeys him, but regrets his inability to capture anyone, He also tells the Prince that a Snake escaped by the gutter drain and disappeared inside a darknessfilled ant-hill. Now the Prince Anger and suspicious are raised further. He tallies Awalis description of the snake with his own memory of the snake that had participated in trial of Queen Siri Sampige at the Nagalinga Temple and concludes that both are the same. He provokes and challenges Kallinga for a fight. Both of them fight bravely initially but Kalinga opposes the Prince less strongly because he considers the latter to be his own kith. Although both fight with each other under the illusion that they are rivals, they seem to be bound to each other emotionally because they were separated from each other only after Prince had split himself into two. That is exactly the reason why he feels that his entrails have gone cold after the death of Kalinga. The Mother and other royal member of the palace are happy about the Prince victory over Kalinga. But the Prince does not feel happy because My navel is growing cold. My spine is loosening (P.47) So far the prince does not know that Kalinga came out of the pot as his other half when the former had split himself into two. The Mother and the Elders had hidden the fact from the Prince. The Prince obviously, has had a vision of the unity of being which is the result of the right knowledge. This vision helps

him understanding his wife Siri Sampige from new perspectives. He explains the meaning of his vision to his Mother. The Queen would have understood all these things. Siri Sampige has not committed any wrong mother when I split myself. We got

separated into body and mind. Kalinga became my body, I become his mind, SiriSampige became pregnant by my body (P.49) The Princes realization of the complementarily of Kalinga and himself coincides with his own death necessitated by the killing of Kalinga. The mythical event, obviously, shows the philosophical truth that killing on half of ones being involves killing the other half also. Accordingly having killed Kalinga, the Prince realizes that he has killed himself and therefore is going to die. But before his death, he warns his wife not to allow his son to split himself. Siri Sampige, who was a half widow, has become a complete widow now. The Prince has suffered the tragedy of divided self or split personality. His realization of the dilemma of half-ness or completeness comes at the last stage of life, when he has no time to rectify his past. It is this irreversibility of events or action that is really tragic. The Story of the twin brothers Awali and Jawali forms the Sub-plot of the play reflecting the theme of the main plot in a minor key. The twin brothers, Awali and Jawali represent the peculiar problems Indigenous to them. Their physical resemblance to each other adds to the confusion of their identities similarity their hierarchy also cannot easily be ascertained for example.

Awali and Jawali do not know and cannot decide who is elder and who is younger between them. In spite of their physical separateness, there is a resemblance between the two as far as their constitutional tendencies are concerned. Their relationship with each other is characterized by ambivalence. There is a love-hate relation between the two. They suffer the tragedy of murder and suicide when they are separated from each other. The cause of division between the two is a young lady Kamals, who chooses the stronger one between the two. The subplot of Awali and Jawali provides a good contrast to the main plot of Prince Sivanaga and Kalinga. But in both the cases the duality of or experience has to be overcome and converted into unity of being, in a way the life of Sivinaga and that of Jawali run almost parallel. The similarities between Sivanaga and Jawali include many dissimilar. Aspects of their life Situations and death also. Whereas Sivanaga dies by mistaking reality for falsehood, Jawali meets his death by mistaking falsehood for reality.

A). TREATMENT OF SEXUAL ASPECTS Girish Karnad and Chandrashekhar Kambar have borrowed their themes from the same source i.e., a folktale entitled The Serpent Lover narrated to them by A.K.Ramanujan.xxvii [ 5 ].But there is a conspicuous similarity and dissimilarity between the dramatic treatment of them by the two play whereas Karnads Naga-Mandal is more intellectual and confined only to the Freudian over tones of womans sexuality, Kambars treatment is more metaphorical or symbolic and reaching the higher realms of human

quest. Kambar has deftly woven two other folk tales The Prince Who Married His Own Left Half and The Lampstand Women. In addition, Kambar hadded split motif to double motif, which is missing in Karnads Naga-Mandala. In Naga-Mandala the characters act within the frame work of the folk tale on axis of Freudian sexuality alone, but in Siri Sampige the character are elevated to metaphysical height. The dialectic relationship between the image of split and wholeness, integration and disintegration, unnatural authority and natural way of the primodial freedom has been the playwrights preoccupation from the beginning. The Serpent Lover a Tamil folk story told by A.K.Ramanujan impressed Girish Karnad which he transformed into Naga-Mandala. Karnada translated it also into English; titled Play with a Cobra it has been a very successful play, both as a text and as theatre work, ranking close to his early plays like Hayavadana. A pretty girl named Rani marries Appanna and brings her to his house when she reaches womanhood. She arranges for his bathe and serves him lunch After lunch he locks her in and goes to his concubine. She does not know what is happening, stand perplexed. She cannot even weep. She goes and sits in a corner of her room. Talks to herself indistinctly. Rani feels lonely and miserable. She is mentally a child craving for parental affection. So she moons o mother, father! In her sleep. The next day before Appanna leaves, she tries to explain the pain of loneliness, and tries to win his sympathy. He very boldly rebukes. What is there to be scared oflook, I dont like idle chatter. Dont question me Do as you, you are told and you wont be punished (finishes his meals

get up) I will be back tomorrow for lunch (P. ). He comes home only for lunch and leaves the house, locking her in from outside, every day. He spends the rest of the time including the night, with his mistress (concubine). Appanna doesnt have any emotional or physical contact with Rani, and treat her as if she were a non-human thing, without any feeling. One day Kurudavva is a blind old woman her son Kappanna, a man of sturdy physique, always carries her around being she is blind and old. Kurudavva is Appannas mothers friend, and they know Appanna is an evil person she comes to visit his newlywed wife and is surprised to see the house is locked. Sharp and clever, she discovers that Rani is inside, calls her over and comes to know about Ranis sad life and also she learns that Appanna still visiting his concubine though, he has beautiful wife. Kurudavva is shocked to hear that her husband has not even touched her. Because the marriage is unconsummated Ranis talent power as wife and mother remains unrealized. Rani begs Kurudavva to inform her parents and liberate her from the prision. Kurudavva shows pity on her and provides her roots of magical power to win her husband she feels very happy. When Appanna comes Kurudava expresses her wish to talk to Rani he says-She wont talk to anyone and no one need talk to her (P.15). Later he brings a watch-dog to prevent people from talking to his wife. It is clear that Appanna does not want Rani to come into contact with other people to know more. While he enjoys extra marital sex with his concubine, and he even does not allow her to enjoy even the affection of others.

With the entry of Naga, a love-triangle develops. Though Naga is a cobra in the form of her husband gives Rani Love and motherhood, he also causes mental doubt, conflicts and social stigma, ostracises her from the rest of the society. He cheats and sexually exploits Rani. Later on, he realizes he is a common reptile and is in search of completeness to become a human being. But in vain, Rani is meant for one who is forever a man. Naga comes in the life of Rani to save her from tyranny of Appanna and goes out of her life when his mission is over. Karnad gives a massage to the whole society that a loving Naga is better than a tyrant man. In Naga-Mandala cobra takes the shape of man out of love and affection for Rani, though everything happens under the influence of the magical roots given to Rani by Kurudavva. A king cobra, called Naga consumes the aphrodisiac paste and falls in love with Rani. He assumes the forms of Appanna and visits Rani at night. He takes pity on Rani for her pathetic condition and showers parental affection on her. All her pent up sorrow bursts out. Naga Rani Naga : : : Did it hurtthe beating this morning? No. Locked up in the house all day you must be missing your parents. Rani : (Struggles to hold back a sob) No.

Naga

They doted on you, didnt they? (She suddenly bursts out into a fit of weeping) (Startled) what is it? (Rani continues to howl) I know, you want to see your parents, dont you? All right. I will arrange that (She looks at him dumb founded) Truly. Now smile. Just a bit. Look. Ill send now to them only if you smile now. (Rani tries to smile. A new outburst of barking from the dog) (P.19-20)

Rani cannot comprehend the situation since Appanna cannot be so affectionate and compassionate. Yet she willingly suspends her disbelief and enjoys the concern and affection of Naga who is in the guise of Appanna. She feels happy and secure in his company. She comes bold enough to talk to him and falls asleep in his embrace. Naga is happy about his success. He lays her gently down on the bed. He becomes a cobra and leave. Appanna comes in the morning next day. He unlocks the door and steps in Rani comes out running and laughing, obviously thinking that her hardships have ended as Appanna has changed for better. She learns that she is wrong. She thus becomes frigid again. As usual, after lunch, Appanna leaves. Naga comes out of the ant-hill and fights with the dog. He kills the dog to stop the disturbance to Ranis sleep but gets injured in the fight. Then he enters the house through the drain and assumes the form of Appanna. He washes his blood in the both-room and comes in. He sees Ranis smile and sits on her bed. She closes her eyes and opens them then she bits her finger and gives a cry of pain.

She is not sure whether she is dreaming. The gentleness and warmth of Naga is incomprehensible to her. Rani : you talk so nicely at night. But during the day I only have to open my mouth and you hiss like stupid snake (Naga laughs) its all very well for you to laugh. I feel like crying. Naga : What should I do thenstop coming at night? or during the day. Rani Naga : : Who am I to tell you that? Its your house. Your pleasure. No, lets say, the husband decides on the day visits. And the wife decides on the night visits. So I wont come at night if you dont want to me to. She feels sorrowful and says that she can say nothing if he spins riddles like this. Naga knows that his identity will be revealed unless he suppresses her reason and intuition by using patriarchal authority. Naga : (Seriously) I am afraid that is how it is going to be. Like that during the day. Like this at night. Dont asks me why? Rani : I wont

This shows how the men of patriarchal culture suppress the intellect of woman and how their ignorance gives men. The freedom of doing whatever they like. Thus, male chauvinists are able to prove that women are foolish and ignorant. This injunction of Naga proves to be so powerful that Rani does not know the reality of Naga until Appanna sleeps with her. Rani moves into Nagas arms as a child when he invites her to sleep in his lap. She sees wounds on his checks and so brings the mirror box for ointment. She sees an image of a cobra instead of Naga in the mirror and screams with fright. He at once shuts the box and pushes it way. She says, by miming that she has seen a cobra in the mirror. Naga: Why shouldnt it come with love? Rani: May God bless our house and spare less that calamity, the very thought makes me shudder. Naga: I am here now nothing more to fear (P. No.24).Then she gently touches his wounds and finds his blood peculiarly cold. The mother in her advises not to wonder in cold weather and spoil his health. In spite of the hints, she fails to suspect the identity of Naga. Rani in her happiness forgets everything she does not realize what Naga is doing to her until he completes love-making at once she goes to a corner away from him and starts weeping. She feels that sex is mean and sinful. Naga is astonished at her erotic ignorance. He does not know why she is crying. Naga Rani Naga : : : What is it now? Go away! Dont talk time. But why are you crying?

Rani

I said be quiet. (Pause). I didnt know you were such a bad man. I should have known the moment you started using honeyed words. Had I known, I would never have agreed to marry you. What will father and mother say if they come to know?

Naga takes the trouble of explaining to her that sex is natural and enjoyable but not sinful. He makes a long speech, giving examples to justify lovemaking. Yet she is not convinced and says that human being, should have some sense of shame unlike animals. Then it is almost dawn and he is about to go. She expresses her unhappiness over his going out. Before leaving, he repeats his injunction that she should not ask why his behavior at night is different from that during the day. She accepts it like a dumb animal. No. I wont, the pig, the whale, the eagle-none of them ask why. So I wont either. She cannot suspects Nagas identity in the bed because Appanna has never made love to her. Naga visits Rani every night. He curses her of frigidity with affection, patience and tact. Naga here function as a male sex surrogate in the curing Ranis frigidity. Prince Sivanaga, the protagonist of the play. In this play Queen Mayavati has been taking care of her prince ling Sivanaga after the death of her husband Nagara Nayak, when the Prince attain the age of sixteen the negative path of his destiny is revealed to his mother through an oracle. The Bhagavati articulate it as follow. Our family god spoke through an oracle, and foretold his future. See! Two dangers threaten: When his voice breaks he may become a monk, when his brother dies, he also dies After hearing the

divine oracle. Queen Mayavati is deeply worried about the future of Prince Sivanaga at the request; the family god suggests a way out.******8When your sons voice breaks, arrange without delay for his marriage make sure he does not see his own image in water (p.2).Being thus alerted by the family God. Queen Mayavati wants to expedite the Princes marriage. The Elders of the family have therefore been sent to Sevantipura to see king Pushprajas daughter, Siri Sampige and have approved her as a bride for you, now you must accepts but when the mother persuades the Prince, the later expresses his private problem Only because the maidens you choose all had some defect or other. I have refused to marry. For no other reason (p.4). When the prince is sleeping in his palace, he sees a dream in which a Lamp-maid comes alive, dance and finally dissolves into his body! Is she suggesting that this is how I should get married? Due to this, he demands to split his body into two halves. Once hearing the prince condition, the Queen Mother and the Elders are simply shocked and attribute it to madness and possession by a spirit. All of them helpless to fulfill the Prices desire to be split into tow. According to Queen Mother and all the Elders gather at the shrine of the family god and split his body into two and bury the two halves in two pots. But when they open the pots after a month, they are shocked to learn that a snake and a Prince came out of the two pots, but not any lamp-maid. And then he marries to Siri Sampige, daughter of king Pushparaj of Sevantipura, ensures but the prince, in the grip of his earlier infatuation, will have nothing to do with his young wife, he periodically takes

to visiting Lamp-Maiden in pool outside of town into which he gazes. Meanwhile Siri Sampige herself has been charmed by the snake God Kalinga, yields to him and conceives. When Prince Sivanaga fails to pay attention to his wife because of his obsession with the Lamp-Maid. When he goes round searching every region of the earth he finds her in the backyard of Indranivasa palace in Shivapura, just as Kalinga symbolically hears the cry of sexuality starved woman (in this case, sirisampige) the woman (Sirisampige also feels tempted by the vision of a sexually virile man (in this case Kalinga, the black snake symbolizing the dark instinct and sexual urge). The woman, in spite of the restrictions of culture, feels an inward temptation for sexual satisfying man. Who is this comes riding up My body, who is he that I Dont know, but yet upon my mind Is printed? Wherever I go I see arise And stand by me his handsome shape And longing of desire are born To trouble me (P.22)

Siri Sampige thus, feels an uncontrollable sexual urge for the stranger secretly, although she does not know him. Obviously this shows the primal biological urge in woman for man and vice versa. The urge in both for each other goes on intensifying for example. Kalinga fantasizes about Siri Sampiges lush beauty, Aha her body is like a festival for my aroused sense. It seems to be beckoning. Big buttocks, Big, big breasts! Small waist, pool of pleasure! Eyes trained in hunting. Whether shes maid or wife, even if my life is lost in the attempt, it doesnt matter. Unless I bed her, my life has been wasted (P.22). Like Kalinga Siri- Sampige, in spite of being a married woman feels the sexual urge and attraction for a non-husband inwardly. She says I have become like a boat caught in storm and overturned. Someone is opening the doors of my youthful breast, and shaking all my desires to awaken them. No I must not sacrifice my judgment to such base desires. I will talk with that man, who is coming to seduce a woman belonging to another, scold him and send him away (P.23). She goes a little further forward and hides Kalinga also goes running toward her, Siri Sampige closes the door and stands at the door. Sampige : Who are you that choose a time when no one is near and comes to chase me wherever I go? It is the Queen of this country herself who you are provoking! You must be a shameless rogue to dare as much!

Kalinga

Aha, your voice is like honey, my lovely. Your angry words sound sweet. You make me want to catch and kiss the words as they are born from your mouth. (p.23)

What is to be noticed is that there is great sexual awaking in both Kaling and Siri Sampige, although the latter can control it (at least initially). Kalinga declares his love and persuades Siri Sampige like any adamant lover. He changes his guise to that of Prince Sivanaga, when the Queen Mother enters the Prince rests his arms on Siri Sampiges shoulders. Then mother says son stop your roughness. Siri Sampige is already trembling a flowering creeper. She is sexually electrified and wonders at his magnetic quality. So much joy well up in me at his touch. Who is this wizard, who has come the plunder me? (P.24). But still she is not able to understand his exact

identity, as she has noticed his ability to change his guise at will. She, therefore, ask him Before madness overcomes me, please tell me who you are, you were like a hissing snake and now you are like the Prince. How many existences do you have? (P.24). Kalinga, answers her, As many as you want (P.24). Kalingas double identity helps him deceive Queen Siri Sampige and helps the dramatic to prove her ignorance and innocence, although it is quite natural for her to be sexually aroused by a powerful man, as she happens to be in the prime of her youth. Again the disguised identity is in tune with the mythical world and cannot happen in the real world Kalinga may be looked upon as the alter ego of Prince Sivanaga. Together

they are complementary to each other and constitute the whole reality. But Siri Sampige is not able to understand it completely. Siri Sampige knows that Kalinga looks like the Prince, but she has also noticed that the latter is a little effeminate to look at and that was because the Prince split himself to search for the Lamp maid. Kalinga asks her In that case now tell me- am I stranger? (P.24). Kalinga answer her symbolically that he is the later ego (or the other half) of the Prince. He symbolizes the unconscious level of her human mind (Psychologically) the nether world in the depth of the palace and the world (mythically) While you were in bed with your husband, who was laying there like a piece of wood, was there not in the neither region of your mind a king kneeling before you, begging for your love?That was me. Did you recognize me as king Kalinga, ruler of the neither world in the depth of the prince palace? (P.24). But Siri Sampige is not clear about it as she is confused. Since Kalinga symbolizes the unconscious level of human mind, he was an intimate knowledge of dream, which is a manifestation of the unconscious. He, therefore, tells her, But I know you, I can even tell you what dreams you dream. And I will teach the dreams that you shall have from today on (P.25). When Siri Sampiges latent dreams (of her unconscious mind) are made manifest to her, she really enjoys seeing them. In those dreams she sees a forest in which there are fruits tress, fresh sunlight and Golden River. When she enters the burrow near the river she sees the concretisation of a variety of joys Aah! How fine this world is how many coffers of gold there are in the nether regions! In every corner so many nameless joys are

sleeping freely (P.25) Siri Sampige realizes the talent dream of her own unconscious mind and beauty and sweetness symbolized by the nether world of Kalinga. Prince Sivanagas transcendental experience at the pond does not lose long. The god, who showed smiling in the water dripping from his cupped hands, has gone back to the depth. He feels as he cheated by his god. His faith in his god is shaken because of his wifes secrete adultery with Kalinga. This experience shows that man cannot be happy when he is divided. He can achieve real happiness only when he can harmonies the two aspects of his personality like the physical and the spiritual. The sub plot of the play involving, Avali and Jawali. The twin reinforces the theme in the low mimetic mode. The two have perused Kamala, who marries one of them. But the other one usurps the twin brothers sexual claim over Kamala. Like Siri Sampige, the half-widow Kamala is also made a victim of male sexual jealously. Disgusted, she walks out on her husband. The agony of Sivanaga is that he realizes that cleaving the human personality into body and soul corrupts both. He challenges the cobra to a duel, kills him and thereby brings about his own death. The tragic selfdestruction self-love of Sivanaga is brilliantly portrayed by Kambar. The play deliberately leaves unresolved the tragedy of human beings cursed with the duality of body and soul. The cobra is also aware that he is incomplete. Siri Sampige is the daughter of Pushparaja the king of flowers. The king belongs to Sevantipura the city of chrysanthemums. Similarly Kamala suggests the lotus, which is again flower. According to Sygmund Freud, flower suggests the genital organs of the

female species. Hence, by implication flowers symbolize sexuality and the women, the seat of sexuality. Somehow there is close connection between flowers including their fragrance beauty and snake including their sexual magnetism and dynamism in the play.

B). VIOLENCE AND INNER CONFLICT Violence against women and girls is one of the most widespread violations of human right. It can include physical, sexual psychological and economic abuse, and it cuts across boundaries of age race culture, wealth and geography. It takes place in the home, on the street, in school, the work place, in farm field, refugee campus, during conflicts and Crises. It has many manifestations from the most universally prevalent forms of domestic and sexual violence, to harmful practices, abuse during pregnancy, so called honour killing and other types of femicide. So many women experience physically or sexually violence in their lifetime violence against woman and girls has for reaching consequences, harming families and Communities, violence is a major cause of death and disability. Domestic violence more dangerous than cancer motor vehicle accidents, war and Malaria, violence and abuse affect all kind of people everyday abuse can be physical, mental and emotional, violence against women in any form is crime whether the abuses is a family member. There is inner conflict between good and evil, strength and weakness, love and hate.

Centrality of conflicts is seen, as the core of Karnads plays in Naga-Mandala, Rani is consciously reluctant to believe that snake Appanna of the night is different one from her husband. Deep in her subconscious, she is aware of it at the end of the play. Appanna marries Rani and brings her to his house when she reaches womanhood. She arranges for his bathe and serves him lunch After lunch he locks her in and goes to his concubine. She does not know what is happening, stand perplexed. She cannot even weep. She goes and sits in a corner of her room. Talks to herself indistinctly. Rani feels lonely and miserable. She is mentally a child craving for parental affection. So she moons o mother, father! In her sleep. The next day before Appanna leaves, she tries to explain the pain of loneliness, and tries to win his sympathy. He very boldly rebukes. What is there to be scared oflook, I dont like idle chatter. Dont question me Do as you, you are told and you wont be punished (finishes his meals get up) I will be back tomorrow for lunch (P. ) He comes home only for lunch and leaves the house, locking her in from outside, every day. He spends the rest of the time including the night, with his mistress (concubine). Appanna doesnt have any emotional or physical contact with Rani, and treat her as if she were a non-human thing, without any feeling. One day Kurudavva, an intimate friend of Appannas mother comes to Rani. Since are blind and old she is brought by Kappanna, her son she talks to Rani and feels her through the window. She learns that Appanna still visiting his concubine though he has a beautiful wife, and mental oppression of Rani brings tears in the eyes of audience, but Appanna remains untouched. Kurudavva emerges as the rescuer and friends to Rani, and sensing that there is no physical relation between Rani and Husband, she decided to help her. The old lady

has three pieces of root with magical power given by a mendicant, one of which she had already used to get a husband now the remaining two she hands over to Rani, so that she can have the love of Appanna. Rani mixes the first root in the milk and gives it to him though the full of doubt about the result. There is violence reaction and Appanna falls down. For the next trail Kurudavva advice, her to use bigger piece of root and assures Rani of good result. Kurudavva narrates her own experience about the magical effects of the root. Subsequently, Rani makes a tasty curry and mixes the past of the root in it. The curry becomes blood red. Ranis mind is full of mixed reaction and she fails to go ahead, more worried about safety of Appanna, who on contrary is least concerned about her. What horrible mess is this? Blood, Perhaps poison. Shall I serve him this? That woman is blind, but isnt even if he doesnt see it how do I know it is not dangerous? Suppose something happen to my husband? What will my fate be? That little piece made him ill who knows? (P.37) Rani pours the curry into the ant-hill instead of giving her husband, when she returns to house. Then Appanna slaps her so hard that she collapses on to the floor. There is not a trace of anger in anything he does just cold contempt (17). Rani as a typical wife does not want to cause her husband any harm which she fears will be caused by the root though her husband has been treating her badly since she came. Appanna as a typical

husband punishes her severally even for a small thing like her going out, though she has been serving him without any grudge since he brought her. When Appanna comes, Kurudavva expresses her wish to talk to Rani. He saysshe wont talk to anyone. And no one needs talk to her (14). He later he brings a watch- dog to prevent people from talking to his wife. It is clear that Appanna. Does not want Rani to come into contact with other people and to know more, while he enjoys extra-marital sex, he does not allow her to enjoy even the affection of others. Swallowing the root- mix the snake is charmed, falls in deep love with Rani. The snake takes over Appannas form, and enters from the toilet hole into Ranis house each night, develops warm relationship and makes love to her. Every night the Naga would visit her and vanish at dawn. He also kills the dog and the mongoose Appanna had brought to guard the house and this continue for some month. Rani is unaware that it is a snake; she is totally puzzled by the polar oppositeness of Appannas behaviors cruel during the day and loving at night. In course of time, Rani becomes pregnant and tells good news to Naga, Naga is not happy because her pregnancy can reveal his identity; he does not know what to do. He just asks her to keep it secret from him as long as possible. She feels utterly confused and helpless because she can neither hide the pregnancy of five month nor have it aborted she must have thought that the man is a mystery. The next day Appanna discovers that

Rani is pregnant since he has never slept with her he react violently on knowing that she has committed adultery. This infuriates him and he pushes. Kicks and curses her. Appanna : Arent you ashamed to admit it, you harlot? I locked you in, and yet you managed to find a lover! Tell me who it is who did you go to with your sari off. Rani : I swear to you I havent done anything wrong! (P.33)

He does not accept her innocence. He cannot stand for the shame that she has caused him. He drags her out and tries to throw a huge stone at her to smash her illegitimate child to be born. At the moment Cobra (Naga) comes out and hisses loudly. Appanna throws the stone at the snake which escapes into the ant-hill. Rani at once gets in and bolts the door behind her. He demands her to open the door and she doesnt obey her husband in order to escape his worth. ******I swear to you I am not fathers son if I do not abort that bastard! Smash it into dust! I will go to the village Elders. If they dont throw that child into the boiling oil and you along with it, my name is not Appanna! (P.52-53). He goes out to request the village elders to sit in judgment and punish her severally. That night Naga comes and find her crying. He sits glumly nearby and Rani asks Why are you humiliating me like this? Why are you stripping me naked in front of the whole village? Why dont you kill me instead? I would have killed myself. But theres not even a rope in this house for me to use He says that the trail by the Elders cannot be avoided and he advises her to take snake ordeal. He assures her that

everything will be all right. All will be well, dont worry. You husband will become your slave tomorrow you will get all you have ever wanted (P.35). She suddenly runs to him and embraces him she say Please hold me tight, I am afraid (P. 35). Appanna publicly questions Ranis chastity and registers a case in the village court where village Elders (all males) sit to judge. Rani is forced to face an ordeal to prove her chastity. Though initially Rani insists on swearing by the King cobra refusing the traditional tests like holding a red-hot iron in the hand or to plunge hand in the boiling oil as suggested by the village elders, Soon she is full of fear at the idea of swearing by holding the snake and she agree to go for hot iron test, which cause great disappointment to the audience. She seeks help but none is available. Even the emergence of Kurudavva on the scene is of no use. She is fed up with the situation and out of sheer emotion, she decided to go for the snake ordeal, she swears. Since coming to this village, I have held by this hand, only tow. My husband and this Cobra (N-39). Her success at the test lies basically in tow facts, one is the double meaning of the statement and second is the supernatural support and the movement of the Nagas, Karnad is suggestive of the fact that woman empowerment might come through supernatural or some Tantic power. Appanna brings a dog to prevent people from talking to his wife. It does not allow Rani to sleep: Goes on barking day and night. Naga kills the dog and sets her free from the mingling dog. The death of the dog infuriates Appanna; he next bring mongoose to kill the Cobra, but dies in a tough fight.

One aspect of his plays (Girish Karnad) is that he pays much attention to the internal conflict in the minds of his characters. He has made an effort to come to grips with the problem of Man-woman relationship. The irony and the tragedy of this problem on different levels has been, treated in his plays. Prince of Shivapura, son of King Nagar Nayak, has reached at the age of sixteen when on his mothers wish he is to be married. But the prince himself has fallen in love with the impossible Lamp-Maiden who comes to life one night in his bedchamber and disappears dancing into his own body. Is she suggesting that this is how I should get married? Due to that, he demands to split his body into two halves. Once hearing the princes condition the Queen Mother and the Elders are simply shocked and attribute it to madness and possession by a spirit. All of them helpless to fulfill the princes desire to be split into two. According the Queen Mother and all the Elders gather at the shrine of the family god and split his body into two and bury the two halves in tow pots. But when they open the pots after a month, they are shocked to learn that a snake and a Prince came out of the two pots, but not any Lamp-maid. He marries to Siri Sampige, daughter of King Pushparaja of Sevantipura, ensures but the Prince, in the grip of his earlier infatuation, will have nothing to do with his young wife. He periodically takes to visiting the LampMaidan in pool outside of town into which the gazes. Meanwhile Siri Sampige herself has been charmed by the snake God Kaling, yields to him and conceives. Suspecting his wifes infidelity, the prince orders a trail. Siri Sampige is really puzzled by his behaviors

and asks him why should undergo the trail. He answers her that it is meant for the revelation of the truth of her illicit pregnancy. His Queen mother is also shocked by the words of the Prince and tries to defend her daughter in law. But he classifies his motive Please forgive my irreverence, mother. That foetus in her womb is not mine To whom does that poison belong? That is the truth that must come out (P.32) The mother

attributes the Princes strange behavior to insanity and lack of judgment. (But the Prince confesses to her his spilt nature and the duality of his experience. Even his hatred of his so-called cuckolded is not unalloyed). But he wants to know him whether he be his elder brother or enemy. Even my hatred is split in two, Mother I cannot wholly hate the Queen and he, who is my absence illicitly was joined with her, who brought a treasure without anyone knowing and hid it in her womb. I have no whole hearted for him either, Mother. Admiration and jealousy, yes but I need him, that is why tomorrow morning the Queens deception must be exposed (P.32). In order to expose his wifes sin the Prince calls a meeting of the Elders and Queen Mother at the Nagaling Temple and cleverly ask them What should be the punishment for a woman, who has abandoned her husband, has illicitly joined with another and has become pregnant (P.33). The Elders suggest that the question should be solved by the inmost conscience of husband and wife or by an ordeal. Then Princes Siri Sampige agrees to prove her chastity by undergoing the ordeal publicly Look at that snake, which is crawling there on the Nagaling I will let it climb on my body. If I am a pure and virtuous wife; it will move over my body without stringing me and go away.

Otherwise, it will use it poison and sting. By this trail the truth can be tested and punishment be given at the same time (P.35). The snake moves quite affectionately on the Princesss body and slithers away from there thereby hiding her sin and proving her so called chastity. The Prince is not convinced by the ordeal at all, his suspicion of rival who has been sleeping with his wife continues to harass him mentally. He shares his confidential problem with Awali You are fortunate, at least you are alone. Look at me even when I am sitting alone, I feel there is someone like me sitting next to me wondering around in my body, talking in my voice, stealing me. I thought it was not man, but a mirror, but he is not a mirror because a mirror cannot talk, and he talks. A mirror will not move by itself, but he wanders all through the palace, not carrying about me I will tell you a secret, dont tell anybody. He has stolen my wife also, and slipped into her bed (P.39). The Prince has realized that somebody has been acting as his other half and stealing his wife. He, therefore, wants to detect and catch him. The adulterous relationship between Queen Siri Sampige and Kalinga has continue, consequently Siri Sampige has given birth to a child. Kalinga wants to see his child and continue his frustration with Siri Sampige, but she reminds him I also have my responsibilities and my honour, Kaling (P.39) and ask him to go away from her. Like a typical adamant lovers, Kalinga wants to harm her, but she being a Queen has her honour and dignity to maintain thats why she explains him rather sadly. My body is not a commodity. Kalinga for you that child may be an extension of your pride in yourself, but

for me it is a wound you have given me. Siri Sampige asks him to escape from there, but Kalinga tells her that he is not angry with the Prince, although he has cuckolded him. His attitude to and relationship with the Prince seems to be ambivalent. He says, When I see him I dont feel angry at all. I dont know why. May be my own entrails continue in him. We were brother in a previous birth (P.40) Kalingas sympathetic attitude toward the Prince is parallel by the Princes similar attitude to Kaling at the last movement of his life. Prince Sivanaga who suspects his wife has a regular love affair with a lover, want to catch the culprit. He has appointed Awali to guard they found no one but the snake coming out through drain.Prince wants to take his wife to task after killing his rival and cuckoder ,kaling , therefore he roars you ,who lay with my woman/ you, who polluted my linage ./till I kill you I will not cease (p.44) He accused Kalinga of taking any form that suits him .He compare himself to Kalingas destinies eagle. He provokes and challenges Kalinga for fight. Both of them fight each other bravely initially but Kalinga opposes the Prince less strongly because he considers the latter to be his own kith. Although fight each other under the illusion that they are rivals, they seem to be bound to each other emotionally through their entrails because they were separated from each other only after the Prince has split himself in two ,that is exactly the reason why he feels that his entrails have gone cold after death of Kalinga. Finally, Kalinga and Sivanaga fight each other and in which Kalinga dies. The Mother and other royal members of the palace are very happy about the Princes victory over Kaling. But the Princes does not feel happy because My navel is growing cold my spine

is losing (P.47). So far the Prince does not know that Kalinga came out of the pot as his other half when the former had split him into two. The Mother and Elders had hidden the fact from the Prince. The Story of the twin brothers Awali and Jawali form the Sub-pot of the play reflecting the theme of the main plot in a minor key. The twin brother Awali & Jawali represents the peculiar problems indigenous to them. Their physical resemblance to each other adds the confusion of their identities similarly; their hierarchy also cannot easily be ascertained. Kamala marries Jawali As soon as he became a serpent he began the Loveplay with Kamal. While Awali made a small fire and put the milk on to boil. The milk goes heated and started to boil. The boiled milk began to overflow. The smell of the overflowing milk reached the serpent inside Kamala. The serpent came out. Since he was hungry, he spread his hood and dipped his mouth right into the pot. His mouth was burnt and he died writhing badly (P.37). Awali feels the deep pangs of jealously and kills the serpent with an axe. Awali has obviously died because he has killed his twin brother. The Sub plot of Awali and Jawali provides a good contract to the main plot of Prince Sivanaga and Kalinga. But in both the cases, the duality of being or experience has to be overcome and converted into unit of being. In a way the life of Sivanaga and that of Jawali run almost parallel. The similarities between Sivanaga and jawali include many dissimilar aspects in their life situations and death also whereas Sivanaga dies by mistaking reality for falsehood. reality. Jawali meets his death by mistaking falsehood for

Violence, murder, impersonation, deceit, betrayal, adultery, jealousy, hatred, illwill, infidelity, prostitution, selfishness, lust, anger and revenge have an upper hand in Karnad and Kambars plays.

C). FEMINISTIC PERSPECTIVES: MALE HEGEMONY AND THE RURAL WOMAN. Feminism, broadly speaking, is in a phenomenon of social change which gradually affected the old-age fixed sex roles and gave rise to ripples of awareness leading to revolt in the minds of woman. It aroused a new consciousness and liberated women from the confinement of social norms, traditions, male chauvinism, social prejudice, religious taboos, illiteracy and superstition, in a way, it challenged the roles. Society had assigned to woman and advocated a fundamental change in societys attitude towards them, and their attitude toward themselves. It threw light on the injustice done to them and pleaded for an end to all common notions. Myths and prejudices, they should occupy a separate sphere and should hold an inferior position. So feminism as a concept is fundamentally a protest against such notions and a demand for the reshaping of all religious, social, economic, mythological, political and legal norms that place a woman in a secondary position, without proper basis for such views. In its boarder sweep, feminism is the establishment of womans right as a human being a right which has been denied to her in many societies. It leads to a redefinition of

womans sphere of work and her status in the family and society. Yet, it stands for the eradication of all atrocities committed against women in the name of religion, custom, tradition, cultural values and social attitudes. Feminism is the universal idea of equality without an oppressor or the oppressed, where it is every persons fundamental right to be a human being first and then a man or woman. Thus, feminism is one of the outstanding movements in the modern history. Literature in general and drama in particular of any country reflects consciously or unconsciously. The contemporary cultural and social interactions. As such, it gives insight into the set-up of society, traditions, norms and the social status of men and women which regulate the human relationship. It depicts human values and attitudes of men and woman are undergoing major social changes. Naturally, without marriage, a woman came to be considered as cursed and lost, here came the myth about unmarried woman as shrew or witches. It gave rise to the prejudice that marriage alone can bring surety, security and social status to a woman. But in reality, it also smothered her individuality and self identity as a human being marriage should be for the togetherness of two equal individual, who form a healthy family unit and thereby a healthy society. But marriage has always proved a contract where in woman loses her identity and is forced to merge with that of her husband. More often, them not womans individuality, ambition, interests, talent dreams and aspirations came to be sacrifice at the altar of marriage. And all this for the security which marriage is supposed to give! And after

marriage, a woman is expected to give up all her personal pursuits and live for the sake of her husband and children only. And again, ideals of chastity and virginity came to be imposed upon her which is once again masculine ideals by which man values woman and woman values herself. These masculine ideas of feminity, chastity and morality are so well found in the social attitudes, customs traditional and cultural values that woman feels shy to break away from them. They are social maladies, which hamper her individual development. She has neither the wish nor the capacity to free herself from the shackles of ignorance, illiteracy and willful subservience to find new avenues to assert her equality. In spite of the innumerable laws designed for womens equality in all fields. The unwritten moral code of society still encourages male dominance and sexual discrimination. The feminists aim to making women aware of their position and then accordingly educate themselves to achieve a status in society. The Indian society believes that the man have the power and cultural hegemony in the society. A peculiar feature of the Indian society is that men defend maleness and consider woman not mainly which is not basically human, women are marginalized through cultural institutions and religious rituals. An ancient law gives of Hinduism, Manu says, The father looks after her during childhood, the husband protects her during youth, and the sons take care of her when she becomes old.[ ] Woman is never fit for

freedom. This forms Indian view of womanhood that relates primarily to the Indian fabric

of living. It is necessary therefore, for the feminist to remember that the Indian society has proved very complex pictures of womanhood. The feminist movement began in west with the French Revolution. Mary Wolls-Stoncraft published. The Vindication of the Rights of Women Only three years later the first event symbolized the beginning of liberty, equality and fraternity for the whole of mankind, the second stood for freedom from the trammels of tradition for equality to women with men for the better half of the mankind. In 1869, John Stuart Mill published Subjection of Woman a very persuasive and well-reasoned book which exerted great influence on feminist movement. However, the movement developed rather by slow degrees. Primarily the modern Indian

feministic movement may be said to have begun with Raja Ram Mohan Roy success in making the east India company Government pass a bill making it illegal and punishable for a widow to burn herself on the funeral pyre of her husband. Later, the Brama Samaja and Arya Samaja worked for the upliftment of woman. In Maharastra, Ramabai Ranade did Laudable work for upliftment of women. Later, into the political sphere stepped women like Sorrojini Naidu, Vijayalaxmi Pundit and others who fought shoulders to shoulder with men for political freedom under the Ghandhijis leadership. Girish Karnads Naga-Mandala is a feminist play; it questions the patriarchal moral code which demands the faithfulness of a woman to her husband but not the faithfulness of man to his wife. This is accepted not only by men but also by woman. Appanna openly and unashamedly commits adultery but nobody objects to it; the villages

Elders who sit in judgment do not find fault with him. Nobody believes the innocence of Rani she sleeps with Naga without knowing it she does not discover the identity of Naga who assumes Appannas form by using his magical power. Her failure to discover the truth is the suppression of her reason and intuitions by the injunction of Appanna and Naga not to ask any questions (to remaining ignorant). If she has discovered the real identity of Naga, she would not have allowed him to enter her bedroom. As a typical woman, she is frigid and despises sex what she craves for is affection which Naga gives her in plenty by functioning as a surrogate parent for a while. By using his erotic art, Naga cures her of frigidity. Because of this, later Appanna and Rani are able to enjoy marital life. Rani is a simple, innocent and ignorant girl. She has grows physically but not matured mentally, she behaves as a frightened child in the presence of Appanna. She grows as she received affection of Naga. She is a little helpless diffident girl, gradually becomes confident and courageous lady. This can be seen when she speaks to Naga, I was a stupid, ignorant girl when you brought me here. But now I am a woman, a wife and I am going to be a mother. I am not a parrot (P.32). She later shows the same courage which shocks Appanna after judgment, Rani becomes the head of the family Appanna accepts her superiority and says to her You are no common person you are goddess. However, the matriarchal Rani, unlike the past patriarchal Appanna. Never orders him; she request him if she needs favour from him. Rani: (almost to herself) A cobra. It has to be ritually cremated can you grant me a favour? Appanna: As you say. Thus by

showing a trace of matriarchy at the end the play anticipates that matriarchy is to follow patriarchy. If our society is to change better. Naga-Mandala is a magic-religious ritual involving Naga. The snake-god of Hindus who grants the wishes of his devotes especially the wish for fertility. In the play, Naga grants all her wishes, which she does not express openly. Rani grows mentally and becomes a confident lady. She is cured of her frigidity. She gets a devotees husband. Her husbands concubine becomes a life-long 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 high level of symbolism. Naga represents a cultural leader who is instrumental in bringing about a social-cultural reform. This stage of Rani social integration brings her a new sense of respects and her own worth.This is another significant aspect of the Indian social and cultural life in its treatment of woman. Rani the female protagonist and Kurudavva the other female character, are generic, and represent the image of Indian women. Four flames, story, and the man also reflects the sufferings and exploitation of woman. Rani is treated as a slave; she is imprisoned like a cage bird, neither is she allowed talk to any outsider nor any outsider is allowed to do the same. Despite her chastity and fidelity, she is forced to face the Naga ordeal. The tragic suffering of woman is extended to another female character Kurudavva, who is an example of wisdom and philanthropy. Nobody in the society has eyes to see

Ranis laceration at the hands of her philandering husband, but blind Kurudavva alone can see the truth. She extends motherly love and care to Appanna as well as to Rani; she is also the victim of orthodox Society where the role of a woman is subservient and marginalized. Nobody comes forward to console her when she loses Kappanna; on the contrary, she is called mad. She is helpless her blindness and the empathy of the society and physical and mental torture. She remains merely a witness to hardship of life and can do nothing. There is a passing reference to Ranis mothers though she doesnt appear in the play. Nonetheless, she assumes importance since she presents the picture of a typical woman, who weeps all her life. In Siri Sampige: Kalinga double identity helps him to deceive Queen Siri Sampige helps to dramatist to prove her ignorance and innocence. Although, it is quite natural for her to be sexually aroused by a powerful man. As the happens in the Prince of her youth again the disguised identity is tune with the mythical world and cannot happen in the real world. Kalinga may be looked upon as the alter ego of prince Sivanaga together they are complementary to each other and constitute the whole reality. But Siri Sampige is not able to understand it completely. But in Siri Sampige the Queen Siri Sampige knows that Kalinga looks like the Prince but she has also noticed that the later is a little effeminate to look at and that was because the Prince split himself to search for the Lamp-Maid. Kalinga asks her In that case. Now tell me- am I a stranger? (P.24) Kalinga answers her symbolically that he is the later ego (or the other half) of the Princes. In Siri Sampige, although Queen Siri

Sampige welcomes the Prince with open arms, he seems to detect her sin of adultery. He suspects that his body has been stolen by someone and therefore wants to test his wife through a public. His Mother is also shocked by the word of the Prince and tries to defend her daughter-in-law. Intent on exposing his wifes sin, the Prince calls a meeting of the elders and the Queen Mother at the Nagaling temple, where Siri Sampige under goes snake ordeal, Like that in Naga-Mandala Rani under goes snake ordeal behind of her own house, where is the ant-hill? The Prince is not convinced by the ordeal at all. His suspicion of a rival, who has been sleeping with his wife, continues to harass him mentally. He shares his confidential problem with Awali. In Naga-Mandala Appanna after his wife snake ordeal, he confesses his quietly fault and does not share his problem with others. The Prince, obviously, has had a vision of the unit of being which the result of the right knowledge. These visions help him understand his wife Siri Sampige from a new perspective. He, who had considered Siri Sampige as an adulterous, has now realized that she is a chaste wife. He, who considered Kalinga as a cuckolded and rival, has now realized that he is the other half of his own beings. He, who considered his child as an illegitimate one has now realized that it is his own legitimate child. His crisis of identity is finally resolved. He explained the meaning of his vision to his mother The Queen would have understood all these things, Siri Sampige has not committed any wrong, Mother, when I

split myself, we got separated into body and mind. Kalinga became my body, I become his mind. SiriSampige become pregnant by my body (P.49). The princes realization of the complementarily of Kalinga and himself coincides with his own death necessitated by the Killing of Kalinga. The mythical events, obviously shows the philosophical truth that killing one of ones being involves killing the other half also. The Princes suspicion about his wifes secret adultery is confirmed by now. He describes Siri Sampige as a lover inside and the Queen outside. He asks her about the escape of the snake from her chamber; the similary of the two snakes i.e. one from the anthill and the other from the Nagaling temple; the secret and immoral love between her and snake. Now the final movement of reckoning has come out she confesses her sin rather desperately and helplessly At last you have come to know of it I am glad. I was wondering all the time how I could reveal it to you?. Siri Sampige answer to her husbands question brings out the matrimonial truth on a practical level and the philosophical truth on a cosmic- level simultaneously. It provides a contrast to his experience from woman points of view, and makes him aware of the other side of truth; it also makes explicit the central problematic of the play. She says That youre ill fortune, my immorality started, my lord, when you forget the body and began craving for the god and slipped away from our bed. I, who was laying on the bed, counting rafters in the roof and sighing never notice when you slipped away, I searched for you, but wherever I searched in the palace garden, or in the words, you spoke, you were not to be found. In the end, you saw the god by taking handful of water from pond. I

took a handful of water and there was a god in my handful too, but if he turned out not to be the same god as yours. Is it my fault? (p.43). Her answer confirms the universal truth about matrimonial disharmony; their marriage has been rendered meaningless on account of their temperamental incompatibility. As normal wife, she needs sexual satisfaction from her husband and therefore wants to posses his body. She is naturally frustrated when her desire is frustrated when the husband fails in his duty to satisfy her biological urge. Siri Sampige, who wants to construct her sexual identity as a woman easily yields to the earliest temptation by Kalinga and makes the best use of the golden opportunity secretly without violating the outward rules of family life in the patriarchal society. Her frustration with her husband is caused by his negligence of the physical or sexual aspects of marriage and his going away to the pond in his search for a god or transcendental experience. It only proves that generally no normal wife would go in for a lover unless she is frustrated with her husband for some reason or the other. Similarly, the Prince was also frustrated with Siri Sampige as he could not see the lamp-maiden in her. Both of them are frustrated as they suffer from half-ness or in completeness. Theirs is a tragedy of half-ness incompleteness and imbalance. In Naga-Mandal, Rani does not confess her sin in front of Appanna because she does not know the difference between Appanna of day and Appanna(Naga) of Night- At the end of the play she know that Appanna of night and Appanna of day are different. By the strange magic of Kurudavva roots, however, Rani gets the love and affection of Naga

who finally gives her freedom from also oppression after the snake ordeal, Karnad seems to ask and to suggest that womens bodies cannot be kept in safely lockers, while their man can be thieves elsewhere perhaps, the matriarchal orders may be conductive to both male and female. In Naga-Mandala Appanna behaves cruelty and in humanly with his wife Rani. He comes to her for a brief period at noon just for taking launch. He whiles away the rest of the times with his keep. He is notoriously promiscuous but expects his wife to be chaste. Where as in Siri Sampige, Prince Sivanaga marries Siri Sampige, daughter of King Pushparaja of Sevantipura ensues but the Prince, in the grip of his earlier frustration, will have nothing to do with his young wife. He periodically takes to visiting Lamp-Maiden in a pool outside of the town into which he gazes. Sivanaga does not behave cruelly and in humanly with his wife here freedom has been given to her and but he also expects his wife to be chaste. The Sub plot of the play involving Awali and Jawali, the twins reinforces the theme in the low mimetic mode. The two have pursued Kamali, who marries one of them. But the other one usurps the twin brothers sexual claim over Kamala. Like Siri Sampige, the half-widow Kamala is also made a victim of male sexual Jealousy. Disgusted, she walks out on her husband. The tragic self-destructive self-love of

Sivanaga is brilliantly portrayed by Kambar the play deliberately leaves unresolved the tragedy of human being cursed with duality of body and soul. The cobra is also awake that he is incomplete.

Girish Karnads and Chandrashekhar Kambars woman are full of desires and dreams but they cannot live happily because they are denied their right to live with the man of their choice.

REFERENCES: 1. Chndra Shekhar Rajhans.Protest in Girish Karnads Naga-

Mandala.Seeds

in Spring Contemporary Indian English, Poetry,

Drama and Critics. Ed. O.P.Budholia. New Delhi:Adhyayan publishers &distributers, 2008 p. 2. Luchy,Gupta Girish Karnad: A Socialogical Study.Post Independence Indian Writing in English. Ed. Anju Bala Agarawal. New Delhi:Auother Press,2008.p-112
3. N.Sharda, Iyer. Girish Karnads:Naga-Mandala Talking Tales. Musings on Indian Writing in English. Vol-3(Drama). New Delhi: Arup and Sons, 2007.print.(p.111-137)

4. Chandrashekhar, Kambar. Siri Sampige: A play in sixteen scenes. Trans. Rowen

Hill with 2 5. Basavaraja, Naikar. Duality of experience in Sirisampige, Glimpes of Indian Literature in English Translation. New Delhi: Author Press, 2008. P.247 P.V Vasudevan and N.S .Ramaswamy. Culcutta: Seagull, 1992.print.p.1-

6. A.K. Ramanujan.A Flowering Tree and Other Oral Tales from India. New Delhi: Penguin Books India (p) Ltd,1997.P.155. 7. Manu ( still has to write)

CHAPTER-VI NAGA-MANDALA AND SIRI SAMPIGE: A STUDY OF THEIR DRAMATIC TECHNIQUES

Girish Karnad, the celebrated contemporary playwright is influenced by the native tradition, impression gained during his training and education in the west. His first play Yayati and many other plays in Kannada like Tuglaq, Hayavadana, Bali, Naga-Manda, Tale-Danda, Agni Matthu Male, Reinterpret Indian myths and folk stories in a contemporary sensibility. He mixes both Indian and western theatre technique. Hayavadana and Naga-Mandala deploy many Sanskit and folk theatrical techniques. The ancient dance drama folk form of Karnataka called Yakshagana bears great influence on the plays especially on Hayavadana. Naga-Mandala is the story of Rani, narrated to a playwright by story. Story is a woman character in the play. She narrates certain incident and conducts the play. She is the Bhagavata of Naga-Mandala, a modified version of Yakshagana (folk theatre of Karnataka). The plot of Naga-Mandala has been ingeniously

designed. It has a prologue and two acts all of which are knit together. The prologue sets the tone of the play and provides a beginning. Girish Karnad employed a play within play technique. Naga-Mandala, a play within the play begins with the prologue. The characters of the Prologue are the narrator-characters of the play proper, and their story constitutes the sub-plot of the play. The setting of the prologue is in the inner sanctum of a ruined temple. A man in a Morose stance is sitting in the temple. He is sad because a mendicant has told him You must keep awake at least one whole night of this month. If you can do that, youll live. If not, you will die on the last night of month (P.22). The man has been dozing off every night, and tonight is the last night of the month. His guilt is that he has written plays Says the mendicant, and thereby caused so many good people to fall asleep twisted in miserable chairs Hence there is The Curse of Death on him (P.22-23) He swears that if he survives this night, he will abjure all story-telling. All play-acting (P.23). At this time of night, the man hears female voices outside the temple. He hides himself behind a pillar several flames enter the temple giggling talking each other in female voices, after their respective household gone to sleep. Among them New flame explains her mistress. The old woman knows a story and song but all these years she had kept them to herself, never told, nor sung the song. So the story and the song were being chocked, imprisoned inside her. This afternoon the old woman looks her usual nap after lunch and started the song jumped out and hid in the attic. At night, when the old man had gone to sleep, the story took the form of a young woman and the song becomes a

sari. The young woman wrapped herself in the sari and stepped out, just as the old lady was coming in, thus, the story created a feud in the family and was revenged in the old woman. The story, in the form of a woman dressed in a new colorful sari enters, acknowledges the enthusiastic welcome from the flames with languid wave of the hand, goes, and sits in a corner, looking most despondent. The flames gather around her. The Man and the Lamps persuade her to tell her story so he can keep awake all night. She tells Ranis story with the condition; You cant just listen to the story and leave at there, you must tell it again to someone else (P.5). She starts narrating the story throughout the rest of flames too listens attentively from a distance. Act one begins with the story addressing the audience. When the curtain rises, there is seen on the stage the locked house with its front door and the interior the opening speech of Act I is the long narratives speech delivered by the story, the narrator character; A young girl.Her namedoesnt matter. But she was only daughter , so her parents called her Rani, her fond father find her suitable husband Appanna,who marries Rani and he brings her to his house when she reached womanhood. Since them Appanna treats Rani very rudely. He comes home only for his lunch, locks the house for outside and goes away. Rani tells Appanna that she feels frightened alone at night but he pays no attention to her. The story, in her brief speech, narrates And so the rolled by (28) the author successfully uses dreams such as an eagle carrying her to the anxious parents and

so on. Her wants are exposed as the golden deer taking the form of a Prince and in her utterances while cooking their food. As in an epic theatre, so in Naga-Mandala there are loosely connected episodes in a kind of linear narration through Kurudava, the blind woman, Kurudavva is the best friend of Appannas mother, plays a significant part in Naga-Mandala, her marriage to a boy distantly related to her, her intense love for her son, Kappanna, and her subsequently insanity from the sub-plot of the play. The only way in which Kurudavva is connected with the plot of the play is that the cobra falls in love with Rani because of the magical influence of the root given by Kurudavva to Rani and grants everything that she wants, her husband become good and his concubine become her slave. Chandrashekhar Kambar he is one of the leading dramatist today in the country who contributed immensely to Kannada theatre by drawing upon folk themes and techniques particular of North-Karnataka. In his traditional play, he often reinterprets folk myths and, in his social plays he satirizes the corruption and other vices of contemporary society. In his older absurdist work, he employed that idiom to present rational themes. Most of his plays are known for their music quality and vigorous language, especially the dialect of Belgaum district; they pos great challenges to the translator. His play Siri Sampige is translated into English by Rowena Hill, K.P.Vasudevan and

N.S.Ramaswamy.

Siri Sampige is fine example of dramatization in the Yakshagana technique of costal Karnataka. Narration is the soul of this form and it makes extensive use of song, mime and dance to create a total theatrical experience. The Bhagavata (Narrator) tells the story in third person and other characters dramatize in the first person what he narrates. In the beginning, the characters have no independent existence; they are just a passive part of the narrative. Later they become full-blooded characters. While the Bhagavata is singing the story the characters interpret it through dance, later, they transform the same song into a dramatic event. Yakshagana is initially knows as Bhagavata, who is the leaders of the chorus, hold a pivotal position in the Yakshagana performance it is he who presents the Yakshangana Prasanga or the story with the help of actors who are

completely under his control like puppets. Because of his importance in the Yakshagana parlance, he is called Prabhramavesha, the first character. He performs manifold

function. He introduces the story and the characters. He enters into conversation with different characters and the jester. He remains present on the stage through the

performance conducting it as a grand master of the orchestra. The Bhagavata first sings a song, and the character performs a dance expressing the meaning of this song through gestures. He then elaborates the meaning of the song through prose speech or dialogue Bhagavata then moves to other songs and the sequence is repeated dance speech in prose or dialogue with other characters, elaborating upon them contents of the songs. Yakshagana, as a medium of presenting the religious appeal through the depiction of various events from epics to the Mahabharath, Ramayana,

includes the characters of God divinities, demons, avatharas (reincarnation of Gods and goddesses). Kambar s intents metaphysical probing into the dualities of existence find a near perfect dramatic expression in Siri Sampige, a play in which he employs the
technique of Yakshagana (an ancient folk dramatic tradition of Karnataka). The play dramatizes a folk-myth of north Karnataka dealing with the duality between the material and the spiritual between the body and the mind man and woman. The concept of division and

integration is symbolized by Lord Shiva in the Hindu classical mythology. Lord Shiva is known as Ardhanariswara, which means he is split into masculine and feminine principles and yet he is integrated. Lord Shiva, thus, simultaneously symbolizes the duality and unity, dvaita and advaita. This classical mythology acts as the backup for Kambar s folk-tale that he has chosen to dramatize in SiriSampige. As pointed out by K.R.Nagaraj in his introduction to the Kannada version of the play. The conflict between body and soul is a dominant major thematic concern of Kambar in his poetry. There is a substantial structure of the same in his play, SiriSampige. (NAGARAJA K.R-P.5 .[ 1 ]

After hearing the divine oracle, Queen Mayavati is deeply worried about the future of Prince Sivanaga. At the request of the queen, the family suggest a way out when you sons voice breaks, arrange without delay for his marriage. Make sure he does not see his own image in water, when his brother dies he also dies. Where the tragic is, division and half-ness form the main theme of the play, that of twin or double-ness forms

the subsidiary but contrastive theme of the play. As already observed, the playwright has grafted the folk motif of the split that of double. In the play, the twin brothers have a love-hate relationship with each other until they realize their oneness through experience. The similarity of their looks, behaviors and tendencies add to the confusion, which may be sometimes tragic and sometime comic, Kambar has grafter this story to that of the split personality and achieved a peculiar beauty in the play. In Naga-Mandala story of the flames leads to the story of Rani. Naga-Mandala too deploys the story within story techniques of the Sanskrit and has two plots. In Siri Sampige Chandrashekhar Kambar does not employ play within play techniques of the Sanskrit and has two plots. Siri Sampige structure, inspired by the Yakshagana, is a series of concentric circles. They play begins with the Bhagavata dedication. The structure of Naga-Mandala is also a series of concentric circle. The play begins with the chatter of the flames, the man and the story who leads to the story of adulterous relationship of Rani adhering to the traditional (folk) Structure. Siri Sampige is divided into two acts with further division into scenes. The same is the case with Naga-Mandala, which comprises of only two acts, but there is no further division into scenes. In Yakshagana performance, the concept of Sutradhara underwent tremendous transformation, he becomes an independent character who was present on the stage while the play was performed and who was free to act on his will. But the kind of role Karnad assigns to Bhagavata in Naga-Mandala for outgrows the traditional role Karnad makes

the Bhagavata a character in the story, who mixes freely with other characters and partakes in their joys and sorrows. In Naga-Mandala, the man and the story play the past of narrator characters. The story, again, is a woman narrator. Passing the story to an audience of female flames creating Female context in a man oriented folk tales (Gupta 251)
xxviii

[ 2

]The

Sanskrit plays use prose recitation verses and songs, thus giving greater flexibility to dramatic speech (jain 14). However in the traditional Yakshagana theatre and for that matter in all regional folk forms, there is a preponderance of music, song and recitation which is that of a greater degree and variety than ever was in the Sanskrit theatre. Chandrashekhar Kambar in Siri Sampige makes prolific use of music thus qualifying it for a Yakshagan performance. Siri Sampige is brimming with remarkable use of songs sung by Chorus and the Bhagavata. These prose recitations not only arrest the attention of the audience but also are means to unravel the psyche of the characters for instances. Bhagavata : Thus the Prince in indranivas palace having lain down full of worries how can I believe my eyes saw the carved lamp stand come to life saying Beloved beckoning inviting intimacy? Was that the wonder? From the scabbard come the sword, came alive between the nights.

While the above songs is being sung a statue of woman bearing lamp comes to life starts dancing the prince is awakened, and while he attempt to catch the woman she vanished dancing inside him the Prince is in a state of high rapture. In Naga-Mandala, too there is use of song, which is sung by the flames, which act as chorus. The song sung by the flames underlines the induction of cobra into the play and also makes use of sexual imagery to heighten the importance of sex, which Rani is to realize later in the play. The song marks the union of Rani and Naga to quote: Come let us dance Through the weaves-birds nest And light the hanging lamps Of glow worms, (Karnad three play. 49) Rhythmic movements is one of the main attraction of these theatrical performances, NagaMandala is imbued with music and dance: The flames assume the role of chorus and sing songs. The story unlike the Bhagavata of Siri Sampige, does not participate in the singing, at the invigorating song of the flames, Naga and Rani Set into rhythmic motion and dance The flames surround them and sing Naga and Rani dance (Karnad three plays 49). Naga-Mandala makes immense use of miming Ranis cooking, her husbands bathing, and his eating of meals, her throwing of the curry in the anthill and so many other actions in the text can be easily mimed recalling the folk style.

In Siri Sampige the dramatist attempts to concrete principles and the visible and the invisible existence of these forces in the importance stages of the human affairs of the dramatic character. J.A.Vaidyanathan is right when he observes, In achieving these larger truths through the use of indigeneous myth, Siri Sampige goes way beyond traditional Yakshagana [ 11 ] Kambars greatness lies not only is using the

Yakshagana style and techniques, but also in transcending it. Shape shifting is a conventional method or technique of exploring differences and similarities between characters, situation, and ideas.[ 3 ] Because it proves and

underlying unity in the substratum of life while allowing multitudinous diversity on the surface shapes shifting; however is a kind of transgression.
xxix

Shape shifting is another

device very cleverly and effectively used by Karnad and Kambar are not merely a central structural strategy but a means of reviving the ancient and sacred function of drama as ritual. Naga-Mandala has several examples of shape shifting. The main one, of course, is the cobra assuming the form of Appanna to make love to Rani. But earlier the flames take on human shapes to gossip at the temple after they have been Put out in the house. In the New flames story of the old woman who knew a story and a song, the story becomes a young woman and the song, a sari wearing. The story walks out of the old womans house. The point is that stories mustnt be stingily confined to oneself as the old woman did, but shared. As flame I puts it so if you try to gag one story, another happens.

And later the woman Rani, after her cobra ordeal, is apotheosized into a living goddess, an extraordinary woman. Siri Sampige has several examples of shape shifting Kalinga assuming the form of Appanna to make love to Siri Sampige, and she becomes extraordinary woman by undergoing snake ordeal, Jawali assuming the form of snake to fulfill the Kamals desires. P.Bayarappa Reddy has highlighted the specialized techniques employed by Girish Karnad in Naga-Mandala to uphold the theatrical effectiveness of the play for the spectators. He says Naga Mandala experiments with a variety of theatrical techniques he create visual and auditory images, thereby producing the desired dramatic effect on the stage by employing a variety of theatrical devices, quick shift of scenes, lighting. He tries to control the movement of the play and its impact on the audience.xxx ] Girish Karnad and Chandrashekhar Kambar have also used irony in order to have the desired effect on the stage. Irony is the difference between what happens (reality) and what appears to happen (appearance). Irony is in all manifestations of situation of dialogue and of characters etc is used successfully. For example, it is an extremely ironic moment in the play when Appanna is left holding in public another mans child and asked to respect his wife as a goddess. [ 4

Symbols speak themselves, Girish Karnad and Chandrashekhar Kambar knows how to exploit technique of symbol, which reveals the inner landscape of the dramatic persona. E.g: - In Naga-mandala (Rani the queen of the long tresses) one of the flames demands a happier ending. At this, the man amends the story. The Naga does not commit suicide. Alive snake falls out of Ranis hair and lies writhing on the floor. Appanna wants to kill it but Rani silently conceals in her dark and denies tresses says the hair (tresses) is the symbol of my wedded bliss live in there happily forever ( P. 46). Siri Sampige is the daughter of Pushparaja the king of flowers. The king belongs to Sevantipura the city of chrysanthemums. Similarly Kamala suggests the lotus, which is again flower. According to Sygmund Freud, flower suggests the genital organs of the female species. Hence, by implication flowers symbolize sexuality and the women, the seat of sexuality. Somehow there is close connection between flowers including their fragrance beauty and snake including their sexual magnetism and dynamism in the play. In the world mythology, the snake symbolizes the earth consciousness and the nether world, thus there is a combination of a floral symbolism and serpentine symbolism in the two plays

REFERENCES: 1. Nagaraja.K.R. Introduction, Siri Sampige (kannada version).Heggodu: Akhsrs Prakashana, 1998, p.5. 2. Gupta, Santosh. Naga Mandala: A story of marriage and Love. The Plays of
Girish Karnad Critical Perspectives. New Delhi: Prestige Book, 1999, p.251. 3. Paranjape, Makaranda. R. Metamorphosis as Metaphor; shape shifting in Girish Karnad: Critical perspectives. Ed. Jaydisnh Dodia. New Delhi: Prestige Books, 1999 P. 91.

4. Ram Sharma.Displaying the Theatrical Effectiveness: (Re) Coding through Techniques in Girish Karnads Tugalaq. Thunder on Stage: A study of Girish Karnads plays. Ed. C.L. Khatri and Sudhir,k.Arora. Jaipur: Book Enclave, 2007, p.64.

CONCLUSION
Drama in India has had a rich and glorious tradition, commencing its long journey with the Sanskrit plays. The contribution of the chief Sanskrit dramatist like Bhasa, Asvaghosa, Kalidasa form an imperishable part of our literary heritage. Indian drama in English has never achieved the high status of poetry or fiction. Though, some of the dramatist have shown keen interest and endeavour in spite of the fact that drama and poetry in English began around the same period. There are various versions for the restrained growth of Indian drama in English, such as the want of theatre, lock of stage worthiness language problem and inability of the Indian English dramatist to explore the great Indian classical dramatic tradition, myth, legend, folklore and ancient Indian literature.

In spite of these deficiencies, a number of dramatists strove hard to enrich the genre of drama in India English by their significant contribution. Playwrights like Sri.Aurobinndo, Rabindranath Tagore, Harindranath Chattopadhyay, T.P.Kailasm, A.S.P.Ayyar, in the early period, Vijay Tendulkar, Asif Currimbhoy, Girish Karnad, Mohan Rakesh, Badal Sircar and many others in the modern period have exhibited their great dramatic skill. Their contribution has enriched Indian drama in English to a great extent. Sir Aurobindo has written plays in the models of Elizabethan drama and displays his deep knowledge of Eastern and western though. Harindranath Chattopadhaya brings realism to theatre. Myth and history are employed successfully in the plays of T.P.Kailasm A.S.P. Ayyar deals with reformistic themes. By experimenting with new technique, Asif Currimbhoy focuses mainly, social and historical themes. The theme of human relationship and search for identity is a favorite them of Girish Karnad. He adapts the myth and folk tales successfully in his plays. The life in death themes is found in the plays of Badal Sircar, whereas Vijay Tendulkar deals with the theme of individual isolation in modern society Mohan Rakesh dramatizes new challenging themes in his plays.

A striking difference between Kambar and Girish Karnad is that the former is rooted in North -Karnataka, whereas many Kannda critics feels that he is not deeply rooted at all in Karnataka culture, and that he is all- Indian playwright; the former is deeply steeped in the, virile and poetic Kannada, whereas the latter being educated in English cannot think in Kannada. But Kambars forte happens to be his deep-rootedness in the specific folk culture of North- Karnataka, which is distinct from that of southern Karnataka. That is why his plays are culture specific and do not deal with the Pan Hindu mythology as do those of Karnad. Sirisampige

is a fine example of dramatization of a typical folk-myth of North- Karnatka, although written in the Yaksagana technique of coastal Karnatka. By the way there is an interesting background to the composition of this play. Once K.V. Subbanna or somebody expressed a strong doubt about the possibility of writing a play with a North-Karnataka theme in a technique of coastal Karnataka, i.e., of Yaksagana. Then Chandrashekhar Kambar accepted the challenge and composed Sirisampige dealing with a folk mythical theme of North Karnataka objectified in the technique of Yakshagana.
Chandrashekhar Kambar and Girish Karnad have borrowed their themes from the same source. i.e., a folk tale entitled The serpent loves narrated by them by A.K.Ramanujan. Girish Karnad went on to write Naga-Mandala, which shows thematic similarity with Siri Sampige written by Kambar. But there is a conspicuous difference between the dramatic treatment of them by two playwrights, Karnads Naga-Mandala is more intellectuals and confined only to the Freudian overtones of womans sexuality and also, it is an enchanting study of the problem of man woman relationship., Kambars treatment is more metaphorical or symbolic and reaching the higher realms of human quest. Kambar has intelligently woven other two folk tales entitled The Prince Who Married His Own Left Half and The Lampstand Womanxxxi written by A.K

Ramanujan, not only that Kambar has added the split motif to the double-motif, which is missing in Girish Karnads Naga-Mandala. In Naga-Mandala, the characters act within the framework of the folk-tale on the axis of Freudian sexuality alone, but in Siri Sampige the characters are elevated to the metaphysical height. The dialectical

relationship between the image of split and wholeness, integration and disintegration unnatural authority and natural ways of the primordial freedom has been the playwrights preoccupation from the beginning. Kambars play has revealed meaningful possibilities in this direction. The

notion that drama should deal with the social reality alone is a delimiting one. Perhaps Bharatamunis description in the Natyashastra that theatre is also a means of comprehending the world is more adequate. Kambar has used many from including poets and fiction for his exploration. He has employed drama with all serious and complexity for dealing with themes ranging from the exploitative nature of the feudal system to the dualities of life. He has been singularly successful in becoming a significant Indian dramatist while remaining faithful to the Kannada tradition. Siri Sampige is a fine example of dramatization of a typical folk-myth of NorthKarnataka, although written in the Yakshagana technique of coastal Karnataka, dealing with the duality between the material and the spiritual, between the body and the mind, Where as Naga-Mandala ,is a powerful portrait of the agony and anguish faced by both men and women in their development into adult role and social adjustment in a society, where the individual is given little space for self-development, awareness and independence as a being. Comparing between two plays, SiriSampige is better than Naga-Mandala because it is written in Yakshagan technique of costal Karnataka. Whereas Girish Karnad also used

Yakshagan technique in Hayavadana and he continues his experiment in Naga-Mandala but it is a modified version of Yakshagana. Girish Karnad and Chandrashekhar Kambar are the celebrated contemporary playwrights in Kannada drama. The former is the seventh and the latest Jnanpetha award winner for Kannada language after Kuvempu, D.R.Bendra, Masti Venkatesh Iyengar, Shivaram Karanth, V.K.Gokak and U.R.Ananth Murthy. Karnad has significant contribution to the growth of Kannada and Indian theatre. The Kannada theatre has a rich tradition of theatre personaslity like sriranga, Samsa, contemporary Kannada dramatist like Chandrashekhar Kambar, P.Lankesh, Chandrashekar Patil, Chandrakanth Kusnur etc., have made the Kannada Drama a rich and varied one.

REFERENCES:
1. Naikar, Basavaraja Naikar Duality of experience in Sirisampige, Glimpes of Indian Literature in English Translation. New Delhi: Author Press, 2008,P.268-69

Dhawan,R.K. 20 Years Indian Writing .p. Naik,M.K . The achievement. p. 187 Naik.M.K. Dimentions of Indian English Literature p. 151

ii

iii

iv

Naik.M.K. Dimentions of Indian English Literature p. 151

Ibid., p.151 G.s .Amur Kailasms Quest for Greatness .p.186 Dhawadkar, Appana. - Appendex 1 .p.301-15 Dhawan.R.K. Girish Karnad:The Man and the writer . p.13-14

vi

vii

viii

ix

Ibid .p.17-18

Dodiya, Jayadipsingh .p.13-14 Kambar.c, Interview with Kirthnath Kurtkoti. p.22 G.S. Amur .Essays on Modern Kannada Literature. P.336. Feder Lilian . Ancient Myth and Modern poetry. P.11-12 Jung, C.G. p.12 Derrida, Jacques. P.304 Richerd Chase. P.245 Ibid. p.245 Lalit Handoo. P.35

xi

xii

xiii

xiv

xv

xvi

xvii

xviii

xix

Ibid .p.33 Soyinka, Wole .p. 3 K.L.Gopalakrishnaiah. p.31 Josh,R.G. p.539 O.P. Budholia. P.153

xx

xxi

xxii

xxiii

xxv

Iyer.N.Sharada. p.115

xxvi

Kambar, Chandrashekhar. Siri Sampige (All subsequent references are taken from the same text, the page no is written in the brackets )
xxvii

Ramanujan,A.K. p.155 Gupta, Santosh. P.249-56

xxviii

xxix

Paranjape, Makaranda.R. p.88Khatri, C.L.and Sudhir k. Arora.p.64

xxx

xxxi

Naikar Basavaraj. P.268-69

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