EXAMINE FICTITIOUS APPEARANCE OF WOMAN AND NATURE: AN ECO-FEMINIST STUDY ON PRATIBHA RAY’S YAJNASENI AND GEETA MEHTA’S A RIVER SUTRA

M.Phil in English Bhagwant University Ajmer Rajasthan

Yajnaseni, Pratibha Ray has written a brilliant novel around the fascinating character of Draupadi. In the novel, Draupadi not only remains anchored in the epic but also rises out of its pages to become our contemporary and extremely relevant to our times. Pratibha Ray makes a determined effort to present a balanced portrayal of the epic character and brings to the surface the broader and deeper aspects of Draupadi's mind that lie submerged in the majestic sweep of the grand Mahabharata. This research work is to critically analyze the novel A River Sutra by Gita Mehta that presents various myths about one of Indian’s holiest rivers, Narmada along with several instances of spiritual beliefs and rituals associated with it which are the binding force to create harmony among the people of various cultures and religions. Indeed rituals, myths and spiritual beliefs have always attracted so many people from not only India but all over the world, irrespective of their social, cultural and religious backgrounds. In this particular novel, the writer touches the life of various people of different faiths and beliefs, who are from various ethnic groups and have their own way of religious lives. To accomplish this, she presents seemingly unconnected stories in the novel, stories about Hindu and Jain ascetics, courtesans and minstrels, diamond merchants and tea executives, Muslim clerics and music teacher, tribal folk beliefs and the anthropologists who study them. In A River Sutra, Mehta gives references to historical figures and incidents to show the harmony between the two great religions of India. Hinduism and Islam are the integral part of the Indian culture. She gives a brief insight on the works of Mogul emperors that built the sanctuary where the bureaucrat now works.

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