Vol. 6, Issue 2, Part E (2024)

Girish Karnad in ‘Hayavadana’ explores the theme of identity, self-discovery and a sense of completeness. The play is centred on the character of Padmini who is married to a young and intelligent man but is soon caught with a burning desire for another young and more muscular man. Consequently, she feels terribly unfulfilled. The play explores the possibility of attainment of completeness. Karnad is suggestive of the fact that ‘wholeness’ is a utopian notion and through a series of myths establishes that any mindless attempt in this direction can be highly invasive leading to the destruction of self and others. Karnad belongs to an era of Indian theatre which is known as “Theatre of Roots” because of its major bearings from classical dance, long-held religious rituals, legends and Sanskrit. Though ‘Hayavadana’ contains the religious and ethical Sanskrit elements it also relies heavily on Greek chorus and masks. Originally taken from an eleventh-century Sanskrit text ‘Kathasaritsagara’ the plot of ‘Hayavadana’ is also inspired by the German writer Thomas Mann’s 'The Transposed Heads.’