Nativism in Girish Karnad’s Naga Mandal Essay Example

filled with mythical wonder and a realm of magic and supernaturalism. The play reflects the indigenous Indian tradition and culture, showcasing the influence of the mythical culture and tradition. John Oliver Perry's article in World Literature Today introduces the literary achievements of modern India and emphasizes the concept of Deshivad (nativism) introduced by Bhalchandra Nemade. Deshivad promotes a nationwide literary movement that focuses on India's regional languages and cultures, a movement that is now gaining recognition and facing challenges (1998:687). However, M.

H. Abram’s A Glossary of Literary Terms (1993) and the fourth edition of J. A. Cuddon’s Dictionary of Literary Terms and Literary Theory, published in 1999, both lack any mention of nativism. Despite covering a range of -isms from Aristotle's time to the present, they overlook nativism entirely.

The concept of deshivad, also known as Nativism in English, originated in world literature and specifically in Indian literary criticism by Bhalchandra Nemade. Nemade realized the dangers of subjecting literary works from one culture to the theories of another culture. He observed that modern Indian Literature had focused excessively on western modernism and disregarded its native tradition. Nemade started the nativistic literary movement to counter this trend and make it more accessible to ordinary people, particularly the majority bahujan samaj. The growth of Nativistic literary theory since the 1960s can be attributed to the breakdown of the assumption that only individuals with a specific cultural background, especially brahmnical, can appreciate works of literature. This shift occurred with the influx of students from bahujan samaj backgrounds entering higher education. Nemade's concept of Indian Nativism aligns with the ideologies advocated by Jotirao Phule and M.K.

Gandhi and Nativism both posed

a threat to the established Anglo-Sanskritic tradition. They introduced a different moral system that emphasized truth and had the potential to change Indian society by making its cultural periphery the focus. Nativism, which is unknown and untaught in Indian institutes of learning, is now starting to gain attention. It is a reaction against imposed non-native models and standards, which are accepted with ambivalence and submissiveness. Nativism is a serious search for and shaping of one's identity in relation to one's society and culture. It does not blindly adhere to traditional heritage or reject foreign influences completely, but rather assimilates both after careful examination of their relevance to the development of one's own culture.

In essence, the text argues for an active and meaningful engagement with one's cultural and political present. There is a recognized dichotomy between desi and margi in the framework of desivad. Margi was undergoing a decline due to the growing popularity of desi and the simplification of Sanskrit. However, with the arrival of the British, margi regained its prominence while desi lost its significance.

When observing the margi-desi relationship, it becomes clear that Margi is recognized as a standard while desi is known as a regional dialect. However, Margi cannot be both national and international. Makarand Paranjape, considering the Sanskrit-Margi standard and superior, considers desi-margi as national and international respectively. He states, ‘We not only have the traditional distinction between desi and margi, but also the idea that desi is regional in comparison to national. It can also be seen as country versus city, or national versus international. Furthermore, desi can be associated with the colonial in contrast to the metropolitan. In

fact, it could be argued that in today’s context, the metropolitan and western elements are considered margi’ (1997: 175). No language in the world can be deemed the most excellent or superior.

The decline of Sanskrit was caused by a misunderstanding and a lack of flexibility. In the past, Sanskrit was open and unrestricted, but it suffered because of rigid self-interest. Devy explains how foreign influence affected the growth of desi. He mentions that during the Indo-Islamic period, the marga traditions were dominated by Islamic cultural influence and undermined by religious sectarianism in desi traditions. However, during the early stages of British Colonial rule in India, European Indologists provided some strong but artificial support to the marga traditions (Devy, 1992: 81).

With the arrival of Britishers, Margi became animate. Margi and Britishers joined forces due to their shared objective. Britishers came to India disguised as civilizers or cultural influencers, but their true intention was to plunder the Indians. On the other hand, traditionalists aimed to exploit the lower caste community by using the trap of caste and Varna system under the pretense of a relationship. Colonizers and the Margi tradition both belonged to the same caste or group. Another important aspect added to this conflict between indigenous people and Margi was the involvement of foreigners.

Therefore, it evolved into a three-fold relationship: desi-margin-videsi. In his book After Amnesia, G. N. Devy illustrates this tripartite cultural exchange. Margi allied herself with videsi, and together they aimed to weaken desi. The conspiracy between Margi and videsi was centered around economic exploitation.

Clearly, desi consciousness naturally developed during the nineteenth century, resulting in several nativistic movements that emerged one after another during

this time period. Among these movements, Jotirao Phule's Nativistic movement was the most influential and powerful. Since then, many other nativistic movements have gained influence in various forms and have also played a significant role in the origin of nativism in literature. Currently, a new awareness is emerging across all Indian bhasa (languages). i.

The foundation of our Bhasa literature lies in our indigenous tradition. Esteemed literary figures such as Hemachandra, Jnandeva, and Basaveshwara also recognized the roots of our Bhasas in the Desi Parampara (native tradition). This tradition has persisted over time.

Indigenous Indian writers have a strong connection with the bhasa tradition, which can be considered as the desi tradition. This tradition has brought about a unique level of understanding and enlightenment among indigenous writers, and Bhalchandra Nemade and G. N. Devy are key figures in this regard.

According to Makarand Paranjape, Bhalchandra Nemade and G. N. Devy are cultural heroes and play a significant role in the development of Indian culture. Nemade is not only a prominent Marathi Novelist but also a critic, poet, and professor of Comparative Literature. Likewise, Devy, who is a professor of English, is known for his expertise in translation, literary history, and bibliography. Moreover, Devy is admired for his thought-provoking critical analysis.

Both authors have strong opinions and can be extreme in their views, but what is more important is that they are deeply rooted in our cultural traditions and dedicated to freeing Indian literary criticism from the dominance of Euro-American influence. They both strive to make Indian criticism more responsible, self-respecting, and focused on Indian perspectives. In this way, Nemade and Devy have brought decolonization to Indian literary criticism

(1997: X-XI). The introduction of English had an impact on the Marathi language, leading to the standardization of Marathi with a Puneri-Brahminic influence and the marginalization of the Marathi dialect. This resulted in the creation of a hybrid Anglo-Brahmin Marathi.

Due to colonization, Marathi's natural tendencies were destroyed, causing it to lose its power of expression and beauty, and resulting in an inability to understand the lives of its people. Nemade highlights this gap and acknowledges the challenges in creating good literature in Marathi. He attributes these difficulties to the impact of colonialism on the language.

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According to Nemade (1990: 233-234), in an autonomous culture, the structure of a literary work develops organically

based on the writer's social surroundings. However, in colonial situations, foreign influences cause the opposite to occur. Authors and others lose confidence in their own surroundings and begin to view their environment through the lens of borrowed foreign structures. This leads to the colonized people accepting cultural norms with a submissive attitude.

The dominance of these canons causes the Desi canons to become less significant, resulting in the importation of a complete subsystem of foreign literary canons. This includes borrowing structures and belittling native literary canons. The influence of foreign canons extends from language usage to human relationships. The imitation of foreign literary criticism, foreign style, and literary standards in native literature serves as a prime example of this phenomenon. It does not imply the revival of ancient Sanskrit literary criticism and standards without careful consideration. Instead, it suggests that the literary philosophy of these linguistic societies should evolve independently.

In this text, Nemade's nativistic approach is clearly explained. He discusses both the negative impacts of colonialism and his opposition to the revivalism of Sanskrit literary criticism. Nemade's persistently emphasizes native standards, which are connected to the non-Vedic, non-Brahmin, and bahujan traditions. The traditions of Gautama Buddha, Chakradhara Mahanubhava, and Varkari stand against Brahmin dominance and are considered by Nemade as part of the native tradition. Nemade's nativism opposes both our native colonialism and Western colonialism.

Protesting against the imposition of minority values on the majority (bahujan samaj), Nemade highlights the significance of Ram Manohar Lohiya as a prominent thinker. During Lohiya's time, literature lacked diversity due to the dominant presence of the Anglo-Brahmin perspective, which produced literature with superficial pleasure.

The formalist theory had gained recognition, disregarding the

involvement of the bahujan samaj in literary creation. The literature failed to incorporate the languages of the bahujan samaj, specifically those related to caste, tribe, and region. Instead, there was an overwhelming presence of minority preferences in literary endeavors. These endeavors were focused on obtaining cultural prestige, similar to Nehru's superficial internationalism. Through imaginative exaggeration, literature was manipulated by those lacking skill, sophistication, and representation of the bahujan samaj's aspirations and native values. Nemade advocated for nativism by introducing unwavering nativistic literary principles: tradition, local modernity, a new ethical code, language of the common people, linguistic action, truthfulness, and nativization.

Naga-Mandala: a Nativistic Play

Girish Karnad is the most influential playwright in post-independence Indian literature. Karnad draws inspiration from traditional Indian folklore for his subjects. His play NagaMandala is intentionally rooted in the ancient theory and tradition of Indian theatre. The play exemplifies Karnad’s admiration for the Indian tradition of storytelling.

In his introduction to Three Plays: Naga-Mandala, Hayavadana, Tughlaq, Karnad discusses how the cultural tensions in India became more noticeable after independence and required authors to address them openly (1999: 3). He also explains that folk theatre has the ability to challenge traditional values and present alternative perspectives through its various conventions such as the chorus, masks, comic episodes, and mixing of human and nonhuman worlds (1999: 14). Naga-Mandala consists of four different stories, each nested within the previous one, with the frame story containing three additional stories.

On the first narrative level, the frame story revolves around an Author whose plays are so dull that the audience often dozes off. As punishment for this "crime," the Author faces death unless he can stay awake throughout an

entire night before the end of the month. His last chance at redemption lies in this theatrical performance. His constant complaints can be heard in the words: "I might be dead in a matter of hours" (1999: 22). The second and third narrative levels introduce magical elements. The second level consists of tales exchanged among a group of personified flames after their work is done and they gather at night.

The flames gravitate towards the same ruined temple where the Author is grieving his misfortune. Upon their arrival, he conceals himself behind a column, eagerly observing their accounts. On the third level of storytelling, one of the Flames relays a narrative in hopes of obtaining forgiveness for their tardiness. Their individualized story revolves around a woman who possessed a captivating tale but chose not to disclose or distribute it to others. Eventually, the story seizes an opportunity when the woman sleeps with her mouth agape, and it undergoes a metamorphosis, transforming into a young lady.

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And her beautiful sari becomes the song that goes along with it. This personified story, narrated on the fourth level, tells the life of Rani, the protagonist of Naga-Mandala. Karnad explains that the paradoxical nature of oral tradition is illustrated by the story's desire to escape. Stories are self-sufficient and unaffected by the storyteller, yet they thrive when they are told and shared (1999: 17).

The central story revolves around a young woman named Rani who is married to Appana. However, Appana treats her poorly, locking her in the house while he keeps a concubine. To help Rani, an old blind woman named Kappana carries her around and offers her a

potion that will make Appana love her. Rani decides not to use the potion and instead pours it on an ant hill, which happens to be the home of a King Cobra called Naga. Naga falls in love with Rani and disguises himself as Appana by entering the house through the bathroom drain at night.

In spite of the disorientation and amazement caused by the new situation for Rani, her relationship with Appana is fruitful and results in her becoming pregnant. Upon discovering her pregnancy, Appana informs the village elders so they can determine whether she is guilty or innocent, as they never had sexual intercourse. To prove her "innocence," Rani undergoes the Snake ordeal by holding the King Kobra in her hand. Surprisingly, instead of biting her, the Cobra "Slides up her shoulder and spreads its hood like an umbrella over her head" (1999: 58). This astonishes the onlookers, who consider Rani a goddess, and Appana has no choice but to accept her as his wife. Naga-Mandala is unique in that it offers three different endings that are also up to interpretation by the readers.

This play falls under the genre of "story theatre," meaning that its plot revolves around folk tales. Karnad drew inspiration for this play from stories he heard from the poet and academic A. K. Ramanujan.

The story was narrated by A. K. Ramanujan in a conversation with Girish Karnad and Chandrashekhar Kambar. Karnad then wrote Naga-Mandala based on the story, while Kambar wrote Siri Smapige. Both plays revolve around the same theme of storytelling.

Naga-Mandala portrays Indian culture, with its narrative encompassing not only the tale of Rani and Appana, but also exploring

the dynamics of a married couple's relationship. Appana's actions towards Rani differ depending on whether they are witnessed by others or experienced privately between the two of them.

The play Naga-Mandala explores a type of relationship commonly observed in Indian joint families. In this dynamic, the husband displays rudeness towards his wife in public, but privately, he shows care and affection towards her. This pattern is exemplified by Kuddava, a blind woman who assists Rani, and mirrors the attitudes of others. Naga-Mandala is deeply rooted in the literary value of truth, which serves as the foundation of the story of Rani-Appana-Naga.

Appana calls upon the villagers when he learns of his wife's pregnancy, seeking their judgment. To prove her fidelity, Rani undergoes the snake ordeal, which she successfully passes. She firmly attests, under oath, that she has not been in contact with any man other than her husband and the mentioned snake. Unbeknownst to her, Rani's words hold true.

In this play, the author makes abundant use of the language spoken by the people. The play is originally written in Kannada and then translated into English by the author. The names of the characters add a local feel to the theme. Appana and Kuddava (Kuddablind; ava- woman, mother) are specifically names derived from the Kannada language.

The language used in the dialogues between the characters in this play is that of the common villagers, as opposed to the language of elites. This play, Naga-Mandala, belongs to the realm of verbal action according to the beliefs of Nativism. Girish Karnad has utilized this verbal action to portray the truth in society, particularly focusing on the relationship dynamics between husband

and wife, including the wife's love for her husband and his negligence towards her.

A new bride is unaware about the sexual relationship. Kuddava inquires about this to Rani and helps her by all means to gain her husband's love. The husband's behavior during the day and the love shared at night are also explored. Naga has passions for Rani, and through the provision of multiple endings, Karnad allows for different actions to take place. Literature is a reflection of the society in which the writer resides, and Karnad uses this verbal icon to address social problems.

The problem depicted in NagaMandala is a prevalent issue in today's society. The relationship between Rani and Appana serves as a symbolic representation of this problem. Rani's understanding of her own identity and Appana's inability to accept Rani's superiority reflect this moral dilemma. Transformation serves as the foundation of Naga-Mandala. Naga's transformation into Appana and then back into Naga represents a metamorphosis of sorts. Such metamorphoses are frequently found in Indian mythological tales.

This transformation is not a Western one, but rather a native transformation. The technique of Parakaya Pravesh (entering into others' body) or taking shape of others' body is commonly practiced. Naga's transformation into others' body is a unique metamorphosis in a native style. Therefore, Girish Karnad's play, Naga-Mandala, reflects the Nativistic theory and showcases the indigenous Indian mythological traits.

The traits found in this play are a reflection of Indian sensibility, showcasing both the cultural aspects and issues, while also offering solutions. Karnad effectively presents the readers with native tradition, culture, morality, language of the people, and truth. Devy, G. N. is referenced in this work.

After Amnesia- Tradition and

Change in Indian Literary Criticism. Hyderabad: Orient Longman, 1992.

Karnad, Girish. Three Plays: Naga-Mandala, Hayavadana, Tughlaq.

Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1999. Nemade, Bhalchandra. Teekaswayamvara. Aurangabad: Saket Prakashan, 1990.

Paranjape, Makarand. Nativism: Essays in Criticism. New Delhi: Sahitya Akademi, 1997. Pery, John Oliver. "Book Review Nativism: Essays in Criticism.

"World Literature Today 3. Summer (1998). Santosh Koti Walchand College of Arts and Science, Ashok Chowk, Solapur – 413 006 Cell: 7588 610930 e-mail: atulkoti18677@yahoo. co. in 10