Asserting Female Autonomy through Aditya Iyengar’s Bhumika

Dr. Valarmathi S.
Assistant Professor of English, Mahatma Gandhi Government Arts College,
Mahe, Puducherry UT.
Email: mathi.valar1@gmail.com | ORCID ID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4381-0647

Abstract
It is a known truth that even in digital era, the study of mythology is not considered an escape from reality into the world of fantasy, but a journey in search of greater understanding about human existence. Despite its repetitions, innumerable interpretations and adaptations, the mythical narratives have never lost their fascination among the readers. However, when subjected to scrutiny, the age-old customs, superstitious practices and tainted values that have been accepted so long are questioned. While some contemporary writers focus on the ‘lesser known’ women characters which were ‘overlooked’ in the traditional versions, a few others have ‘recreated’ the well-known characters not in the conventional sense, but in a different light as they assert their identity and own responsibility for their choices in life. Among such retellings, the current study focuses on Aditya Iyengar’s fictional work, Bhumika: A Story of Sita (2019). It fictionalizes the story of Sita to show how her life could have been if she had not married Rama. The chosen work intends to show how some women of these myths have been misrepresented, ignored and overlooked deliberately in the mainstream literature, by ‘subverting’ the stereotyped notions about women in the society.

Keywords: Mythological retellings, Patriarchy, Silenced, Subjugated voices, Unsung.