And the Silence Echoed!

             Ahalya, Draupadi, Sita, Tara, and Mandodari—these five eternal devis, remembered daily, are said to destroy all atrocities and sins (quoted from the Mahabharata). Mythological stories are ever fascinating. Celebrated for their grandeur, these heroic narratives are worshipped, and their tenets are ritualistically obeyed and followed. The five women mentioned are renowned for their chastity and unparalleled loyalty towards their husbands. (A woman’s virtues are often measured by her qualities as a wife!).

The first in the list is a legendary woman who was ironically cursed by her husband Gautama Maharshi for infidelity and liberated from the curse by King Rama. Lord Brahma, her eternal father, bestowed upon her undaunting beauty. Her ethereal charm seduced Indra, the King of Gods, which led to the curse. Despite her transgression, she is extolled as the first among the Panchakanyas because she admitted her guilt and welcomed the curse. Her story is mentioned in the Ramayana when King Rama undertakes Vanavasa and, predetermined, visits the Ashrama where Ahalya waits as a stone statue for his touch and liberation from Gautama’s curse.

Deception and evasion are recurring themes in these narratives, with some voices constantly suppressed. In the Ramayana, Sita is heard, while Thara, Mandodari, and Ahalya remain voiceless. It took years to recreate the thoughts and plight of these hitherto silenced legends. Shoorpanaka, the infamous sister of the Demon King Ravana, is given a voice by Kavita Kane in The Princess of Lanka, Draupadi's perspective is explored in Divakaruni’s The Palace of Illusions, and Ahalya expresses her love for Gautama in Dasgupta’s retelling in Ahalya. Not only women but also muted men have found their voice, as depicted by M. T. Vasudevavan's portrayal of Bhima, one of the Pandavas, in Rendaam Oozham.

Dasgupta poignantly presents the daughter of Brahma in Ahalya. She is a mundane being installed with the features of an ordinary human being. Like any girl of yesteryears, she too was given away to Gautama. A man who was young in his teaching and expertise as a saint but old in age. The conflict between the mundane and the spiritual is evident from the beginning of their wedlock. While Ahalya in The Ramayana is forced to mature and become a wife fit for a rishi, Dasgupta’s Ahalya expresses her sensual inclinations frankly. Despite these differences, she manages to cope with Gautama and begin a life with him. Her physical self surrenders to his occasional passion, and she remains loyal to her husband.

Indra, a dweller among the Apsaras, succumbs to Ahalya’s charm. One night, disguised as Gautama, he preys on her and satisfies their passions. Ahalya wonders at the indifference of her 'husband' but simultaneously falls for her human instinct, a taboo for a wife. Upon waking, Gautama, through his insight, learns of the mishap and curses Ahalya for her infidelity. Ahalya accepts her fate and waits for years until Rama's birth and his visit to the hermitage, which finally liberates her from the curse. If infidelity is the villain and curse is the punishment, by now the world would have become a museum of stone images!

Polyphony, a theoretical concept put forward by the Russian Mikhail Bakhtin, is vividly illustrated in the aforementioned retellings of these narratives. Texts and narratives serve as mirrors to society. However, the freedom of speech and expression does not always receive the deserved space. The suppression of minority voices has been a practice since the existence of humanity. Karna, though born to Kunti, is not accepted among the Pandavas because his birth labels him as illegitimate. Birth status determines societal status since ancient times. People often boast of their elite birth and family stature, while dominant voices continue to oppress the emerging marginalized class.

            The recent UGC’s draft guidelines on de-reservation have sparked widespread outcry among the public. The monopoly of placing one’s near and dear ones in the Higher Education sector can result in a free pass for those in privileged positions. Later, these drafts were ruled out, labelled as mere drafts. The voiced and the voiceless are created by the privileged class. Standing in the shoes of the suppressed will pave the way to equality. Voices must be heard, not suppressed. We cannot always wait for Dasgupta or Kane to amplify the unheard voices. A single step towards equality, whether from home or the workplace, can create change.

Saritha. K, Head, Dept. of English, Al Shifa College of Arts and Science, Kizhattoor, Perinthalmanna