Reimagining and Retelling Indian Mythology: A Study of Contemporary Trends with Special Reference to Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni’s Feminist Rewriting of the Ramayana

Abstract

Stories have a universal appeal and they fascinate the old and young alike on account of their entertaining as well as educating qualities. While contributing to the greater cause of disseminating knowledge, passing on rituals, traditions and beliefs from generation to generation, stories also communicate plethora of emotions, perspectives and experiences of the story teller to others. Kathy G. Short (2012) affirms that stories “are the way our minds make sense of our lives and the world” (p. 9). Reimagining the old story and retelling it from fresh perspective is a popular trend in contemporary writing and it allows the emanation of the new narratives that voice the hitherto unspoken and hence unheard perspectives of the popular tales. Reimagining and reshaping the age-old myths into new narratives offering fresh perspectives is a novel approach to the readings of mythology and it caters to the needs of the modern readers who seek answers to the present day problems in the familiar narratives. The present study seeks to explore the recent trend of reimagining and retelling Indian mythology in books, movies, and serials. It also aims to analyze feminist retellings of the Ramayana with special reference to Divakaruni’s work.