Alternative Reading of the Other in the Mahabharata - Celebrating the Marginal

This book studies gender, sexuality, and representation in The Mahabharata. Drawing on Feminist theory, Queer theory and Deconstructivist theory, it revisits the epic as a saga of agency, empowerment, and subversion, and examines how it gives the gendered marginal - the women and the queer - a voice.

List of contents

1. INTRODUCTION 2. THE CROCODILIAN FEMALES OF THE 'NARI TIRTHA' 3. RENUKA AND AHALYA WHO LUSTED AFTER OTHER MEN 4. THE WILD WOMEN OF THE MADRAKAS AND THE BALHIKAS 5. ULUPI, THE WARRIOR PRINCESS OF THE NAGAS 6. CHITRANGADA, THE ANDROGYNOUS QUEEN OF MANIPUR 7. HIDIMBA, THE DEMON-BRIDE OF BHIMA 8. YUVANASHWA, THE PREGNANT KING 9. SHIKHANDI, THE TRANSGENDER PRINCE OF PANCHALA 10. YOGINI SULABHA WHO CHALLENGED KING JANAKA 11. VIDULA, THE FIREBRAND QUEEN MOTHER 12. KUNTI: THE MOTHER OF KARNA 13. KRISHNAA' DRAUPADI: 'IN HER WILL RISE MANY FEARS!' 14. CONCLUSION

About the author

Seema Sinha is Post-Doctoral Research Fellow, Department of Humanities and Social Sciences, BITS Pilani, Pilani Campus, Rajasthan, India.
Kumar Sankar Bhattacharya is Associate Professor, Department of Humanities and Social Sciences BITS Pilani, Pilani Campus, Rajasthan, India.

Summary

This book studies gender, sexuality, and representation in The Mahabharata. Drawing on Feminist theory, Queer theory and Deconstructivist theory, it revisits the epic as a saga of agency, empowerment, and subversion, and examines how it gives the gendered marginal — the women and the queer — a voice.

Product details

• Authors: Kumar Sankar Bhattacharya, Seema Sinha, Seema Bhattacharya Sinha
• Publisher: Taylor & Francis Ltd.
• Languages: English
• Product format: Hardback
• Released: 18.03.2025
• EAN: 9781032435190
• ISBN: 978-1-0-3243519-0
• No. of pages: 190
• Subjects: Humanities, art, music > Linguistics and literary studies > General and comparative literary studies; Social sciences, law, business > Ethnology > Ethnology; Ethnic Studies, Sociology, SOCIAL SCIENCE / General, Cultural Studies, SOCIAL SCIENCE / Gender Studies, LITERARY CRITICISM / General, SOCIAL SCIENCE / Regional Studies, Mahabharata, Colonialism & imperialism, Feminism & feminist theory, Regional Studies, Colonialism and imperialism, Regional / International studies, Gender studies, gender groups, Literary theory, Feminism and feminist theory, Indian sub-continent, SOCIAL SCIENCE / LGBTQ+ Studies / General