Vijay Tendulkar’s Kanyadaan

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Vijay Tendulkar’s seminal play ‘Kanyadaan’ is a ruthless criticism of this caste-ridden Indian society.But what is interesting is that Tendulkar highlights here caste system,rather he pinpoints how all attempts of social amelioration prove fruitless in our progressive post independent society.This article shows the predicament of Nath Devalikar,the protagonist of this drama when he confronts hazards in real life in his effort to abolish caste system.Side by side with this ‘dalit’ and ‘elite’ issue, this play also shows foolishness of a theorist who keeps his daughter’s life at stake to prove the supremacy of his theory.The play also obliquely hints at the pathetic condition of women in a patriarchal society.

Vijay Tendulkar belongs to those avant- guarde group of dramatists who can represent reality as it is. His plays become sharp criticism of Indian society and the condition of women in such patriarchal society. They also deal with the complexity of human relationships. Each of his plays contains a subtle critique of modern Indian society ,and a distinct character and message. ‘Kanyadaan’ explores the texture of modernity and social change in India through marriage between two people of different castes and backgrounds. It shows that what we assume as social and cultural progress in modern India ,is nothing but a big hoax the play entitled ‘ Kanyadaan’ alludes to the traditional hindu custom of marriage in our society-to give a marrigable daughter by one’s guardian to an eligible young man who will give her safety and security in life.It is also desired that the young man will prove himself a constant companion of this woman Naturally it concerns much to the bride’s father about her daughter’s post-ma...

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...imistic play about the wrong philosophy of an ineffectual dreamer. Being puffed up by false romantic notions and by ‘unworldly Gandhian viewpoints on the Harijan’, he destroys his daughter’s life. Jyoti arrives her true womanhood rejecting her father’s wrong philosophy and accepting life as it is. Tendulkar has been awarded Saraswati Samman for this play, because this play extols reality and nothing but reality, however crude it is.

Works Cited

Tendulkar, Vijay. ’Kanyadaan’.Trans.Gowri Ramnarayan. Delhi;OxfordUP,2010
Vijay Tendulkar.Delhi;Katha’2001.Print9 ( Referred to as VT )
Tendulkar Vijay :Collected plays in Translation. With an Introduction by Samik Bandyopadhyay.Oxford India Paperback (OUP)
Ghosh arpa: Tendulkar’s Kanyadaan: A study of patriarchy’ taken from ‘Discourses on I ndian Drama in English’ ed. Ankur Konar Avenel Press,2013

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