A STUDY OF THE MAJOR NOVELS OF GITHA HARIHARAN: FOCUSING ON MYTH AND INDIAN SOCIETY

Abstract

Githa Hariharan is a well-known Indian novelist whose works delicately blend mythical themes with the socio-cultural fabric of current Indian culture. This study explores the major novels of Githa Hariharan, focusing on her innovative use of myth to engage with and critique Indian Society. Hariharan weaves together traditional narratives from Indian epics and folklore with contemporary social issues such as gender roles, cast, and power dynamics. This research examines the important books that Hariharan has written. The Thousand Faces of Night, The Ghosts of Vasu Master,When Dreams Travel, In Times of Siege, Fugitive Histories, and I Have Become the Tide are just a few of the books written by Hariharan that dig into the complexity of human relationships, gender roles, and the intersections of tradition and modernity. The purpose of this research is to investigate how Hariharan reinterprets myths in order to challenge patriarchal institutions and question society standards. This analysis highlights how Hariharan transforms myth into a tool for critiquing patriarchy, caste oppression, and political ideologies, while offering new perspectives on identity, agency, and resistance within the context of Indian society. This is accomplished via a very careful analysis of these works. The research sheds light on Hariharan's distinctive method of storytelling, which involves weaving mythical elements into the everyday lives of her characters in society. This creates a conversation between the past and the present, which is featured prominently in the research. Not only does this technique reinvent old stories, but it also offers a critical prism through which modern concerns like as prejudice based on gender, religion, and caste may be seen. In addition, the research focuses on how Hariharan's description of Indian culture sheds light on the continuous conflicts that exist between inherited traditions and the rising ambitions of individuals, particularly women, who are attempting to reinvent their identities in a world that is undergoing fast change. The purpose of this research is to contribute to a more in-depth knowledge of how literature may reflect and affect social change by evaluating the repeating themes of power, resistance, and identity that appear in her works. In conclusion, the findings of this research indicate that Githa Hariharan's novels are not only retellings of myths; rather, they are potent comments on the socio-political realities of India. By means of her literary investigation of myth and society, Hariharan provides readers with a nuanced view on the difficulties associated with the preservation of cultural heritage while simultaneously addressing the requirement for significant societal advancement.