Online International Interdisciplinary Research Journal, {Bi-Monthly}, ISSN2249-9598, Vol-III, Nov 2013 Special Issue
Vijay Tendulkar’s Kanyadaan; Exploration of caste based conflict in
Indian society
a
C. Raghavendra, aP Sreenivasulu Reddy
a
Asst. Professor of English GITAM University Visakhapatnam Andhra Pradesh India
Vijay Tendulkar’s short play Kanyadaan which is written-with only seven
characters, deals with a sensitive social and political issue. As we all know Dalithssuffer
a lot many years in the hands of upper caste people of the society. Tendulkar in this play
presents entirely different aspect that the suffering of an upper caste woman and her
family in the hands of a Dalith educated young man. He impartially portrays the
problems as they are but not favour any view.
The institution of marriage is unique in the caste based society of India. Hindus
give utmost priority to marriage. They take ever thing, for instance caste,character,
occupation,economic status etc. into consideration. Of all these things caste of the bride
and the bride groom should be the same. If any one of the above is not good usually
marriage doesn’t take place. In the marriage ‘Kanyadaan’ is essential feature. Itmeans
giving away bride to bridegroom. The title suggests that the play moves around marriage.
Jyothi, a young woman, is the principal character in this play. She is the daughter
of NathDevalkar and Seva. They belong to urban middle class Brahmin family. Nath is
an MLA and Seva, who is a social worker, is always busy in social service. Jyothi has
one brother who is studying Msc. We come to know that Nathand seva do not spend
much time with their children. Nath is always on tour addressing thepublic,Seva is busy
organizing women’s camps and rallies.
Jyothi takes a decision to marry ArunAthavale, a Dalith young man who writes
poetry. She has met him in the socialists’ study group.He is poor but eloquent. Jyothi
informs her parents and brother that she has decided to marry Arun. Her father agrees at
once because his dream is casteless society and for that he has been working. Seva is
shocked. Even though she has been fighting against ‘untochability’, she thinks as caring
mother. Seva speaks about possible consequences:
My anxiety is not over his being a dalit. You know very well that Nath and I have
been fighting untouchability tooth and nail, god knows since when. So that’s not
the issue. .... You have been brought up in a specific culture. To erase or change
all this overnight is just not possible. He is different in every way. You may not
be able to handle it(p.13).
Jyoti dismisses her mother’s fears by saying that she can manage.Seva’ character
proves that inspite of modern thoughts she thinks like a traditional mother who takes
caste, background, attitude,character,economical position of the bridegroom. Seva and
her son oppose at first but they also agree for the marriage.
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Online International Interdisciplinary Research Journal, {Bi-Monthly}, ISSN2249-9598, Vol-III, Nov 2013 Special Issue
Jyothi brings Arun to her house to introduce him to her parents and brother. He is
dark complexioned but good looking. He is nervous when he entersJyothi’s house
because the house is different from his. He asks Jyothi not to leave him. Here the
playwright artistically describes actual feelings of discomfort when Arun enters the
house.Arun words here reveal his entire background.He says:
If you see my father’s but you’ll understand. Ten of us, big and small, lived in
that eight by ten feet. The beat of our bodies to warm us in winter. No clothes on
our back, no food in our stomach, but we feel very safe. Here, these damn houses
of the city people, they’re like the bellies of sharks and crocodiles, each one alone
in them(p.16).
,Arun becomes more eloquent in his expression on ‘untouchability’. His words against
Brahmins are full of poison. He asks Jyothi:
Will you marry me and eat stinking bread with spoilt dal in my father’s
hut? Without vomiting? Tell me, Jyothi, can you shit everyday in our
slum’s village toilet like my mother? Can you beg, quaking at every door,
for a little grass for our buffaloes? Come on, tell me.(p.17)
These words reveal how inferior he is in his thoughts. It may be because of his
own circumstances.Jyothi begins to weep uncontrollably.LaterArun apologizes for being
rude in his speech.Jyothi accepts and laughs.whenJyothi is speaking that she is not touch
me not girl he holds her arm and twists it violently.Jyothi feels the pain not because her
hand is twisted but the rude behavior ofArun.Seva sees this and does not reveal her
displeasure.She asks about Arun’s education.when she asks for economical stability to be
free from problems, to her astonishment he replies that for troubles illicit liquor is
used.Nath enters and emphasizes the need for breaking the caste system.Arun without
touching the tea brought by Jyothi leaves that house.
Inspite of strange behaviour of Arun,as Jyothi is firm in her decision she gets
married to Arun. The consequence is violence in the form of conflict which is hidden in
him for ages.after marriage Arun comes home every night taking alcohol and beats
Jyothi as illiterates do in the backward society. Unable to bear this torture Jyothi comes
her maternal home from Arun not to return to him. When her father tries to pacify she
replies that she has left Arun and she is not going back to him.Nath wants not to break the
relationship so he asks that both stay in his house but that is rejected by Jyothi saying that
she never bewithArun.Arun comes to say sorry to Jyoti.Seva asks him the reasons for his
beating. He replies that he is the son of a scavenger. He doesn’t know the non-violent
ways of Brahmins. He also says that he loves his wife but drinking wine and beating are
common to them. Watching all this Jyothi leaves the house with Arun to prevent further
embarrassment.We can find wife and husband relationship between Hindu and Dalith
families in afamousedalith critic, KanchaIlaiah’s words,
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Online International Interdisciplinary Research Journal, {Bi-Monthly}, ISSN2249-9598, Vol-III, Nov 2013 Special Issue
man-woman relations among Dalitbahujans do not go beyond natural
relationships. For those who not come in touch with letter, for these whose
spiritual wisdom is primitive but natural because it has not acquired the
character of manipulation and exploitation, the human touch is still retained
in these societies, begernonic relations in the forms that are visible among
the Hindus are absent. Here even sexual intercourse is an organic need of
the body but not a pleasure of the heart. This undefined love retains its
naturalness among the Dalit-bahujans. Among the Hindus the man-woman
relationship is conditioned by manipulation and receptivity. Dalitbahujan
relationships on the other hand are based on openness1.
The principal aim of Tendulkar is to explore man – woman relationship and brining out a
social problem. The play is purely Indian because castebased conflicts are there only in
India. In other countries we can see colour and race conflicts.The play is fruitful and
powerful work that expresses social change and conflict between two different races.
One critic observes that the image of women in contemporary Indian literature has
changed drastically she observes:
No more is women considered or portrayed as a weak person, or falling at the feet
of her husband or trying to pleasure him always... Modern writers have tried to
transform this image of women as seen in the myths by portraying them in a more
realistic manner. One such writer is Vijay Tendulkar.(Veena)
A discussion is arranged on Arun’sautobiography andNath is invited as the
chairperson. Nath denies it first , but Seva informs him that Jyothi is pregnant and
advised rest by the doctor. But she has failed in her attempts at persuading her to come
home.She also explains practical problems if Nath rejects to attend. Damage will happen
to his public imageand their pregnant daughter may be in further misery. He understands
that the invitation is a kind of black mail. He attends and praises the book.
Jyothi comes to hear her father on Arun’s autobiography. She criticizes him for
his hypocritical speech. She questions why he has come. When Nath asks her who will
take care of her during delivery, Jyothi harshly replies that she has her husband. She
emphasizes that she is not a widow. She firmly says that she is JyotiArunAthavale, a
scavenger. She leaves the house saying that she never comes again.Talking about the play
one of the critics says:
Jyoti thus becomes mindless and surrenders to the situation. She like her
father plays the Rescuer while Arun plays the victim. Her rescuing, at
first, makes him behave more helplessly and then triggers his feelings of
inferiority. Consequently, he sifts to the role of persecutor in order to feel
powerful..... Jyoti goes down to the role of victim. Thus the Rescuer-
victim transaction. This Drama Triangle make not only Jyoti but also
Arun mindless to feel powerful. The unreal idealism of Nath and Jyoti
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Online International Interdisciplinary Research Journal, {Bi-Monthly}, ISSN2249-9598, Vol-III, Nov 2013 Special Issue
reflects their favorite role of rescuing which impairs their perception of
the reality.( Sarath 73)
Jyoti, inspite of being educated girl, is forced to accept her fate as Arun’s wife
eventhough she does not like it. She comes to know that it is not possible to change
people.Thus Vijay Tendulkar remarkably explores the conflict between two different
castes in Indian society he also presents violence against a woman in spite of her good
education and high caste.
Works cited
1. Ilaiah, Kancha. Why I am not a Hindu: A Sudra Critique of Hindutva Philosophy,
Culture and Political Economy. Calcutta: Samya,1996. p.33-34. print
2. Noble Dass, Veena, “Women Characters in the plays of Vijay Tendulkar.” New
Directions in Indian Drama. Sudhakar and Freya BaruaPandey (Eds). New Delhi:
Prestige Books, 1994. print
3. SaratBabu, Manchi, Indian Drama Today: A Study in the Theme of Cultural
Deformity. New Delhi: Sangam Books Ltd., 1997. p 73.print
4 Tendulkar, Vijay. Collected Plays in Translation: Kanyadaan, Translated By
Gowri Narayan. Fourth Impression. New Delhi: Oxford University Press, 2007.print
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