Body-Mind Relationship in Mahasweta Devi’s Draupadi

Abstract

Politics has always played a major role in the arena of literature. The discussion on the role of the political organization in the life, literature, thought and culture of the people living in a society have become a major trend.  Plethora of writers are writing on such themes. Mahasweta Devi is one of the writers who have represented the role of politics in the life of the subaltern people. The very essence of politics paves the way for her discussion on the condition of the tribals in the society. The political organizational control over the tribals is dominant in all of her works. In her major works, she makes an effort to explore such situations and the difficulties faced by many people especially by the women who were born in the tribal society. These tribal women face the harsh realities of sexual and emotional dynamics, often taking their body, mind and soul on the edge of the survival. Draupadi is one of the major works written by Mahasweta Devi. It explores the theme of the violence of body and mind, oppression and politics faced by an aboriginal woman named Dopdi. The story also unfolds the torture and violence done within all levels of police force. The purpose of the present work is to study and analyze various injustices against women to criticize the national and gender-based politics and its impact on their body and emotions.