Menaka's Choice As a Feminist Revisionist Mythological

Home , Menaka, Rambha (apsara), Rambha (asura), Rishi, Urvashi, Vasu

Journal of Critical Reviews

ISSN- 2394-5125 Vol 7, Issue 9, 2020 MENAKA’S CHOICE AS A FEMINIST REVISIONIST MYTHOLOGICAL LITERATURE

Ayuta Mohanty1, Dr. S. D. Chaudhuri2

1PhD Scholar, School of Humanities & Social Sciences, KIIT UNIVERSITY 2Assistant Professor, School of Humanities & Social Sciences, KIIT UNIVERSITY

Received: 24.03.2020 Revised: 22.04.2020 Accepted: 25.05.2020

Abstract In patriarchal societies, mythological literature are generally composed by male authors. As a result, it almost always concentrates on the male protagonist and his adventures. The role that women play in these epics can be grouped into the following three categories: a) passive onlookers, b) receivers of the male action, and c) causes of the troubles faced by the male protagonists/ characters. Such biased depiction affects the mentality of our society as these values get embedded within our psyche and shapes our thoughts and perspectives and ultimately becomes a social tradition. Partially in an attempt to change this outlook, some Indian women writers have started a fresh and subversive trend by recreating mythological texts from the point of view of the female characters. These recreations or retellings help us to understand these epics from quite a dissimilar perspective, because when the perception of the narrator changes, the way a reader perceives a narrative is bound to change as well. This paper focuses on one such novel, Menaka’s Choice by Kavita Kane, that focuses on the perspective of Menaka and highlights her strengths and weakness that led her to make certain decisions that changed her course of life as well as that of others related to her.

Keywords: Feminist, Re-vision, Myth, Menaka, Strength, Individuality

INTRODUCTION Uranyu still gets affected by Menaka and he hasn't forgot her. Feminist revisionist mythology is a sub-category of feminist Menaka admits that they were once together but when she literature that deals with folk-tales, mythology, fairytales and made a choice and she parted her ways from him. She says “we other areas related to these. (Feminist Revisionist Mythology, always have choices- how we select them, make us” (Kane, n.d.). Essentially, it is a way of recreating new texts from the 2016, p. 19). After sometime Menaka got to know that she is old ones by retelling them entirely from the point of view of pregnant with Vasu's child and when she told Vasu, he was the female characters or recreating the story in a way that very happy. But Menaka feared that Indra won't let the child attempts to change the image of the female characters from a stay with them in the heaven as apsaras were not allowed to passive object to an active participant in all the events. Kavita keep their children with them. The children were given to Kane re-creates independent and strong women characters childless kings or rishis. When Indra said that being an apsara from mythology in her novels. She presents the mythology she is not allowed to foster a child, she called herself a from such a perspective that we get to see the strong women “heavenly harlot” which made Indra more furious (Kane, 2016, who have remained neglected or have been presented in a p. 46). He asked her not to use that word again as it was a wrong light. One such novel is Menaka's Choice by Kavita Kane cheap word used in earth and none of the apsaras were called where the story of the beautiful apsara Menaka unfolds and so and each one in heaven had some role to comply to and for shows how she emerges as a strong and independent apsaras, it was to entertain and please. To which Menaka individual who made a lot of sacrifices and took bold decisions replied that “And flirt and woo, and seduce! To allure and that changed her life and of others who were connected with exploit men, that's it! You made me a woman that glorify her. beauteous creation, yet so rudimentary. I am that beautiful, eternally young woman who believes she lives with the DISCUSSION blessed in Heaven. You gave me all the weapons of love, sex Menaka was created from Brahma's mind and arose from the and desire but disarmed me of my capability of conscious Ocean of Milk during the samudra manthan. Indra, the king of choice and decision. Why? I can be a woman, but never a wife Gods felt a great attraction towards her. She was or a mother. Just a sexual slave. A whore” (Kane, 2016, pp. 46- breathtakingly beautiful with a generous amount of wit and 47). But he was in not interested to listen to any of her intelligence. She fell in love with Vishwavasu, the king of arguments. She fell on his feet to request him. Indra felt happy gandharvas and married him secretly. This secret was as he had broken her finally. After a long argument, Indra gave discovered by Rambha, the queen of apsaras, the previous her two choices to choose from- either she can choose to lover of Vishwavasu. Rambha despised Menaka as she felt that abandon her child and live with Vasu in heaven or she can she snatched Vishwavasu from her. She presented the matter choose the child and leave the heaven and Vasu. Menaka was before Indra in such a way that Indra became furious. He felt stuck in such a situation that whatever she chooses she will jealous when he came to know about Vishwavasu and lose a part of herself. Finally she decided to abandon her child Menaka's marriage. Vishwavasu was his closest friend and with a broken heart. Indra felt victorious thinking that he had Indra felt that he marrying Menaka was an act of betrayal. He finally taught her a lesson but deep in heart he knew that she decided to punish Vishwavasu but Menaka came to his rescue will never forgive him for this. When her child was born, Vasu and took the blame of seducing him and forcing him for gave up her even before Menaka could catch a glimpse of her. marriage on her. She knew very well that Indra would never On learning this, Menaka was furious on him. She accused him punish her or exile her. “Her lethal charm was her defence and that he did all this following Indra's order and snatched away her weapon” (Kane, 2016, p. 15). Indra had to forgive them the opportunity to see or meet her new born baby even once. and he smiled at them. Menaka knew she was victorious and Vasu tried to explain her that whatever he did was for her her charm and wit made her the winner of the argument. It betterment to which she replied that she was capable of was impossible for anyone, especially Indra to defeat Menaka making her own decisions and he should never decide on her in a battle of words. She used them effectively with her charm behalf. to disarm and enchant her opponent. When they were alone, Indra took his final revenge when he made a ploy with Vasu asked Menaka to beware of Rambha and he also Rambha and Rambha accused Vasu of being a drunkard and mentions Uranyu, Menaka's previous lover, and says that trying to force himself on other apsaras. All this was planned

Journal of critical reviews 991

MENAKA’S CHOICE AS A FEMINIST REVISIONIST MYTHOLOGICAL LITERATURE to happen when Menaka was not present in the court as if she false that would make him suspicious. She asked Indra to send would be present she would defend Vasu. Vasu tried to argue Kama with her so that if needed Kama would use the love pleading for his innocence but Indra turned him into a arrow on Vishwamitra to make him fall in love with her. Indra “headless torso monster Kambandh” and banished him to agreed. Menaka complied with Indra’s wish as she had her earth (Kane, 2016, p. 72). Menaka was unable to control the own motive. She wanted to go away from this heaven and this storm that raged inside her. She was broken but she was not task would provide a good opportunity for her to stay away some helpless maiden to sit and cry. She decided to take from the Indralok and Indra. She went to the waterfall where revenge for her Vasu. After some weeks Menaka went to Vishwamitra had his daily swim and Vishwamitra saw her fully Indra's court and questioned him and accused both of them of drenched in water but she looked so beautiful and exquisite doing injustice to Vasu. Then she asked them why Vasu was that he felt as if he was engulfed in her beauty. He approached accused when she was not present in the court. Her argument her and she narrated her tragic tale which Vishwamitra angered Sachi, Indra's wife. She said that: “Because you would believed after verifying the facts and just then as per they had have argued for him like a faithful wife without seeing the fault planned Vayu robbed Menaka of her clothes. Looking at the lay in your husband. Wives are often blind to their husband's beautiful maiden standing naked in front of him Vishwamitra fault” (Kane, 2016, p. 76). Menaka smiled at her answer and couldn’t control himself and pulled her towards him and made her realise that she herself accepted her folly of being kissed her and later they mated. Vayu, Kama and Indra were blind to her own husband's mistakes and supporting her. She watching them from a distance and suddenly Indra asked further accused Tumburu, Rambha's lover, that he has also Kama to use a love arrow on Menaka which left Kama and tried to harass her many times but as he was her teacher she Vayu speechless. Indra ordered him to follow his command was never able to gather courage to expose him and now after and unwillingly Kama had to comply. Indra had a motive seeing Rambha's courage, she wants to expose him and is behind this. He wanted Menaka to fall in love with asking for justice. Tillotama, her friend, also supported her and Vishwamitra so that she will forget Vasu. Menaka started living said that he also misbehaved with her. It made Tumburu and with Vishwamitra and with time she realised that he loved her Rambha furious. Tumburu accused them that they are falsely to an extent to which he had never loved any other woman and framing him. She agreed to it and asked forgiveness from her she had such a control over him that he won’t be able to live teacher and said just as she is lying similarly Rambha and the without her. Once when she told him that she never wants to other apsaras lied and framed Vasu maligning his honour by go back to Indralok, he said that he will protect her from Indra their false accusations. Rambha was not the victim; Vasu was and proposed her marriage. But she was not ready for that as the victim and Rambha was the culprit and so was Indra who she felt her sensuousness is now interesting and exciting. But did injustice with Vasu. She then question him that how can he “marriage might kill it, replaced with bored familiarity. Or it give justice to her now and will he be able to return her Vasu could strengthen their relation. Either way she could to her and she announced that till the time Vasu won't return manipulate her sexuality, using the passion she incited as a to her she would not dance or entertain in his court. This made weapon to wield over him, to assault and weaken him. It was Sachi more furious and she asked her husband to throw her expression, her emancipation; but his imprisonment from Menaka out of heaven. Menaka agreed to it and asked Indra to which he would not be freed” (Kane, 2016, p. 124). She comply with his wife's wish. But Indra didn't want to lose thought that with great difficulty she got away from Indralok Menaka. He allowed her to stay in heaven on her own terms and Indra and she can’t let another relationship to incarcerate and assured her that when Lord Vishnu will take Rama's her. Rather she would capture him and not let marriage and avatar he will free Vasu of his curse and Vasu will return back love snare her. She promised him that she will always remain to heaven. She warned Indra that one day he will lose his but she can’t agree to his proposal. But she thought at everything he takes pride in. times how she can destroy such a fine person. She realized that Menaka was worried when she came to know that her she has never loved anyone as she loved him and she wanted daughter Pramadvara was bit by a snake and was dying. She him to remain happy always. After a lot of persuasion, she felt helpless as she was not able to do anything for her finally agreed to marry him. Vishwamitra’s friend Rishi Kanva daughter. Rishi Sthulkesh, who was Pramadvara’s foster performed the wedding. When Indra learnt that Vishwamitra father, told her that her marriage was fixed with Ruru, Rishi and Indra got married, he sent Kama to inform Menaka to Pramati's son and seeing her in dying state Ruru has lost his return back to Indralok. When Kama informed her she said mental balance and has gone in search of Yamaraj to save her. that she needs more time to destroy Vishwamitra but Kama Menaka went to search for Ruru and found him asking realized that she had no intention of doing that. She is not Yamaraj to take his life and spare Pramadvara’s life. Yamaraj following Indra’s plan rather she is trying to escape from said Ruru that he can’t exchange lives of mortals. Listening to Indralok and build a happy family with Vishwamitra. He this, Menaka came forward and offered that she being an warned Menaka that it’s just an illusion which can never turn apsara is immortal and can offer some of her life to save her into a reality as the day Vishwamitra will come to know that daughter and she using her reason made Yamaraj agree to it Menaka was a part of Indra’s plan everything will be over. She and saved Pramadvara’s life. When King Kaushik renounced replied confidently that who will inform Vishwamitra about it his luxurious life to take revenge on sage Vasishth and became because he is not going to believe Indra or Kama over her. the revered Rishi Vishwamitra (the name conferred upon him During this conversation, Kama realised that it was all pre- by Lord Brahma after he created a man-made heaven by the planned by Menaka to escape from Indralok and he could not power of his tapasya for his friend whom Indra had driven stop himself from admiring her plan. He said, “That’s why you from heaven) and continued on his journey of tapasya to agreed to “help” out Indra. The conceited fool that he is, Indra become a brahmarishi, Indra felt a fear that he might prove to did not realize you were using him to get away from him. You be dangerous for him. So he asked Menaka to help him to employed his plan as a weapon against him. You made him a seduce Vishwamitra and have a baby with him so that she can victim of his own design. Like Vishwamitra, you made a fool leave the baby with him and return to heaven and this will out of Indra too.” (Kane, 2016, p. 146) Even Indra tried to create obstacles in Vishwamitra’s penance and he won’t be convince Menaka to return back to Indralok but Menaka very able to achieve his goal. Indra knew that only Menaka would tactfully made him believe that she is following his two choices be able to handle Vishwamitra and not any other apsara as to choose from- either she can return with him and he will Menaka had a deadly combination of sensuous beauty and have to face Vishwamitra’s rage or she can stay on earth with intelligence. But Indra had expected that Menaka would not Vishwamitra and keep him under her control and stop him agree to help him after all he had done to Vasu but to his utter from becoming a brahmarishi. Indra had no other option and surprise Menaka accepted the work. But Menaka didn’t agree he allowed Menaka to stay with Vishwamitra to save his skin. to the plan that Indra had devised for her to attract When Menaka was pregnant with Vishwamitra’s child, he told Vishwamitra. She explained her own plan that she will go to her that he is so happy with her that he doesn’t wishes to Vishwamitra as a banished apsara and tell her tragic story of become a Brahmarishi anymore. Menaka trembled with fear. It what happened to her and Vasu because of Indra and it would was happening as Indra had planned and he goaded him not to help her create sympathy in his heart for her. And even if he leave his ambition for her. But he was determined to become a would use his power to cross check the story there is nothing family man and he did not want his ambition to destroy his

Journal of critical reviews 992

MENAKA’S CHOICE AS A FEMINIST REVISIONIST MYTHOLOGICAL LITERATURE happiness. He loved Menaka and she had started to realize that had enough courage to lose the people she loved the most for she was becoming an obstacle in his journey of becoming a their well-being. She was able to demonstrate that sometimes great Brahmarishi. After the birth of their daughter it becomes really important for women to take decisions of Shakuntala, Menaka found that Vishwamitra is not ready to their life as well as of the others related to them without leave them to perform any yajnas or rituals. She decided its depending on anyone else. Self-dependence and individuality high time and she have to take a decision for their betterment. are the two traits that are indispensable for women in their She decided to tell him the truth. “She had to leave him to set journey to achieve something in life. They should be the him free. She was the shackle fettering him from his path of independent individuals, capable of taking decisions and high honour, but no longer.” (Kane, 2016, p. 190) When tackling obstacles that the society creates for them. Menaka Vishwamitra came that day she confessed to him that she was can surely be seen as a role model to demonstrate importance not banished from Indralok rather she was a part of Indra’s of individuality for the women in a patriarchal setup. plant to bring his downfall. Vishwamitra was shocked after listening to her confession and stood there as if he had no REFERENCES motion or life in him. He said her, “Do you know you have 1. Kane, K. (2016). Menaka's Choice. New Delhi: Rupa destroyed me? Destroyed us? Destroyed whatever we had, Publications. whatever we did, whatever we felt, whatever we made- this 2. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Feminist_revisionist_myt child? Easy for you to confess and walk away, is it not, my hology beautiful Menaka? You are that beautiful tempest that shows no mercy!” (Kane, 2016, p. 193) Menaka could see that he had started loathing her and this hate would force him to take shelter in his ambition and he would return back to his journey of achieving his goal to soothe his broken heart and injured soul. He was about to curse Indra but Menaka stopped him and requested him not to waste his power in cursing him. It will only harm his goal and that is what Indra wants. She thought he might curse her and destroy her. He did curse her. He cursed her that she would never be able to see him again. He said Menaka that he will give Shakuntala to his friend Rishi Kanva as he is the only person who can give her a better and a brighter future. While she was leaving, he said her that her first husband Vishwavasu would return back to heaven very soon; so she should wait for him. She returned back to Indralok where Urvashi told her that Rambha has been punished for the injustice she had done to Vishwavasu. Tumburu her lover faced the same fate as that of Vishwavasu and Ravan raped her. When Menaka came to know of the incident she was furious that how is it possible that someone did such a heinous incident with the queen of apsaras and Indra and other devas are sitting silently without doing anything to punish him. All that happened to him was that his nephew and Rambha’s fiancé Nalakuber cursed him that whenever he will force himself on any woman against her wishes, he would die. Menaka was furious thinking that why Indra did not support Rambha when she needed them the most and was the honour of the apsaras so cheap that anyone can harm her. When she heard that Indra was sending Rambha to Vishwamitra again to distract him, she understood it was his ploy- either he will be distracted and lose his penance or he will be angry and curse Rambha and would lose the remaining power he had accumulated through tapasya. She tried to stop Rambha but Rambha had to do this as she did not want to risk the life of any other apsara. As Indra had planned Vishwamitra cursed Rumba into a lifeless rock and lost his powers. With passing of time he realised that what Menaka did was a sacrifice for his better future and he did a lot of penance to achieve complete control over his mind and anger and he succeeded in doing that as he didn’t let Indra succeed in his last attempt to fool him and destroy his penance. He finally became the Brahmarishi that he had aspired for. Shakuntala got married to the King Dushyant of Hastinapur and their son Bharata became an emperor and his dynasty was later called Bharata. Indra killed a seer and was banished from heaven as was warned by Menaka and lost everything he had prided upon. Vishwavasu returned back to Menaka after he was released from the curse by Lord Rama. But Menaka never got to meet Vishwamitra again but she was happy that he was able to achieve his goal of becoming a brahmarishi which was not possible without the bold and strong decision that Menaka made for the both of them sacrificing her love and happiness for a greater goal.

CONCLUSION Throughout this novel Menaka has been portrayed as someone who has an independent existence. She was not only beautiful like other apsaras but it was her intelligence and presence of mind that always gave her an upper hand as compared to the other apsaras. She had a heart which was true and pure and

Journal of critical reviews 993