Revisiting the Mahabharata through an Ecofeminist Lens

A Study of Selected Retellings

Abstract

The natural world, animals, and warfare are frequently depicted in female novelists' retellings of the Mahabharata in complex and varied ways. Female authors frequently delve into the effects of war on people, families, and communities, as it is a prominent motif in the Mahabharata. Ecological and environmental concerns are also prominent in modern retellings. By comparing the themes of avarice, dominance, and devastation in the Mahabharata to modern-day environmental crises like deforestation, climate change, and resource exploitation, female authors investigate women’s place in the natural world. By fusing legendary motifs with modern ideas and varying viewpoints on gender, identity, and society, female novelists' retellings of the Mahabharata present complex and varied examinations of the natural world, animals, and warfare. This article examines how female novelists rework female characters such as Drupadi, Kunti, Gandhari, Satyawati, and Amba (Shikhandini) and events, to emphasise the elements of nature, animals, and battle within the epic retellings. This article seeks to explain the Ecofeminism in Mahabharata by systematically reviewing 05 novels and 03 articles published from 2016 to 2024.