Portrayal of Religious Disharmony in the selected plays of Mahesh Dattani A Study

Abstract

The present research work is to study and analyze critically the theme of newlinereligious disharmony in the selected plays of Mahesh Dattani. Dattani s plays newlinehave a universal appeal. They can be staged anywhere in the world, they would newlinedraw full attention of the audience. Dattani moulds his subject in such a way newlinethat it is both topical as well as appealing. His plays speak across linguistic and newlinecultural barriers. Dattani makes an abundant use of Indian mythology, rituals newlineand traditions and contemporary problems India is beset with but he elevates newlinethese themes to a higher level, touching the human chords that emanate love, newlinehappiness, sexual fulfillment and problem of identity. Though he lives in newlineKarnataka, he writes about the whole nation of India, about the whole world he newlinelives in. It is in the fitness of things that we must make an attempt at evaluating newlinethe play wrights thematic concerns as well as his exploration of, and newlineexperimentation with stage. newlineIn many of his plays, he deals with various issues like homosexuality, newlinegender discrimination, communalism and child sexual abuse. His plays deal newlinewith religious tension, sexuality and gender issue. Dattani takes issues that newlineafflict societies the world over. He has chronicled the social victim and the newlinefollies, foibles and prejudices of Indian society. Some of Dattani s plays are newlineeloquent defenses of societies out casts and would be rebels. newlineThe selected plays are Final Solution, Clearing the Rubble, Swami and newlineWinston, Tara, Bravely Fought the Queen, Thirty Days in September, A Tale of newlinea Mother Feeding her Child, Do the Needful, On a Muggy Night in Mumbai newlineand Seven Steps around the Fire etc. These plays have given the justification newlineabout social issues such as social and religious disharmony, fundamentalism, newlinegender discrimination, homosexuality, child sexual abuse, problems of newlinehomosexuals and the shamelessness of society in detail. newlinevii newlineThe opening chapter is theoretical analysis of religious fundamentalism, newlineHindu fundamentalism, Muslim fundamentalism, Caste System and newlineDiscrimi