From Silence to Voice: Ahalya’s Reclamation of Consent and Identity in Kavita Kane’s Ahalya’s Awakening

Abstract

Numerous female characters have been silenced throughout Indian mythology’s long history. Ahalya, a notable mythological character among them who is created by Brahma, one of the Hindu mythological trimurtis. Ahalya, daughter of the King Mudgal and Nalayani is depicted in myth as a stone who is cursed to beso by her husband, Rishi Gautam because ofher affair with Indra Sakra. Later she is redeemed by Ayodhya’s prince Ram. This story has contributed to the moral policing of female sexuality over the ages by reinforcing ideas of male authority and female shame. In her novel Ahalya’s Awakening, Kavita Kane reimagines this story by giving Ahalya agency, voice, and autonomy. The paper critically examines Ahalya’s Awakening using a feminist revisionist mythology framework, emphasizing how Kane rewrites the myth using victim-blaming, deceit, and consent. The study illustrates how Kane’s reconfiguration subverts patriarchal norms ingrained in the original story through close textual analysis. The novel reclaims Ahalya from mythic silence and repositions her as a symbol of female empowerment and resistance, set against the backdrop of modern Indian society and social movements such as #MeToo.
The paper concludes that Ahalya’s story is still relevant for readers today because Kane’s reworking not only challenges the gender politics of the original myth but also speaks to current discussions about justice and autonomy. Numerous female characters have been silenced throughout Indian mythology’s long history, and Ahalya stands as a prominent example.