Author(s): Immanuvel Premkumar P., Jyotshna Tiwari

Abstract: Playwright Girish Karnad is highly respected in India for his depictions of characters navigating the complexities of Indian society. Even though Karnad's writings have received a lot of scholarly attention, the complex way in which he portrays female characters in his works is still a fascinating but little-studied subject. This study examines the various ways in which women are portrayed in Karnad's selected plays. The article identifies reoccurring patterns, and representations of characters that define Karnad's depiction of female figures through close textual analysis of The Fire and the Rain and Naga-Mandala.

Keywords: Girish Karnad, The Fire and the Rain, Naga-Mandala, Representation of Women, Gender and Indian Society.

Article Info: Received: 10 Jan 2026; Received in revised form: 08 Feb 2026; Accepted: 13 Feb 2026; Available online: 18 Feb 2026

DOI: 10.22161/ijels.111.54