Author(s): Yuvna Tandon

Abstract: Girish Karnad, an Indian Jnanpith awardee playwright, played a pivotal role in the evolution of modern Indian playwriting in Kannada. This paper delves into the intricacies of identity and modernity in Girish Karnad’s Hayavadana while examining it from a postcolonial lens. The purpose of this paper is to discuss the fragmentation of selfhood, challenging traditional notions of identity in the face of modernity. The play subtly uses myths and tradition to highlight the impact of colonialism on identity formation, particularly in postcolonial societies like India. Through a postcolonial framework, the paper examines how Hayavadana reflects the ongoing search for a cohesive identity in a world shaped by both colonial past and modern pressures. This research further looks into the ways through which Karnad ponders over the meaning of existence and identity in his play, while questioning the parameters of modernity.

Keywords: Identity, modernity, Girish Karnad, post-colonialism, myth

Article Info: Received: 03 Jan 2025; Received in revised form: 01 Feb 2026; Accepted: 05 Feb 2026; Available online: 10 Feb 2026

DOI: 10.22161/ijels.111.37