Re-routing/Re-mapping Identity and Belongingness Through Mythology and Folklore: A Critical Appraisal of Nandini Sahu’s Poetry

Abstract

Literature has time and again upheld the importance of looking back at our past and forging meanings through it. Myths generally offer us an insight into the essence and way of the world, its origins and destinies, the fundamentals of human existence and the philosophical burdens that accompany people, history and civilization. Both poetry and myth are metaphorical in their operation. A poet uses his/her creative impulse to make the intangible sensations of life more conspicuous. Nandini Sahu, a contemporary Indian poet employs various Indian myths and folklore in the pursuit of creating an identity of her own. She takes up the challenge of finding her own place in society by searching for her roots and identifying with the people of her own community. Through her poetry, she also aims to bring the myths and folklore at the periphery to center stage. This paper analyses some of her poems to foreground how she uses myth and folklore in establishing her own identity. It further argues that her notion of identity is varied and multifaceted and appeals for the inclusivity of all.