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Nature and Womanhood: An Ecofeminist Exploration in Anuradha Roy’s The Folded Earth - C. Swathi Rekha & Dr. K. Thiyagarajan

 


NATURE AND WOMANHOOD: AN ECOFEMINIST EXPLORATION IN ANURADHA ROY’S THE FOLDED EARTH

 

C. Swathi Rekha

Assistant Professor of English,

PSVAS College, Gowrivakkam, India

Ph.D. Research Scholar (Part-Time),

Sir Theagaraya College, Chennai, India

&

Dr. K. Thiyagarajan

Associate Professor and Head

Research Supervisor,

Department of English,

Sir Theagaraya College, Chennai, India

 

 

Abstract:

 

This paper examines the intersection of ecology and feminism in Anuradha Roy’s novel, The Folded Earth, through an ecofeminist lens. Both women and nature play crucial roles on Earth, a planet often affectionately called “Mother Earth” due to the nurturing and life-giving qualities they share. People are drawn to nature not merely for the resources it provides, but also for the peace and solace it brings to human life. Similarly, women contribute a profound sense of peace and balance to the lives they touch. However, both nature and women react powerfully when subjected to relentless exploitation and oppression. Through her five novels, Anuradha Roy, an acclaimed Indian novelist, has recurrently explored these themes. This paper focuses specifically on The Folded Earth, finding to highlight how Roy interweaves ecology and feminism to portray resilience, resistance, and empowerment.

 

Keywords: Intersection, Ecofeminist, Resilience, Resistance, Empowerment

 

                  The supposed relationship between women and ecology is being subjected to in- depth analysis in various disciplines of academic knowledge, such as literature, gender studies, sociology, philosophy, anthropology, legal studies, economics and management and the findings are being presented in national and international conferences and seminars. One of the main reasons that has generated so much attention in eco-feminism is the assumption that   women have not been treated equally like men, and both women and nature have been subjected to a great deal of exploitation and suffering since time immemorial. Therefore, the injustice met out to both entities is similar in some fundamental ways. It is in this context that the term ‘ecofeminism’ assumes relevance. It is worthwhile examining the opinions expressed by some ecofeminists in this regard.

               The term ‘ecofeminism’ came into use in the 1970s and 1980s to refer to a myriad of feminist and environmental activists cutting across each other (Ortner, 2002). Bianchi (2012) states that the term ‘ecofeminism’ was   first used in 1974 by Francoise d’ Eaubonne, a French feminist, in her article titled Le fe’minismeou la mort meaning ‘Feminism or death’. The author opines that Eaubonne, after examining the effects of development on the environment, recognized women as the ‘subjects of change’ (Bianchi 2012). It is a common knowledge that a great deal of time and energy has been spent on studies related to women and their role in society. Abundant research has been undertaken to understand the supposed connection between women and nature in opposition to men and their association with culture.

                  To understand the social relevance of ecofeminism becomes quite important in today’s world of environmental catastrophe. To begin with, the environmental problems in the present millennium penetrate many sectors of the world society in many different patterns of production and consumption. The drastic and inclement environmental change reveals mercilessly the unsustainable injustice of the present world economic order. And how the field of ecofeminism makes even more evident how important the interconnectedness of gender, nature and religion will be in the understanding and solution of increasing problems. The world in which we live in is repleted with hierarchical dualisms. These dualisms are used to reinforce social and psychological structures which perpetuate the dominion of men over women and of mankind over nature. Ecofeminism is one such discourse which seeks to dismantle the dualisms altogether, replacing them with new metaphors of relationship, connectedness, interdependence, mutuality and wholeness. And also, with, one which values radical diversity, modeled on both the biodiversity of the environment and the feminist value of the strength of difference.

          Vandana Shiva, in her book Staying Alive: Women, Ecology and Survival in India, portrays both nature and women as producers of life:

With the violation of nature is linked the violation and marginalization of women, especially in the Third World. Women produce and reproduce life not merely biologically, but also through their social role in providing sustenance. All ecological societies of forest-dwellers and peasants, whose life is organized the principle of sustainability and the reproduction of life in all its richness, also embody the feminine principle. Historically, however, when such societies have been colonized and broken up the men have usually started to participate in life-destroying activities or have had to migrate; the women meanwhile, usually continue to be linked to life and nature through their role as providers of sustenance, food and water. The privileged access of women to the sustaining principle thus has a historical and cultural, and not merely biological, basis. (Shiva 42)

            Shiva argues that women are considered just for reproduction. After colonization, Men is often compelled to participate in industrial or life-destroying activities or forced to migrate in search of economic opportunities. Whereas, women have to do traditional works such as nurturing, caregiving, and maintaining balance in ecosystems and human communities.

      Anuradha Roy is an Indian novelist, journalist and editor. Her debut novel is An Atlas of Impossible Longing, a profoundly touching story of three generations of an Indian family set during the 20th century. It has been translated into eighteen languages and was recognized by World Literature Today as one of the ‘60 Essential English Language Works of Modern Indian Literature’. Her second novel is The Folded Earth, depicts hill communities in India by offering an in-depth exploration of the town of Ranikhet in the foothills of the Himalayas. Her other works are Sleeping on Jupiter, All the Lives We Never Lived, and her most recent novel The Earth Spinner, published in September 2021. Roy, along with her husband Rukun Advani, founded Permanent Black, a publishing company focusing on academic literature in 2000.

In Anuradha Roy’s novel The Folded Earth, the protagonist Maya faces numerous struggles, showing how women and nature are often oppressed and exploited. Maya, a young widow, marries Michael, a Christian man, without her parents’ permission. Her father, angered by her decision, controls her life and eventually exiles her when he learns about the marriage. Reflecting on this, Maya says, “From the day my father had found out about Michael, he had become as watchful as an animal waiting to pounce…He no longer allowed me to leave the house, not even to go to college” (13).

            Her marriage to Michael is also unhappy. Michael, Maya’s husband, was a passionate trekker with an unbreakable bond to the mountains. His deep yearning for the peaks led him to embark on a trek to Roopkund, where he tragically lost his life after being caught in a snowstorm with a broken ankle. Mya, who had left her family and everything familiar to build a life wth him, found it unbearable to stay in Hyderabad, where every small detail reminded her for him. Seeking solace, she chose to start a fresh in Ranikhet, a secluded village nestled in the Himalayas, where life flows in harmony with nature, far from the chaos of the world. In Ranikhet, Maya reconnects with nature and begins to heal. She describes her garden as “An unkempt patch of hillside, but it rippled with wildflowers on this blue and gold morning. Everything smelled damp, cool, and fresh from the light rain that had fallen at dawn” (4).

She becomes the anchor around which the lives of others revolve, with their stories unfolding through her perspective. She finds work at St. Hilda’s , a school run by the church, and rents a cottage on an estate. Over time, the estate landlord, Diwan Sahib, and her neighbors, charu and Amma, who live in the nearest cottage, become her new family, offering her companionship and a sense of belonging in this tranquil mountain..However, her peace is disturbed when Mr. Chauhan, politician plans to destroy Ranikhet’s natural beauty by turning it into a tourist spot. Maya also faces betrayal in her personal life when Veer, whom she initially loves, deceives her and disappears. Despite these challenges, Maya finds strength and runs a successful pickle factory, creating a life for herself.

Ecofeminism is a movement that highlights the interconnected relationship between women and nature. In the context of the environmental crisis and subjugation of women, ecofeminist spirituality is a powerful transforming force to bring an end to the exploitation of nature as well as of women. It challenges women to recognize their strength and work together with all people of goodwill towards a new community promoting harmony between human and nature and among human themselves. The novel, The Folded Earth provides a compelling exploration of ecofeminist themes and explains this connection in a profound and meaningful manner. Both women and nature are shown as nurturing forces, but they are often exploited by society. Maya’s journey reflects her resilience and the enduring strength of both women and the environment. Maya’s life shows as a proof to the enduring strength of women and their ability to find peace and purpose despite difficulty.

 

Works Cited

 

Roy, Anuradha. The Folded Earth. Hachette India, 2011.

Shiva, Vandana. Staying Alive. Women Unlimited, 2009.

Ortner, Sherry B. Women, Culture and Society. Stanford UP, 2002.

Bianchi, Bruna. Ecofeminist Thought and Practice. Degrowth, 2012.