Mythology, popular culture and Social Justice: Women and Caste in the Mahabharata

The Mahabharata is the ultimate example of a story so good it refuses to fade away. Alongside its gripping multi-layered narratives of court intrigues, heroism, family rivalries and filial piety, it conveys much that is considered essential in traditional Indian values of state and family life. It is however, also riddled with scenarios and characters that raise questions about the very hierarchies that are portrayed as inevitable parts of those values. Questions about the ethics of key actions by some of the story’s heroes are commonplace. For this reason, many have argued that the Mahabharata is deeply embedded with feminist critique and challenges to the prevalence of caste as a social system. Intriguingly, right in the middle of the Mahabharata sits book six, The Bhagavad Gita, usually studied on its own for its discussion of non-attached action and self-knowledge.

Speaking from a non-specialist perspective, this talk looks at some of the contradictions within the main Mahabharata story as it is commonly known, and references academic studies as well as current blogs and popular responses that shed light on messages that can be derived from it.

Workshop: Songs of Social Justice

With Kapil Seshasayee

How does a song come out of anger? Protest songs are powerful capsules of current concerns that become reservoirs of history. Often, they keep alive names of protagonists that have slipped or been deliberately erased from mainstream texts. Kapil Seshasayee is known for his searing lyrics about caste discrimination in India and racism within Indian society and the diaspora. He is also known for his unique fusion of south Indian classical Carnatic music with contemporary sound on electric guitar.

We hear from him about how his songs come about, and do some song writing ourselves. The workshop asks us to consider ways in which issues translate into music, what ethics arise and what balance is needed between informative, emotional and lyrical content.

‘Present’-ing the Future / Recognizing the Past

A four-part immersion into historical and cultural themes in Debjani Banerjee’s Jalsaghar by Dr. Ranjana Thapalyal and guests

The references in Jalsaghar are rich and varied, encompassing the classics of ancient Indian literature, their presence in pop culture, and the politics of migration rooted in Britain’s colonial history. Most vividly, Jalsaghar brings before us the vibrant characters of the Mahabharata, India’s c. second-century BCE epic, a complex and intricately woven tale that has been told, retold, and passionately discussed through the ages. Contemporary interpretations and critiques abound, both in everyday conversations and academic studies. Banerjee’s selection of characters from the Mahabharata float alongside snippets of recent British political history, with its long reach back to colonial-era decisions. These characters also resonate with themes of migration and personal diasporic experience, of belonging, and the transgressions required to assert hybrid cultural identities. This series of workshops and talks delves into these subjects with the aim of critically contextualising them, exploring connections to contemporary questions about community, human relations, spirituality, and art’s role in reflecting on all of this.

There will be four sessions of 2 hours, each consisting of a talk and a practical workshop. We suggest you attend all four sessions to get a more in-depth sense of the issues and ideas we will touch on, but if this is not possible, you are welcome to attend a selection.