Nalayani, An Immortal Saga of Femininity and Feminism

Certain women in literature have never failed to intrigue us.The nuances of their personality, the myriad shades of their characters, the things they say and they do, everything about them paves the wave for their glory, and for the kind of fame which lasts not only for one lifetime but goes on to inspire generations and generations of women after them.What they leave behind is a legacy, a legacy of good deeds, good thoughts, brave acts.One such character -maybe not so well known, maybe not so extensively written about -is Nalayani from the Mahabharata, who is known to be the quintessential 'pativrata' woman of the Indian society.Nalayani is the ideal doting wife to a husband, who is handicapped and depends on her for all his needs, yet treats her harshly.And yet, she serves him with all her mind, heart, body and soul, going to the extent of carrying his broken week feeble form to the brothel for the fulfilment of his physical pleasures.This paper highlights why this woman is not only a doting quintessential wife, 'pativrata', but is also an epitome of feminism.This paper highlights both, femininity and feminism, in the character of Nalayani.