Hayavadana by Girish Karnad

Introduction:

Hayavadana (1971) is one of the most important plays in modern Indian drama by Girish Karnad, a playwright who reshaped Indian theater by blending myth, folk tradition, and modern existential thought. Far from being a simple retelling of ancient stories, Hayavadana uses myth as a critical lens to examine identity, incompleteness, and human desire in the modern world.

Historical and Cultural Background 

Written in 1971, Hayavadana emerged at a crucial moment in post-Independence Indian theatre. During this period, Indian playwrights were consciously moving away from Western realist drama and searching for forms rooted in indigenous traditions. The postcolonial atmosphere was marked by deep concern with identity, alienation, and cultural self-definition, influenced both by Western existentialism and Indian philosophical thought.

Girish Karnad belonged to this generation of writers who believed that Indian myths and folk forms could speak powerfully to contemporary experiences. Instead of treating mythology as sacred or decorative, Karnad used it as a dramatic and intellectual tool to question modern life. Hayavadana thus reflects India’s cultural struggle to reconcile tradition with modernity.

Literary Speciality of Hayavadana 

The literary strength of Hayavadana lies in its fusion of form and idea. Karnad rejects naturalistic realism and adopts a non-illusory theatrical style, drawing heavily from folk traditions like Yakshagana. The play incorporates:

• Chorus and the Bhagavata (narrator figure)

• Masks, music, stylized movement

• Direct address to the audience

These devices constantly remind viewers that they are watching a performance, compelling them to think rather than emotionally surrender. This distancing technique allows Karnad to explore intellectual issues—such as the nature of identity—without turning the play into abstract philosophy.

Mythic Sources of the Play 

Karnad skillfully weaves together multiple sources:

The central plot of The Transposed Heads comes from the Kathasaritsagara, later adapted by Thomas Mann in The Transposed Heads. While Mann’s version is rooted in Western philosophical discourse, Karnad relocates the story within an Indian cultural and theatrical context.

The subplot of Hayavadana, the man with a horse’s head, emerges from Indian folklore and functions as a powerful symbol of human incompleteness. The figure of Goddess Kali is also drawn from myth, but she is presented ironically—mechanical, indifferent, and uninterested in human anguish.

Plot and the Question of Identity

The play revolves around Devadatta, the man of intellect, Kapila, the man of physical vitality, and Padmini, who is drawn to both. An accidental exchange of heads creates a disturbing problem: Devadatta’s head is placed on Kapila’s body, and Kapila’s head on Devadatta’s body.

This raises the central philosophical question of the play:

Where does identity truly lie—in the body or in the head?

The subplot mirrors this dilemma. Hayavadana seeks to become a complete human being but instead turns into a complete horse, suggesting that human longing for total completeness is inherently tragic and absurd.

Critical Use of Myth

What makes Hayavadana remarkable is how differently Karnad uses myth. He does not glorify it, nor does he treat it as moral instruction. Instead:

• Myth is de-sacralized and subverted

• Gods act mechanically rather than compassionately

• Rituals bring chaos rather than harmony

The myths expose the instability of human identity rather than resolving it. In this sense, myth becomes a tool for questioning, not explaining, reality. The transformation of Hayavadana into a horse underscores the play’s ironic worldview: completeness may exist only outside humanity.

Symbolism and Themes

Karnad uses clear yet profound symbolism:

• Head: intellect, reason, cultural consciousness

• Body: instinct, power, passion

• Hayavadana: existential incompleteness

• Kali: fate and absurd cosmic power

Through these symbols, the play examines themes such as identity crisis, modern alienation, marital dissatisfaction, and the tension between mind and body.

Karnad’s Distinctive Dramatic Vision

Hayavadana reveals Girish Karnad’s unique contribution to Indian drama. He rejects Western realism, embraces folk theatricality, and balances philosophy with dramatic simplicity. The structural duality of the main plot and subplot shows his tight artistic control, while his use of myth demonstrates that traditional stories can express modern psychological conflicts.

Karnad proves that Indian theater can be intellectually rigorous without losing its cultural roots.

Conclusion

In essence, Hayavadana is not a mythological fantasy but a philosophical exploration of what it means to be human. By transforming myth into a living dramatic medium, Girish Karnad creates a play that is at once Indian in form and universal in concern. It remains a landmark text in postcolonial Indian drama, widely studied at UG and PG levels, and continues to challenge audiences with its unsettling questions about identity and completeness.