Vol. 9, Issue 12, Part B (2023)

Girish Karnad, an outstanding, highly acclaimed and is among one of the notable playwrights of the younger generation, has given the rich and the remarkable contribution in the field of Indian English drama. He is popularly known as the great historical dramatists of contemporary Kannada stage and also actively worked in the world of Indian cinema as an actor, director and screenwriter, in Hindi and Kannada cinema, and has earned numerous awards. The narrative of "Bali: The Sacrifice" draws its inspiration from the myth of Cock of Dough. According to this myth, various Vedic gods exhibit preferences for different types of animal meat. For instance, Agni favors bulls and barren cows, Rudra prefers red cows, Vishnu opts for a dwarf ox, Indra leans towards a bull with droopy horns and a mark on its head, and Pushan favors a black cow. The play's theme is rooted in the thirteenth-century Kannada epic "Yashodhara Charite" by Janna, which, in turn, references an eleventh-century Sanskrit epic by Vadiraja and the ninth-century Sanskrit epic "Yashastilaka" by Somadeva Suri. The narrative delves into the clash between violence and non-violence, as well as Brahminism and Jainism. This exploration not only unravels the tensions within and between Hindu and Jain perspectives on sacrifice but also delves into the intertwined complexities of power, sexuality, and intention. Through the play, Bali: the Sacrifice, the writer tried to portray the issues of contemporary society that are still present in our society in the name of culture, religion and tradition. Multiple themes have been compiled to depict the issues between two different cultures and religions of Hinduism and Jainism.