International Research Journal of Education and Technology

Kanyadaan, the most controversial play of Vijay Tendulkar, deals with psychological study of social tensions caused by casteism in India. Kanyadaan not only deals with the problem of marital relation in patriarchal society through Jyoti and Arun but also throws light on class differences and caste conflict in modern Indian society. It may be seen as indirect comment on the evil consequences of father’s obsession with idealism and husband’s obsession with caste consciousness. The playwright has focused on the problem that it is difficult to bridge a gap between two different sections and castes of the society. The play Kanyadaan has the background of the twentieth century history of the struggle over the practice of untouchability and the immediate phase of the Dalit movement in Maharashtra and in the nation as a whole. Inside the play, Tendulkar presents snapshots of opposition and social change. The characters’ activities and decisions embody the potential for extraordinary change, accentuating the meaning of individual organization and aggregate endeavours in testing abusive cultural standards. Through Kanyadaan, Tendulkar plans to rouse reflection and support a reconsideration of existing power structures and cultural assumptions.

Keywords:  Conflict, Casteism, Culture, Suffering, Trauma