ABSTRACT

Indira Goswami (1942-2011) is one of the most celebrated literary gems from North-East India whose versatility is vividly expressed in her novels. Her novels primarily deal with the socio-political issues of Indian societies. Her literary works reflect the nuances of human existence. They revolve around diverse impressions gathered from reality and are the best embodiment of suffering and exploitation faced by the female individuals. The patriarchal society treats women as mere objects of desire and considers them inferior to men. In the novels dealing with gynocentric issues like Ahiron, The Moth-Eaten Howdah of the Tusker, The Man from Chinnamasta and Neelkanthi Braja her persistent endeavors in providing particular spaces for the oppressed women in Indian society by assigning suitable voices to them is commendable. In this article, with the help of the methodology of close reading, an attempt has been made to explore the predicament of woman protagonist Nirmala in the novel Ahiron and her constant revolt against the oppressive patriarchal set up of the Indian society.

Key words: Patriarchy, Culture, Society, Oppression and New Woman.