Raja Nal and the Goddess: The North Indian Epic Dhola in Performance

ISBN: 0253217245

Author: Wadley, Susan Snow

Condition: New

Product Description"... [T]ells a wonderful story, one much loved in northern India.... fills an important lacuna in the work on oral epic." -Lindsey HarlanDhola is an oral epic performed primarily by lower-caste, usually illiterate, men in the Braj region of northern India. The story of Raja Nal, "a king who does not know he is a king," this vast epic portrays a world of complex social relationships involving changing and mistaken identities, goddesses, powerful women, magicians, and humans of many different castes. In this comprehensive study and first extended English translation based on multiple oral versions, Susan Snow Wadley argues that the story explores the nature of humanity while also challenging commonplace assumptions about Hinduism, gender, and caste. She examines the relationship between oral and written texts and the influence of individual performance styles alongside a lyrical translation of the work.Review"This book represents the culmination of many years of research. Wadley demonstrates her deep knowledge of the topic and portrays Dhola in an approachable and enthralling way." -South AsiaAbout the AuthorSusan Snow Wadley is Ford Maxwell Professor of South Asian Studies and Anthropology at Syracuse University. She is author of Struggling with Destiny in Karimpur, 1925-1984 and co-author of a revised edition of William and Charlotte Wisers classic Behind Mud Walls.