The correct option is Mahabharata.
Explanation
Mahashweta Devi was a prominent Bengali writer and activist known for her literary works that focus on the rights and narratives of marginalized communities, particularly tribals (Adivasis). Her short story "Kunti O Nishadi" is a modern literary subversion that re-examines an episode from the ancient Indian epic, the Mahabharata, through a subaltern lens.
Analysis
- Context of the Episode: The story is based on the Jatugriha (House of Lac) episode in the Adi Parva of the Mahabharata. In the original epic, the Pandavas and Kunti escape a burning palace built of lac, which was a trap set by the Kauravas.
- The Subversion: In the original narrative, a Nishada woman and her five sons, who had wandered into the house and become intoxicated, perish in the fire. Their charred bodies mislead the Kauravas into believing that Kunti and the five Pandavas have died.
- Mahashweta Devi's Critique: "Kunti O Nishadi" reconstructs this event to highlight the calculated sacrifice of the innocent Nishada family by Kunti to ensure her own family's safety. The story critiques the social order and caste hierarchy where the lives of the tribals (Nishadas) are treated as dispensable collateral for the survival of the Kshatriya protagonists.
Key Takeaway
The short story "Kunti O Nishadi" by Mahashweta Devi subverts the House of Lac (Jatugriha) episode from the Mahabharata to expose the exploitation of tribals within the epic's social hierarchy.