Summary of the play Hayavadana by Girish Karnad

 

Hayavadana

-          Girish Karnad

Girish Karnad was an Indian playwright, an actor, a film director and a scholar who worked for South Asian Cinema in Bolly wood.  He composed plays in Kannada and translated it into English. His plays revolve around history and mythology. He received MA Sri and Padma Bhushan.

The play Hayavadana commences with a pooja to Lord Ganesha. The protagonist of this play is Devadatta, the son of a Brahman. He is a man of wisdom and knowledge. The second significant character in this play is Kapila, the son of an ironsmith. He is physically strong and has got a wonderful physique.  In this play Devadatta, and Kapila are intimate friends. As the play begins there is an uproar of fear. An actor comes running onstage shrieking at announcing a creature’s entry with a horse's head, man's body and voice of a human.

Bhagavata does not believe the creature and he try to pull off the mask from the head. But soon he realizes the creature to be a real one. They come to no that he is the son of a princess and a celestial being in the shape of a horse. He is very anxious to get transformed into a full man and asks for help. They suggest him to go to the temple of Kali. People believe that Goddess Kali will bless him with human head.  

Bhagwat returns from interruptions. He begins the play introducing the two heroes Devadatta, and Kapila. Both the friends fall in love with a single girl named Padmini. Their love for the girl is too strong that both are ready to make sacrifices. Devadatta is ready to sacrifice his head for love. Kapila realizes that his friend is affected by love and agrees to help his friend to find out the girl’s name and place.

Kapila comes in search of the girl to the street. He reaches the home of Padmini and seeing her he is lovestruck by the beauty of Padmini. Kapila feels that Padmini needs a man of steel who has strong physical power. Kapila speaks to Padmini about Devadatta and his love for her. Devadatta and Padmini gets wedded. The story moves forward six months. Three of them remained friends and they plan to go for a trip. Devadatta expresses a sort of jealousy towards this plan. Initially she rejects to accompany Kapila for the trip to, but seeing Kapila she decides to accompany him. This causes great pain at the interior heart of Devadatta.   

Devadatta, Padmini an Kapila traveled together. In the travel Padmini was attracted by Kapila’s cart drive and his muscular power. Kapila rushes to pluck the Lady’s Fortunate Flower for Padmini. Padmini remarks the muscular beauty of Kapila. When they reach the temple of Goddess Kali Devadatta is reminded of his sacrifice and he cut off his head. Kapila exploring the plight of Devadatta he slices his head as well.  Padmini is startled to see both the heads lying down and she also decides to kill herself. When she is about to kill herself Goddess Kali appears before and stops her. The Goddess tells Padmini to replace the heads on their bodies. Padmini in a state of excitement mislays the heads. She feels shocked to see Devadatta with the head of Kapila and Kapila with the head of Devadatta. The three of them rejoices by seeing the transformation. Later they realize the tragedy hidden behind this transformation. Both Devadatta and Kapila’s head starts to fight for Padmini. Padmini is shocked, but she accepts to reside with the head of Devadatta. Here ends the first act of the play.

In the second act of the play Devadatta and Padmini are living happier. She loves his strength and intelligence. They are eager to have a baby and buy two dolls for their son. The dolls speak to the audience about time. As days passes the strength of Devadatta starts to decline. From the doll we come to know the inner desire of Padmini for Kapila. One day Padmini travels through a forest. In the forest she meets Kapila with his regained strength. Padmini is attracted to his body and stays with Kapila several nights.

Devadatta comes in search of Padmini with the dolls in the forest. He explores the relationship between Kapila and Padmini. Devadatta decides to put an end for this conflict by killing each other. Padmini decides to perform Sati by throwing her in the fire. At the end of the play a horse was walking onstage singing national anthem. A boy is seen with a very serious and calm face. It is revealed that he is the child of Padmini. Now Hayavadana returns to the scene. We come to know that Goddess Kali has changed him to a horse instead of a human. Padmini’s son and Hayavadana laugh for a long time. As Hayavadana laughs he turns a complete horse.

The story concludes and starts the prayer. Devadatta, Kapila and Padmini join in thanking the Lord for the confirming success of the play.