The Failure of Social Idealism and the Quest for Identity in Vijay Tendulkar’s Kanyadaan

Abstract

Vijay Tendulkar’s Kanyadaan is powerful social play that uncovers the clash between idealistic beliefs and harsh social realities. This paper explores the failure of social idealism and the quest for identity as portrayed through the complex relationships among Nath Devalikar, his daughter Jyoti Devalikar, and her Dalit husband Arun Athavale. Tendulkar presents Nath’s liberal humanist ideals as noble yet naive when confronted with the deep-rooted caste and gender a social stratum of Indian society. Jyoti’s struggle to assert her identity between her father’s idealism and her husband’s aggression becomes a symbol of modern India’s moral and social conflict. The study critically examines how Kanyadaan questions the limits of reformist thought and reveals the painful realities behind the façade of progressive ideology. The paper argues that Kanyadaan not only mirrors social realities but also reveals that women whether from higher or lower social classes remain victims of domination and are confined within the boundaries of tradition and gendered norms. Ultimately, the paper studies that Tendulkar dismantles the illusion of idealism by showing how social change remains incomplete without true liberation of women and the recognition of individual identity beyond caste and patriarchy.
Kanyadaan is a Sanskrit term for a Hindu wedding ritual in which the bride’s parents give her away to the groom, symbolizing responsibility and care. Culturally, it is viewed as offering one’s Kanya (daughter or maiden) as a Daan (gift or donation) to the groom.