From Impairment To Endowment: An Analysis On Jaishree Misra's Ancient Promises
Besta B. K
Disability literature focuses on the life of disabled individuals who dwells with their physical or psychological disability as well as the society which considers their inability as a cause of evil or karma. Representation of disabled characters along with normal characters was there in literature from ancient literature itself. But disability studies marked its space during the later half of the twentieth century. Now disability literature extends its studies to physical, emotional, social and mental inabilities. Jaishree Misra, one of the famous Indian English Writer known for her feministic themes has also dealt with the theme of disability. Misra in her debut novel Ancient Promises, throws light on the difficulties and struggles faced by a young mother with a disabled girl child in a society in which womanhood itself is being considered as a disability. She tries to juxtapose various prejudices and stereotypes which arise in front of disabled people, especially in front of disabled children and their lovable parents through the life of Janaki and her mentally handicapped daughter Riya. The gendered disability of her daughter, and the prejudices and stereotypes she faces disturbs the heroine Janaki's mind like a typical Indian mother with disabled child. But because of her motherly affection and the strong bond with her child, she overcomes all these problems and tries to provide a new acceptable life to Riya.