Article summary
Abstract
This paper examines the representation of Indian women warriors in literature and film, with a focus on medieval and colonial-era figures including Rani Durgavati of Gondwana (c. 1524–1564), Rani Lakshmibai of Jhansi (1828–1858), Onake Obavva of Chitradurga (c. eighteenth century), Abbakka Chowta of Ullal (c. sixteenth century), and the tribal warrior Jhalkari Bai. Drawing on postcolonial feminist theory, literary historiography, and cultural studies, it contends that these women have been acknowledged in folk poetry, bardic traditions, regional literature, and vernacular chronicles, yet marginalized within dominant colonial and nationalist histories. The study investigates how post-Independence literary works, including historical novels in Hindi, Marathi, Kannada, and English, have contributed to recovering these figures from the periphery of official history. It further analyzes the ideological tensions inherent in this recovery, including those between nationalism and feminism, caste erasure and Dalit reclamation, and heroic mythologization and historical complexity. Ultimately, the paper situates this literary revival within the broader context of gender, memory, and national identity in contemporary India.