A Journey From Silence to Speech: Women’s Quest for Identity in Chitra B. Divakaruni’s The Palace of Illusions and The Forest of Enchantments

The modern, contemporary feminist rewritings of myth allow a much-needed reconstruction of the ancient mythical women and also challenge traditional narratives that have historically silenced these women's voices. Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni in The Palace of Illusions and The Forest of Enchantments re-imagines Indian epics through the perspectives of female protagonists marginalized in canonical texts and hence, becomes able to re-tell the saga afresh in the voice of these mythical heroines. This paper attempts to explore how Divakaruni has managed to reconstruct figures like Draupadi and Sita. Through her retelling she has attempted to transform these women figures from passive receivers of destiny into strong, self- aware narrators of their own experiences. This gradual but powerful movement from silence to speech represents a profound quest for identity, agency, autonomy and self- recognition. By granting these women narrative authority Divakaruni, not only reconstructs the myth, but also tackles contemporary questions and challenges revolving around gender power and personal agency. This paper argues that such retellings serve as a potent medium to create literary spaces where suppressed voices regain dignity. These retold sagas, also, redefine womanhood in both mythic and modern contexts. Moreover, these narratives encourage the modern readers to reassess their inherited traditions, question patriarchal structures, and acknowledge the transformative potential of women's storytelling in reforming cultural memory as well as historical consciousness.