REIMAGINING EVIL: HISTORICAL CONSCIOUSNESS AND CULTURAL RECOGNITION IN ASHOK BANKER'S DEMONS OF CHITRAKUT

Abstract

This paper examines Ashok Banker's "Demons of Chitrakut" through the lens of historical consciousness, analyzing how the novel reimagines traditional representations of evil in the Ramayana. By exploring the complex characterization of demons and their socio-political contexts, the study demonstrates how Banker challenges binary oppositions of good and evil while illuminating the relationship between myth, memory, and cultural identity. The analysis reveals how the novel's portrayal of demons as multidimensional beings shaped by marginalization and systemic inequalities serves to question traditional power structures and narrative authority. Through this recontextualization, Banker transforms the epic from a simple moral tale into a nuanced exploration of resistance, agency, and moral ambiguity. The paper argues that this reimagining of the Ramayana demonstrates the dynamic nature of historical consciousness in shaping cultural narratives and collective identity, while highlighting literature's potential to foster critical engagement with inherited cultural legacies. This study contributes to our understanding of how contemporary retellings of classical epics can serve as vehicles for addressing modern social concerns and reconceptualizing traditional moral frameworks.