Volume I Special Issue I September 2021

Name of Author : S Sheeba Kumari & Dr. T Manason

Title of the paper : Social Marginalization of Hijra Community in Mahesh Dattani’s Seven Steps around the Fire

Abstract: Mahesh Dattani’s play Seven Steps Around the Fire depicts the marginalization of the Hijra community describes individuals who are categorized as neither man nor woman of the third gender. Marginalization is the act of placing a society or group in a position of lesser importance or become relegated to the fringe or edge of a society. Mahesh Dattani gives the hijras of India a voice to articulate their feelings and predicaments through his play Seven Steps Around the Fire. This well-known play, dwells on the theme of eunuchs, their identity, their construction and their life style. Dattani tries to focus this quality through the modern woman character, Uma Rao, in this play. Uma Rao is writing her thesis on the origin and contemporary status of the hijra community. Uma Rao is the daughter-in-law of a Deputy Commissioner and the wife of a Superintendent of Police. In her detective exploits Constable Munswamy provides an excellent comic foil. Kamala is a beautiful hijra, who has been secretly married to Subbu the son of a wealthy Minister. The Minister by his influence in politics and wealth took the hijra under his custody and burned her to death. Anarkali a hijra is a friend of the murdered hijra Kamla arrested and put in prison. Uma Rao utilizes to probe into the cause of the death of Kamla. The plight of hijras in the society is deplorable. Mahesh Dattani dedicates the play Seven Steps Around the Fire to the Indian society to create little more sensitivity and empathy for this hijra community.

Keywords : Marginalization, Relegated, Eunuchs, Comic foil, Deplorable

DOI :

Page Number : 130-134