Myths And Mythology In Salman Rushdie's Mid Nights Children

Myths & Mythology in Salman Rushdie’s Mid Nights Children

M.Vanisree

Associate Professor,

Department of English,

S.V Engineering College for Women,

Tirupati.

E-mail: [e-mail]

Salman Rushdie is a cosmopolitan and an international writer. He profoundly belongs to different cultures. Both his lineage as well as the country is somewhat disputed. The same reflects in his novels i.e., existential dilemmas of the individual. He adopts the old technique of the first person narrative. The characters and incidents create suspense in the minds of the readers. His works create tension and evoke conflicting emotions in the readers. His fantasy is a mental tonic. His assertions on secularism and religion are even more ambivalent.

Rushdie’s Mid Night’s children has an

He employs myth and folklore themes and magical motifs. Such as, he projects himself as Brahma, the Creator of Hinduism and Vishnu, the Protector. He also ascertains himself with the elephant-headed Ganesh because of his nose and his love of writing. Aadam and Saleem are associated with Ganesh, the son of Shiva and Parvathi in Hindu mythology. In the novel, Shiva is Saleem’s alter ego. He also represents Shiva who needs Parvathi in order to create. In the mythology, Parvathi is the daughter of the mountain king. She is the Shakti of all. She is treated as the mother or mata or mother-goddess. “Aspired to be Devi, the Mother-goddess in her most terrible aspect, possessor of the Shakti of the gods”.( Feminist Perspectives in Salman Rushdie’s Midnight’s Children 75)

The novel shows both positive and negative results. It shows the liberation and oppression. Saleem’s rival, Shiva takes away the feeling of dread from heinous crime. Hence, murders are referred to a casual tone and he attempts to distance himself from crime and is unable to distinguish between events. He is unable to perceive the horrific side of murder and