An Alchemy of Words and Silences

This book explores the works of seven prominent contemporary Hindi women poets from India, showcasing a vibrant landscape of distinct voices—Dalit, Adivasi, urban, rural and lower-middle class. It traces the historical trajectory of women’s writing in India highlighting how the new generation of poets builds on the feminist legacy while redefining its idiom for the twenty-first century.

Engaging with feminism and intersectionality in their diverse manifestations, the book challenges reductive readings of women’s poetry as mere opposition to patriarchy. Instead, it explores the interconnections between gender and literature and showcases their distinct poetic idioms and literary aesthetics. Through a close textual reading of Gagan Gill, Katyayani, Anamika, Savita Singh, Neelesh Raghuwanshi, Sushila Takbhoure and Nirmala Putul, the volume analyses how through their language, imagery, and metaphors these poets broaden the horizons of Hindi literature, offering fresh paths for the exploration of voice, self and society.

This volume will be particularly useful for students and researchers of Indian literature, Hindi literature, comparative literature, gender studies, translation studies and South Asian studies.