From Object to Subject: The Decolonization of the Self in Maitreyi Devi’s Na Hanyate
Jenat J. F., Hossain M. Z
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Jenat J. F., Hossain M. Z
* Corresponding Author:
Jenat J. F., Hossain M. Z
Abstract
This article critically examines Maitreyi Devi’s Na Hanyate as a radical site of post
colonial resistance against the Orientalist ascendancy ingrained in Mircea Eliade’s La
Nuit Bengali. Eliade makes the Indian female main character an object of desire from a
Eurocentric point of view, turning her into a symbol of mysticism. Devi’s memoir, on the
other hand, is a powerful rebuttal that reveals and breaks down the archaeological
frameworks set up by various colonial epistemologies. The study looks at how
decolonization works. It says that Devi is not only telling a different story; she is
changing how we understand both the text and life itself. Devi goes from being an
uncommon outsider to a historical figure with her own volition when she takes control of
the plot. Devi’s work changes the way people see themselves in relation to the books
they read, not just as another example of a counter-narrative. This book shows how Devi
undermines the imperial archive by questioning the politics of memory and
representation. It argues that the most important act of political and self-emancipation is
to reclaim the voice of the subaltern. The study further interrogates the representational
violence embedded in Eliade’s cultural depictions and mobilizes indigenous
epistemological resources to challenge the unquestioned acceptance of the colonial
narrative.