A Psychedelic Study of Select Stories in Padmavati the Harlot & Other Stories (Sebuah Studi Psikedelik tentang Cerita-Cerita Terpilih dalam Padmavati si Pelacur & Cerita-Cerita Lainnya)

Kamala Das's short stories openly depict women's uninhibited desires and the societal apprehension they face for owning their sexuality. This paper reads two of her stories, "That Woman" and "The Little Kitten" from the collection *Padmavati the Harlot & Other Stories*, through a psychedelic approach, interpreting the narratives as explorations of altered states of consciousness that reveal suppressed female experiences.

Study at a glance

Abstract

Kamala Das has always been vocal about the pain and suffering of the women in contemporary times. Her frankness in dealing with the taboo topics of the society invited unwanted controversies for her. The short stories of Kamala Das mostly speak about the uninhibited desires of the females who often face apprehensive behaviour for having their own ideas of sexuality. The paper is an attempt to read and justify the short stories “That Woman” and “The Little Kitten” in Padmavati the Harlot & Other Stories through a psychedelic approach. (Kamala Das selalu vokal tentang rasa sakit dan penderitaan para wanita di zaman kontemporer. Kejujurannya dalam menangani topik tabu masyarakat mengundang kontroversi yang tidak diinginkan baginya. Cerita pendek Kamala Das sebagian besar berbicara tentang keinginan perempuan yang tidak terhalang yang sering menghadapi perilaku khawatir karena memiliki gagasan seksualitas mereka sendiri. Surat kabar ini adalah upaya untuk membaca dan membenarkan cerita pendek "That Woman" dan "The Little Kitten" dalam Padmavati the Harlot & Other Stories melalui pendekatan psikedelik.)