Comprehending the Need of Sexuality Studies: An Analysis of Geetanjali Shree’s The Roof Beneath Their Feet

Proceedings of The 3rd International Conference on Gender Studies and Sexuality

Year: 2023

DOI:

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Comprehending the Need of Sexuality Studies: An Analysis of Geetanjali Shree’s The Roof Beneath Their Feet

Kumari Ruchi, Dr. Smita Jha

ABSTRACT: 

In the Indian society or in the field of academia, the questions often arise on the value or need of the sexuality studies specifically in the context of queer sexualities. Though in the past few years, the research on sexuality has increased profoundly, people’s understanding is still halted to the notion of sexuality and queer sexuality as a ‘western import’. However, the ancient Indian narratives, discourses and sculptures boast of the rich examples of gender fluidity, multiple desires, and queer sexuality defying the composite of compulsory heterosexuality in the present times. Though same-sex relationships in India have been decriminalized but the popular imagination is still brimming with the intersection of homophobia and heteronormative perspective. Hence, this paper aims to analyze sexuality and desire in the Indian context, specifically in the Hindi writer, Geetanjali Shree’s work, Tirohit, translated by Rahul Soni as The Roof Beneath Their Feet. This book shows the elusive dynamics of lesbianism between the characters Chachcho and her housemaid, Lalana and captures the topic of visibility and invisibility in the same-sex relationship between two women. The primary objective of this paper is to dwell into various aspects of this text such as narrative of sexuality represented as marginalized in the Indian society based on the concept by the researcher Maya Sharma. The paper also aims to explore alternate forms of desire as per the theory foregrounded by Madhavi Menon in her works.

keywords: desire, India, marginalized, same-sex relationship, queer sexuality