In Girish Karnad's play Hayavadana, the transposing of heads serves as a central metaphor and thematic device, exploring identity, the duality of human nature, and the search for completeness. This incident forms the crux of the narrative, raising philosophical questions about the relationship between the mind, body, and self.

The Incident of Transposing Heads

The pivotal moment occurs when Devadatta and Kapila, close friends who represent intellect and physicality respectively, become entangled in a love triangle with Padmini. After both die by suicide due to jealousy and guilt, Goddess Kali intervenes to bring them back to life. Padmini accidentally transposes their heads while reattaching them. This leads to a profound dilemma: Who is Padmini’s rightful husband—the man with Devadatta's head or the one with his body?

Philosophical and Thematic Implications

1. Identity and Completeness
   The head represents intellect, reason, and identity, while the body symbolizes physicality and sensuality. The transposition highlights the fragmentation of human nature, suggesting that individuals often struggle to reconcile their intellectual and emotional or physical selves. Padmini desires qualities from both men, reflecting humanity's quest for wholeness.

2. Conflict Between Mind and Body
   After the transposition, the characters grapple with their altered identities. Devadatta (with Kapila’s body) becomes physically robust, while Kapila (with Devadatta’s body) retains his strength of character. This blurs traditional boundaries between the mind and body, questioning their hierarchical relationship.

3. Padmini’s Role and Desires
   Padmini’s attraction to both Devadatta's intellect and Kapila's virility underscores the complexity of human desire. Her inability to find satisfaction with a single partner mirrors the central theme of incompleteness.

4. Cultural and Mythological Resonance
   The incident draws from Indian mythology, particularly the story of Katha Sarit Sagara, where a similar head-body transposition occurs. Karnad uses this motif to delve into modern concerns about identity and existential dilemmas, making it relevant to contemporary audiences.

5. Resolution and Irony
   The resolution of the conflict is tragic: neither combination of head and body can satisfy Padmini's desires fully, and both men ultimately die again. Padmini performs sati, leaving their child to be raised by Bhagavata, symbolizing a new cycle of incompleteness and identity struggles.

Symbolism of the Transposed Heads

The transposed heads serve as a metaphor for the fragmented human psyche, the clash between rationality and instinct, and the inadequacy of binary choices in understanding human relationships. Karnad uses this device to critique societal norms and the human condition, presenting a world where fulfillment remains elusive.

Conclusion

The transposing of heads in Hayavadana is not merely a fantastical plot device; it is a profound commentary on the complexity of identity, the inseparability of the mind and body, and the human longing for completeness. Through this motif, Karnad masterfully weaves mythology and modernity, creating a timeless exploration of existential questions.

               

                    

In "Hayavadana", the dolls are used as a prop by Girish Karnad in order to suggest the inner conflict of the beautiful Padmini. Though in writing this play, Karnad was influenced by the folk theatrical convention, doll-episode is remarkably his own innovation which helps him clarifying to the audience the psychological dilemma of the characters.

           After the transposition of the heads, initially Padmini was very happy with Devadatta's "fabulous brain" and Kapila's "fabulous body", but it doesn't last very long. Devadatta's mind gradually makes Kapila's body accustomed with him. And when Devadatta's body again becomes like a "young girl's", Padimini is again longing for "powerfully built" and "darker" body of Kapila. Even in sleep, she has the dream of Kapila. The dolls' comment is:
    Doll 1: She is dreaming.
    ........
    Doll 1: A man
    Doll 2: But not her husband
    Doll 1: No, someone else.

        Devadatta's gradual change from darker body to the soft one again is conveyed by the dolls' commentary: "His palms! They were so rough once, when he first brought us here. Like a labourers'. But now they are soft - sickly soft - like a young girl's. "

       The doll is also preparing an excuse for Padmini to convince Devadatta to go to the fair and bring new dolls for their child. And when Devadatta goes, Padmini goes to meet Kapila in the "dark forest". The progression of time is also reported by their conversation: Doll 2: Six months - and not a soul has come near us.

Girish Karnad, one of the major dramatists of the Kannada theatre, seized with the theme of incompleteness, imperfection in his successful play, "Hayavadana". Moutushi Chakravartee in "Myth and Symbol as Metaphor: A Re-consideration of Red Oleanders and Hayavadana" calls such an attempt "man's eternal quest for completeness". Manchi Sarat Babu Baby in "Dionysian Ego in Girish Karnad's Hayavadana" terms such incompleteness and imperfection as "alienation".


             The main plot of the play is based on the story of the "Transposed Heads" in the Sanskrit "Vetala Panchavinsati" which forms part of Kshemendra's "Brihat Katha Mariyan" and Somadeva's "Kathasaritsagara". Karnad has taken ths mythical story and combined it with his reading of Thomas Mann's "reworking of the tale" in "The Transposed Heads". "Hayavadana" is the retelling of the old story in order to express the modern theme of the search for a completeness.


             Girish Karnad very cunningly opens his play with the occassion of the worshipping the Lord Ganesha. The choice of Ganesh Puja is very significant in the context of the problem of incompleteness because Lord Ganesha , the harbinger of success with human body and animal head suggests the entire theme of incompleteness. As the Bhagavata says,
       An elephant's head on a human body, a broken task and a cracked belly -- whichever way he is looked at, he is the embodiment of imperfection, incompleteness."
     However, this "Vakratunda Mahakaya" is the Lord and master of all success and perfection.


               The perfect combination of the spirit and flesh on human life is next to impossible. Girish Karnad as a great dramatist, to suggest the theme of incompleteness more vividly and more lucidly, innovates the subplot of the play,  "Hayavadana", the horse-headed man. It provides the framework for the play both as a prologue and an epilogue. As Krishna Gandhi writes,
       "The theme of the play is an old one.....man's yearning for completeness, for perfection...... But the ideal of perfection itself is ambiguous. The character of Hayavadana is invented as an example of this ambiguity."


              Hayavadana is a man with the head of horse and he wants to get rid of his horse's head and become a complete man. Later he goes to Kali Temple and the goddess grants him his boon, "make me complete", but in a hurry to fulfil it, she makes him a complete horse instead of a complete man. Though previously he has the human voice, but with the child's help his laughter turns into neigh. In the Introduction of the play, Girish Karnad wrote,
         "The horse man's search for incompleteness ends comically with his becoming of complete horse."


              The main plot of the play is also concerned with the theme of imperfection. Here Karnad is influenced by Thomas Mann's "The Transposed Heads". The plot centres round two young man from Dharmapura, Devadatta and Kapila whom Bhagavata describes as "one mind, one heart" and a beautiful young lady, Padmini. Devadatta is in love with Padmini and Kapila helps him to get married to her, knowing fully that Padmini is not meant for the likes of Devadatta. She is not only beautiful (Kalidas's Shyamanayika), but also sharp and intellectual, while Devadatta is simple and gentle.


               After marriage, Kapila frequently comes to Devadatta's house and Devadatta begins to feel jealous. But Padmini enjoys Kapila's company very much. Actually Padmini wants the intelligent mind of Devadatta and the "powerfully built" and "darker" body of Kapila.


             Being failed to be digested with the nameless love of Padmini for Kapila, Devadatta sacrifices his head to the Kali temple. Kapila folloes him there and he also sacrifices his head because he can't live without his friend, "No Devadatta, I can't live without you. I can't breathe without you." Left alone, Padmini is also about to sacrifice her life, but the Goddess stops her and says her to join the heads and touch them with a sword to restore their lives. But Padmini, intentionally or inadvertently mixes up the two heads. When the two come back to life , there is a confuconfusion about the head and the body -- "What indeed is the solution to this problem which holds the future of these three unfortunate beings in a Balance?" However, finally Devadatta's head and Kapila's body win over as Padmini says, "It's my duty to go with Devadatta. But remember I'm going with your body. Let that cheer you up." With this transposition Padmini becomes happiest because her desire of a perfect body and mind is now fulfilled.


              But the problem raises again when Devadatta's mind makes Kapila's body  accustomed with him. Padmini's mental agony and her longing for Kapila is conveyed in the play through the fragmented conversation of the dolls Devadatta has bought from Ujjain Fair. Soon after that, in the absence of Devadatta, Padmini goes to Kapila to meet and Devadatta comes looking for his wife with a sword and they fight with each other and die -- "No grounds for friendship now. No question of mercy. We must fight like lions amd kill like cobras." And finally Padmini performs Sati -- "Make me a large funeral pyre" after handing over her child to Bhagavata.


              The search for completeness leads the characters to their tragic and poignant death. The play explores the theme of incompleteness at three levels--- the animal, the human and the divine. If Lord Ganesha represents the imperfection at the divine level, Padmini, Devadatta and Kapila at human level and Hayavadana at animal level. Incompleteness is inevitable and human relationships are bound to be influenced by it and Karnad very tactically represents the theme in his play.

In "Hayavadana", Girish Karnad represents the Goddess Kali ironically. She appears as a character in the play, and she does not help the characters in solving their problems, rather she puts all three unfortunate beings, Kapila, Devadatta and Padmini through a series of cruel difficulties. When Devadatta and Kapila sacrifice their lives, the Goddess instead of expressing sympathy,  calls them "rascals" who were "lying to their last breathes".


          Not only that, but when Hayavadana goes to the Kali temple to fulfil his boon i. e. "Make me complete", the Goddess grants him his boon, but in hurry to fulfil it, she makes him a complete horse instead of a complete man. Thus the Goddess also makes his life problematic.


          Karnad here is critical enough of the world of Gods and Goddesses who are no better than human beings in respect of jealousy and petti- mindedness. Still they rule human destiny. Through this ironical representation of the mother Goddess, Karnad seems to suggest that it is better for human beings not to seek divine guidance because both the mediators and divinities are sadistic. Thus in "Hayavadana", Karnad debunks the false structures of certain dominant beliefs and practises but affirms the reality of human life in its real motives.

Girish Karnad is one of the most important Indian English playwrights who creates characters in order to expose his intention and to fulfil his intention as well. In "Hayavadana", one of the most successful stage-plays by him, he also does not deviate from his thought. Here he creates the character of Padmini's son to show the modern theme of the play.


            Padmini's son interestingly has no name in the play. This child represents all children in modern times, who are born to parents who have a split and disturbed relationship. The death of Devadatta and Padmini has an adverse effect on the child who becomes autistic and withdrawn. The child is also representative of the play's main theme i. e. the theme of incompleteness as he has lost the child's natural privilege to laugh and enjoy as Padmini says, "My son had never laughed with the river or shivered in the wind or felt the thorn cut his feet."


              In creating a connection between the two plots, the boy has also an important role. Though he is the son of Padmini and Devadatta, the characters from the main plot, he has also a connection with Hayavadana, the character of the subplot. The boy also helps in making Hayavadana completely complete as when he laughs with the boy, suddenly "his human voice is gone" and "......Hayavadana has become complete." And finally the boy himself also becomes complete as he is "also enjoying himself, singing bits of the song and urging the horse on."


           He also helps as a mediator between the tradition and modernity. When Padmini was going to perform Sati, She delivered the boy to Bhagavata and said him to transfer the boy to the people who are close to Kapila and who lived in jungle and therefore when he became a grown- up boy, then he must be delivered to Devadatta's family who lived in town. Here jungle suggests tradition and modernity is represented by the city. And the boy is the mediator between these two.


            Thus in the development of the plot as well as in expressing the main theme of the play and to show the modernity of Karnad's invention, Padmini's son has a crucial role to play.