This paper examines Narayan's Kocharethi through the lens of Material Ecofeminism to explore the agency of everyday material objects in sustaining indigenous ecological knowledge and women's environmental practices. While existing ecofeminist scholarship on the novel primarily foregrounds the interconnected oppression of women and nature, this study shifts attention to the often-overlooked role of ordinary objects such as bamboo baskets, earthen pots, seeds, medicinal herbs, and forest tools. It introduces the analytical category of Ecological Objects to describe material entities that preserve ecological memory, embody indigenous knowledge systems, and mediate resistance against patriarchal and exploitative forces. Drawing on Material Ecofeminism, Thing Theory, New Materialism, and Feminist Political Ecology, the paper argues that these objects possess material agency that extends beyond symbolic representation. Through qualitative textual analysis and close reading, the study demonstrates that Kocharethi presents ecological resistance as a collaborative process involving women, nature, and material culture. By foregrounding the significance of ecological objects, this research contributes a fresh interpretive framework to ecofeminist literary criticism and expands current discussions in environmental humanities and indigenous studies.
Ecofeminism; Material Ecofeminism; Ecological Objects; Indigenous Ecological Knowledge; Material Agency; Environmental Humanities.
M. Usha, Dr. S. Muthukumaravel. Invisible Ecologies: Ecological Objects as Agents of Ecofeminist Resistance in Narayan's Kocharethi. Indian Journal of Modern Research and Reviews. 2026; 4(7):246-253
Download PDF
