This paper examines the portrayal of travel as a gendered performance through the analysis of travel experiences, as represented in the post 1990-s Indian English travel narratives, Bishwanath Ghosh’s "Chai Chai" (2009), "A Woman’s Journey through India" by Madhu Veena (2019), Priyanka Rastogi’s "Early Sunrise Early Sunset" (2019), and "The Braided River" by Samrat Choudhury (2021). The study highlights how these narratives illustrate that travel experiences are at once gendered, and yet varied even within the framework of the same gender. Travelling through historical places across India, the male traveller Ghosh’s narrative highlights his absorbing the essence of space through his camaraderie with local men over drinking, and reflects his ingrained misogyny. In contrast, Choudhuri chronicles his adventurous and perilous journey through Northeast India. Of the two women travellers, Veena focuses on her being the subject of the male gaze as a solo female traveller. On the other hand, Rastogi, who gains access to the inner quarters of the households in a matrilineal culture, depicts with minute details the socio-cultural life of the people of Northeast India. Taking recourse to the concept of gender performativity as proposed by Judith Butler, this paper demonstrates how through the performance of certain travel acts, each traveller adheres to the overarching notion of socially determined gender norms. Yet, their individual experiences reflect the nuanced and heterogeneous nature of these performances, emphasizing that such acts of performance cannot be constrained by rigid gender norms without considering the cultural spaces where they unfold.

Authors:
Arindam Goswami, Indian Institute of Technology Gandhinagar, India
Sharmita Lahiri, Indian Institute of Technology Gandhinagar, India

About the Presenter(s)
Arindam Goswami is a Doctoral Candidate in the Department of Humanities and Social Sciences, Indian Institute of Technology Gandhinagar, India. His research interests include Studies of Travel Narratives, Indian English Literature and Gender Studies.

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