Ekalavya's Polyphonic Resistance: Social-Political Engagement in Neelakantan's Ajaya Series and Its Echoes in Contemporary Indian Politics

Through the lens of Mikhail Bakhtin’s theory of polyphony, this paper analyses Anand Neelakantan’s reimagining of Ekalavya in the Ajaya series (Roll of the Dice and Rise of Kali). By transforming the Nishada archer from a passive figure of traditional devotion into an "unfinalized" revolutionary, Neelakantan challenges the monologic authority of Brahmanical forces. The study explores how Ekalavya’s autonomous skill-building and strategic alliances function as a "hostile takeover" of elite political arenas, paralleling contemporary subaltern resistance and Dalit self-assertion in modern India. Ultimately, Ekalavya’s journey—from self-empowerment to systemic "mutilation"—serves as a powerful allegory for the tragic yet defiant outcomes of current socio-political movements, including reservation clashes and Bhim Army mobilizations. This re-reading underscores caste as a dynamic site of engagement, where marginalized voices disrupt majoritarian narratives to demand systemic justice.