Chapter Two

The Conflict Between Myth and Reality

In Neil D’Silva’s Yakshini, the thin veil separating myth and reality becomes a site of

psychological tension and cultural revelation. The novel is set in a small South Indian village,

where faith and superstition coexist, creating a world in which divine intervention and daily

life are inseparable. The story of Meenakshi, a girl possessed by an ancient celestial being,

illustrates how myth can shape perception, influence identity, and blur the boundaries of

truth. Through her journey, D’Silva examines the power of collective belief and the ways

communities construct realities rooted not in science or logic, but in inherited mythological

structures that dictate human behavior. The atmosphere of the novel is thick with reverence,

fear, and ritual, forming a backdrop against which the conflict between myth and reality

unfolds.

Meenakshi’s life itself is born out of myth. Her conception and birth are surrounded by

omens, prayers, and prophecies. From the moment of her arrival, the villagers assign her a

sacred identity not as a child, but as a manifestation of divine power. Her mother’s faith in

the goddess and her father’s silent awe reflect the deep cultural conditioning that views the

supernatural as truth rather than fantasy. In this sense, Yakshini echoes Carl Jung’s concept

of the ‘collective unconscious,’ the shared psychological reservoir of myths and archetypes

that influence human life (Jung 45). The Yakshini inhabiting Meenakshi is not merely a

demon or spirit; she embodies the archetype of the feminine divine-powerful, seductive,

nurturing, and destructive all at once.

The conflict intensifies when this mythical element intrudes upon Meenakshi’s ordinary

human experiences. As she grows, her unusual beauty, mysterious strength, and episodes of

possession isolate her from society. What others perceive as divine becomes a burden for
Meenakshi, separating her from reality. She longs for a normal life, to attend school, and to

experience friendship and love, yet she remains trapped in a destiny shaped by myth. Her

community, bound by religious dogma, interprets every aspect of her existence as evidence of

the supernatural. Myth thus becomes both a prison and an identity. D’Silva skillfully portrays

how belief can distort perception, turning natural human experiences into symbols of divine

or demonic influence.

The novel reflects a broader Indian cultural context, where myth often merges with

everyday reality. In many rural areas, belief in spirits, goddesses, and curses continues to

shape social behavior. D’Silva does not ridicule this worldview; rather, he reveals its

psychological depth. The Yakshini’s presence can be read as a metaphor for the human

mind’s struggle to reconcile the irrational with the rational. As scholar Wendy Doniger notes,

“myth is not a falsehood, but another kind of truth- one that speaks in symbols and emotions

rather than facts” (Doniger 27). In Yakshini, the mythic truth of Meenakshi’s possession

becomes real in the minds of those who believe it, blurring the line between imagination and

reality.

The novel also examines the gendered dimension of myth. Female bodies are recurring

vessels for the divine in folklore. Meenakshi’s possession reinforces patterns in mythology

that conflate the sacred feminine with power and danger, often at the expense of autonomy.

As Shubha Tiwari observes, “Myth often domesticates women into roles of devotion or

danger, making them symbols rather than individuals” (Tiwari 98). D’Silva reverses this

dynamic, foregrounding Meenakshi’s internal voice as she struggles to reclaim her humanity

and resist mythic objectification.

Meenakshi’s internal conflict lies at the heart of this duality. She experiences the divine

power flowing within her, an intoxicating, otherworldly force that gives her strength and

beauty. At the same time, she feels guilt, fear, and confusion as she loses control of her body
and mind. D’Silva’s depiction of her possession reads less like fantasy and more like

psychological realism, interpretable as a manifestation of dissociation, a defense mechanism

that allows one to separate from painful experiences. In this sense, the Yakshini is both real

and unreal a mythic embodiment of Meenakshi’s subconscious. As Sigmund Freud observes

in The Uncanny, “the boundary between imagination and reality is erased when the internal

world takes the form of external experience” (Freud 41). D’Silva’s narrative thrives precisely

in this liminal space, where myth becomes the language of the unconscious.

The villagers live within this blurred reality as well. They interpret Meenakshi’s behavior

not as illness but as divine possession. Rituals, exorcisms, and prayers are performed to

appease the spirit, reflecting a society that relies on myth for moral order. In such a world,

belief outweighs evidence, and stories carry more weight than facts. Priests and elders serve

as mediators of myth, shaping how the community interprets reality. D’Silva subtly critiques

this system not by condemning faith, but by revealing its capacity to both comfort and

control. When the villagers worship Meenakshi as a goddess, they also deny her humanity,

turning her into a symbol rather than a person. This transformation underscores the novel’s

commentary on gender and power. The myth of the Yakshini becomes a framework through

which society views women as mysterious, dangerous, and divine, yet always defined by

forces beyond themselves. Feminist critic Elaine Showalter’s theory of “the female body as

cultural text” applies strongly here, as Meenakshi’s body becomes a canvas upon which

society projects its fears and desires (Showalter 88). D’Silva demonstrates how myth can

glorify yet simultaneously enslave women, imposing expectations that distort their sense of

self.

D’Silva grounds the supernatural in realism, rendering mythic events with vivid sensory

detail. This blurring of imagination and fact draws the reader into Meenakshi’s suspended

disbelief. As Manisha Deshpande observes, “By fusing myth with realism, D’Silva
transforms the supernatural into a psychological metaphor—every miracle is an emotion in

disguise” (Deshpande 83).

The conflict between myth and reality also manifests in Meenakshi’s relationship with

faith. While her mother embraces religious devotion as truth, Meenakshi’s own experience of

divinity is painful and confusing. The Yakshini grants her extraordinary power but isolates

her emotionally. This paradox raises a deeper question: does faith liberate or imprison?

D’Silva suggests that when faith is detached from compassion and understanding, it becomes

fear. Rituals meant to purify Meenakshi often inflict more suffering, showing how rigid belief

can harm the very soul it seeks to save.

As the novel progresses, D’Silva’s language becomes increasingly psychological. The

horror is no longer in supernatural events themselves, but in Meenakshi’s inability to

distinguish reality from myth. Her dreams, desires, and memories intertwine with the

Yakshini’s influence, creating a haunting dual existence. At times, the reader cannot discern

whether the spirit is external or a projection of Meenakshi’s repressed emotions. Literary

critic Northrop Frye notes that “myth is the structural principle of literature” (Frye 135); in

Yakshini, myth becomes the structural principle of consciousness itself. The narrative

demonstrates that humans constantly negotiate between inherited stories and lived

experience.

Meenakshi’s possession also affects her relationships, as family and community interpret

her through mythic logic rather than empathy. The Yakshini’s actions are framed as divine

curse rather than human experience, distorting ethical responsibility. Rajiv Krishnan

observes, “Myth serves as both explanation and escape it gives meaning but also absolves

accountability” (Krishnan 54). D’Silva critiques this tendency, showing how superstition can

obscure real suffering.

landscape alive with India’s mythic imagination. Villagers’ actions are guided not by logic

but by ancestral tales, and every event carries a supernatural explanation. In such a world, the

boundary between divine and mundane collapses. Meenakshi cannot escape this worldview;

her reality is always interpreted through myth. Even in seeking education or love, she is

pulled back into the symbolic role assigned to her. D’Silva uses this dynamic to critique the

persistence of superstition in contemporary India, highlighting its restrictions on personal

freedom.

At the same time, the novel evokes empathy rather than ridicule. D’Silva portrays belief as

a form of emotional survival. In a world full of uncertainty, myth provides meaning. For

Meenakshi’s mother, the Yakshini is a divine gift rather than a curse. This dual perception of

divine versus demonic mirrors humanity’s broader struggle to understand the unknown.

Mircea Eliade observes, “myth expresses not illusion but the sacred way in which reality is

experienced” (Eliade 12). D’Silva reflects this insight, showing how myth structures chaos

even as it distorts truth.

Ultimately, the conflict between myth and reality in Yakshini is not resolved but

transformed. Meenakshi’s journey does not achieve a clear separation of divine and human;

instead, it reveals that both coexist within her. The Yakshini is not expelled—she becomes

part of Meenakshi’s identity. In this synthesis, D’Silva suggests that myth and reality are not

opposites but reflections of the same human longing for understanding. The mythic explains

what logic cannot, while reality grounds what imagination creates. Through this realization,

Meenakshi attains a tragic yet profound self-awareness.

In the end, Neil D’Silva’s Yakshini transcends the story of possession to explore how

myths inhabit the human psyche. Meenakshi’s struggle represents each individual’s battle

between belief and reason, instinct and intellect, fear and freedom. The novel compels readers
to question their own realities: how much of what we call truth is shaped by the stories we

inherit? D’Silva leaves this question open, allowing the Yakshini to remain both spirit and

symbol, a reminder that in the human heart, myth and reality are eternally intertwined.

Through Meenakshi’s journey, D’Silva interrogates the nature of truth and belief, illustrating

how myth shapes destiny within modern life. The novel affirms that understanding requires

embracing both rational and mysterious dimensions of existence. In Yakshini, the collision of

myth and reality becomes a profound meditation on the Indian psyche’s ongoing negotiation

between faith and reason.

Works Cited

Doniger, Wendy. The Implied Spider: Politics and Theology in Myth. University of Chicago

Press, 1998.

Deshpande, Manisha. “Fusing Myth and Realism in Contemporary Indian Literature.” Indian

Literary Review, vol. 12, no. 3, 2015, pp. 80–90.

Eliade, Mircea. Myth and Reality. Harper & Row, 1963.

Freud, Sigmund. The Uncanny. Translated by David McLintock, Penguin Classics, 2003.

Frye, Northrop. Anatomy of Criticism: Four Essays. Princeton University Press, 1957.

Jung, Carl G. The Archetypes and the Collective Unconscious. Princeton University Press,

1981.

Krishnan, Rajiv. “Myth and Morality in Indian Literature.” Journal of Indian Culture, vol. 9,

no. 2, 2010, pp. 50–60.

Showalter, Elaine. The Female Malady: Women, Madness, and English Culture, 1830–1980.

Virago, 1985.

Tiwari, Shubha. “Women in Mythology: Domesticity, Devotion, and Danger.” Feminist

Studies in Indian Literature, vol. 5, no. 1, 2012, pp. 95–105.