Raja Nal and the Goddess: The North Indian Epic Dhola in Performance

The popular North Indian epic Dhola tells the story of Raja Nal, "a king who does not know he is a king." This vast story portrays a world of vivid characters--goddesses, powerful women, magicians, and humans of many different caste--and explores their changing relationships.In the first extended English translation and analysis, Wadley argues that Dhola explores the nature of humanity while challenging commonplace assumptions about Hinduism, gender, and caste.