Is desire good or evil? With her upcoming play, Ballad of Desires, theatre artiste, writer and folklorist Ulka Mayur will retell stories of women from Indian mythology, who were prohibited from desiring or were harshly punished for their desire. Tracing stories from scriptures such as the Ramayan, Mahabharat, Upanishads and even tribal mythology, the hour-long production will weave together tragic tales of women like Ahalya, Ruchi, Renuka, Rambha, Menaka and Hirapath.

“There are different perspectives. While some say that desire is a good thing and it motivates you to do better, others believe that desire is the root cause of all problems. The third view is that desire is good, as long as you keep it in check,” shares Mayur. The folklorist wanted her play to investigate the idea of desire, both in a broader context as well as specifically, with respect to women and their bodies. “One can find many examples in both history and mythology where women are objectified and society is fine with that, but when women express their own desires, they are punished,” she points out.