Paper short abstract:

This paper examines the fictional and non-fictional works of Esther David, a Bene Israel Jewish writer and artist in Ahmedabad. I explore the ways in which she negotiated her multiple identities that evolved through her relationships with her family, the Jewish community, Ahmedabad, and India.

Paper long abstract:

This paper examines the fictional and non-fictional works of Esther David, a Bene Israel Jewish writer and artist in Ahmedabad. It aims to understand how she expressed her ideas on the self in her writings and the ways in which she negotiated her multiple identities that evolved through her relationships with her family, the Jewish community, Ahmedabad, and India. Among her different ways of defining the self, the Jewish identity is of particular importance and posed her various dilemmas in life. This community, whose history in India, according to its legend, can be traced back to the ancient period, is highly conscious of its minority status in India. This has led to substantial pressure on the women of this community to observe and protect their 'tradition' and 'home' as daughters, wives, and mothers. The paper focuses on Esther's descriptions of various moments that made her reexamine her identities, especially as an Indian Jew and a woman. These moments occasionally occurred amid small incidents within the family and neighbourhood, such as those related to food, clothes, and rituals, and sometimes when she observed problems related to marriage. Such moments of self-examination also occurred at the time of communal riots in Ahmedabad, which left her with fear, pain and the sense of guilt. While highlighting her narratives of these moments, I would like to demonstrate how her stories of the self are closely interwoven with the stories of the Jewish community and those of Ahmedabad during the last few decades.