At the Intersection of Queerness, Disease, and Tropics: Walking the Streets of Anosh Irani's ‘The Parcel’

Authors

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.25120/etropic.23.2.2024.4050

Keywords:

Disease and Social Stigma, Queer literature, Hijra Community, Kamathipura Prostitution District, Tropical India, Anosh Irani

Abstract

This paper provides an analysis of Anosh Irani's novel The Parcel, with a particular focus on queerness and disease within the Hijra community of prostitutes in the tropical setting of Kamathipura, the notorious red-light district of Mumbai, India. The paper delves into the novel's nuanced portrayal of queerness, exploring how it intersects with the theme of disease within the tropical milieu. Extending the theoretical works of Elizabeth Outka on disease, and Erving Goffman on stigma to the queer tropics, the study explores how these elements interact and influence the lived experiences of the Hijra community. The paper highlights how the novel presents contagion and disease as a pervasive aspect of the characters' lives, shaping their experiences and identities. The tropical enclave of Kamathipura is examined for its role in compounding the challenges faced by the Hijra community, including health disparities and social stigma. This study contributes to literary scholarship on queerness and health in the Indian tropics, offering a deeper understanding of the realities faced by marginalized communities.

Author Biographies

Neelofar Shafi, Sharda University, Uttar Pradesh, India

Neelofar Shafi is a Research Scholar at the Department of English, School of Humanities and Social Sciences, Sharda University, Greater Noida. She is working on Memory Studies and her research interests include American Literature, Gender Studies and Diasporic Studies. She has also contributed research papers and book chapters exploring contemporary trends to various reputed journals and publishing houses. Furthermore, she has presented her research work at various national and international conferences. She can be reached at: neelofarshafi13@gmail.com

 

Peerzada Owais Adil, Sharda University, Uttar Pradesh, India

Peerzada Owais Adil is a Research Scholar at Sharda University, Uttar Pradesh, India, enrolled in the Department of English. His research expertise lies in the exploration of pandemic literature within the historical framework of colonial India. With a keen focus on the societal and cultural impact of infectious diseases during this period, his work aims to unravel the nuanced narratives found within Indian literature, contributing to a deeper understanding of the intersection between health crises and colonial society. Moreover, he is interested in Postmodern Literature and Literary Theory and Criticism. He can be reached at: owaisadil33@gmail.com

 

Prachi Priyanka, Sharda University, Uttar Pradesh, India

Prachi Priyanka holds a doctoral degree in English Literature. Her doctoral thesis is an illuminative study of the convergences between poetry and painting from the publication of G.E. Lessing’s Laocoon to modern times. Her areas of interest include intertextuality and visual culture, Indian Literature, Partition narratives, and Victorian studies. Her short stories collection ‘Thistle & Weeds’ was published in 2016. Currently, she is an Assistant Professor in the Department of English, School of Humanities and Social Sciences, Sharda University, India. Corresponding author: prachi.priyanka@sharda.ac.in

 

References

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Published

2024-10-15

How to Cite

Neelofar Shafi, Peerzada Owais Adil, & Priyanka, P. (2024). At the Intersection of Queerness, Disease, and Tropics: Walking the Streets of Anosh Irani’s ‘The Parcel’. ETropic: Electronic Journal of Studies in the Tropics, 23(2), 270–285. https://doi.org/10.25120/etropic.23.2.2024.4050

Issue

Vol. 23 No. 2 (2024): Queering the Tropics, Part 2. Queering Tropically: Sexuality, Indigeneity, Decoloniality, Spatiality

Section

Essays and Articles

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