ROOH: Within Her

ROOH means 'essence' in Gujarati. In the piece, Urja Desai Thakore stages the turmoil of a mother—a celebrated figure in ancient Tamil literature—who scours the battlefield in search of her son’s body, determined to disprove rumours he died fleeing the enemy.
She also embodies Chaaran Kanya, the folk heroine Heerbai as described by renowned Gujarati author Zaverchand Meghani: a young cowherdess and the only one in her village brave enough to drive away a threatening lion.