Constructing the Ideal: Womanhood in the Works of K.R. Srinivasa Iyengar

India’s Itihasa, Puranas, and great epics stand as enduring testimony to the nation’s timeless reverencefor the eternal feminine. From Sita, Savitri, and Gargi to Apala, Damayanti, and Devahuti, the annalsof Indian tradition are adorned with a vibrant array of extraordinary women, each symbolizingstrength, wisdom, devotion, and grace. Indian literature, in turn, is richly imbued with portrayals andpoetic celebrations of such legendary figures. Across generations, various writers have reinterpretedtheir virtues, elevating them to divine stature and reaffirming their relevance through evolving culturaland literary lenses. Among these literary voices, K.R. Srinivasa Iyengar emerges as a pivotal figure whoreimagines and revitalizes the narratives of these iconic women. His works—Sitayana, Saga of SevenMothers, and The Epic Beautiful—offer nuanced portrayals of legendary women, casting them asembodiments of moral, spiritual, and intellectual ideals. The present paper seeks to examine thecherished ideals and enduring legacy of feminine excellence as envisioned in Iyengar’s selected literarycontributions.