Mapping the Concept of Karma and Ethical Reciprocity in Dollar Bahu of Sudha Murty

Authors

  • Dr. Madhu Kanta Meena Assistant Professor, English, S.P.N.K.S. Govt. P.G. College, Dausa; Email: madhuk137@gmail.com Author
  • Dr. Harish Meena Assistant Professor, English, S.P.N.K.S. Govt. P.G. College, Dausa; Email: hariomjorwal1993@gmail.com Author

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.31305/rrijm.2026.v11.n02.001

Keywords:

cultural divisions, karma (duty), knowledge system, Bhagwat Gita

Abstract

Sudha Murty’s Dollar Bahu (2001) is a social critique of the materialistic outlook of the middle-class Indian families. The novel is often read and analysed from the prism of feminism and globalization; this paper tests the novel on the well-known tenet of Indian philosophy, i.e. Karma and the social principle of Ethical Reciprocity. Through a detailed study and analysis, the paper states that material wealth (dollars) may overshadow temporarily but can’t replace the ethical wealth (ethical reciprocity) in the longer frame of time.

References

[1] Agarwal, Dr. Dipti. “Pedagogies of Care and Responsibility: Narrative Ethics and Indian Knowledge Systems in Sudha Murty’s Narrative World”, International Journal of Creative Research Thoughts, Vol 13. 2025

[2] Chaturvedi and Sahni. Understanding Ethics, Motilal Banarsidass Publishing House, New Delhi, 2020.

[3] Golden Rule. Wikipedia, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Golden_Rule#:~:text=The%20Golden%20Rule%20is%20the,and%20creeds%20through%20the%20ages. Accessed: 2 Dec. 2025.

[4] Mahajan, Dr. Mukta Jagannath. “Value vs. Value: An Axiological Study of Sudha Murty’s Dollar Bahu”, Literary Endeavour. Vol. 9. 2018.

[5] Mukund, PR. Karma and Intent: The Hidden Connection, Tara Prakashana, Bengaluru. 2024

[6] Murty, Sudha. Dollar Bahu, Penguin Books, 2007.

[7] Priya, Dr R. A Tussle between the Dollar and The Rupee in Sudha Murty’s Dollar Bahu”, Education and Society, Vol. 46, 2022.

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Published

2026-02-14

How to Cite

Meena, M. K., & Meena, H. (2026). Mapping the Concept of Karma and Ethical Reciprocity in Dollar Bahu of Sudha Murty. RESEARCH REVIEW International Journal of Multidisciplinary, 11(2), 01-04. https://doi.org/10.31305/rrijm.2026.v11.n02.001