Mapping Cultural Hybridity in the Selected Diasporic Indian English Novels

Cultural hybridity has emerged as a significant theme in diasporic literature, particularly in the works of authors such as JhumpaLahiri, Anita Desai, Bharati Mukherjee, V. S. Naipaul, Vikram Seth, AmitavGhosh, Kiran Desai, and Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni. This paper aims to explore cultural hybridity within the context of Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni’s selected novels. It analyzes how Divakaruni’s characters negotiate their identities between two cultures—the culture of their homeland and that of their host country. This study highlights the complexities of cultural assimilation and the manifestations of hybridity in Divakaruni’s work, focusing specifically on her portrayal of first-, second-, and third-generation immigrants, identity crises, and the intersection of tradition and modernity. The paper critically analyzes primary texts such as The Mistress of Spices (1997) and Before We Visit the Goddess (2016), alongside secondary scholarly resources. By doing so, it aims to contribute to a broader understanding of how diasporic literature reflects the multicultural realities of contemporary society.