NAGA-MANDALA which portray the theme of betrayal at conjugal level. Naga a supernatural being fell in love with Rani and with the power of his magic impersonated himself into Appanna’s form. He found it easy to betray Rani by such disguise. This makes us feel that patriarchal culture suppress the authority. Rani is the typical image of an ideal Indian woman-demure unquestioning and uncomplaining. Girish karnad appears as a dramatist of social realities in this play. Girish Karnad is the foremost playwright of the contemporary stage. He has given the Indian Theatre a richness that could probably be equated with his talents as actor cum director. He has represented India in foreign lands as an ambassador of art and culture. His plays are staged in theatre all over the world. He has bagged prestigious awards as playwright, director and actor. In his play Naga-Mandala (1988), Karnad offers an insight into the private lives of women. The protagonist is Rani. Right from the beginning the flames that appear in the ‘Prologue’ of the play represent the metaphorical terms the different lives of the women the village. The flames gather a mid-night to tell tales about the private lives of couple and rejoice in their findings. The play opens with a man, in a ‘morose stance’ sitting in their sanctum of a ruined temple. He is gloomy because a mendicant has told him, “you must keep awake at least one whole night this month. If you can do that you will live. If not you