Conceptualizing In-Text “Kshetra”: Postcolonial Allahabad’s Cultural Geography in Neelum Saran Gour’s Allahabad Aria and Invisible Ink

Literary renditions of cities have always gravitated towards the spatial imagination and its ethical counterpart outside textual space. This paper explores multicultural geography North Indian city Allahabad (recently renamed Prayagraj) observed through Neelum Saran Gour’s postcolonial narratives Aria Invisible Ink, projecting narrative alignment aesthetics cultural ethics. Interrogating dimensions a “narrative world” within theory (Ryan) interdisciplinary crossover with (Sauer; Mitchell; Anderson et al.), article seeks to examine literary not simply as an objective homogeneous representation, but “kshetra” spatio-cultural cosmos lived traditions, memories, experiences collective attitudes people, in context E. V. Ramakrishnan’s theoretical reflections. The proposes new possibilities adapting concept studies; aim is also suggest source knowledge about community introspection “doing culture” texts, bringing into view people’s shared experiences, beliefs, religious practices traditions offshoots ethos. aims re-contextualize city’s longstanding ethics contemporary times crisis, which may affect shift relevance: from regional concern large-scale significance ethnically diverse South Asian countries beyond.