A Flower Called Fyonli

Women, Nature, and the Sacred

Abstract

This paper presents an ecofeminist reading of Fyonli, a folktale from the Central Himalayas, in comparison with verses from the Devi Mahatmyam, a key Shakta scripture. Through the story of Fyonli, a young village woman who withers in a wealthy household and is reborn as a flower in her native soil, the paper explores the deeprooted bond between women, nature, and the sacred in indigenous cosmologies. It argues that Fyonli embodies the same regenerative force celebrated in goddess traditions as Shakti, and her transformation echoes the cyclical resilience of the divine feminine. Drawing on folk tradition, Sanskrit scripture, and ecological thought, the paper situates this narrative within the broader framework of eco-spirituality, climate justice, and biocultural resilience. It highlights how local oral traditions preserve sacred ecological knowledge, which is often marginalised in mainstream discourse. The comparison reveals that folk and scriptural traditions, though distinct in form, converge in affi rming women as life-givers, nature-keepers, and moral anchors of their Folktale ecosystems.