20 C MALAYALAM LITERATURE IN TRANSLATION Archives

B Sugathakumari: Poet and Environmentalist

September 27, 2025October 1, 2025 Dr Aswathy Aravindakshan 2 Comments

Reading Time: 2 minutesB Sugathakumari (1934-2020) is a Malayalam poet, environmentalist, and social activist, known for her deep involvement in cultural and ecological causes. She was the daughter of Bodheshwaran, a freedom fighter and scholar. Sugathakumari was associated with organisations such as Prakrithi Samrakshana Samithi and Abhaya, and served as the principal of Kerala State Jawahar Balabhavan in…

20 C MALAYALAM LITERATURE IN TRANSLATION, KERALA UNIVERSITY SYLLABUS - UG, WOMEN'S WRITING

An Introduction to ‘Pattumma’s Goat’ and Its Author

November 19, 2024September 30, 2025 Dr Aswathy Aravindakshan 3 Comments

Reading Time: 2 minutesPattummas Goat was published without revisions in the original manuscript. It was written in 1954 during Basheer’s first period of insanity. After writing the manuscript, he considered revising and editing it, but took no action for five years. Later, he dropped the idea and published the original manuscript without any change. Between the writing (1954) and publication…

20 C MALAYALAM LITERATURE IN TRANSLATION, LITERARY TRANSLATIONS

The History of Malayalam Fiction and Its Evolution

November 7, 2024October 7, 2025 Dr Aswathy Aravindakshan 11 Comments

Reading Time: 5 minutes The history of Malayalam fiction reflects Kerala‘s socio-political, cultural, and emotional landscapes, evolving over time to encompass a diverse range of genres, themes, and styles. The journey began with Kundalatha (1887), the first Malayalam novel, and the influence of translated English works, which laid the foundation for this literary form. The Beginnings: Social…

20 C MALAYALAM LITERATURE IN TRANSLATION

Agnisakshi/ Fire My Witness by Lalithambika Antharjanam

November 7, 2024November 13, 2025 Dr Aswathy Aravindakshan 3 Comments

Reading Time: 5 minutes Background The socio-cultural landscape of Kerala, particularly within the Nambuthiri community, was marked by a rigid and patriarchal code that governed the lives of women. The customs and traditions imposed on Nambudiri women were both restrictive and oppressive, creating a hierarchical structure that perpetuated gender-based inequalities and social stratification. One notable aspect of Nambuthiri…

20 C MALAYALAM LITERATURE IN TRANSLATION

‘ADVENT’ by D Vinayachandran: The Ruin of Humanity

November 7, 2024September 29, 2025 Dr Aswathy Aravindakshan 3 Comments

Reading Time: 5 minutes STANZA I STANZA II STANZA III STANZA IV STANZA V STANZA VI STANZA VII STANZA VIII WORKS CITED https://www.jstor.org/stable/43856684 https://www.thehindu.com/features/friday-review/music/poignant-rendition/article3500847.ece Dr Aswathy AravindakshanDr Aswathy Aravindakshan is a teacher, bilingual writer and artist with over two decades of experience in teaching English language and literature. She currently…

20 C MALAYALAM LITERATURE IN TRANSLATION, LITERARY TRANSLATIONS

The Life and Works of D Vinayachandran

November 6, 2024September 29, 2025 Dr Aswathy Aravindakshan 4 Comments

Reading Time: 2 minutesBelow is a brief biography of D. Vinayachandran, a Malayalam poet whose works uniquely blend modernism with traditional folklore and the melody of nature. WORKS CITED “Malayalam poet Vinayachandran passes away”. Deccan Chronicle. Retrieved 4 July 2013. “Poet D. Vinayachandran condoled”. The Hindu. Retrieved 4 July 2013. “One with nature in…

20 C MALAYALAM LITERATURE IN TRANSLATION, LITERARY TRANSLATIONS

‘Fire, My Witness’ – The Story of Feminine Strength and Struggle

October 21, 2024October 2, 2025 Dr Aswathy Aravindakshan 2 Comments

Reading Time: 6 minutes INTRODUCTION WORKS CITED Lalitambika Antharjanam, Agnisakshi, Thrissur: Current Books, 1980. Antharjanam, Lalithambika. Agnisakshi. Translated by Vasanthi Sankaranarayanan, Oxford University Press, 2015. Agnisakshi: Lalitambika Antharjanam’s Critique of Individualism Antharjanam, Lalithambika. Agnisakshi. Translated by Vasanthi Sankaranarayanan, Oxford University Press, 2015. Chandran, Mini. “The Fire Within: A Feminist Reading of Agnisakshi.” Indian…

20 C MALAYALAM LITERATURE IN TRANSLATION, INDIAN WRITING IN ENGLISH, KERALA UNIVERSITY SYLLABUS - UG, LITERARY TRANSLATIONS, WOMEN'S WRITING

Lalithambika Antharjanam: Voice of Change

October 21, 2024November 13, 2025 Dr Aswathy Aravindakshan 6 Comments

Reading Time: 4 minutes Introduction Born on March 30, 1909, Lalithambika Antharjanam emerged as a significant figure in Malayalam literature and the social reform movements of the early 20th century. Hailing from a traditional Namboodiri household in Kottavattom, Kerala, Lalithambika’s life unfolded against a patriarchal and caste-ridden society. Despite the societal norms that confined Namboodiri women to a…

20 C MALAYALAM LITERATURE IN TRANSLATION, INDIAN WRITING IN ENGLISH, KERALA UNIVERSITY SYLLABUS - UG, LITERARY TRANSLATIONS, WOMEN'S WRITING

‘The Snakes have Hollows’: Crafting Life

October 20, 2024January 2, 2026 Dr Aswathy Aravindakshan 2 Comments

Reading Time: 3 minutes The poem sketches the household chores of Poonjeli, who is probably from a low socio-economic background. The setting, as stated above, is her kitchen, which may be her workplace assigned to her by the patriarchy. Within this space, she passively sets a mousetrap while humming an old theatre song that becomes both background and symbol….

20 C MALAYALAM LITERATURE IN TRANSLATION, KERALA UNIVERSITY SYLLABUS - UG, LITERARY TRANSLATIONS, WOMEN'S WRITING

‘Temple Bell’: Reflecting Decay and Desolation

October 20, 2024October 2, 2025 Dr Aswathy Aravindakshan 3 Comments

Reading Time: 4 minutes The poem “Ambalamani” by B. Sugathakumari was translated into English as “Temple Bell” by P. P. Raveendran. Through the poem, the poet reflects on decay and desolation in a world full of noise. The poem “Temple Bell” is set against the backdrop of a deserted temple, where a broken bronze bell sways in the…

20 C MALAYALAM LITERATURE IN TRANSLATION, KERALA UNIVERSITY SYLLABUS - UG, LITERARY TRANSLATIONS, WOMEN'S WRITING