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

Reading Time: 6 minutes

 

INTRODUCTION

• Agnisakshi/Fire My Witness is the only novel written by Lalithambika Antharjanam
• First serialised in Mathrubhoomi Weekly and later published as a book in Malayalam by Current Books (1976).
• Translated into English by Vasanthi Sankaranarayanan for Sahitya Akademi in 1980. She re-translated it for Oxford University Press in 2015.
• Won the Kendra Sahitya Academy Award and the Kerala Sahitya Academy Award (1977). It was adapted into a feature film, directed by Shyamaprasad, with the same title in 1997.
• It chronicles Kerala’s history, witnessing extreme social injustice and gender disparity.
• It throws light into the duracharams (ill practices) of Namboothiri illoms (houses).
• It is a story of a woman’s transformation, set against a backdrop of socio-political history.
• The protagonist is an educated young lady from a progressive Namboothiri household, married off to an orthodox Namboothiri illom. She later joins revolutionary movements and the freedom struggle, and finally transforms into an ascetic, finding solace on the banks of the Ganges.
• The novel is based on a real-life story that the novelist encountered during a pilgrimage to Uttar Pradesh in 1962.
• It is the struggle of a woman for social justice, particularly gender justice, as she breaks free from the chains and conventions that bind her.
• It maps the socio-political climate of Kerala over forty years.
• The novel is dedicated to Devi Bahen (the protagonist) and all like-minded women who fight for social reformation.
• Initially, the novelist states that she is telling a story that is neither fictitious nor autobiographical.
• The novel has 18 chapters, narrated through the memories of Smt. KMK Nair or Thankom.
• Main characters in the novel – Lakshmi/Thankom/Mrs KMK Nair; Thetikutty/Devaki Manampalli/ Devi Bahen /Mata Sumitrananda; Unni Namboothiri, Aphan Namboothiri, Aniyan Namboohtiri, PKP Namboothiri.
  NOVEL IN A NUTSHELL
• Mrs KMK Nair is at the banks of the Ganges with her son Appu and his daughter Devaki/Devu to perform the rituals related to the death ceremony of her cousin, Unni Namboodiri (Unni Ettan). One more purpose behind her visit to the place is to meet her sister-in-law (Edathiamma), the wife of Unni Namboothiri. (She is referred to by various names in the novel: Thetikutty, Devaki Manampalli, Devi Bahen and Mata Sumitrananda.) Thankom knows that her sister-in-law has turned into a yogini and is residing in one of the Ashram’s on the banks of the Ganges as Mata Sumitrananda. Surprisingly, Thankom meets her at the ghat along with other yoginis, but she does not recognise Thankom, as she is reluctant to return to her past life (her poorvasharam).
• Then we are taken back through the memories of Thankom to the Manampalli Mana and its premises, where she was born and brought up. Though she was the daughter of Aphan Namboothiri, she was not allowed to enter the mana as she was born to a Nair (Shudra) woman. She and her mother lived in the nearby house, Kacheri Malika. Unni Namboothiri was very fond of Thankam, and they both shared a beautiful relationship as brother and sister. After Unni’s marriage to Devaki, Thankom became very close to her Edathiamma. Unni was a pious young man who wanted to uphold the customs and rituals of the illom. Therefore, he spent most of his time in poojas and rituals and failed to spend time with his beloved. Devaki was too upset about this and spent time reading books and conversing with Thankom. At that age, Thankom was unable to understand the turbulence between the couple.
• The customs of mana were too rigid for the newlywed daughter-in-law, Devaki, who was brought up in a progressive environment. Unni’s mother was a conventional Brahmin lady who insisted on the strict following of rituals. Unni was not interested in the progressive ideas of people embracing revolution and social change to eradicate untouchability and religious fundamentalism. Unni even decided to take a year-long celibacy, which was again painful for Devaki, who was eager to have a child of her own. However, Devaki had a brother, PKP Namboothiri, who had progressive ideas. He was part of the social reform movements for social justice and equality, as well as the national freedom movement. Devaki sends letters to her brother through Thankom. For a short while, Thankom was also fascinated by the revolutionary ideas of PKP.
• Thankom wanted to pursue higher studies; at first, Aphan did not allow her to, but later she was allowed to join the college in the city, along with Aniyan Namboothiri. Devaki and Thankom had developed a deep relationship by then. It was painful for both to separate, even for a good cause.
• After some time, Devaki leaves Manampalli mana to see her dying mother, for which Aphan did not give her permission. As she left the house without the consent of the elders, nobody cared to call her back after her mother’s death, not even Unni. So when Thankom comes home for vacation, she couldn’t meet her edathiamma.
• While staying at her home, Devaki becomes increasingly fascinated by revolutionary ideas, joins social movements, and, in a short while, emerges as the leader of the women’s liberation movement. Through her eloquent speeches, she called for a complete change in the lives of women. Thus, Thethikutty is transformed into Devaki Manampalli.
• Aphan passes away. As per the custom, Thankom and her mother could no longer live in the Kacheri Malika. So, they left the place. Thankom discontinued her studies to marry a man employed in North India.
• Thankom’s granddaughter is named after a promise given to Thethikutti to name either her daughter or granddaughter after her. Meanwhile, Aniyan Namboothiri requests Devaki to come back to Mana. She was reluctant to do so as she felt she had travelled a long way, leaving the ways of life in Mana. However, she was willing to come back if Unni Ettan called her back, and she would do so without any act of atonement. Unfortunately, Unni was not courageous enough to do so, and the event never occurred. Maybe he never wanted to be in the path of his wife’s independent thinking and progressive ideas, or because he didn’t want to violate the rules of mana or defy his mother.
• Later, Devaki leaves for an Ashram, becomes Gandhiji’s disciple, and takes the name Devaki Bahen. Once during the Quit India movement, Thankom witnessed police shoot down a young boy who tried to hoist the tricolour, but a bold woman of Nariseva Smithi rescued this boy. On a close watch, Thankom identifies the woman as her Edathiamma. With the help of a few friends, she was able to confirm that as well. However, unfortunately, her husband was reluctant to pursue further investigation into Devaki Behan. Later, in one or two instances, she could also recognise Edathiamma, who was associated with welfare activities and peace marches, but she couldn’t get in touch with her.
• Thankom gets more information about Devi Behan from Kalyani Devi. She tells Thankom that Devi Behan has moved to another Ashram and has become the disciple of Sudhhananda Saraswati.
• Meanwhile, over time, things change in the ancestral house, Manampalli mana. Aniyan Namboothiri had become a wealthy man, and his wife a greedy woman. Unni’s mother is bedridden due to rheumatoid arthritis and is in a pathetic condition due to the ill-treatment of Aniyan Namboothiri’s wife. Unni denounces everything and lives in the temple performing rituals.
• One day, Thankom receives a parcel and a letter from Aniyan Namboothiri. The letter conveyed the news of Unni Ettan’s death. The package contained a letter from Unni requesting that his obsequies be performed by Devu, Thankom’s granddaughter, along with a cover that included Devaki’s mangalyasutram and a letter she had sent to Unni before her renunciation. Thankom’s first thought was to throw the mangal sutra into the Ganga, but when she saw Edithaiamma, she changed her mind and decided to visit her in the ashram.
• Sumitrananda, after seeing Thankom, remembers her life with Unni at Manampalli mana. For a moment unwillingly, she deviates from her spiritual poise and thinks like a woman with emotions all over again. So, she decides to observe a 12-day penance of fasting and silence.
• The novel ends with the meeting of Sumitrananda and Mrs KMK Nair. Thankom hands over the mangalya sutra. Mataji puts that into the sacrificial fire with deep reverence. She takes it back and gives it to Devu. As she blesses Thankom and others, she attains a state of samadhi.
  ANALYSIS OF THE NOVEL
• It is a novel with many layers.
• It tells the story of a broken marriage, mapping the protagonist’s transformation from the beautiful and worldly Thethikutty to an ascetic.
• It is a perfect example of women’s anti-patriarchal writing in the mid-20th century.
• The novel has two protagonists – Mrs M.K. K Nair and Devaki Manampalli. Both represent two sides of women’s lives in a given time period.
• The female characters can be considered mouthpieces of the novelist
• In the preface to the 1980 edition, Antherjanam writes –
  [I will be satisfied]… if this serves to help women of the younger generation to understand their mothers and grandmothers; [if it will help]… members of the older generation to conduct a self-examination; and others, to bring together and study the tears and dreams of a past time
• Devaki desires modern conjugal companionship and motherhood; Thankam’s ambitions focus on active public life. However, it is Thankam who becomes the housewife, while Devaki becomes the public activist. In their lives, they are isolated from one another and primarily focused on pursuing their narrow goals. – irony of destiny
• It is a kaleidoscope of the sufferings of women in a patriarchal society, how much they resist and how far they succeed in transcending social norms.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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 Journal of Gender Studies, vol. 12, no. 2, 2005, pp. 213-230.

Sankaranarayanan, Vasanthi. “Translator’s Introduction.” Agnisakshi, by Lalithambika Antharjanam, Oxford University Press, 2015, pp. vii