Chemeen

by Thakazhi Pillai

Chemmeen tells the love that is not bounded by the differences of class and caste. The theme of the novel is a myth about chastity among the fishermen communities along the coastal Kerala State in the Southern India.

Genres: Fiction, India, Indian Literature, Classics, Romance, Novels, Literary Fiction

212 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1956

Reviews

[Em Lost In Books · Rating 4 out of 5]

A beautiful and sad tale of love but when is love easy.

[Smitha Murthy · Rating 4 out of 5]

As I laid Chemmeen down, I looked around. Here I was, in my house on a Sunday afternoon, comfortably reading with another. Yet, for the past hour or so, I was buffeted by stormy seas, howling winds, a doomed love, and angry words. Chemmeen grew on me slowly. I wondered initially at the utter simplicity of the language, but there is a natural cadence and rhythm that TS Pillai must have used in the original Malayalam.

There are many themes that make me feel I would like to explore this book more - themes of feminism, of culture, of the historical and social context of Kerala at the time this novel was written. It's a book that made me think, and a story that made me cry in my heart. Poor Karuthamma. There is no judgment you can cast on any of the characters - in making them human, TS Pillai has made them ours.

[Gorab · Rating 4 out of 5]

Reading this felt nostalgic. Like watching an old classic film. Because that's what it is.
Based on the fishermen community of the 60's in Kerala, this simple tale takes us to a time where inter-caste love could be devastating to both person's lives!

Why I picked this:
1. Translated Indian literature.
2. Loved "The Unchaste" by this author. Intending to read his masterwork Rassi (Coir) next.
3. Sahitya Akademi Winner
4. Part of a challenge to read books adapted to films.

What I loved:
1. The plot. Simple inter-caste love, family dynamics, societal constraints, taboos, devotion to sea Goddess Kadalamma, day to day lives of tiny fishermen trading communities.

2. Retention of original names - Chemban Kunju, Pareekutti (Kochumuthalali), Karuthamma, ChakkiNalla Pennu, Palani.

3. The beginning of Part 2 is what I loved the most. The inhibitions of a newly married couple in those circumstances was very well captured.

4. The smooth translation. Although, in comparison, an improvised translation by Anita Nair feels slightly better.

5. The rustic 1975 edition added to that nostalgic charm.

What I didn't like:
1. The ending felt anachronous.

Afterthoughts:
Thinking about the "normal" societal norms and framework, which ruins a person's entire life for none of their own fault!

Overall:
A very enjoyable read.

[Harikrishnan · Rating 4 out of 5]

1950களில் நடக்கும் கதை. பிற்ப்போக்கு தனங்கள் நிறைந்த காதல் நாவல்.
நாம் 2021யில் இருக்கிறோம். ஆனாலும் சில பிற்ப்போக்கு தனங்கள் இன்றும் தொடரவே செய்கின்றன.
இன்னும் சில காலங்கள் - 50 வருடங்கள் - கழித்து மறுவாசிப்பு செய்யும்போது, இந்த பிற்ப்போக்கு தனங்கள் இருக்காமலிருக்க சமுகமாற்றங்களின் மூலம் வேண்டியமுயற்சிகள் எடுக்கப்படவேண்டும்.

[Ahtims · Rating 3 out of 5]

I had watched the movie when I was a little kid and remember only hazy parts about the beach, the sea and boats sailing madly past each other. Saw the English version of this 'enduring malayalam classic' in a bookshop in Calicut and couldn;t resist buying it then and there. T S Pillai (or Thakazhi as he is popularly called) is an eminent malayalee author and I have read many of his books in malayalam, but somehow missed this one. I decided to read the translated version in English and was amused by the quaint translations. The book was readable, but my father says the movie is much better. The story deals with the lives of fisherfolk in the coasts of southern kerala- their daily struggle, ambitions, dreams, customs, traditions etc. The story portrays the lives of ordinary fisherfolk mauled and destroyed by love, tradition, customs, beliefs and superstitions. I pitied Karuthamma, the main female lead - a young idealistic hindu fisherwoman who thwarted her love for a muslim fish trader named Pareekutty for the sake of her parents, people and tradition, and nevertheless ended up being an object of gossip and ridicule(and whose husband Palani too had to pay dearly for the same).

[Sho · Rating 3 out of 5]

T. S Pillai's masterpiece "Chemmeen" is a mesmerising seaside story. "Chemmeen" is a realistic fictional tragedy which focuses on the lifestyle of early fishermen folk in Kerala, the southern part of India. Thakazhi Sivasankara Pillai's "Chemmeen" is the first Malayalam novel to win Sahitya Akademi award. The English version has been translated by Anita Nair and the translation is simple yet beautiful to read.
This book had been made into a Malayalam movie by the same name. The cover page of the book is still from the "Chemmeen" movie. The malayalam actress Sheela who portrays the character 'Karuthamma' is seen holding earthen pots on a sea shore. She is in her fisherwoman dress and she seems to gaze at someone or something.

The story revolves around Karuthamma, a fisherman's daughter destined to marry a fisherman of her same caste and religion. When Pareekutty, a Muslim fisherman helps her family, Karuthamma couldn't help herself from falling into the forbidden love. Little did Karuthamma know that fate had other plans for her. "Chemmeen" is a story about hope and hopeless love.

The vivid description of seashore is striking and the story takes us through the life of the fisher folk. It also elicits how the caste division affects the people. The characters often question the ethics and norms set by the society. The novel has been translated into many languages over the world and is one of the best translated works of Malayalam. Thakazhi Sivasankara Pillai brings out the simple story in its brief detailing, but manages to enthral readers from all over the world. I would definitely recommend this book as a one time read. Eventhough this belongs to the tragedy genre and the ending seemed to pull a sudden brake, the plot unfolds beautifully which is guaranteed to entertain all readers.

[Chitra Ahanthem · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a book that I could go on and on and yet never have enough to say about it. Thakazhi Sivasankara Pillai's Chemmeen is a literary work that occupies the status of a cult, a timeless masterpiece that one can dip into and come out with something in your clasp. Translated from the Malyalam by author Anita Nair, this #HarperPerennial edition comes with the added bonus of a critique of the novel in the socio cultural backdrop of Kerala society by Meena Pillai.


I read Chemmeen as a teenager, another edition, another time and it spoke to me then of the passion of first love and how social norms repress the tide of those emotions. I read them now and it is that story but also, it is a whole new realm opening up to me, talking to me about the loneliness of women caught in the trap of what is expected of them and being accountable for the welfare of an entire society that expects them to be virtuous even as the men can easily discuss any women like they are dissecting fish.


Set in the backdrop of a fishing community, Chemmeen is centered on greed as opposed to aspirations. A boat and a fishing net of one's own is aspiration for fisherfolk but it becomes to symbolise a never ending greed, something that begins to differentiate within the same pool of people creating friction and then a search for something to lay the blame on women.The characters and the relentless struggles they are mirred in reflect the basic question: what is the purpose of life that makes it so elusive and taunting? Much recommended.

[Preetam Chatterjee · Rating 5 out of 5]

In this novel, an ostensibly romantic tale set against the background of the lives of Kerala fisher- folk, the writer has gorgeously woven the characters.

Karuthamma and Pareekutty have grown up as children playing on the shores of Neerkunnath, and share an unfathomable love. Karuthamma blossoms into womanhood while she is enmeshed in a constant conflict with her milieu.

Much before her marriage, she undergoes continual reprimands for harbouring thoughts of a prohibited love. Even after marriage, when she has come to terms with the fact of her lost love, it remains an encumbrance she has to carry on living with.

Chembankunju, fixated as he is with dreams of owning a boat and nets, has not much of an ear for local gossip. So he does not know any of this, and he picks upon young Pareekutty as a comparatively soft target to source the loan money required for buying boat and fishing equipment.

Pareekutty, or the Little Boss as he is adorably known, is in turn elated to be of help to Karuthamma's family, and makes the essential arrangements, without ever bothering to ensure the terms of the loan, unlike what any other professional money lender on the shore would have done.

Chembankunju does achieve his goals. Pareekutty, a small trader that he is with not much worldly wisdom, is reduced to a pathetic morose lover who roams the seaside singing songs of unfulfilled love that pierce Karuthamma's heart.

Meanwhile, Chembankunju chooses Palani, an orphan but a very capable fisherman from the neighbouring coast of Trikunnapuzha, to get Karuthamma married to.

As Palani sails out on his flimsy boat, a primeval force seems to have seized him from within, and in deep sea he first falls into a whirlpool and then attempts to catch a shark. Meanwhile on shore, in her hut, Karuthamma could just not pull her mind out of thoughts of Pareekutty, for whom she always felt long and deep within.

Palani loses his battle with the elements, he screams out the name of his wife, but does not manage to survive.

With a sweeping drift of the narrative, the dead bodies of Karuthamma and Pareekutty locked in an everlasting embrace are washed up on the shore.

‘Chemmeen’ abounds with people from the community who constitute what has been called society. It has the family of Achakunju who is Chembankunju's peer: Raman Moopan, Vellamanalil Velayudhan and others, the fisherwomen, the Shore Masters of the two places, the fishermen from Neerkunnath and many others. Situating Chemmeen in the domain of Folk

In an interview, the author said that Chemmeen was basically writing about a "lifestyle". All things described in the novel are ones that he had seen and known for himself.

This novel can be compared with J. M. Synge's one act play ‘Riders to the Sea’. In both the stories, the background is the sea. As they rise from their sleep in the early morning and rub their eyes, the first thing that the people look at is the vast expanse of the sea. The sea is both provider and destroyer in the novel.

The sea in Chemmeen almost gives the novel the atmosphere of a ‘sthala purana’ the embedded quality of regionalism that is a hallmark of Indian literature.

[Maru · Rating 3 out of 5]

Đọc tác phẩm trong sự ức chế ngập tràn. Nếu tính đến việc tác phẩm ra đời từ 1956 thì thôi cũng nguôi ngoai, vì cách đây gần trăm năm thì mấy ai có đủ dũng cảm thách thức dư luận và đạp lên xã hội mà sống.
Câu chuyện tình của Parakutti và Karuthamma nếu ban đầu đẹp đẽ, thì càng về sau càng ngập tràn trong sự tàn nhẫn. Tàn nhẫn trong cách hành xử lợi dụng c���a Chemban, trong sự bạc nhược và vô dụng của Chakki, trong cái ảo tưởng ngớ ngẩn của Parakutti, trong cả sự nhập nhằng dây dưa của Karuthamma. Palani bỗng dưng bị kép vào cái mớ bòng bong của lòng tham và tình yêu, và sau đó phải trả giá dùm cho những kẻ đó. Cuối cùng chỉ còn lại những đứa trẻ, đứa thậm chí còn đỏ hỏn trong vòng tay nhau.
Người ta lấy Nữ Thần Biển ra để đe doạ, quên đi bản chất những bất hạnh đó đến từ những tập tục cổ hủ, từ sự phân biệt đẳng cấp, từ lòng tham. Nhưng nếu câu chuyện này có thật, thì người ta sẽ vẫn kháo nhau về sự trừng phạt của Nữ Thần Biển. Có người sẽ bảo cái kết là sự giải thoát của tình yêu trong sáng khỏi gông cùm, còn tôi gọi đó là sự trốn tránh và vô trách nhiệm.
Tác phẩm này không dở, nhưng thật khó để đọc nó mà không phán xét.

[Bhargavi.lawbookskettlebells · Rating 4 out of 5]

It's not easy to translate a book from a Dravidian language, written in a hyperlocal dialect, into an entirely unrelated language family like English. Anita Nair has done a stellar job of that.

That said, I'm incredibly conflicted about the story itself. I loved how immersive it was and I spent 240 pages on Kerala's shores in its fishing villages. That part was fantastic. The story's messaging, however, I found deeply problematic.

It may be a historically accurate reflection of the 1950s values in Malayali fishing villages. It is certainly meant to represent the seaside myth of women's chastity being her husband's oceanic protector. To judge the author by the standards of his time, it may not have seemed outrageous for him to place such burdens of martyrdom and submissiveness on women. But for a modern reader, to read a book presenting frankly outdated values - not just presenting them, but valorising them without any attempt at critiquing them - felt harder to swallow.

I still enjoyed the reading experience and may even re-read it in future. It's a fascinating slice of time and place. But if you pick this up, do read it with a pinch of salt and while being mindful of its socio-political context.

[Teenu Vijayan · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'm sure every malayali knows about this classic book.
It took me to the fishermen village and folks. Their lives governed by their laws. Laws of sea.
Karuthamma and Pareekutty or kochumuthalalli fall in love,just like how waves touch the sea shores their love has no permanent fixature in their lives.
The sacrifices they make gives the story its pace. How deep can love run it course? How many lives will it claim.innocent and not so innocent spectators merge in and out of the narrative.
The author manages to show the helplessness of women who despite no fault of themselves are subjected to so much prejudice.

[Derryn Theresa Theresa · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book did not age well. This story would’ve reached the audience in the era it was written in but now when I read it all I hear is misogyny, patriarchy, victim blaming and a whole other array of mental health disorders. I struggled to read through this book. Not my cup of tea.

[Balaji M · Rating 5 out of 5]

"செம்மீன்" - தகழி சிவசங்கரன் பிள்ளை (தமிழில்: சுந்தர ராமசாமி )
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1956ல் வெளிவந்த இம்மலையாள நாவலை எழுதியவர் தகழி சிவசங்கரன் பிள்ளை. அப்போதே 'சாகித்ய அகாடமி' விருதை பெற்றிருக்கிறது. கடற்கரைவாழ் செம்படவ மீனவர்களின் குடும்பம், வறுமை, பேராசை, காதல், நம்பிக்கைகள் என, விளிம்பு நிலை மக்களின் வாழ்வியலை படம் பிடித்து, நம் கண்முன் காட்டுகிறது இந்நாவல்.

பேராசை கொண்ட செம்பன்குஞ்சு, நியாயதர்மத்தின் வழிவாழ விழையும் அவனது மனைவி சக்கி. இவர்களது மூத்த மகள் கறுத்தம்மா, இளையவள், பஞ்சமி எனும் பதின்ம வயதினள்.
மேலும், பரீக்குட்டி எனும் கறுத்தம்மாவின் பால்ய நண்பன், கறுத்தம்மாவின் கணவன் பழனி என முக்கிய கதைமாந்தர்களையும், பிற்சிலரையும் வைத்து அற்புதமானதொரு கதையை புனைந்துள்ளார் இக்கதையாசிரியர்.

கறுத்தம்மாவின் பரீக்குட்டியுடனான காதலாலா? அல்லது நட்பாலா? எனத் தெரியாமல், பரீக்குட்டியின் உதவியினால் வல்லத்தின்(தோணி) முதலாளியாகிறான், செம்பன்குஞ்சு . பின் பரீக்குட்டியை விடுத்து பழனியை கரம்பிடிக்க, கறுத்தம்மா உந்தப்படுகிறாள். ,கறுத்தம்மா பொருட்டு, பழனி எவ்வளவு முயற்சித்தும் ஊர்ப்பேச்சை தட்டமுடியாத நிலை. தந்தை, தாய், காதலன், கணவன், ஊர் என கறுத்தம்மா அனைத்து பக்கத்திலிருந்தும் அனுபவிக்கும் கொடுநிலை., கடைசியில் இவர்களுக்கு ஏற்படும் துயர முடிவு என கதை பயணித்து முடிகிறது, நமக்குள் மிகுந்த கனத்தை இறக்கியபடி!

ஓவ்வொருவரின் வழி கதை சொல்லிச் செல்லும்போதும், அவ்வாசிப்பின் போதே அவர்களது எண்ண உணர்வை நமக்குள் கடத்தப்பெறுகிறோம்.

இப்பேற்பட்ட படைப்பை 20 நாட்களில் தகழி அவர்கள் எழுதியாதாக முன்னுரையில் கூறப்பட்டுள்ளது. இப்படியான மனித மனங்களின் உணர்வுக் குவியலை கொண்டிருக்கும் படைப்பு இருபதே நாட்களில், எழுத்தின் வழி வெளி கொட்டப்பட்டுள்ளதென்றால், அம்மக்களின் வாழ்வியல் தகழி சிவசங்கரன் அவர்களுக்குள் எத்தகைய பாதிப்பை ஏற்படுத்தியிருக்கும்! நினைக்கையில் மலைப்பே மிஞ்சுகிறது.

நாவல்களை தத்ரூபமாகவும், கதைச்சம்பவங்கள் பிறழாமலும் திரைப்படமாக்கும் கலை ஒரு சிலருக்கே வாய்க்கிறது. அந்த வகையில் 1965ல் வெளிவந்த 'செம்மீன்' மலையாளப் படத்தின் இயக்குனரை(ராமு கரியத்) எவ்வளவு பாராட்டினாலும் தகும்.

தங்கு தடையற்ற எழுத்து சித்திரத்தை வாசித்துணர ஏற்ற நாவல்!

புத்தகத்திலிருந்து:
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'செம்மீன்', மீனவர் சமூகத்து கதை. செம்பன்குஞ்சுவின் வாழ்க்கையையும் வீழ்ச்சியையும் சொல்லும் கதை; கடற்கரை கன்னி கறுத்தம்மாவின் தூய காதல் கதை; தனது செயல் ஒரு தியாகம் என்பதையே உணராத தியாகி பரீக்குட்டியின் கதை; ஊக்கமும் உற்சாகமுமே உருவான சக்கியின் உழைப்புக் கதை; ஆண்மையும் ரோஷமும் மிக்க இளைஞன் பழனியின் கதை; மேலைக்கடல் அன்னையின் செல்ல குழந்தைகளது நித்தியக் கதை.
எளிய பாத்திரங்களையும் சாதாரண சம்பவங்களையும் கொண்டு வரைந்த அழகிய வண்ண சொற்சித்திரம் 'செம்மீன்'.
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"பின் ஏன் எல்லாரும் தோணியும் வலையும் வாங்கிக்கிடலே?"
"அதற்கு காரணம் உண்டு. அரயன் 5 ஜாதிப் பிரிவுகள் கொண்டவன். அரயன்,வலைஞன், முக்குவன், மரக்கான். இது தவிர ஒரு பஞ்சம ஜாதியும் உண்டு. மேலும் கிழக்கே இருந்து வருகிற வேலையாட்கள்... அது தனிவகை. இவர்களில் வலைஞர் மட்டும்தான் தோணியும் வலையும் வாங்கலாம். முன்னெல்லாம் தோணியும் வலையும் வாங்குவதற்கான உரிமை வலைஞர்களுக்கு மட்டும்தான் இருந்தது. அவர்களுக்கு மட்டுமே துறை அரையன் அவ்வுரிமையை வழங்குவார்.
வேலாயுதம் கேட்டான்:
"செம்பன் குஞ்சு இதுல எந்த சாதி?"
புண்ணியன் ரசித்து சிரித்துக் கொண்டான்.
"முக்குவன்"
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மனத்தைப் பறி கொடுப்பது என்பது எத்தனை இயற்கையான காரியம்? அவளுடைய இதயம் கொள்ளை போய்விட்டது. செம்படவர்களான அவர்களுடைய வாழ்க்கை துன்பமயமானது. அபாயம் நிறைந்தது. அந்த வாழ்க்கை முறையிலிருந்து ஓடி உருவெடுத்த சன்மார்க்க எண்ணங்கள், நம்பிக்கைகள், ஆகியவற்றை அடித்தளமாக கொண்டெழுந்த கற்கோட்டை ஒன்று உண்டு. அதனுள் அவர்கள் வாழ்ந்து வருகிறார்கள். அந்த கோட்டையிலிருந்து விடுதலை பெற ஒரு வாசல் திறப்பது போலிருந்தது. ஒரு முடிவுக்கு வந்துவிட்டால் போதும். விடுதலைதான்.
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(மீன்பிடித்து கரைக்கு திரும்பிய)தோணியிலிருந்து சிதறுவது தண்ணீரில் பயிரான ஒரு பொருள்தான்(மீன்)?யாரும் விதைக்கவில்லை. யாரும் பேணிகாக்கவில்லை.
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"கல்யாணம் முடிஞ்சு போற வழியிலே, திடீர்னு அவர்(பரீக்குட்டி) வந்து வழி மறிச்சு நிக்க வெச்சுக்கிட்டு, 'காசை எண்ணிக் கீழே வெச்சுப்புட்டுப் போ' அப்படின்னு சொல்லிப்புட்டாருன்னா, என்னா, என்னம்மா செய்வேன் நான்?"

அந்த நிமிஷம் வரையிலும் சக்கி அப்படி எண்ணிப் பார்க்கவில்லை. மனத்தை கிலியில் அழ்த்திவிடும் பயங்கரமான சித்திரம் ஒன்றை வரைந்து கண்முன் நிறுத்தி விட்டாள் கருத்தம்மா.
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ஒரு சர்வ சாதாரண அரயனுடைய நெடுங்கால நம்பிக்கையை அவனும்(பழனி) வெளியிட்டான். அரயன் பணம் சேர்க்க முடியாது! கோடான கோடி உயிரினங்களைக் கொன்று குவிப்பதில்தான் அவனுக்கு சிறிது பணம் கிடைக்கிறத���. பரிபூரண சுதந்திரத்துடன் கடல்நீரில் அங்கும் இங்கும் விளையாடி திரிகின்ற ஜீவன்களை ஏமாற்றி வலையில் சிக்க வைப்பதன் மூலம்தான் அவர்களது வாழ்க்கை நடைபெறுகிறது. லட்சக்கணக்கான உயிர்கள் மூச்சு திணற, விழிகள் பிதுங்க, துடிதுடித்துச் சாவதை பார்க்கும்போது பரிதாபமாக இருக்கிறது! அன்றாடம் அந்த காட்சியை கண்டுகொண்டு இருப்பவனுக்கு ஒன்றுமே இல்லை. இவ்வாறு உயிர் கொலையில் கிடைக்கிற பணம் தங்காது. அந்த பணத்தை சேர்த்து வைக்கவும் முடியாது என்பதுதான் அவர்கள் நம்பிக்கை.
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இவைகளெல்லாம் பழனியின் வேதாந்த விசாரம் அல்ல. நெடுந்தூரத்துக்கு விரிந்து பரந்து கிடக்கும் அந்த கடற்கரை மக்கள், நூறாண்டு காலமாய், தலைமுறை தலைமுறையாய் இதே கருத்தை கூறி வருகின்றனர்.
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[Mahmudur Rahman · Rating 4 out of 5]

ভারতের দক্ষিণ উপকূলের জেলে, জেলেজীবন, তাদের বিশ্বাস, প্রেম ইত্যাদি নিয়ে গল্প। তবে সেখানে প্রধান হয়ে আসে কারুতাম্মা ও পারিকুট্টীর প্রেম। হিন্দু মেয়ে আর মুসলিম জেলের অসম্ভব সম্পর্কের মধ্য দিয়ে জেলেদের বহুদিনের বিশ্বাসের সঙ্গে বিপরীত এক জীবনের গল্প দেখিয়েছেন তাকাষি। এখানে তিনি এনেছেন পুরনো দিনের সেই বিশ্বাসের কথা। দেখিয়েছেন সমুদ্র ও জেলের চরিত্র। কিন্তু শেষ অবধি তাকাষি এমনভাবে গল্পটা রেখে দেন যে সেই আদি বিশ্বাসের কাছেই জেলেদের ফিরতে হয়।

[Arun Divakar · Rating 5 out of 5]

The sea and a beach are sights that many a person can never have enough of. There is something so awe-inspiring in the sight of the horizonless ocean that brings people back to it again and again. The beach while being a place for some much deserved downtime, skin tans and frolic there aren’t a lot many times where I can confidently say that I have thought about the lives of people who survive with just the sea alone. Kerala has been witness to both the heroism and tragedy of the fishermen in the past couple of years. 2018 was a year that was unprecedented for Kerala when it came face to face with a flood that pretty much engulfed the entirety of the little state. While the armed forces and local administration did all they could to help people in distress, the fishermen folk from all over the state rallied to the help of their fellow humans. There was no call put out to them, no one had approached them to ask for help and yet they came to the help of the needy and the distressed and rescued many a stranded soul from watery graves. What made this effort all the more touching was that the lives of these men depended on their boats and the catch that the sea could offer them. One day of not going fishing would mean that the fires in their kitchen might go cold for and yet selflessly they came to the rescue and were hailed as superheroes by social media.

Keeping this glorious episode aside, let us look at some present day realities. For the past couple of days, one of the leading newspapers in Malayalam has been reporting about the living conditions of some of the fisherfolk. I was reading yesterday about families whose homes and belongings were washed away by the sea and they have been living in relief camps for over two years now. These people belong to some of the poorest strata of the society and perhaps their voice is not loud enough to be heard by many. In the village of Chellanam which is on the outskirts of Kochi in Kerala, the lack of a sea wall means that over the years the residents have had to watch their precious belongings taken away by the sea and also that there is no security to their lives. A few months ago, the women of Chellanam took to standing knee deep in the surf demanding that their lives be saved. If you take a moment to look at the lives of the fishermen folk across India, the stark realities are the same : living off the unpredictable sea, lack of economic stability, hunger, poverty and a hand-to-mouth existence.

A background such as this is essential for an understanding of the milieu of Chemmeen which is set in the villages of Neerkkunnam (in Ambalappuzha district) and Thrikkunnapuzha (in Alappuzha district) in Kerala of the 1950’s. At a very macroscopic level, the story tells of lost love and longing. Karuthamma and Pareekkutty who belong to different castes and social classes grow up together as children at Neerkkunnam. As they step into their teenage, their friendship gives way to love and this sets in motion a vicious circle of events that lasts over many a decade. Ultimately the story is extremely tragic when looked at from the POV of both Karuthamma and Pareekutty as they never get to realize their love while alive. There are multiple interleaving character arcs at play in the story which keeps it from being just a love story alone. The storyline of Karuthamma’s father Chembankunju is about how uncontrolled greed for money and worldly comforts leads you to a path where naught exists. The villagers and their gossip mongering is a smear campaign which doubts Karuthamma’s fidelity and also destroys her entire families livelihood. Karuthamma’s husband, Palani who is a capable and efficient fisherman is also struggling to live a life of normalcy when all around him are whispers that try to throw shade on his spouse’s faithfulness. Each character is living through their personal hell and it all builds to a climax that comes crashing like a gigantic wave.

The power of Chemmeen lies in how it weaves the culture, language and customs of a tiny Keralite fishing village seamlessly into what might otherwise have been a prosaic story of lost love. Thakazhi takes a local myth that the safety of men fishing in the seas is dependent on the loyalty and fidelity of their women and expands upon it to bring this timeless tale to life. Chemmeen holds the distinction of the only Malayalam novel to have been translated into multiple foreign languages and it’s film adaptation was also an exceptional piece of work for it’s time. Afterall, the tales of suffering, loss, greed, love and tragedy have similar shades all over the world. Highly recommended !

P.S : Chemmeen is the Malayalam word for a Prawn.

[Amrita Pillai · Rating 4 out of 5]

So here's presenting my last pick for #discoveringindiareadathon : Chemmeen (the Prawn).The epic novel written by T.S. Pillai was the first Malayalam novel to win the Sahitya Akademi Award, later made into a popular malayalam movie.🍤 ⁣
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This is a story about the fishermen folk in Kerala and in it's core, it is a forbidden love story of a young Muslim tradesman- Pareekutty and a Hindu fisherwoman- Karuthamma who grew up on the same sea shore. Due to obvious differences, there weren't allowed to be together and also because being of fishermen community, Karuthamma must marry a fisherman and it's her loyalty that ensures her husband's and seashore's safety. The story also talks about how the greed for wealth affect Karuthamma's father: Chembankunju who was ambitious to the extent of borrowing money from Pareekutty to buy boats however not with the intention of returning it and Pareekutty obliges because his love for Karuthamma is unconditional. 🍤⁣
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Karuthamma is married off to a skilled fisherman-Palani, an orphan, just because he doesn't demand dowry. Karuthamma's tainted past on her seashore due to her closeness to Pareekutty comes to haunt her even as she married to a man of a different seashore. Inspite of Karuthamma's complete loyalty, she and her husband are questioned due to traditional values of the fisherfolk (read jealously and because people love to gossip about a young woman) even if it means the couple gets ousted from the community itself.Back home, Chembankunju is a destroyed man..🍤 ⁣
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The beauty of the novel and in it's translation is in how these humane emotions justify the strength of all the characters. This is a story that will stay with you long after you read the last page. It's poignant, real and engages you to question the social fabric entailing unfair traditions. My favourite character in the novel is Palani, an orphan, skilled fisherman, loving husband to Karuthamma but couldn't manage to replace Pareekutty in Karuthamma's heart.🍤 ⁣
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PS: I haven't read the original work in Malayalam

[Shabna K Salam · Rating 5 out of 5]

"എന്റെ കൊച്ചുമുതലാളീ...... "
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ആ നീട്ടിയുള്ള വിളി ഏകദേശം ഓർമവെച്ചക്കാലം മുതൽ മലയാളികൾ പലതരത്തിലും തലങ്ങളിലും കേട്ടുവരുന്ന ഒരു അഭിസംബോധനയാണ്.
എന്നാൽ അതിലും കൂടുതലായി മലയാളി മനസ്സിൽ കൊത്തിവെച്ച ഒരു പാട്ടുണ്ട് "മാനസമൈനേ വരൂ.... " എന്നുതുടങ്ങുന്ന ചെമ്മീൻ സിനിമയിലെ പാട്ട്.
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സിനിമ കണ്ടിട്ടുള്ളതുകൊണ്ടുതന്നെ കഥയെപ്പറ്റി ഒരു ഏകദേശധാരണ ഉണ്ടായിരുന്നിട്ടും ഇത്രയധികം ആസ്വദിച്ചു വായിച്ച ഒരു പുസ്തകം ഈ അടുത്തെങ്ങുമുണ്ടായിട്ടില്ല എന്നതാണ് വാസ്തവം.ആ കടാപ്പുറത്തു സ്ലാങ്ങിൽ എഴുതിയിരിക്കുന്ന ഒരോരുത്തരുടെയും സംഭാഷണം അതെ രീതിയിൽ വായിച്ചു വായിച്ചു ഞാൻ വേറൊരു ലോകത്തായിരുന്നു.സിനിമയേക്കാൾ കൂടുതൽ കഥാപാത്രങ്ങളെയും അവരുടെ നിസ്സഹായ അവസ്ഥകളെയും ആഴത്തിൽ മനസ്സിലാക്കുവാൻ പുസ്തകം കൊണ്ടു സാധിച്ചു.
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ചുരുക്കി പറഞ്ഞാ ഞമ്മക്ക് അതാങ്ങാട് നന്നായി പുടിച്ചു മൊക്കാളെ...
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#qotd Are you interested in reading books based on regional folktales?!

[Vigneswara Prabhu · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very few writers are able to encapsulate the life and experiences of the working class and downtrodden sections of society, like Thakazhi, as well as his contemporary M T VASUDEVAN NAIR. In the vein of stories written during the turn of Independence, Chemmeen, Thakazhi's most acclaimed novel, also is a tragedy. Well, if you're someone who is a fan of his Bibliography, it wouldn't come as too much of a surprise. Thakazhi has a penchant for ending his stories on a sobering note, be it രണ്ടിടങ്ങഴി Randidangazhi, or Thottiyude Makan തോട്ടിയുടെ മകന്‍. Oh, Spoiler.

He has this passion for fleshing out the lives of those in society, whom you and me, and most people at the time, would've preferred to ignore, and behave as if didn't exist. Yet the ones that he writes about, the farmers, the cleaners, the fisherman, often make up the backbone of society, either as primary providers or caretakers.

Yet the irony is, despite how crucial their role is, they're often relegated to the lowest strata of the civilized world, and often treated much as untouchables. While those above, exploit their hard work, and grow fat. Which is an overarching theme in Thakazhi's works.

This time around however, those usual catalysts take a backseat, for a tragedy wrought due to archaic customs, and rigid societal norms, which are adamant in trapping people inside cages of their own making. Where, not knives or guns, but the poison in people's minds and words can end lives.

Pending Review.

[Krishna Srinivasan · Rating 4 out of 5]

The literature of India has different styles and sensibilities to Western writing. This translation does much to bridge the gap. Nair states that she took 2 years to translate a book that the writer took 8 days to write!

As it is a translation, one cannot comment on Pillai's prose or any other aspects of his literary style. The focus of any criticism of the translation then must be on the narrative. The narrative of the work is excellent and incredibly thought provoking.

Primarily, Chemmeen is about a young fisherwoman, Karuthamma, in love with a Muslim wholesaler, Pareekutty. But at its essence is the atavistic belief that a fisherman's wife's chastity is directly linked to his survival on sea. This stupid belief is the driving force of the novel. Further, it drives the belligerent gossiping and slandering of Neerkunnath's residents.

The book is filled with tragedy. So many issues could have been avoided had a maturer society taken the place of the Chemmeen's society.

[Nanditha · Rating 4 out of 5]

It's difficult to review a book whose main theme/idea you have qualms with and found problematic, but then again, this is a book set in the 1960s which is why I am not taking that into consideration in my review.

This wonderfully translated novel is apparently a Malayalam classic, following the tragic love story of a fisherwoman and a Muslim boy who live on the same shore. For a person not familiar with sea folklore or of rituals and customs in erstwhile Kerala, this book was informative even though the story itself is fictional. The story has fleshed out characters, realistic settings, writing that reads like poetry and is easy to visualise, and above all, a narrative which tugs at your heartstrings and makes you ache along with the characters. I only wish the book had a bit more hope and happiness than it does, but then again, I suppose Sivasankara Pillai was only mirroring most lived realities, especially of the lives of the women in those times.

[Sankara Jayanth S · Rating 3 out of 5]

Edit: I see that the Goodreads description matches the book blurb in laying out the entire plot and climax of the novel. Great.

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The entire plot of the novel is laid out in the blurb for some reason and it is misleading because of it. WTF, Harper Collins! I mean, it literally lays out the final scenes of the novel. That definitely set wrong expectations for the story. I was 3/4th way into the book when I realised what the publisher has done with the blurb and I just had to power through the remaining pages because the story was going nowhere after a while.

I'll review the novel itself later. I liked it overall.

[Rashmi Binu · Rating 5 out of 5]

For a translated book, it just captured you in the plot and the story in almost a poetic way. The lore, the legend of the Kadalamma and the way of life of the people of the shore, paints a vivid picture in your mind. Credit to the author and the translator.

[Huy · Rating 2 out of 5]

kết thúc có hậu ghê *thở dài*

[booksandki · Rating 4 out of 5]

I won't re read this but the commentary on patriarchy, marriage, shaming of women and inter religious love will stay with me for a long long time.

[Tee · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5

[Rahul · Rating 3 out of 5]

I enjoyed the story throughout, it was an emotional journey, and we could easily relate to it.
It's a Well crafted tale depicting the lives of Fisher folks in Kerala.
Story of Mother Sea's sons and daughters; their values and way of life is what makes this story possible. Clash between norms and liberty makes their life happy, miserable and engaging; a life worth to live.

[Muthuanand · Rating 4 out of 5]

Living in proximity of sea I can well relate to this cult classic. Even though I read a translated work still I can feel the essence, kudos to the translator. It was like watching a old classic movie.The characters will remain etched in my heart for long time.
The story seems non-fictional for me, despite being fictional.

My deepest condolence for Pareekutty(Fictional)

[Sudharsan]

Really good translation.

[Nasar · Rating 4 out of 5]

'Karuthamma thought that she saw the soul of that cursed woman with her unfulfilled longings wandering through the winds of the shore. Sometimes in solitary moments, she heard an incomprehensible story being narrated to her in an alien language. Once, the shore had known women like her. Women who turned into grieving creatures, living a life of sorrow. Those were the tales of loss the wind too told her. The sea’s heaving voiced the same. The grains of sand knew it too. There was more. The bones of these crones had crumbled to dust and were now part of the sands of the shore. They too must be trembling'.

[Gowrinandhana · Rating 4 out of 5]

കറുത്തമ്മയുടെ ഓരോ സങ്കടവും ചെറിയ ചെറിയ സന്തോഷങ്ങളും ആഴമായി തന്നെ എന്നിൽ വന്നു പതിഞ്ഞു. അവൾ കരഞ്ഞു പ്പാൾ ഞാൻ കരയുകയും ങ്ങൾ ചിരിച്ചപ്പോൾ ചിരിക്കുകയും ചെയ്തു. ലോകത്തിൽ എന്താണ് ശരിയോ തെറ്റ് എന്ന അറിയാതെ പരിങ്ങുന്ന കറുത്തമ,
എന്തുകൊണ്ടാ അവൾ ഒറ്റപ്പെട്ടപ്പോൾ ഞാനും ഒറ്റപ്പെട്ട പോലെ തോന്നി , അവൾ ഭയന്നപ്പോൾ ഞാനും വിറച്ചു. ചിലപ്പോൾ ഈ സമൂഹത്തിൽ ഒരു സ്ത്രീ ആയ നിന്റെ ദുർബലത എനിക്ക് പരിചിതമായത് കൊണ്ടായിരിക്കാം

ഒരു പെൺക്കുട്ടി ആയതിന്റെ പേരിൽ അവളിൽ ചുമറ്റിയ നിബന്ധനകൾ എത്രത്തോളം , ഭാരം എത്രത്തോളം..