Demon Seed: and other writings

by M.T.VASUDEVAN NAIR, Gita Krishnakutty (Translator), M.T.VASUDEVAN NAIR

A representative selection from one of India's leading fiction writers
The most versatile writer in Malayalam today, M.T. Vasudevan Nair has published short stories, novels, screenplays, as well as articles on the state of literature and cinema in India. At the heart of this collection is The Demon Seed, a fresh translation of Asuravithu, arguably one of his best novels. Published in Malayalam in 1962, it is an uncompromising look at the crumbling matrilineal order, and the breakdown of the joint family system.
The novel tells the story of Govindankutty, a young unemployed Nair boy. When his wealthy brother-in-law takes him on as the manager of his property, and a marriage is arranged for him, Govindankutty dares to dream for the first time in his life. He brings his bride home, eager to start life afresh, but discovers to his horror that she is already pregnant by another man-his urbane lawyer-cousin Krishnettan. Shattered by the knowledge that his family had connived to betray him, Govindankutty goes berserk. Finally, estranged from home and village, he converts to Islam in the ultimate gesture of defiance. Tautly written and brilliantly characterized, The Demon Seed is a powerful novel about a society in transition.
The collection also brings together six of MT's best stories, including 'Vanaprastham', The Jackal's Wedding' and 'Sherlock'. Also included are 'The Era of Ramanan', an essay on the impact of the first modem verse romance in Malayalam, and a beautifully crafted piece on contemporary cinema. Taken together, these writings are testimony to the remarkable range and depth of M.T. Vasudevan Nair's work.

Genres: Fiction

488 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1998

Reviews

[Jyotsna · Rating 5 out of 5]

Rating - 5 stars
NPS - 10 (Promoter)

He could hear from the steps if someone talked in the front room. He thought he would hear Amma talk about the birth of Kumar Ettan, which had brought a good fortune and the subsequent birth of the demon seed that was him that had brought her penury.

The book is a collection of some famous short stories and the entire novel of Asuravithu. At the end it also has some essays on cinema.

Review of The Demon Seed (Asuravithu) -

What a brilliantly written book about caste, social divide, untouchability and poverty. Govindan Kutty, the youngest boy of the Thazhedath tarawad (family), is 22 years old, uneducated and jobless. His quest to find a job, pull his family out of poverty and helplessness is understandable; this eagerness pulls him into various directions designed for him by those with money.

The writing is lyrical and at times frustrating because of the behaviour of the characters.

He thought with blind rage about the mistake his father had committed. In his 51st year, after a lapse of 11 years, he had made his mother bring forth a child.

At the start, the book is a difficult read, as we are introduced to a plethora of characters in the small village of Kizhakkemuri in the Palakkad district of Kerala. You will need to maintain a family chart to understand who is who.

Also, I loved this book because the places mentioned in the book are where I have been, and the customs and traditions are familiar to me. You might not enjoy the book as much if you are not familiar with culture of Palakkad


Review of the short stories -

My favourite short story was Sacred Sword And Anklets.

I bawled my eyes out reading the story, and it was such an emotional rollercoaster for me.

My second favourite was Vanaprastham.

Again, to enjoy all the stories, you will need some kind of relatability factor or an understanding of the culture in Kerala, especially East Kerala.

Highly recommend if you want to sneak peak into how Kerala was in the yesteryears.

[S Ashok · Rating 4 out of 5]

MT Vasudevan Nair's The Demon Seed (Asuraviththu)

MT Vasudevan Nair works are centered around the decline of traditional Nair Tharavadu.
Tharavadu is a Malayalam word for ancestral house. Traditionally Nair Tharavadu were powerful feudal houses which commanded respect and veneration in rural Kerala society.
With the coming of the modern changes like the law calling of equal rights to men and women in ancestral property, land reforms these families start facing major hurdles. The Nair's compared to other societies followed a matrilineal system of property inheritance wherein women enjoyed more rights on the property.

MT Vasudevan's work The Demon Seed is about the decline of an erstwhile prosperous Tharavadu. The central character Govindan Kutty is born as a late child and his birth coincides with the decline of the family. Hence he is considered as a harbinger of bad fate an Asuraviththu (demon seed). Right through the novel, we see the mother referring to Govindan Kutty as one who brought the decline of the family. The family has already lost all the property due to various debts incurred by Govindan Kutty's elder brother Kumaranettan. Their lands are mortgaged to other Nair Tharavadu families. Govindan Kutty his mother and his one sister who is not married live a life of poverty where they are dependent on others for their daily food. But in spite of this state of affairs, they still have to pretend like that of a big family. They need to live up to reputations and hence incur much more looses. Govindankutty is jobless and spends much of the time roaming around, daydreaming on the past happy life and hoping one day he will be able to get back the family ancestral land now mortgaged. His sister Madhaviyedathi is married to Shekaranettan who through chance and luck has become one of the richest people in the village. He lacks any traditional family virtue but when money is the ultimate factor that determines the standing. The central theme is like times have changed the traditional family which used to be so important has changed, now we are in an age where one who is able to earn money through any means can gain social status.

Govindankutty life goes through multiple stages of ruin, right from his marriage to the girl who was cheated by Shekarettan's son Kocheppan. On knowing the truth Govindankutty tries to kill Shekarettan and is badly beaten up by Shekarettan's men. To escape beaten up by Nair men, Govindankutty converts to Islam as there is already a rivalry between the Nari's and Mappilas in the village. Govindankutty becomes Abdulla and is lead to complete ruin now forsaken by his own family he roams over the village.

In the end, we see the village is affected by a cholera-endemic and Govindankutty silently clearing the corpse of the dead whom everyone has forsaken. Govindankutty one who was forsaken by everyone all his life is finally needed by not the living but by the dead.

Another central relationship is between Govniankutty and Kunharakar who is Govindankutty's friend Abdul father. Kunharakar defends Govindankutty against the attacks of Shekarenettan. Kunharakar is bold and is independent thinking he criticizes both Shekarettan and the mapilla Muthalali who to settle their scores are using innocent men from their communities. But he is heartbroken when Govindankutty when he converts to Islam at the behest of the mappila muthalali. At the end when Kunharakar finds Govindankutty cleaning up the corpse he respects his humanity and Govindankutty is finally redeemed finally when Kunharakr invites him to his daughters wedding. Govindankutty leaves the village promising to come back.

[Anjali · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was my first time reading MT Nair's writing, an author whose name I've always heard associated with Malayalam literature, and I am honestly impressed. Each story is set in a time filled with abject poverty, yet the social commentary subtly done really makes you think. He really brings to light the utter stupidity in caste pride of the Nairs, when they are starving and on the brink of homelessness, we see characters caring about their reputation and what others think of them. There is a firm belief in the Goddess and pleasing Her, while living in the worst possible conditions possible. There's also looking down at Cherumans, Pulayas and other castes, all while being selfish and utterly devoid of humanity.
The novel, The Demon Seed, was added to these short stories and it was hella depressing. Ofc Kerala society has quite a few people that still care about their reputations and family pride, all while living the most pathetic of lives and having zero moral character - as in the case of many characters in this book. But this novel also showcases the fights between Hindu-Muslim (Mapilla) communities at the time - however, all is forgotten at the face of death and cholera. There's no ending as such, just realities.
I hated the translation; that's what killed this book for me. Super clunky and annoying to read, with no sentence flow.

[Sumant · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book is a collection of short stories and also full blown novella by M.T. Vasudevan Nair, and it's gives a fresh glimpse into a new world, because for me I haven't read that many stories centered on Kerala, and this book definitely was breath of fresh air.

From the short stories I really loved the story Vanprastham which is a story of an ageing teacher who meets his former pupil and how all the old memories start flooding back to him.

The main novella is what makes this collection good read because it tells us a story of Govind Kutty born in a poor family at an old age to his parents, and who is always considered as an burden on his family, and how people around him try to take advantage of this situation.

There is also lot of village politics involved in this story which author portrays realistically, and the final redemption for Govind made this fantastic read for me.

[Poornima · Rating 4 out of 5]

First time reading the author's work. The underlying theme in most stories is poverty, pathos and tragedy but written in a style that is captivating. Folks who are not acquainted with the Kerala society would find it a tad difficult to understand/relate. Also, there are quite a few typos in this edition.

[Shreyas · Rating 3 out of 5]

Whoa. That took two months to finish. Authentically Kerala and extremely grass-root level of story-telling. Extremely difficult to wonder if this is another Kerala that we do not see or capture. And of course, tough to comprehend for a lucid style of explaining daily lives of varied aspects.

[Krishna Sruthi Srivalsan · Rating 5 out of 5]

I must admit this book is a little difficult to read, especially if you're unfamiliar with Kerala and Malayali society. Despite hailing from Kerala, there were parts of the book I wasn't able to relate to (the absurd rules of caste and untouchability and notions of so called 'purity',for example). Having said that, I assume that the book takes place in the mid 30's or 40's, a time when such things were quite prevalent and accepted.

24 year old Govindan Kutty, born to the much privileged Thazhathethil family, has always been seen as a bringer of bad luck. His birth brought about the destruction of the family's wealth, the fields upon which they depended for a living never prospered when he took over, and his friendship with a Mappila family is viewed as undesirable by his high caste Nair relatives. Tricked into marriage by his scheming brother-in-law, he decides to abandon his family and convert to Islam, in an ultimate gesture of rebellion. Only to find out that he has once again been exploited by the rich Muslim mothalali who encouraged him to convert in the first place.

The imagery in the novel is powerful- you almost believe that a village like Kizhakemuri exists in reality! Equally powerful are the characters that MT has so magnificently carved out- for example, scheming Sekharettan, urbane sophisticated Kochappan, fierce Kunharakkar and his timid wife Thithumma, the impish Bappu who likes to hang out in the bazaar, the leprous Paruthalla who sits on a rock and scratches at her sores, ironically refusing to die when everyone else is taken by the cholera epidemic that hits the village...

The novel explores communal clashes in this tiny village set in central Kerala. The two richest merchants belong to different religions (Hinduism and Islam) and they are always trying to get one group against the other in order to establish who is superior. The luckless Govindan becomes a scapegoat in this clash. I also loved the fact that this book brought alive Kerala to me- in my mind's eye, I could almost imagine the song of the Panan tribesmen who came down to sing on the third day after Thiruvonam; could see a group of people sitting outside Anthur Nair's teashop and discussing the malicious doings of the odiyan ; could almost hear the distant tap of the dab as the Mappila procession went around the village celebrating Govindan's conversion. As the cholera epidemic spreads, and the number of dead increases, none of the survivors want to bury the dead(a parallel I found in UR Ananthamurthy's Samskara as well), and the novel ends with us getting to know who a real human being is.

I only wish I could have read the book in its original Malayalam version. I found some typos in the book quite annoying (perhaps the editor could have done a better job?) but I know it's incredibly difficult to translate a language like Malayalam to English. Hence, full credit to V Abdulla for doing a wonderful job with the translation! However, I think it will still remain quite difficult a read for someone not familiar with Malayalam terms.

Apart from the novel, this book also had six of MT's short stories, expertly translated by Gita Krishnankutty. I think I liked Karkitakam, Sacred Sword and Anklets, and Vanaprastham the best. Karkitakam, especially, pinches your heart.

[Heather S. Jones]

this book was another product of sasilit -- the south asian and diaspora literature reading group. wish i knew where are those lovers of literature are congreagating these days. i'd love to glean more from them.

i even have the review that was posted -- this must have been from 1998 or so:

I am reading Demon Seed (Asuravithu) by Vasudevan Nair. Wonderful writing, the best I have seen for a long time from an Indian writer. The English translation by V.Abdullah is excellent. It captures the cadance of the Malayalam they speak and the dialogue is a lesson on what dialogue should be. The silences are eloquent.

The book also contains some shorts and an article on screen-play and literature. His interest in film making is telling. the descriptions are exquisitely visual, reminds me of the play of shadows and light in Joyce's Araby.

The content of the novel is facinating. It is about the deterioration of the tharwad families and also
deals with the Mapillas and conversion. Quite fascinating. A plug for the book list at the next voting. Since I am recommending it, I promise to be here and even do a lead discussion. It is a book that will be worth the effort.
Champa

Mine is a Penguin edition

[Krishna · Rating 4 out of 5]

Once again MTV did not fail to inspire me, and in the end I was left wondering what if I had known Malayalam and read these stories in the original writings.
I would have given the stories 5/5 if only the translation was better, I am not sure whether both translator wanted to keep the book word to word translation of the main language or they lacked the full verbatim of English. I was bit taken aback by the first two translation if feel like I am reading Margaret Attwood's The Handmaid's Tale (which I couldn't read after a page or two). The stories had so much full stops then a good continuous sentences. but the third story was good like the regular stories so it might be the authors style or I am not sure.
Finally after these small stories there was a novel, Demon Seed. Here also I am not sure of this was an experimental novel or just one of the kind of author's works. The novel in a way makes it end neither in good way or in bad way, it just ends!
One has to read his works to understand what he writes, after reading one has to compare today's world with the old one which is laid naked in his stories. Then we will understand what life is! hopefully.

[Sankar Raj · Rating 5 out of 5]

An excellent collection of one of the few best writers in Malayalam literature. It contains M.T.Vasudevan Nair's seven stories. Some old and others new. The fit one Sacred Sword and Anklets has been made into film, which is also very famous. It won many national awards.The other stories in the collection are The Jackal's Wedding,Karkitakam,Vanaprastham,Stone Inscriptions ,Sherlock and The Dragon Seed.Vanaprastham has also been made into film.Besides he has written three essays as well.V.Abdulla and Gita Krishnankutty , the translators have rendered the stories into English without loos of appeal of the original stories.

[Lalia]

i am reading asuravithu (the demon seed) now. the story very genuinely and convincingly portrays the life in kerala years back."i am loving" the book

[Shyam Karthik · Rating 4 out of 5]

Everytime I read MT I check the year he wrote them… The themes and content used by him is not so easy to publish today but man in 60s and 70s wrote these things…