Indulekha

by O. Chandumenon, Anitha Devasia (Translator)

Indulekha is widely held to be the first Malayalam novel. It is a depiction of Nair society in the late nineteenth century with a love story at its core.

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

240 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1889

Reviews

[Dr. Appu Sasidharan (Dasfill) · Rating 5 out of 5]

Indulekha is considered one of the first modern novels in the Malayalam language.

This novel was published in 1889, which was the period that showed a lot of transitions in Kerala's history. We can see how education has changed the outlook toward society through the eyes of Indulekha. We can also see the clash of cultures and the unwillingness of certain communities to change while the willingness of others to embrace change.

The editing of the 18th chapter of this novel raised a lot of controversies. Despite all the socially relevant aspects of this novel, we can also view it as a beautiful love story that happened in the life of Indulekha.


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[Jessy Antony John · Rating 4 out of 5]

Nice novel... The character of INDHULEKHA clearly describes what meant by the word female.

[Vivek G · Rating 4 out of 5]

It is really amazing how I could relate so easily to the characters in the book who belonged to the generation of my great great grand parents at least.
And a story woven in such a simple and detailed manner!

[Deepa · Rating 3 out of 5]

If you categorize this book as SATIRE..i would give it a five star...it was ridiculous funny and educational ...I read this , as it's my mother's favorite book in her youth ( she read it as a comedy too!!)..she loves how funny the text reads in the Malayalam..but mainly SHE LOVES INDULEKHA (said it reminded her of her mother ) and now so do I..
Best part of the book:
1.The character Indulekha..enough said
2.All the mindbogglingly GOVINDAS!!!!!!
3.The Infamous Chapter 18 "A Conversation" (I was really impressed by the boldness of the author..especially in the discussion about religion)
4.Everything after the actual story..i.e page 228 onward
Worst part :
Everything else!!!!!!!!!!!
P.S Madhavan you whiny little shit...Cherusserinambuthiri was the real hero..

[Ajith Ashokkumar (LordOfBooks) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Awesome! I can't just believe this epic written nearly 120 years before. The author's perspective about equality is praiseworthy. At that period, he thought about the importance of education for women. This is a beautifully written marvelous love story. This novel represents the cultural discriminative mentality of people who lived in Kerala before some decades. Even today we can see people of this mentality. He beautifully describes the way Indians/Keralites can change by giving education to Women. Also, the humor sense of the author is amazing, he describes the idiotic mindset of people humorously so that no specific community will get hurt by the statement.
A must-read for every individual of this century.

[Parvathy · Rating 4 out of 5]

In keeping with my resolution to read more translations. Supposedly this was the first novel in Malayalam. The period description of a late 19th century Kerala tharavaad is fascinating. The English translation isn't terribly inspiring, and the story is a pretty tame love story in the context of today's times. But some of the views expressed must have been revolutionary for the times - debates about atheism, women being English-educated, the Nair marriage system etc.. Quite an introduction to Malayalam literary history.

[Mohamad]

a little boring.... almost like reading an old drama script

[Sumallya Mukhopadhyay · Rating 3 out of 5]

Indulekha, O. Chandumenon (translated by Anitha Devasia)

For a course that I am mutually teaching with my supervisor, I have had to read O. Chandumenon's 'Indulekha' (translated in English by Anitha Devasia). The novelistic creation of a text is inseparable from its content, and its content is as important as the context of the novel. Written at the end of the 19th century, Chandumenon's 'Indulekha' is a seminal text that heralded the rise of novels in the global south. The author's desire to emulate the English novel tradition inspired him to conjure up 'Indulekha' in Malayalam. However, he was aware that his readers might not be acquainted with the form of literature called a novel. Against this backdrop, 'Indulekha' can be read as an adaptation as well as a new novelistic creation.

I believe 'Indulekha' to be a new novelistic creation because it is nestled within the precarious space between tradition and modernity. Indulekha, the character, is a modern woman who has learned the coloniser's tongue and possesses the grit to challenge the patriarch of the family, Panchumenon. I say patriarch knowing well that the Nair society, on which the novel is based, is matrilinear. The decisions, nonetheless, appear to be taken chiefly by men. Despite Indulekha's modern taste, reasoned arguments and astute behaviour, she is mainly confined to specific spaces in the house. Her sense of modernity is restricted, not only in terms of spatial movement but also in the domain of politics and culture. It is interesting to note that Indulekha does not feature in the most intriguing chapter of the novel 'A Conversation' where Madhavan, Govindakuttymenon and Govindapanikkar discuss the existence of God, the emergence of Congress in nationalistic politics and western modernity. One is immediately reminded of Partha Chatterjee's distinction between the material and the spiritual world in conceptualizing the position of women in colonial India. Indulekha is cultured in a manner that makes her attractive, yet it does not open up the possibility of aspiring for things beyond the conventional aspects of family. The novel ends with Indulekha marrying Madhavan, and the couple, along with Madhavan's parents, shifts to Madras to live happily ever after.

It must also be borne in mind that Indulekha questions the traditional norms of the Malayalam society. It is Indulekha who has 'chosen' her partner, devoid of any external pressure and provocation. She does not succumb to the idea of marrying the wealthy Nambuthiripad; instead, she quite unequivocally discourages his advances. At the same time, she does embrace some traditional values without inhibition. Her courtship with Madhavan is a case in point.
The novel pursues a distinct narrational pattern, blending first and third-person narratives. O. Chandumenon's artistry lies in the elegance of narration that follows a running commentary of the society of Nairs and Nambuthiris. One understands why ‘Indulekha’ blazed a new trail after its publication in 1899.

[Revanth Ukkalam · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book could as well have been called "Nirmalyam", the MTV classic. The book - the first novel in Malayalam - after all is about the decaying world of Kerala orthodoxy and Brahminism in the face of modernity and colonialism. Instead, the author chooses the heroine, 'Indulekha' for the title. The character of Indulekha is at the centre of all the interests, politics, and forces that run in this novel. She is an educated and well-spoken Nair woman, whom a Namboothiri household attempts to thrust into the business of Sambandham (an institution by which Namboothiri men fathered children from Nair women outside marriage so to speak). Meanwhile she is in love with a well-meaning and intelligent young Nair man. Indulekha has to be USP of this book. One can only imagine Malayali youth being swayed in the day by the way the woman is written. She is intelligent, talented and best of all - says a firm "no". The book has to be read for its historical value. It builds a window to look at the fears of the orthodoxy, the impact English education had on the upper strata of Kerala towns (the heroine is consistently wild and subversive by the characters in the novel because of her interest in the English language), and prominently questions of faith (two entire chapters are structured around the West vs Rest debates). Even the Indian National Congress which was barely half-a-decade old finds mention too, in this book. The texture of the novel transported me to my experience of reading Tagore's Gora.

All said, I found the translation odd.

[Arun George K David · Rating 5 out of 5]

മലയാളത്തിലെ ആദ്യത്തെ നോവൽ, ഇന്ദുലേഖ. പബ്ലിഷ് ചെയ്ത് 130 വർഷങ്ങൾക്ക് ശേഷമാണ് വായിക്കുന്നത്. അന്നത്തെ മലയാളഭാഷാശൈലിയും അന്നത്തെ കാലഘട്ടവും വളരെ കൌതുകകരമായി തോന്നി. ഷോക്കടിക്കുക എന്ന് നമ്മള്‍ ഇപ്പോള്‍ ഉപയോഗിക്കുന്ന മംഗ്ലീഷിന് രണ്ട് സെന്റൻസ് വേണ്ടിവന്നു അന്ന് എഴുത്തുക്കാരന് വായനക്കരെ മനസ്സിലാക്കിക്കാൻ. അവസാനഭാഗത്ത് 18മത്തെ അധ്യായം Brainstorming എന്നൊക്ക പറയേണ്ടിവരും. നിരതത്വവും ഈശ്വരത്വവും തമ്മിലുള്ള മൽസരമാണ് അതിനെ രണ്ടിനേയും Neutralize ചെയ്യുന്നതു പുറകെ, അത് കഴിഞ്ഞു കോൺഗ്രസ് Vs ബിലാത്തി ( ഇംഗ്ലണ്ട്) ചർച്ച. ഞാന്‍ വായിച്ച പതിപ്പിപ്പിൽ 42പെജുകളുള്ള അദ്ധ്യായമാണ് അത്..

[Mohandas · Rating 5 out of 5]

പത്തൊമ്പതാം നൂറ്റാണ്ടിലെ കേരളത്തിലെ ഫ്യുഡൽ സമൂഹത്തിൽ നിലനിന്നിരുന്ന ആചാരങ്ങൾക്കിടയിൽ, മാധവനും ഇന്ദുലേഖയും തമ്മിലുള്ള പ്രണയവും അതിനോട് ബന്ധപ്പെട്ട, സുഖകരവും അസുഖകാരവും ആയ സംഭവങ്ങൾ.

[Rashmi Binu · Rating 4 out of 5]

Overall a good window to a way of life and interesting to compare it to the current affairs of the country and society.

[Ashwin Rajashekar · Rating 3 out of 5]

I didn't expect indulekha to be such an easy read. For a novel written in the 1890s, the language is surprisingly simple, the plot flows well and a lot of it is laugh out loud funny. It makes sense, with it being supposedly the first novel written in its language, Chandumenon had good reason to keep things straightforward and accessible.

Some things do stick out, like how present the author is. Not just in using the novel to propagate his own viewpoints and opinions through dialogue and characters(which is also very much unsubtle) but in a much more direct way - he constantly comments about the story while telling it, it is weird in the beginning but I got used to it.

The plot is a simple love story. Indulekha and Madhavan, the protagonist are cousins thatve known each other since childhood, both English educated(something that wasn't very common even among the upper class back then), and slowly starting to fall in love with each other. The amount of flirting between this book made me gasp. I was also uncomfortable with the amount of times Chandumenon described or mentioned breasts and the contexts in which he does that. It seems to come from the upper caste male gaze that he grew up with.

I think it wouldn't be unfair for me to assume that a lot of Madhavan is derived from Chandumenon himself. Both have had a similar upbringing and education. And that is an issue for me because of how whiny and immature Madhavan is. When he is lovesick, he cries when Indulekha is lightly distant to him. The only reason she confesses her love for him is because he's such a crybaby and pities him. One could assume that he is supposed to be written as a sensitive man who is still manly. But he just isn't aware of the privileges he has, just like the author

Indulekha felt like a much better written character. She is confident, strong, independent but unfortunately is also also made to be palatable to patriarchy of the time. She is cultured and respects her religion and elders. She is educated but not "westernized" She chooses fights that she knows she will win and within the rules of matrilineal patriarchy and does whatever she can to ensure she has agency and control of her life. She could've been more radical, but my ideas come from 130 years after this book was written.

The book having been written so long ago also doesn't entirely age well. Passages about religion, science and politics in chapter 18 of the book left me frustrated. The chapter itself actually felt boring and bland despite many commentaries of the book saying that it's actually ahead of its time. While it might be progressive in its views for its time with regards to the agency it gives to women, I think the author was still perhaps not completely aware of his own privileges. Chapter 18 especially reeks of it, with all the drama that's been caused by madhavan after his running away from home, somehow he finds the time and interest to ramble about God and Congress and science - things that he has very little control over. The chapter in my opinion doesn't add much to the plot, and the same could've been woven into the story in a much better manner(like it was done in the conversation between indulekha and Madhavan about the tharavad system).
The characters are people that are present in the lives of many Indians, and their antics and pride that I have seen in people around me lead to some of the funniest bits in the story.
I think that the book is important because it documents the life of people who lived a certain way that doesn't exist anymore. Despite in being blind to a certain amount of his privileges in my opinion, Chandumenon still gives us a good understanding of the class and caste differences that existed in his world that he saw being practiced by people in front of him, and the folly and pride that karanavans, the patriarchs often displayed trying to show their power over the younger ones in the families.

[Sharat Karekaatt · Rating 4 out of 5]

Indulekha (The translation) is not a literary masterpiece, nor it can rival a work by any popular fiction writer. Also, as the translator says in preface, her major aim was to "recreate the thrust of Malayalam etymology, diction and syntax, rather than to subjugate it to smoothness of well-bred English", the resulting product might seem off-putting to regular English readers.

But this book, definitely needs to be read for it's historical significance. To understand how Malayali elite society worked back then. To understand the religiously held beliefs, to understand the "settings" (as a Malayali would say) between the elites, to understand how patriarchy works in a matrilineal society, to understand intricacies of a matrilineal society, to understand the power wielded by members dominant caste even if he is a half-wit with absurd worldview. The unjust power dynamics eventually leads to social upheavals shaping the society for the future.

The plot which begins as a Victorian drama quickly turns into a Wodehouse-ish comedy and ends with deep philosophical debate about existence of God and the pros and cons of English rule. I don't know if this book is remarkable plotwise, but I came out of it with a more nuanced and detailed understanding of history of the society which I was born into. Its always a delight to remind oneself of where we started and how far we have come. And in that sense, Indulekha is indeed remarkable.

[Tintu Shaj K · Rating 4 out of 5]

ഒയ്യാരത്ത് ചന്തുമേനോന്‍ തന്റെ ഭാര്യ ലക്ഷ്മിയമ്മയ്ക്ക് വായിച്ചു രസിക്കാനായി ഒരു നോവലെഴുതുമ്പോഴും അദ്ദേഹത്തിന്റെ ഉള്ളില്‍ സ്ത്രീശാക്തീകരണത്തിന്റെയും സാമൂഹ്യപരിഷ്‌കരണത്തിന്റെയും ആയുധമായി എഴുത്തിനെ മാറ്റാമെന്ന ബോധമുണ്ടായിരുന്നു. ഇന്ദുലേഖയിലൂടെ അദ്ദേഹം അതു സാധിച്ചെടുത്തെന്ന് പൂര്‍ണ്ണമായി പറയാനാകില്ലെങ്കിലും അതിലേക്കുള്ള ഉറച്ച കാല്‍വയ്പ്പായിരുന്നു ഇന്ദുലേഖ.

ഇന്ദുലേഖയ്ക്ക് ഒന്നേകാല്‍ നൂറ്റാണ്ട് പ്രായം കഴിയുമ്പോള്‍ ചര്‍ച്ച ചെയ്യപ്പെടേണ്ടതും അതു തന്നെയാണ്. സ്ത്രീശാക്തീകരണത്തിന്റെയും സാമൂഹ്യ പരിഷ്‌കരണത്തിന്റെയും പാഠങ്ങള്‍ ഇനിയും പ്രാവര്‍ത്തികമാകാത്ത ഒരു സമൂഹത്തില്‍ ഇന്ദുലേഖയുടെ പുനര്‍വായന നല്‍കുന്ന പുതിയ പാഠവും അതു തന്നെയാണ്.

[Joseph Malancharuvil · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am very glad to have read this. It is delightfully written. The authors comments through out are very interesting. The philosophical discussions among the characters reveal the cultural issues some of which are still very relevant. Excellent reading!

The author’s commentaries interspersed throughout are very interesting. The philosophical discussions among the characters are very revealing of the cultural issues some of which are still relevant today. Overall very good reading.

[Annie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Conquered the first Malayalam novel.
Apart from the love story of Indulekha and Madhavan around which the story revolves, what attracted me the most was the 18th chapter to be precise.
The discussion about atheism, about educating girl child which surprisingly is still a very hot topic. The fact that the first ever edition of this book got sold out in a few months speaks for the book.
I would say Indulekha as a novel deals with matters that are still relevant.

[Adam · Rating 4 out of 5]

It's a classic from the Kerala region of India. I learned a lot about Nair culture in the 1800s. As a westerner, the long and similar names at times were challenging to keep apart, making for character confusion; also, the end felt very abrupt.It went from a long chapter on religious and political commentary to one and half page chapter quickly noting that Indulekha and Madhavan got married and received wonderful gifts. Again, as a westerner, I am sure I missed a lot, but I am happy to read it again.

I really enjoyed Indulekha's cleverness and sassiness towards the suitor Nambudiri. She knew how to redirect him, and stood her ground in a clever manner; she was not impressed by his flashiness. I also enjoyed imagining Madhavan's odyssey through India. I could picture myself in Bombay and Kolkata. It was fascinating to read the political commentary around Indian sovereignty and British rule in the 1800s. Quite the contrast with the political discussion of the 1940s.

Overall, an enjoyable book; quirky to me, but it has certainly opened me up to reading more Indian classic literature.

[preethika · Rating 4 out of 5]

overall it was a very good read. It showed the caste hierarchy in India very clearly, in a way that was not polished or biased to one side. Within the story, the day-to-day rituals, practices, habits and overall beliefs and opinions of each community were portrayed through the characters, through their points of view. moreover, it is evident that the country of Kerala was marching towards a more developed approach when it comes to eliminating orthodox beliefs, education among other things. towards the end, a conversation takes place between three of the characters in two major topics: religion and british rule. as they were posed in three, and predominantly two people's voice, i found it to very relevant and thought-provoking, even to this day. it contains some very far sighted views and knowledge. but i also thought that there was a sense of incongruity among the story as the big picture and this conversation (which i consider very, very important). the story had a certain cinematic element to it as well.

[Arun · Rating 4 out of 5]

3* for the plot itself which isn't anything great. I gave it a 4* for two reasons primarily. First, it was very interesting to know more about the Nair and Namboodri practices in the 19th century. While I was aware about the matrilineal system, I understood a good deal more through this book and the inevitable googling/wikipedia that followed. Secondly, the translation is quite wonderful really - it brings alive the complicated relationships in a village and Tharavad, the rumour mongering, the native cunning and innocence, the peculiar nature of conversations, the friction caused by modern English education in a traditional setup and finally the emotional silliness of young love - aspects, which can be easily lost in a translation done by someone who hasn't closely seen/lived in such an environment, or known people like that.

[Irine Dixon · Rating 3 out of 5]

മലയാളത്തിലെ ആദ്യത്തെ ലക്ഷണമൊത്ത നോവൽ എന്ന പറയുന്ന1889 ഇൽ ഓ. ചന്തുമേനോൻ എഴുതിയ നോവലായ ഇന്ദുലേഖ.
ഇന്ദുലേഖ, മാധവൻ, പഞ്ചുവമേനോൻ, ഗോവിന്ദാപണിക്കാർ എന്നിങ്ങനെ നീളുന്ന ഒരു നായർ കുടുംബത്തിലെ കഥയാണിത്. വളരെ കാലങ്ങൾക്ക് മുൻപ് എഴുതിയ കഥയാണ് എങ്കിലും സ്ത്രീകളുടെ വിദ്യാഭ്യാസത്തെ കുറിച്ചും പ്രതയേകിച്ചു ഇംഗ്ലീഷ് വിദ്യാഭ്യാസത്തെ കുറിച്ചും അത് ഇല്ലാതെ ആയാൽ ഉണ്ടാകുന്ന ���്രശ്നത്തെ കുറിച്ചും ഉദാഹരണം സഹിതം പറയുന്നുണ്ട്. വിദ്യാഭ്യാസം, മതം, വിശ്വാസം, രാഷ്ട്രീയം എന്നിങ്ങനെ കുറിച്ചുള്ള ആ കാലത്തെ ആളുകളുടെ എല്ലാ രീതിയിലുമുള്ള അഭിപ്രായവും കഥാകൃത്ത് ഇതിൽ ഉൾപ്പെടുത്താൻ നോക്കിയിട്ടുണ്ട്. 20 അദ്ധ്യായങ്ങൾ ഉള്ള ഈ നോവൽ ഇപ്പോഴും നമ്മളോട് കുറെ കാര്യങ്ങൾ പറയുന്നുണ്ട്... ഇത്രയും വർഷങ്ങൾക്ക് ശേഷം. എങ്കിലും പല അദ്ധ്യായങ്ങളും സംഭാഷണങ്ങളും വിശദീകരണങ്ങളും ഒരുപാട് നീണ്ട് പോയത് പോലെ തോന്നി. ചില ഇടങ്ങളിൽ ഒന്ന് രണ്ട് വരികളിലോ paragraphഇലോ നിർത്തേണ്ട വിവരങ്ങൾ രണ്ടു page എടുത്തു എഴുതിയത് പോലെ തോന്നി.

[AKHIL P RETHNAKARAN · Rating 5 out of 5]

A book that is still relevant today!

മലയാളത്തിലെ ആദ്യ ലക്ഷണമൊത്ത നോവലായ ഇന്ദുലേഖ, കാലങ്ങളെ അതിജീവിക്കുന്ന രചനയാണ്. സമൂഹം കാലോചിതമായി മാറേണ്ടുന്നതിനെയും സ്ത്രീ പുരുഷ സമത്വത്തിന്റെ ആവശ്യകതയെ കുറിച്ചും ചന്തു മേനോൻ 19ആം നൂറ്റാണ്ടിന്റെ അവസാനത്തിൽ എഴുതിയത് 21ആം നൂറ്റാണ്ടിലും പലതരത്തിലും പ്രാധാന്യമർഹിക്കുന്നു.

വിസ്തരിച്ചുള്ള വർണനകളും ഇഴഞ്ഞു പോകുന്ന കഥയും തുടക്കത്തിൽ വായനക്കാരെ രസിപ്പിക്കാൻ ഉതകുന്നതല്ലെങ്കിലും, വായിച്ചു തീരുന്ന പക്ഷം, തികച്ചും യാഥാസ്ഥിതിക ചുറ്റുപാടിൽ ജീവിച്ച കഥാകാരന്റെ സാമൂഹിക പ്രതിപത്തിയെക്കുറിച്ചോർത്ത് അദ്‌ഭുതം തോന്നുന്നതാണ്.

[Arunaa (IG: rebelbooksta) · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is an exquisite masterpiece. A revolutionary work with conviction as it's crux. I wished I read this brilliant work in my 20s, because it certainly would have shaped my mind and thoughts in becoming a more refined being. Thank you O. Chandu Menon and thank you so very much, Anitha Devasia for this remarkable standard of translation. You've singlehandedly uplifted Chandu Menon's actual intent of his story. Thank you. This book is close to my heart from here on. And I'll vouch for this anyday.

[Shefalika U · Rating 4 out of 5]

The book while providing the readers with a very engaging story also provides compelling commentary on education, society, and history.

The book becomes a must-read for the women of India, wherein in major parts of the country women have taken a subservient role and are afraid to raise their voice against the orthodoxy of men. It is even a bigger must-read for the men of India who seem to be driven by their orthodox beliefs and need to learn from the example of Surinambuthiripad on how a man should not be.

Read my complete review here- www.itsfaq.in

[Vishnu K · Rating 4 out of 5]

കഥാ സന്ദർഭം തീരെ ലഘു ആണെങ്കിലും വിഷയം ഈ കാലഘട്ടത്തിലും വളരെ പ്രാധാന്യമർഹിക്കുന്നതാണ് .
പുരാതന കേരളത്തിന്റെ സാംസ്കാരികതയെ കുറിച്ചുള്ള തന്റെ വിയോജിപ്പുകൾ മുഴുവനും കഥാകാരൻ കഥാപാത്രങ്ങളിലൂടെ വ്യ്കതമാക്കുന്നു . ഫ്യൂഡൽ കാലഘട്ടത്തിലെ ഓരോ വിഭാഗം സ്ത്രീകളുടെയും അവസ്ഥ ഇതിൽ വ്യക്തമാണ് .പ്രണയചേഷ്ടകളുടെ വിവരണം അത്യധികം ഹൃദ്യമായി തോന്നി .

[Keshavan Murukanandan · Rating 2 out of 5]

A simple love story written in 1889.
The happenings in the 19th century is the interesting part.

The first part tells the love story of both madhavan and indulekha and the second part is a whole new story i guess.

It discuss about the political and religious things. That has nothing to do with the story. The life style before hundred plus years is the highlight.

[Sanhi · Rating 5 out of 5]

An thick layered slice into the life and times of late 19th century Malabar.
Especially the Nair and Namboothiri communities.
What is more interesting is the memorandum by the writer to the committee set up by the British to change the laws that governed the people of the region. This effectively changed their culture and way of life.
A must read for those interested in Indic history.

[Ashique Majeed · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is an epic work. Should any reader find Chapter 18 less engaging, it may be omitted. However, Chapter 18 offers significant insights that would be of interest to a history enthusiast, particularly regarding pre-independence ideologies and extensive discussions on feminism. O. Chandu Menon was undoubtedly a revolutionary figure.

[JOSMI JAMES · Rating 4 out of 5]

Malayalam's first novel.......with a strong social message against the social system at that time...........written in pure Malayalam........in a typical style strange to modern time novels.......I really loved Indulekha......her confidence and sternness in decisions really inspired me a lot..

[Sachin Joseph · Rating 5 out of 5]

First ever novel I have read. The language is simple and smooth, will give you an outlook of our past. It's the story of a bold women Indulekha. Remember one thing, this book was written when women were not given many privileges in society. I would recommend this to any Malayalee.