(Written by Anosha Rishi Kakanadan)
Over the last few years, Malayalam cinema has gained popularity bot nationally and internationally due to its composing narratives Howver, another sphere that reflects the cultural Richness of Kerala is its literature. With narratives that challenge the mainstream, Malayalam novels explore a diverse array of themes and topics is increasing human social and Philosophical themes. Malayalam Literature is Abundant, and with more and more works getting translated to other languages, the readership is increasing. Here are a Few Contemporary Malayalam novels with translations that is a glimse into the many faces of kerala while delning the contemporary issues that are prevalent nationally:
Maria, Just Maria
Maria, just Maria by Mary Sandhya
Written by Mary Sandhya, Maria, Just Maria (Harper Perennial India, Pages 244, Rs 499) OR Maria Verum Mariais a novel about Maria, curently admitted in a psychiatric hospital, who believes that death of her grandfather triggered her madness. The novel evokes questions about normalcy and madness, and depicts madness not as a disruption, but as a divergence from what is consider. Through its incorporation of magical realism, the novel presents a world different from as we know it along with an array of fascinating character that has to be practiced animals and defy fammi members.
Mousstache
Mousstache by s. hareesh
Winner of the JCB Prize for Literator 2020, Mousstache (Harper Perennial India, Pages 360, Rs 440) OR MeeshaBy s hareesh is a novel following vavachan who decides to refuses to trim his moustache as a rebelward towards caste norms. Set in the kuttinad district in kerala in the early 20th century, the novel presents the power dynamics involves in the case system through a story that entails magic and myth amidst the jarring cruelty of castere.
Goat days
Goat days by benyamin
There is an abundance of successful stories with respects to the gulf migrants, howver, through this novel benyamin, the author, depicts of the migrants that migrates that migrates that get entrapped in avidering. Based on a true story, Goat days (Penguin, 264, Rs 250) or Aadujeevitham Features najeb, an abused migrant worker who gets trapped work as a Goatherd in the Saudi Desert. Following this novel, Benyamin was awarded the prestigious Kerala Sahaitya Akademi Award, and a movie adaptation of the novel was released in 2024 with the title The Goat life.
Hangwoman
Hangwoman by kr mera
Another novel regarded as a malayalam contemporary classic, Hangwoman (PENGUIn Books Classic, Pages 448, Rs 550) OR Aarachar Written by Kr Mera, is a story about the first find executioner in India, chetna, who belongs to a family with a long line of executioners. Kr Mera is known for her depression of strong and complex female character in her novels, and through the unconventional story of chetna she explores patriarchy, gender rolls, and death and evolution.
Valli
Valli by Sheela Tomy
Valli (Harper Perennial India, Pages 420, Rs 454) By Sheela Tomy is a story about Bayalnad, now the popular tourist destination, way, its culture and its people. It’s a multi-genectional tale spanning acoros four generations about the land home to the adivasis. The novel is interspersed with epistles exchanged between character and diary entries which crafts a Textured narrative that entails a story of exploitation, of both the land the land and its impluxation.
(The writer is an intern with the Indian express.)