Module 3

Unit 3.1

Antharjanam: Memoirs of a Namboodiri Woman

– Devaki Nilayamgode
Translated into English by Indira Menon and Radhika P. Menon

Devaki Nilayangode (1928 – 2023) was a celebrated Malayalam memoirist who offered rare,
firsthand insight into the cloistered world of Namboodiri Brahmin women in Kerala. Born in
Mookuthala in the Malabar region, she belonged to a community that enforced extreme
seclusion and strict ritual discipline upon its women, known as Antharjanams – literally
“those who live inside.” With minimal formal education and married at the age of fifteen into
the Nilayangode illam, Devaki spent much of her life within the rigid boundaries of caste and
gender. Remarkably, she began writing only in her seventies, encouraged by her grandson,
and went on to produce powerful autobiographical works such as Nashtabodhangalillathe
(2003), Kaatilum Naatilum, Yathra, and Ezhuswarangal. Her memoir, Antharjanam:
Memoirs of a Namboodiri Woman (OUP, 2012), originally written in Malayalam like her
other works, was translated by Indira Menon and Radhika P. Menon into English, and is
widely regarded as the first full-length life narrative by a Namboodiri woman. Her prose is
known for its calm tone, clarity, and lack of resentment, even while recounting intense
personal and collective trauma.

The selected excerpts from Antharjanam offer intimate glimpses into the everyday
experiences of a young Namboodiri girl and later, a wife, living under an elaborate system of
ritual purity, seclusion, and social control. These pieces reflect key themes such as the
discipline of girlhood, the emotional and physical alienation caused by customs like
menstrual segregation and postnatal ritual purification, the shock of early marriage, and the
limited but significant spaces for education, reading, and reflection. Through these personal
recollections, Devaki quietly critiques the oppressive systems that governed women’s lives,
while also documenting the slow but steady winds of reform and social change. These
selections serve not only as memoir but also as cultural record, inviting readers to reflect on
the intersections of caste, gender, tradition, and memory in Kerala’s history.

Glossary included with the selected excerpts.

Questions

Part A - Multiple Choice Questions

1. How did the illam solve the dowry issue when Achan married for the third time?
A) By giving land in exchange
B) By agreeing to a delayed dowry
C) Through an exchange marriage involving his daughter
D) By waiving all dowry expectations

2. What was the significance of the karuka grass garland for antharjanams?
A) It was offered to deities as a symbol of devotion
B) It was used to identify married women
C) It was worn on important occasions like birthdays and weddings
D) It was a protective amulet against illness

3. How did Devaki and her sisters manage to read secretly without touching the books during their
menstrual seclusion?
A) They used sticks to flip pages
B) They wore gloves while reading
C) They asked servants’ daughters to turn the pages
D) They memorized the text read aloud by their brothers

4. Why were Subhadra and Bharathi not considered polluting when they touched Devaki and her
sister?

A) They were Namboodiri women

B) They were not menstruating

C) Devaki and her sister had crossed the puberty ritual

D) Devaki and her sister were under the age of nine

5. What was Thuppettan’s original name?

A) Neelakantan
B) Parameswaran
C) Subramanian
D) Krishnan

6. Who was the first Namboodiri reformer mentioned to have married a widow?

A) Premji

B) V.T. Bhattathiripad

C) M.R.B.
 D) Cheralapram

7. What autobiographical story did the author relate to her own experience of eating from used
leaves?
A) Akkarmasi by Sharankumar Limbale
B) Karukku by Bama
C) Joothan by Om Prakash Valmiki
D) Untouchable Spring by Kalyan Rao

8. What action led to the excommunication of Devaki’s brothers from the illam?

A) Participating in a Kathakali drama

B) Reading reformist literature aloud

C) Attending a Yogakshema Sabha meeting and sharing a meal with lower castes

D) Marrying outside the community

[Link] was smaarthavichaaram?

A) A naming ceremony

B) A ritual for purifying houses

C) A trial to investigate sexual misconduct

D) A Kathakali performance

10. What slogan did E.M.S. Namboodiripad declare at the Ongallur meeting?

A) Let’s free India

B) Down with orthodoxy

C) Let’s make the Namboodiri a human being

D) Jai Hind

Part B - Short Answer type Questions

1. Explain the significance of Thottangadi madhom and the legacy of Thuppettan.
2. Describe the orthodox Namboodiri community’s treatment of widows after the death of their
husbands.
3. Describe the system of food service during feasts in Pakaravoor and how it revealed social
hierarchy.
4. What changes did Devaki’s brothers undergo, and how did they challenge traditional Namboodiri
norms?
5. Who was Kuriyedathu Thaatri and what significance did her smaarthavichaaram hold in
Namboodiri society?
6. How did the Antharjana Samajam and its leaders contribute to the social awakening of
Namboodiri women?
 Unit 3.2
Marriages are Made in Heaven
- K. Saraswathi Amma

K. Saraswathi Amma (1919–1975) was a pioneering voice in Malayalam literature and one
of the earliest feminist short story writers from Kerala. She began writing in the late 1930s
and went on to publish twelve collections of short stories, a novel (Premabhajanam, 1944), a
play (Devaduthi, 1945), and a bold essay collection titled Purushanmarillatha Lokam (“A
World Without Men”, 1958). Saraswathi Amma wrote fearlessly about the injustices faced by
women in a deeply patriarchal society. Her works were often met with sharp criticism during
her time, and some even labeled her as “crazy” for challenging established norms and gender
roles. However, her writings have gained renewed attention and recognition for their honesty,
insight, and powerful social critique.
Her short story “Vivahangal Swargathil Vechu Nadathappedunnu” (“Marriages Are
Made in Heaven”) reflects her signature style of exposing the gap between societal ideals and
lived realities. Through the story of Madhavi, a young woman caught in the entanglements of
dowry, social reputation, and marital expectations, Saraswathi Amma highlights the
emotional and moral cost women bear in traditional marriages. The story’s ironic tone,
especially in the use of phrases like “marriages are made in heaven,” reveals the hypocrisy
beneath ceremonial pomp and public declarations of love. With sharp observation and subtle
empathy, Saraswathi Amma gives voice to a woman’s quiet resistance and intelligence,
reminding readers of the need to question customs that disguise exploitation as virtue.

Glossary/Notes

 Puliyilakkara Neryathu – A traditional Kerala upper cloth with a dark border, typically
worn by older men. Used in the story to identify one of the groom’s party members.
 Wedding Felicitation Scroll – A written address or poetic felicitation often read aloud at
traditional weddings, praising the couple. Saraswathi Amma uses this as a tool for irony
and satire.
 Return Feast – A post-wedding custom where the bride visits her parental home with
the groom and is given a feast by her family. In this story, the groom fails to return
afterward, setting off the central conflict.
 “The knot in the cord of marriage is well-tightened not by the strong hands of the
couple but by the tender fingers of an infant” – A proverb suggesting that a woman’s
place in her husband’s home is secured more by having a child than by love or mutual
effort. Reflects the social pressure on women to prove their worth through motherhood.
 “Marriages are made in heaven” – A proverb used ironically in the story to contrast
romantic ideals with the harsh, transactional realities of marriage.

Questions

Part A – Multiple Choice Questions

1. What was the primary reason Madhavi’s father refused to give dowry initially?
a) He believed in love marriages
b) He wanted Madhavi to marry a rich man
c) He had too many children to afford dowries
d) He hated Madhavi’s suitors
2. What did the wedding felicitation ironically claim?
a) Madhavi and the groom were childhood friends
b) They were in deep love
c) The marriage was arranged by matchmakers
d) Madhavi was an orphan
3. What accusation was brought against Madhavi’s family after the marriage?
a) Theft
b) Witchcraft
c) Impersonation
d) Disobedience
4. What symbolic object in the story signifies Madhavi’s disillusionment?
a) Her wedding sari
b) The temple vows
c) The wedding felicitation scroll
d) The banana leaf from the feast
5. What was the final verdict of the informal court regarding Madhavi?
a) She should be divorced
b) She should pay compensation
c) She should return to her husband’s house
 d) She should be taken to a women’s shelter

Part B – Short Answer Questions

1. Describe how the title “Marriages are Made in Heaven” functions ironically in the story.
2. Examine Madhavi’s character and how she defends herself.
3. Discuss the role of the mother-in-law in Madhavi’s misery.
4. How does the author critique societal attitudes towards women through the story?
5. Analyse the role of memory in the resolution of the conflict.
 Unit 3.3
Profiles from the Past: Two Women Look Back
- K. Saradamoni

K. Saradamoni (Kunjulekshmi Saradamoni) (1928–2021) was a respected historian,

economist, and social scientist noted for her deep, research-based studies on gender, caste,
and land in Kerala. Born in Pattathanam, Kollam, she earned advanced degrees—including a
doctorate from the University of Paris VII under the famous sociologist Louis Dumont—and
worked extensively with the Indian Statistical Institute in New Delhi. Saradamoni’s work,
including Emergence of a Slave Caste and Filling the Rice Bowl, challenged dominant
narratives by documenting caste-based enslavement and examining women’s roles in agrarian
life. In Matriliny Transformed: Family, Law and Ideology in Twentieth Century Travancore
(1999), she explores how legal reforms and changing ideologies reshaped the matrilineal
system in Travancore, impacting women’s autonomy and familial identity.
Chapter 6, “Profiles from the Past: Two Women Look Back,” tells the life stories of two
elderly Nair women – Ponnamma and Bhargavi Amma – who recall what it was like to grow
up in matrilineal households. Through their memories, we get a vivid picture of how joint
family life (taravad), education, marriage, and women's roles changed across generations.
Their personal stories reflect larger social changes that took place in Travancore during the
early 20th century. By listening to their voices, Saradamoni gives us a powerful and human
perspective on how women experienced the decline of matriliny and the rise of new family
norms.

Notes and Glossary

 Taravad – A matrilineal joint family structure traditionally followed by Nairs in
Kerala, where property and lineage pass through the female line. Women had
residence rights and often enjoyed relative autonomy in this system.
 Karanavan – The eldest male member in a matrilineal family who had authority over
family matters, though women held rights to property and residence.
 Nayar Regulation – Refers to legislative reforms like the Travancore Nayar Act of
1925 that aimed to dismantle matrilineal inheritance and family systems, promoting
patriliny and nuclear households.
 Sanyasa – A stage in Hindu life where a person renounces worldly life and becomes a
spiritual ascetic. One of Ponnamma’s brothers chose this path.
 Temple Entry Proclamation – A historic 1936 reform by the Travancore Maharaja that
allowed oppressed castes to enter Hindu temples, symbolizing progress in social
reform.
 Marumakkathayam – A matrilineal system of inheritance and family structure
traditionally followed by Nairs and some other communities in Kerala. Under this
 system, property and lineage passed through the female line, typically from a man to
his sister’s children rather than his own. It reinforced the importance of the taravad
(matrilineal joint family) and gave women permanent residence and social security in
their natal homes.

Questions
Part A – Multiple Choice Questions
1. What relation did Ponnamma’s mother have with the Travancore royal family?
a) She was adopted by them
b) She was a servant in the palace
c) She was married to a Kshatriya with ties to the palace
d) She worked as a tutor
2. What prompted Bhargavi Amma’s family to shift from Paravur to Kottarakkara?
a) Religious persecution
b) Lack of income from ancestral land
c) Educational opportunities
d) Marriage arrangements
3. How did Ponnamma describe the dissolution of the taravad system?
a) A gain for women
b) A loss for women’s security
c) A way to modernize
d) A religious necessity
4. What reason did Bhargavi Amma give for marrying late?
a) Family pressure
b) Religious vows
c) Desire for a secure job first
d) Lack of suitable grooms
5. What significant role did Ponnamma’s mother play in public life?
a) Member of Parliament
b) School Principal
c) President of Hindu Women’s Samajam
 d) Social worker in a church

Part B – Short Answer Questions

1. How did the decline of the taravad affect Ponnamma’s life and security?
2. What role did Ponnamma’s mother play in local women’s groups?
3. How did Bhargavi Amma pursue education and find work?
4. What problems did Bhargavi Amma face with her brother?
5. How do Ponnamma’s and Bhargavi Amma’s lives compare?
 Unit 3.4
The Surgeon General: Mary Poonnen Lukose
- Kavitha Rao

Kavitha Rao is an Indian author, journalist, and former lawyer known for bringing forgotten
women’s histories to light. After earning her law degree from the National Law School of
India and studying at the London School of Economics, she worked as a journalist for
international publications like The Guardian, The New York Times, and Al Jazeera. Her book
Lady Doctors: The Untold Stories of India’s First Women in Medicine (2021) tells the
inspiring stories of six Indian women who became doctors at a time when it was unheard of
for women to study medicine. The book has been widely praised for its accessible
storytelling, meticulous research, and its role in reclaiming India’s lost feminist legacy.

Chapter 7, titled “The Surgeon General: Mary Poonen Lukose,” tells the remarkable story
of the first female Surgeon General of India. Born into a progressive Syrian Christian family
in Travancore, Mary studied medicine in England and returned to Kerala to serve as a
gynaecologist and later as a top health administrator. The chapter highlights her pioneering
work in public health, her leadership in founding hospitals and training midwives, and her
role as the first woman legislator in Travancore. Through Mary’s life, Kavitha Rao shows
how one woman combined personal courage, professional brilliance, and public service to
break gender barriers in both medicine and politics.

Questions
Part A – Multiple Choice Questions
1. Who was Kerala’s first C-section baby delivered by Mary Poonen Lukose?
A) M.N. Pillai
B) Mikhail Savarimuthu
C) K.P. Lukose
D) Sree Moolam Thirunal
2. Which ruler appointed Mary as the Surgeon General of Travancore?
A) Sree Moolam Thirunal
B) Sethu Parvathi Bayi
C) Sethu Lakshmi Bayi
D) Chithira Thirunal
3. Where did Mary pursue her medical studies in the UK?
A) Oxford University
B) Royal Free Hospital, London
C) University of Edinburgh
D) Aberdeen University
4. Which movement was gaining momentum in London when Mary arrived for her studies in
1909?
A) Indian Independence Movement
B) Civil Rights Movement
C) Suffragette Movement
D) Abolition of Slavery
5. What was the main obstacle Mary faced when trying to treat women in Travancore
hospitals?
A) Lack of medicine
B) High hospital fees
C) Social stigma and fear of hospitals
D) Government opposition
6. Which title was Mary awarded by the Travancore royals?
A) Padma Bhushan
B) Vaidyasastrakusala
C) Rajya Sevika
D) Surgeon Laureate
Part B – Short Answer Questions

1. Describe how Mary Poonen Lukose’s education and exposure in London shaped her
career in India.

2. Explain the social and cultural challenges Mary faced while promoting modern medicine
in Travancore.

3. What was Mary’s relationship with Sethu Lakshmi Bayi and how did it impact her
professional journey?

4. Discuss Mary’s contributions to the legislative council and her stance on vaccination.
5. How did Mary balance her roles as a mother, wife, and medical professional, and how was
this viewed by society?

6. What strategies did Mary and Dr. Somervell use to convince women to seek hospital
treatment?

7. Summarise the legacy of Mary Poonen Lukose and her influence on Kerala’s public
healthcare system