Disrupting the Narrative: The Reimagination of History, Myth and

Memory in Eri and Adiyala Pretham

Sreenandana C S*

This paper "Disrupting the Narrative: The Reimagination of History, Myth and Memory in
Eri and Adiyala Pretham” examines Dalit literature in Kerala, highlighting its dual role as a
reflection of systemic inequities and a catalyst for change. This study focuses on two
contemporary Dalit novels, Eri by Pradeepan Pampirikkunnu and Adiyala Pretham by P.F.
Mathews, analysing themes of myth, memory, and history to reconstruct a shared past and
affirm Dalit identity within Kerala's socio-political landscape. It highlights how Dalit writing
serves as a powerful form of resistance, engaging in the rewriting of history to challenge
systemic oppression and assert a distinct cultural identity. This reinterpretation not only
contributes to a broader discourse on identity and resistance but also fosters a sense of
empowerment among marginalized communities. The paper further investigates the role of
myths and rituals in shaping collective identity, illustrating how Dalit writers use these
cultural elements as tools for self-expression and defiance against oppression.

Historically, Dalits have been rendered voiceless and submissive, with systemic economic
and political oppression leading to enduring suffering and poverty. Despite these challenges,
Dalits have consistently resisted notions of inferiority and subjugation.Their struggle is not
just for survival but for the reclamation of identity and dignity. Dalits have developed a
unique language that defies binary oppositions and societal hierarchies. This language serves
as a powerful tool to challenge social inferiority and assert their humanity.Their literary
efforts represent a collective journey to harmonise their identity and assert their presence in a
society that has long sought to marginalise them.

Although the term ‘Dalit’ had been widely used in other regions of India, such as
Maharashtra, since the 1920s, it only emerged in the socio-cultural context of Kerala in the
late 1970s. According to M Dasan the late appearance of the term in Kerala has much to do
with the particular trajectory of ‘Renaissance' that the state underwent which succeeded in
camouflaging and silencing many discourses besides the marginalised. Whenever such
attempts at silencing failed, the hegemonic/casteist discourse would appropriate the

*Completed MA in English Literature from JNU, New Delhi

marginalised voices in a form acceptable to the hegemonizer (Dasan, 13 ). The Dalits of the
state were being ruled by “the harijan” consciousness, constructed by the congress, and the
working class consciousness constructed by communist parties.( Manoj and Alex 7). Even
though the Progressive Literary movement tried to determine social inequality and
marginalisation on the basis of class, overlooking vital issues like caste and gender, Dalit
writers either ignored or kept away altogether. (Chandramohanan 17).

Malayalam novels after 1930s can be categorized into pre-modernism, modernism, and post-
modernism. A significant turning point happened in the Malayalam novel writing in the
1930s. This period of literature has been referred to as realistic literature. S. V. Venugopan
Nair observes that various influences—such as the translation of Victor Hugo’s “Les
Misérables” (1925), the two World Wars, the October Revolution, the intense desire to free
from colonialism, the spread of Gandhian thoughts, Marxist-Leninist ideologies, and the
psychoanalytic theories of Freud and Jung—created a new consciousness in writers about the
human condition. Dr. Kalpetta Balakrishnan observes that the progressive ideas that took root
in the 1930s inspired writers. This was a time of conflicts between generations and classes,
with societal norms and feudal lordship being attacked and the rise of organized labor power
linking literature closely with politics. All the aforementioned opinions emphasize the period
from the 1930s time of value transformations for Kerala. This period was led and embraced
by a middle-class cultural circle, including writing and reading. Narratives formed within this
circle can generally be evaluated in the context of pre-modernism to modernism. Although
there were concerns related to the lives of the underprivileged, as observed by critics like E.
V. Ramakrishnan, it was insufficient to explore the inner realms of the marginalized worlds.
P. K. Rajasekharan notes that, this lack alienated Dalits significantly from pre-modern and
modern literature.

Modernism in Malayalam literature brought both philosophical and aesthetic disruptions to

the field. This period’s cultural atmosphere echoed the question of whether art exists for art’s
sake or life’s sake, and modernism announced a third stance concerning art. Malayalam
modernism, while embracing all the tendencies born out of European political environments,
simultaneously adopted themes like existentialism, a sense of emptiness, universal negation,
disbelief in belief systems, and meaninglessness from Western modernism. Kerala’s middle-
class consciousness merged with Western modernism to form Kerala’s unique modernism,
shaping modern novels to reflect middle-class interests. Writers like Ayyappa Paniker,
Kakkanadan, M. Mukundan, Sethu, Punalur Kunhabdulla, O.V. Vijayan, and Anand were
engaged in idealising the figure of a lonely, sorrowful individual in an insecure world.
However, these writings did not attempt to address the material conditions that rendered
humans insecure. The feudal, caste-centric social structure, remnants of colonialism, and
capitalism’s crises impacted both the marginalised and the middle class at different levels. P
Sindhu observes that these writers did not try to understand or bring this reality into their
narratives. Instead, the modernist writers in Malayalam literature focused on idealising the
unreal identity crises that arose from these various conflicting social processes, presenting
individual life as a mysterious problem.

Since 2000, Malayalam literature has seen a surge in novels that narrate the history of the
Dalit community, reflecting their socio-political and cultural life in Kerala from the 18th
century to the present. These postmodern Dalit novels focus on historicizing the experiences
of Dalits, shedding light on their cultural symbols, knowledge traditions, migrations,
displacements, and struggles for habitation. They challenge the dominant narratives by
presenting a multivocal perspective on identity conflicts that persist from the past to the
present, offering an alternative and parallel narrative system.

The term “postmodernism,” increasingly popular since the 1990s, is used to describe
contemporary literary movements that differ from traditional modernist approaches. In the
context of Dalit novels post-2000, postmodernism highlights new aesthetic trends and reflects
a shift in the way history and reality are presented. These novels offer a spectrum of
experiences, challenging the notion of a single, unified historical narrative. N. Sasi, for
instance, argues that when history is depicted as reality in these narratives, it becomes multi-
dimensional, revealing a range of truths rather than a singular perspective.

The emergence of the novels Eri and Adiyala Pretham as historical texts is significant. The
characters in the novel serve as representations of individuals marginalized by society. Eri
features a research scholar who utilizes diverse sources—memories, oral histories, rituals,
literature, and gossip—to trace the evolution of the Paraya community, and Adiyala Pretham
is a novel set in Kochi that centers on Kunjumakkotha, a Dalit character, explores the urban
myth of Kappiri Muthappan alongside the historical context of oppressed communities. The
narrative of these novels effectively reflects both the past and present conditions of the Dalit
community, highlighting their struggles against systemic marginalisation. These narratives
incorporate memories, struggles, caste dynamics, and the cultural practices of Dalit life,
blending historical truths with the necessities of storytelling. As a result, they offer a form of
justice to history by giving voice to those who have been marginalised. By integrating literary
studies, social theory, and postmodern critique, the paper aims to provide a comprehensive
understanding of the complex interplay between literature, identity formation, and resistance
in Dalit narratives.

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