Kamala Das Livres

Kamala Das, a trailblazer in Indian feminist literature, explores themes of identity, love, and the female experience through her poetry and prose. Her candid and evocative writing delves into personal struggles, societal expectations, and the quest for self-expression. Das's work challenges traditional norms and highlights the complexities of womanhood, making her a vital voice in both Indian literature and feminist discourse. Her unique perspective continues to resonate with readers, offering insight into the intricacies of gender and culture.

It is the Second World War and Kamala and her brother are removed from their parents' home in Calcutta to the safer environs of their village in northern Kerala. At once an outsider and an integral part of her ancestral home, Kamala struggles to fathom the intricacies of class, caste and language. But surrounded by people like her adoring Ammamma, the servant Sankaran who promises to teach her the crow-language, and Valli who tells her stories of yakshis whose breasts are as big as jackfruits, Kamala soon discovers the joys of growing up as the center of everyone's universe. As Calcutta fades from her mind like an old dream, while the thudding of the drums at the Para festival, the roar of the velichappadu as he becomes possessed and the songs of the parayankaali dancers become absolute realities of life.