ISHAL PAITHRKAM (ISSN:2582-550X) is a Peer Reviewed Academic Journal Published by Mahakavi Moyinkutty Vaidyar Mappila Kala Academy, Kondotty. The Academy functions under Department of Cultural Affairs Government of Kerala. The Journal is in UGC Care List. Aim of the Journal: Being a peer reviewed academic journal, Ishal Paithrkam promotes research works on language, literature, humanities, and social science. Academic papers, articles based on research, case studies, interviews, and book reviews are preferred for publication. Scope of the Journal: The journal is envisioned as a platform to disseminate worthy research output at free of cost among academics and general public. It is funded by Government of Kerala. Publishing Schedule: Quarterly
Mappila Kala Academy, Government of Kerala, India
Bridging Borders: The Role of Loka Kerala Sabha in Harnessing Diaspora for Development
Kerala with significant migration history has been benefitted much from various contributions of its global Malayali diaspora for a long period of time. The State known for its high literacy rate, recognized the immense potential of non-resident Malayalis in shaping the developmental trajectory of the State. Considering this fact, government of Kerala instituted a World Kerala Assembly known as Loka Kerala Sabha as a common platform to foster dialogue, collaboration and policy engagement between the State and its global community. It is a public forum of the global gathering of Malayali diaspora with the representatives of the people of Kerala to channelise financial, social, and intellectual capital of diaspora into Kerala’s development process. The major objective of this move is to unite Malayalis across the globe and to harness their diverse talents and capacities and to integrate them with State for the social, cultural and economic development of the State. It was a great endeavour to unite Keralites from other Indian States and from various parts of the world to promote unity and cooperation among themselves. Since its inception in 2018, the Sabha has served as a driving force where ideas, experiences and resources are mobilized from the diaspora for the socio-economic development of the State. It helps the State to integrate non-resident Keralites the intellectual and financial capabilities of the diaspora into the noble cause of economic development. This paper explores the strategic role of Loka Kerala Sabha in harnessing the diaspora to extract constructive suggestions and to avail different contributions including professional expertise with policy recommendations to strengthen diaspora-led development through institutional reforms, participatory mechanisms, and accountability frameworks.
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Integrating Indigenous Knowledge into Science Teaching in High Schools
The integration of Indigenous Knowledge (IK) into science education has gained global attention as educators recognize its potential to contextualize learning, enhance cultural identity, and promote sustainability. This quantitative study examines high school science teachers’ perceptions, attitudes, and challenges toward incorporating Indigenous Knowledge in science classrooms. A structured survey was administered to 100 high school science teachers across rural and urban schools. Descriptive and inferential statistical analyses were employed to explore patterns in teachers’ preparedness, institutional support, and pedagogical practices. Results indicate that while teachers generally exhibit positive attitudes toward integrating Indigenous perspectives, significant gaps exist in training, curriculum alignment, and resource availability. The findings emphasize the need for professional development, culturally responsive curricula, and policy frameworks that bridge Indigenous and Western scientific paradigms. The study concludes that successful integration of Indigenous Knowledge in science education requires a synergistic approach that values cultural diversity and scientific inquiry equally.
Paddy cultivation in Wayanad: History, present and environmental issues
There are divergent openions among the scholars regarding the evolution of the name Wayanad.Some of the scholars opined that the name Wayanad has its origine from bayalunadu or land of paddies. However it is reasonable to think th at the name Wayanad is derived from bayalunadu as many of her place names carry the names of paddy fields. Paddy cultivation was lively for long time in Wayanad. Cultivators of paddy had shown unique features in the cultivation ,conservation and preservation while comparing to other areas in Kerala.Wayanad possessed unique paddy which have high quality of resistance capacity. Wayanad decided it,s land relations,trade and commerce,and social set up based on paddy cultivation.Special customs and rituals were also had been here in relation to paddy cultivation.In this feudalistic economy instances of exploitation were also common. Expanded paddy fields in Wayanad also played a significant role in ecological aspect too. After the spread of cash crop cultivation paddy fields dwindled considerably in Wayanad. This article enquire the socio economic and environmental aspect of paddy cultivation in Wayanad.
Microfinance Interventions and Women’s Empowerment: A Case Study from Haridwar, Uttarakhand
Microfinance, characterized as the arrangement of monetary administrations to low-pay people lacking admittance to conventional banking, has arisen as a useful asset for financial turn of events and destitution easing. This study examines the economic, social, and psychological effects of microfinance on women's empowerment in Haridwar, Uttarakhand. Using an example of 400 ladies similarly split among metropolitan and provincial regions, the exploration utilizes organized surveys and subjective meetings to accumulate information. The discoveries uncover huge financial advantages, with members revealing higher pay, investment funds, and business possessions contrasted with non-members. Socially, ladies engaged with microfinance programs showed expanded local area association, cooperation in neighborhood navigation, and worked on societal position. Mentally, these ladies experienced improved confidence, certainty, and dynamic abilities. The concentrate likewise features contrasts among metropolitan and provincial ladies, with metropolitan members encountering marginally higher financial and social advantages, while rustic ladies showed more noteworthy upgrades in direction. Constraints such as awareness, application complexity, and socio-cultural barriers persist despite these positive outcomes. The study concludes that specific interventions are required to improve the accessibility and efficacy of microfinance programs, thereby expanding women's inclusion and maintaining their empowerment in urban and rural settings.
Colonial Pedagogy in Kerala: A Study of Textbook Narratives as Instruments of Cultural and Political Subjugation
The paper examines how British colonial-era textbooks in Kerala served as ideological tools to legitimize foreign rule and reshape indigenous identity. Through content analysis of prescribed school readers, it demonstrates how these materials systematically promoted Western cultural supremacy, distorted historical narratives of local resistance, and inculcated loyalty to the colonial government. The study argues that education was a primary mechanism for enforcing cultural assimilation and mental subordination, leaving a lasting legacy on the region’s socio-cultural and educational landscape.
British Diplomatic History in Indian Princely States: Hyderabad, Kashmir and Tanjavore
Although a multitude of philosophers have researched British diplomacy over the years, the element of British colonial diplomacy in India remains unexplored. The research on British policy in princely states in India is also marginal. This paper aims to analyse the historiography of British diplomacy in India during colonial rule, focusing on princely states as the unit of diplomacy. The paper extensively scrutinizes the British diplomacy and administration of three princely states: Hyderabad, Tanjavore, and Kashmir. Hyderabad was one of the most prominent princely states or a Mohammedan state in India, which had a unique semi-autonomous status compared to the rest, providing details of diplomatic relations with the British. In contrast, Tanjavore and Kashmir are two small princely states affected by domestic and international conflicts, leading them to be more constrained under British rule. This study concludes that the British diplomatic strategies varied significantly based on the political importance and internal conditions of each state. The methodology utilized in this research is an archival analysis of alliances, treaties, and interactions between the princely states and the British. Overall, the study provides a more nuanced understanding of colonial governance by highlighting the differentiated and pragmatic nature of British diplomacy in India.
Pro Choice and Rawlsian Justice: Understanding Indian Scenario
The discourse surrounding reproductive rights in India encompasses a complex interplay of legal, ethical, and socio-political elements. This paper evaluates the pro-choice perspective through the lens of John Rawls’s principles of justice. It focuses on how the ideas of fairness, equality, and autonomy pertain to women’s reproductive rights in India. Rawls’s theory, which defines justice as fairness, provides a philosophical foundation for examining whether reproductive policies and societal practices in India uphold women’s rights as free and equal moral beings. The study explores the extent to which Indian legislation—such as the Medical Termination of Pregnancy Act (1971, amended in 2021)—is consistent with Rawlsian principles of equal liberty and the difference principle. It also investigates the influence of cultural traditions, religious values, and patriarchal structures that often impede women’s autonomy in making reproductive decisions, resulting in disparities that contradict Rawlsian fairness. By employing a descriptive and analytical framework, this research highlights the ethical imperative for a rights-centred approach that ensures women’s reproductive freedom as an essential component of social justice. By situating pro-choice discussions within Rawlsia theory, the paper argues that reproductive rights are not merely personal moral dilemmas but crucial public goods for achieving justice in a diverse democracy such as India. In conclusion, the paper asserts that safeguarding reproductive autonomy is vital for fulfilling Rawls’s vision of a just society, where individuals possess equal fundamental rights and the opportunity to pursue their conception of the good life. The study concludes with a call to address social challenges and promote increased societal engagement in order to align India’s reproductive rights discourse with Rawlsian ideals of justice, equity, and individual autonomy.
Reimagining Futures: Queer Spatiality and Futurity in Monster
This paper critically examines Hirokazu Kore-eda’s film Monster through the analytical framework of queer spatiality and queer futurity. Monster follows the story of Minato and Yori, who form a deep emotional bond with each other as they navigate the challenges of childhood, identity, and social exclusion. Drawing on Judith Halberstam’s idea of queer space, the paper explores how ordinary spaces are transformed into sites of queer intimacy and resistance. The study challenges the normative configuration of spaces and examines how queer individuals carve out moments of safety and belonging even in marginal and abandoned spaces. These reclaimed spaces serve not only as a temporary refuge from the surveillance and discipline of heteronormative society, but it also serves as an alternative way of being in the world. The paper also uses José Esteban Muñoz’s theory of queer futurity to explore how the film creates space for imagining queer possibilities. Rather than seeing queerness as something tragic, the film offers a vision of hope and resistance that gestures towards queer liberation. The study employs qualitative narrative analysis, focusing on how queerness and its complexities are presented through plot structure, and character development.
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Kinship, Language and Cultural Identity: An Analysis of Kinship Terms in Hermann Gundert’s A Malayalam–English Dictionary
Hermann Gundert’s A Malayalam–English Dictionary (1872) occupies a foundational position in the history of Indian lexicography, not merely for its philological rigour but for the depth of cultural knowledge embedded within its lexical entries. One of the most revealing dimensions of this work is its extensive documentation of kinship terminology, which offers a rare and systematic window into the socio-cultural fabric of nineteenth-century Kerala. Far from constituting a neutral or purely descriptive inventory of familial relations, Gundert’s treatment of kinship terms reflects Kerala’s pluralistic social order, shaped by matrilineal and patrilineal descent systems, caste- and community-specific practices, gendered modes of address, and marked regional variation. Drawing on a wide range of sources including classical literary texts, administrative and documentary records, and sustained interaction with oral informants, Gundert recorded both written and spoken registers at a historical moment when dialects and colloquial speech were largely excluded from scholarly lexicography. The dictionary documents fine semantic distinctions, dialectal variants, and multilingual borrowings from Sanskrit, Tamil, Kannada, Arabic, Persian, and Hindustani, situating kinship vocabulary within longer histories of migration, trade, religious interaction, and cultural exchange. Many entries also register processes of semantic shift, social stratification, and taboo formation, whereby certain kinship terms fell out of use or acquired pejorative meanings over time. By analysing representative kinship terms in their historical, social, and linguistic contexts, this study argues that kinship vocabulary in Gundert’s dictionary functions as a powerful marker of cultural identity, encoding social hierarchy, community affiliation, and ideological orientations toward language itself. In doing so, the article foregrounds Gundert’s lexicographic practice as an early form of sociolinguistic and ethnographic inquiry, one that anticipates later theoretical concerns articulated by scholars such as Thomas R. Trautmann, Kamil V. Zvelebil, and Asif Agha. The study thus reaffirms the inseparability of language, kinship, and cultural identity in the historical development of Malayalam.
Myth in/as Biography: A Study of the Ramayana Framework in Raja Rao’s The Great Indian Way: A Life of Mahatma Gandhi
In his literary biography of Gandhi, The Great Indian Way: A Life of Mahatma Gandhi, Raja Rao employs the mythical technique, overlaying the modern biography with ancient epic form, and thematically and semantically reformulating Gandhi as Rama. Though rooted in the documented evidence of Gandhi’s life, Rao’s text eschews the conventions of traditional Western biography and presents Gandhi as a modern-day Rama, who fights colonial rule with the weapon of non-violence, thus transforming the anti-colonial struggle into the archetypal heroic quest for dharma. The structure of the biographical text parallels the kandas of the Ramayana and thematically mirror the eternal values embodied by Rama. The mythic technique is foregrounded in the semiotic choices, the thematic and symbolic motifs, and in the narrative and structural framework of the Ramayana. This paper studies how Rao aligns Gandhi’s life with the mythic template of the Ramayana, thus repositioning the biography from the discipline of historical document to the realm of sacred storytelling which calls for a reading that moves beyond political history or life-writing into the domains of myth theory, narrative emplotment and postcolonial cultural politics. The paper argues that by using the Ramayana as a moral and structural frame, Rao’s biography shifts Gandhi from a national leader to the archetypal hero of epic proportions and repositions him into India’s sacred narrative traditions as a response to the cultural politics of the period.
Unsung Grievance and Unyielding Subjugation: Exploring the Trajectory of Resilience and Subalternation in Jean Sasson’s Princess: A True Story of Life behind the Veil in Saudi Arabia
This paper examines Jean P. Sasson’s Princess: A True Story of Life behind the Veil in Saudi Arabia (1992) as a pivotal narrative that exposes the deeply entrenched structures of patriarchy and the systemic subalternation of women in Saudi society. Written through the testimony of Princess Sultana, the text dismantles the illusion of wealth and religiosity as sources of freedom, revealing instead the contradictions of privilege and oppression that define women’s lives under authoritarian and gender-segregated configurations. By employing a testimonial discourse, the narrative not only embodies individual suffering but also articulates collective experiences of obscuration, erasure, and denial of agency. The methodological approach of this study is grounded in feminist literary analysis, with particular attention to how voice, silence, and representation operate as sites of resistance against dominant narratives. The paper argues that Princess functions simultaneously as testimony and critique, challenging the manipulation of cultural and religious discourses that strategically sustain women’s subordination. In doing so, it contributes to an expanded understanding of feminist interventions in contexts often shielded from external scrutiny. The significance of this inquiry lies in situating Princess as both a literary and political testimonial—one that illuminates the intersections of gender, power, and religion, while foregrounding the urgency of recognizing women’s lived realities as pivotal to the discourse of rights and justice in Islamic societies.
Religious Perspectives on the Conceptions of Disability
The influence of religion on the human worldview is beyond definition. The value systems, belief doctrines, and ritual practices of religions have, through the process of social construction, determined the position of the human being in the world. Contemporary society’s perspectives and attitudes toward disability often trace their origins to the deeper recesses of collective consciousness. An inquiry into this collective consciousness frequently leads to religious traditions and teachings.Disability is a term that has undergone numerous transformations. Often referred to solely in terms of deficiency or defined by limitations, disability is a concept that has been nurtured within the cultural framework of diverse perspectives. Humanistic studies demonstrate that interventions and understandings around disability have been shaped within such varied cultural constructs.What is the underlying reason for the formation of such perspectives in society? Disability has been marked in different periods of public consciousness through religious and cultural influences. The role of persons with disabilities within the structure of society is unique. Through religious, historical, and literary representations of disability, its moral legitimacy and sense of justice have long been questioned. Any approach to studying social and cultural discrimination remains critically relevant. The objective of this study is to examine the discriminatory configurations present in conceptions of disability within the religions of India. Social attitudes toward persons with physical and mental differences are generally bound by tradition. In earlier times, disability was confined to narrow interpretations shaped by religious beliefs, medical discourses, and existential conditions. Today, however, disability has begun to be recognized as a socio-political and cultural construct, gaining renewed attention across the globe. Philosophical streams and lived experiences related to history, culture, religion, society, and literature deeply influence the shaping of identity. Through these influences, disability is often misunderstood or misrepresented, and its contextual analysis is neglected. The religious foundations that have led to the marginalization of persons with disabilities from the social mainstream need to be examined. Religions and religious texts have played a significant role in shaping the societal notions about disability. The religious discourses in India offer a wide range of perspectives on the concept of disability. This study aims to critically analyse the diversity and complexity raised by religious consciousness in the conception of disability, within the context of social construction, identity, and the dominant notion of normalcy.
Arabi Malayalam can be explained in the simplest way as a way of writing Malayalam in Arabic scripts. It is said that it was created for the Arab traders who came to Kerala; and for religious studies. In any case, Arabi Malayalam retains many words that are foreign to today’s Arabic and Malayalam. It contains many old words that Malayalam has abandoned in course of time. Many local expressions in circulation at different times also found their place in the language. Arabi Malayalam has given literary status to any words and expressions that people use orally. “It indebted not only to the Arabic language”,observes O. Abu. “Its linguistic diversity is unique. Words from oriental languages such as Arabic and Persian, words from Indian languages such as Urdu and Sanskrit, and words from South Indian languages such as Tamil, Kannada and Tulu, sometimes in the form of synonyms and often in the form of derivatives, have gained a wide place in the Arabi Malayalam language. In the same way, the grammars and styles of the said language have also established themselves in the Arabi Malayalam language, with or without contextual changes.” (Page 7)It is recorded that not only words but also styles and grammatical matters have been incorporated into it. However, the argument in this book is that this is a regional/national language. Similarly, there are Arabi Malayalam scholars who argue that Arabi Malayalam has the status of an independent language. There have been works in Arabi-Malayalam in prose and poetry. It includes not only literary works but also scientific texts, religious texts, and philosophical and historical texts. In addition, there were many periodicals, publications, and pamphlets in the Arabi-Malayalam language.In addition to Sanskrit translations such as Ashtanga Hridayam, many other medical books have been written in Arabi Malayalam. N.V.P. Unithiri has spoken about Muslim physicians who were Sanskrit scholars in many speeches. A special method of writing and preserving medicine was developed in Arabi Malayalam. Such notes were written separately in Arabic Malayalam scripts, avoiding the method of writing together. Such medical books may have been helpful for many physicians who could not pursue academic studies.
Rethinking Gandhian Concept of Sustainable Development in the context of Responsible Tourism
Mahatma Gandhi underlined the concept of ‘Sustainability’ as the course of life for the present and the future. He observed that human body requires three kinds of nourishments namely, air, water and food. Nature provides these three components and, hence mankind fully depends on nature for its existence. It is high time to think of preserving the nature and its environment as its degradation and the subsequent climate change have raised serious challenges/threats to the existence of life on earth. Steadily constructing a discourse on sustainability and properly conceiving the developmental paradigms are the need of the hour. Gandhian concepts and ideals have contributed to the broader discourse on sustainable development with special emphasis on environment. Most of the developmental activities in one way or the other, affect nature. The much celebrated Eco-Tourism is one such developmental activity introduced in Kerala with the goal of ensuring environmental sustainability. The paper explores the prospects of Ecotourism in Kerala within the Gandhian concept of sustainable development.
From Repression to Resistance: The Freudian Uncanny in Meghna Pant’s The Man Who Lost India
Meghna Pant’s The Man Who Lost India (2024) presents a chilling vision of a near-future India fractured by authoritarian rule and civil conflict. This paper offers a psychoanalytic reading of the novel, arguing that it stages a critical movement “from repression to resistance” by mobilizing the affective and structural logic of Sigmund Freud’s uncanny (das Unheimliche). In Pant’s dystopia, the familiar—homes, streets, language, and bodies—becomes terrifyingly estranged, manifesting as doubles, spectral hauntings, and compulsive repetitions that signal the return of politically and historically repressed traumas. However, this study moves beyond a purely Freudian framework by placing it in critical dialogue with postcolonial theory (Bhabha’s “unhomely”), trauma studies (Caruth’s “belatedness”), and feminist theory (Butler’s “precarious life”). Through a method of close reading that combines semiotic and phenomenological interpretation, this paper demonstrates how the uncanny, when transposed to a South Asian context, operates as more than a psychological category; it becomes a cultural and political grammar that exposes structures of gendered and national repression. Crucially, the analysis shows how Pant’s narrative reclaims the uncanny, transforming its inherent anxiety into a catalyst for insurgent memory, feminist solidarity, and linguistic subversion. The novel is thus positioned as a “critical dystopia” where the return of the repressed does not merely terrorize but opens seams for resistance, making it a significant contribution to the emergent field of Indian speculative fiction and a powerful commentary on the psychodynamics of contemporary political life.
The Intersection of Culture, Religion and Femininity in Indira Goswami’s novel The Man from Chinnamasta.
Religion plays a pivotal role in structuring and maintaining a society by imposing certain morals and norms. Like any other religion, Hinduism has led the Hindus to live in a particular way since time immemorial. Indira Goswami portrays the distressing conditions of widows living in the Vaishnavite Satra. This integration of the woman with religion becomes the core theme of Goswami’s novel, The Man from Chinnamasta (Chinnamasta 2006), emphasises on the interconnecting issues pertaining to the oppression of women and animals. In the novel, Goswami examines and analyses the ancient religious tradition of animal sacrifice at the Kamakhya temple situated in the city of Guwahati in Assam. The novel, when it was published, generated great controversy and commotion across many orthodox sections of society that regarded the book to be an attack on ancient religious rituals and practices. However, the book and the author received a groundbreaking support from the general mass as well as animal rights groups that demanded the banning of animal sacrifice at the temple.
Tracing the Malayness of Malabaris in Malaysia: An Ethnography of their Identity and Language
The Malabari community in Malaysia, hailing largely from Kerala, possesses a profound historical and cultural identity in their second home. The evident dearth in literature on their diaspora and related entities reveals that the personal and social narratives of this particular community are, by and large, untold, whereby their identity is least explored from an academic context. Thus, the Malabari ethnicity was explored to appreciate its assimilation into Malayness or a new identity as Malaysian, by seeking their perspectives on preserving the language of their homeland, and their manifestations of a dual identity in individual and public spheres. The paper specifically centers on the Malabaris, who represent a unique identity among Indian Muslims in the Malay Peninsula, distinguishing themselves from the predominant Malay Indians or Indian Malays. We begin by outlining their migration and the interpretation of their religion in relation to the Malay rulers. Then blending of two vernaculars and the cultural exchanges that occurred during their migration and survival are reconnoitered, fostering some meaningful dialogues between their historical and contemporary experiences. While the survival embodies multiple dimensions in its nature, process, and structure, the paper illustrates how they establish a sense of community through religious and cultural activism, embracing their Malabari identity while simultaneously acknowledging their Malay heritage in other aspects. This duality results in the complexities and confusions discussed in the subsequent analysis.
Reclaiming Identities: Queer Perspectives on Gender and Sextuality in A Gift of Godess Lakshmi by Manobi Bandopadhyay and Jhimly Mukherjee Pandey
This paper dives into the complex dynamics of gender and sexuality within the dominion of Discard Studies, using Manobi Bandopadhyay and Jhimli Mukherjee Pandey’s narrative as a focal point. Positioned at the convergence of ecocriticism and biopolitics, Discard Studies provides a lens to scrutinize the marginalized facets of gender and sexuality. Bandopadhyay’s portrayal of transgender experiences amidst societal neglect serves as a poignant illustration, particularly within the context of discarded production and management. By reframing the concept of “waste” as “discarded” or “neglected,” this study reveals how these elements signify not only physical remnants but also the societal disposability of certain identities. Through an exploration of both literal and metaphorical neglect, this research seeks to deepen our comprehension of the complex connection between gender, sexuality, and societal indifference. Drawing upon feminist and queer theories, the analysis challenges traditional binary understandings, explores how gender and sexuality are performed and constructed, acknowledges intersections of identity, resists fixed categorizations, and emphasizes agency and resistance in reclaiming narratives. This paper accentuates the urgency of acknowledging and addressing the overlooked narratives within discard discourse, advocating for more inclusive and ethically informed approaches to societal justice and waste management. By applying these queer theoretical perspectives to A Gift of Goddess Lakshmi, it offers a nuanced exploration of gender and sexuality, ultimately contributing to a broader understanding of waste discourse and social justice.
Traces of Trauma: Fragmented Memory and Female Identity in Elena Ferrante’s My Brilliant Friend
Trauma theory has been a useful tool for reading contemporary women’s writing and in the past few years has been widely mobilised in order to a---ccount for novels by women writers who are often preoccupied with female embodiment, violation, and gendered subjugation. This article will put into practice the trauma theory of Cathy Caruth and Bessel van der Kolk in relation to Elena Ferrante’s novel My Brilliant Friend (2012). The novel will be read as a traumatic narrative through a consideration of the traces of the traumatic in its form, including narrative fragmentation, silence, and somatic recall. Through my analysis I will make three main arguments in relation to Ferrante’s novel. The first of these is that the form of the novel mimics the mechanics of trauma. The second argument is that Ferrante’s novel enacts and illustrates a distinctly female mode of witnessing, specifically because of the novel’s emphasis on bodily signs and symptoms, silences, and fragmentation. And thirdly, that the violence which befalls the protagonists has a lasting impact on their friendship, which vacillates between mutuality and distance. This analysis of Ferrante’s novel responds to recent work in Ferrante Studies which has been preoccupied with theorising the relationship between female friendship and the gendered experience of violence, most notably in the Neapolitan neighbourhood where the novels are set. The application of trauma theory to Ferrante’s novel is a novel one and responds to a gap in the field. The article will, therefore, make a contribution to Trauma Studies and Women’s Writing as well as to Ferrante Studies.
Echoes of Silence: 13 Reasons Why and Unravelling Teenage Suicide in the Digital Age
In the digital age, adolescents are significantly shaped by the media they consume, with social media and online platforms exposing them to both positive and harmful content. A concerning trend is the rise in teenage suicides linked to online influences, including dangerous games like the Blue Whale Challenge that promote self-harm. This paper explores Jay Asher’s novel 13 Reasons Why and its Netflix adaptation as cultural texts that delve into the theme of teenage suicide through the character of Hannah Baker. Hannah, a high school student, takes her own life due to a combination of factors—bullying, depression, loneliness, substance use, sexual assault, and emotional neglect. Using Thomas Joiner’s Interpersonal Theory of Suicide, the study analyses how Hannah’s experiences reflect perceived burdensomeness, thwarted belongingness, and acquired capability for suicide. These dimensions make her character a powerful representation of adolescent psychological distress. The widespread appeal of the novel and its adaptation lies in their reflection of universal teenage experiences, highlighting the emotional fragility and mental health struggles common among youth. This paper also examines the role of parents, teachers, school counselors, and peer groups in recognizing and responding to adolescent emotional needs. It argues that 13 Reasons Why serves as a wake-up call for society, urging a more empathetic, proactive approach to supporting teenagers. By shedding light on the internal battles young people face, the narrative encourages a deeper understanding and more compassionate engagement with their struggles.
Echoing the Cosmic Symphony: O.V. Vijayan’s Madhuram Gayati in an Ecocritical Perspective
This article offers an ecocritical reading of O. V. Vijayan’s Madhuram Gayati, examining its deep portrayal of the inextricability between humanity and the natural world. The novel is presented as a cosmic symphony that weaves together spiritual, cultural, and ecological consciousness to advocate for the harmonious coexistence of all living beings. Vijayan critiques the growing disconnection between modern humanity and nature, crafting a vivid web of life where flora, fauna, and human characters are active participants in a shared ecosystem. By emphasizing the spiritual and ethical dimensions of ecological awareness, the novel urges readers to recognize the sacred bond between humans and their environment, highlighting the detrimental consequences of environmental degradation and unsustainable practices. Ultimately, Madhuram Gayati is positioned as a literary masterpiece that bridges cultural narratives and environmental ethics. Integrating mythological and spiritual frameworks with ecological concerns, the novel offers a compelling, visionary critique of industrialization and advocates for a return to holistic living for a sustainable future.
Voices in Silence: Female Resistance and Recovery in the Face of Domestic and Political Constraint in Githa Hariharan’s Fugitive Histories
In Fugitive Histories, Githa Hariharan delves into the layered experiences of the people in the Muslim community post-riot. The article focuses on the multifaceted trauma experienced by women in both domestic and socio-political contexts. It also highlights how female characters navigate oppression, ranging from patriarchal control in domestic spaces to the brutal impact of communal violence. It delves into the psychological consequences of violence and the ways in which female characters respond to it. Through the lens of trauma theory, the article investigates how these women, despite enduring emotional and physical scars, exhibit resilience through acts of resistance - both overt and subtle, and how they recover from these painful smothering experiences. By bringing forth the different forms of resistance women display in response to the trauma they experience, the article emphasises the importance of understanding the reasons behind their resistance, rather than dismissing it as mere drama.
Food, Family and Cultural Identity: Culinary Nostalgia and the Immigrant Experience in Venba
Food is among the most important memories immigrants carry with them to their adopted lands. The act of cooking traditional food helps members of immigrant communities to maintain their cultural identities in spaces that are far from the familiar and therefore food becomes a symbolic connection to their roots. This paper is a study of the 2023 video game Venba, developed by Visai games, which is a narrative driven independent game that tells the story of a Tamil immigrant family in Canada. Venba foregrounds the act of cooking as being central to the creation and preservation of cultural identity, through gameplay that blends the preparation of traditional Tamil dishes with storytelling that conveys the emotional journey that the characters undergo through the course of the narrative. By placing food at the centre of the family narrative, Venba engages with some central ideas of the diasporic relationship with food that is often explored in fiction. The purpose of this paper is to examine Venba’s narrative and its gameplay mechanics to see how it engages with the idea of food cultures as important points of connection with the homeland for diasporic communities. Through the story of an immigrant family and their relationships not only with each other but also with food, this paper will also look at the way the game engages with the concept of “culinary nostalgia” found in diasporic literature.
The Arab Malayalam News Paper Swalahul Ikhvaan and its cultural discourses
The study is a content analysis of the four issues of the Malayalam-transliterated version of the Arab-Malayalam newspaper Swalahul Ikhwan, which was published in 1899 and ran for eight years, and an explanation of the newspaper's involvement in the social, cultural and literary fields. The newspaper 'Swalahul-Ikhwan' proved to be the right path in the field of Arab-Malayalam language journalism. The newspaper strived for the upliftment of the Muslim community and the growth of the religion and opened a wide path of reading and knowledge in front of the Mappila Muslim community who were only interested in the Arab-Malayalam language. The newspaper played an important role in the literary, cultural and social development of the Mappila Muslim community. The purpose of the publication was to provide religious and non-religious news for Malayalee Muslims and to introduce religious restrictions and other news of other countries. The newspaper has been able to convert the Kerala Muslims, especially the Malabar Muslims, into a reading community and to form in them a global outlook and an awareness of being a citizen of the world, and above all, a strong awareness of the visions of the world Muslim brotherhood. The newspaper has also played a crucial role in assimilating Urdu and Arabic indigenous and international schools of thought and integrating them into the culture of Malayalam without depending Sanskrit and Tamil main streams. The newspaper has always maintained its resistance and attitude towards the apartheid regime and the political stance of the occupying government. Today, it is understood that the newspaper represents a 'Malabar Prose' with no emphasis on Sanskrit or Tamil, a mixture of Arabic, Urdu and Hindi, and the spoken language and culture of the Malabar Muslims.
A Tribute in Honor of Ngugi’s recent Demise: A Forensic Analysis of the Paradigm Shift to Fanonist Marxism in the Fictions of Ngugi wa Thiong’o
This paper systematically attempts a forensic literary survey of the paradigm shifts of the allegories and allusions in the fictions of Ngugi wa Thiong’o, with a particular emphasis on his complex assessment of Christianity as both a spiritual and colonial force on the occasion of his demise on 28th May 2025. This analysis finds three diverse stages in Ngugi’s narrative representation of Christian religion—from ambivalence to open agitation. The article uncovers how Ngugi employs Christian allusions and allegories—such as martyrdom, prophecy, and moral betrayal—not only to depict colonial injustices but also to provide a radical re-articulation of African identity through socialist and Marxist outlines. Christian themes are reinterpreted as tools of both resistance and critique, revealing the tensions between African conventionalism, colonial modernity, and post-independence neocolonial realities. Through references to Fanonist Marxism, historical redrafting, and spiritual allegory, Ngugi alters the Bible from an instrument of imperial control into a disputed site of ideological struggle. This study ultimately stresses that Ngugi’s fictions present Christian discourse to dramatize the psychological and material decolonization of African consciousness, concluding in a literary theology of liberation deeply ingrained in historical materialism. This paper is a scientific attempt to find out the differences of allusions and allegories flavoured in the fictions with two paradigm shifts of ideologies.
Studies in Kerala Folklore have made a big leap in the past few decades. Some of the regional forms of folk lore have been brought into limelight from oblivion. Many such songs are capable enough to influence the prevailing concepts and nature of folksongs. Exploits of the heroes of yester years predominantly form the themes of these labouring class. They come under the category called epic folk songs. Edanadan Song is one such epic folk song. It has many variants; and Chengannooradi seemed to be the most popular. The paper explores the socio-economic implications of Chengannooradi. Before explaining Chengannooradi, let us have a quick look at the division of folk songs.
Trauma, Patriarchal Norms, and the Reconfiguration of Identity in K. R. Meera’s Jezebel
KR Meera’s Jezebel intertwines the traditional biblical myth with the lived experiences of its modern-day protagonist by creating a complex work challenging both ancient cultural myths and contemporary power structures between genders. This paper examines how the novel addresses trauma through the imposition of patriarchal norms and religious doctrines within the familial setting by reconstructing the historical Jezebel archetype as a symbol of resistance and self-assertion. It engages the trauma theory and feminist literary criticism and uses a qualitative methodology that integrates close textual analysis and intertextual comparison. The study explores the protagonist’s journey from enforced subjugation to emergent self-awareness. This embodies the internalisation of oppressive narratives as well as the potential for transformative deconstruction of inherited symbols. The research critically examines the mechanisms through which cultural and familial pressures are communicated and contested by showing that the oppressive depictions of female vice and moral decay are not immutable truths, but are socially constructed instruments of control. The study also argues that reinterpreting these symbols enables a redefinition of female identity, offering new avenues for empowerment and resistance. Jezebel challenges reductive moral judgments and contributes to contemporary debates on trauma and gender by revealing how literary texts can act as vehicles for subverting and repurposing oppressive narratives.
Archetypes of Power: Political and Sociological Reflections in George R.R Martin’s A Song of Ice and Fire
George R.R. Martin’s A Song of Ice and Fire presents a nuanced exploration of power, governance, and resistance through archetypal characters that reflect historical and political realities. This study examines how Martin employs the archetypes of the Just Ruler, the Machiavellian Strategist, the Revolutionary Leader, and the Outsider Hero to critique leadership and authority. The Just Ruler, embodied by characters like Eddard Stark, struggles to uphold honour in a politically ruthless world, exposing the fragility of ethical governance. In contrast, the Machiavellian Strategist, represented by figures such as Tywin Lannister and Petyr Baelish, exemplifies manipulation and pragmatism, illustrating power as a tool of control. The Revolutionary Leader, including Robb Stark and Stannis Baratheon, disrupts established systems but often fails due to political realism. The Outsider Hero, through Arya Stark and Sandor Clegane, redefines heroism beyond traditional ideals. Drawing from literary criticism, political philosophy, and historical parallels, this paper analyses how Martin’s archetypal figures offer insight into leadership, authority, and resistance. By situating A Song of Ice and Fire within broader socio-political discourse, the study highlights its relevance to real-world power dynamics and the complexities of governance.
Gulfkaarande Bhaarya/ The Expatriate’s Wife: Reading the Left- behind Mappila Woman in SA Jameel’s Letter Songs
Dubai Kathupattu [Dubai Letter Songs] by SA Jameel, written in the1980s, inaugurated a new era of literary expressions that captured the nuances of Mappila expatriate experience. Placed in the larger context of pravasam (migration) and the changing socio-political dynamics of Kerala, Jameel’s letter songs reflect a set of new perspectives on the left-behind wives—their bodies, morality, religiosity, sexual anxieties, isolation, as well as various other aspects of their lives and separation from their husbands. Using a methodological framework that combines gender studies and Islamic feminism, this analytical study attempts to forefront the Mappila wife’s representation from within the constitutive structures of pravasam (“migration”), religion, and emergent Malayali patriarchy of the period. This analysis is further necessitated by an understanding that the popular Mappila cultural texts can be read and reread for vignettes of Mappila Muslim women’s lifeworlds. Although central to understanding the lived realities and related aspects of Gulf migration, these peripheral genres of Mappila literature and cultural expressions have received limited attention in academic scholarship. Hence these texts are in need of reparative efforts that can rescue it from the marginality within the Malayalam literary and cultural corpus.
Politics of Mobility and Delhi’s Migrants: Examining Modes of Cosmopolitanisms in Aman Sethi’s A Free Man
The idea of cosmopolitanism suggests recognition and respect of all forms of differences and diversity, and engagement across various class, ethnic, cultural and national affiliations. In the literature on cosmopolitanism, cosmopolitanism is conflated with globalisation and mobile capitalism, which focuses on the lifestyles of those ‘elite’ few who are world travellers and have cultivated the taste for ‘difference’ and ‘diversity’ in the designated ‘consumptionscapes’ of the city. But what about those not belonging to the upper classes and moving from one place to another within the same country or the city? What about the acceptance and respect for the differences embodied in the figure of the ‘Other’, migrants? Can a migrant, who does not belong to the upper class, be called cosmopolitan? The paper aims to examine the class consciousness and the centrality of mobility in cosmopolitanism by looking at the varied modes of cosmopolitanism as displayed by the working-class migrants in urban areas. In contrast to the cosmopolitanism of transnational elites or the capitalist cosmopolitanism of the rich and upper middle classes, cosmopolitan generosity and reasoning have been shown to exist amongst non-intellectual, relatively immobile and working-class groups that provide a significant challenge for how we think about the cosmopolitan identity. It is suggested that we need to reconsider any dualistic notion that cosmopolitans are mobile or elite, or better still, both mobile and elite. Aman Sethi’s A Free Man is interrogated for its representation of the working-class migrants in Delhi to study the (im)mobility and cosmopolitanism of the marginalised migrants who do not belong to the privileged section of the society.