Lalithambika Antharjanam

Lalithambika Antharjanam{{Refn|group=note|'Antharjanam' means 'she who spends her life inside'. Her first name is a compound of 'Lalitha' (Simple,) and 'Ambika' (literally 'little mother', the name of a goddess)}} was born on 30 March 1909, at Kottavattom near Punalur, Kollam district, in the south Indian state of Kerala, in a conservative household to Kottavattathu Illathu Damodaran Namboothiri and Changarappilli Manaykkal Aryadevi Antharjanam.{{Cite web |url=http://www.keralasahityaakademi.org/sp/Writers/PROFILES/Lalithambika/Html/Lalithambikagraphy.htm |title=Biography on Kerala Sahitya Akademi portal |date=2019-03-30 |website=Kerala Sahitya Akademi portal |access-date=2019-03-30}} She was the first child of her parents, who later had seven sons. She had little formal education, however, her father appointed a private tutor who taught the child, which was unusual at the time.{{cite book|title = The Inner Courtyard|editor = Lakshmi Holmström|publisher = Rupa & Co|year = 1991}}Contains the translation "Revenge Herself", tr. Vasanti Sankaranarayan

Although she was part of the most powerful landholding Brahmin caste of Kerala, Lalithambika's life-work was the exposure and destruction of the hypocrisy, violence and injustice with which women were treated in Nambudiri society. She was not allowed to study in school, and could only glean scraps of information about the outside world through male relatives who were kind enough to tell her about current affairs. She knew a little about the ongoing Indian freedom movement, and longed to take part. In 1926, she was married in the prescribed way to the farmer Narayanan Nambudiri.{{Cite web |url=https://malayalasangeetham.info/displayProfile.php?artist=Lalithambika%2520Antharjanam&category=story |title=Profile of Malayalam Story Writer Lalithambika Antharjanam |date=2019-03-30 |website=malayalasangeetham.info |access-date=2019-03-30}} As a wife, she now lost all contact with the outside world and her day consisted of a claustrophobic routine of hard physical labour in smoky kitchens and damp closed courtyards, petty domestic politics and the fears and jealousies of other similarly imprisoned women. But she also saw their courage and their determination to be human in spite of the unnatural conditions of their lives. In this world her only outlet was her writing, which she did in secret. At the end of a working day that began before dawn, she would put her children to sleep, bar the door and write in the light of a tiny lamp. Constant exposure to smoke and inadequate lighting began to destroy her eyes. When the pain got very bad, she would write with her eyes closed. The frustration and degradation of her caste sisters moved Lalithambika to expose their plight in her celebrated Malayalam novel Agnisakshi (Fire being the Witness).{{Cite web |url=http://www.keralaculture.org/agnisakshi/705 |title=Agnisakshi by Lalithambika Antharjanam - Book Review |website=www.keralaculture.org |language=en |access-date=2019-03-30}} The novel was later made into a film with the same title in 1997.

Nambudiri custom allowed only the eldest son to marry within the caste; all the others contracted sambandhams with women from other castes, usually the amabalavasis and nair (except kiriyath nair and some other nair subcastes). This ensured that inheritance through the male line was always undisputed, since the children of sambandhams did not have the right to inherit. As a result, many Nambudiri women remained unmarried all their lives, in restrictions that amounted to rigorous imprisonment. They were not supposed to let the sun's rays touch their bodies. Any slip or shadow of suspicion would condemn them to being tried by the smarthavicharam courts of male elders. These courts were empowered to strip a woman of her social position and throw her out to starve. For these women, who were not even allowed to look out of windows, such a fate was psychologically as well as economically devastating.

On the rare occasions when antharjanams left the house, they had to envelope their whole bodies in a thick cloak, and carry a leaf umbrella whose canopy reached to their waists, so that they could only see their own feet when walking. By contrast, lower caste women were required by law to bare their breasts when in the presence of higher caste men, and could be punished for not doing so. They thus habitually went with their upper bodied uncovered, and many reformist and missionary movements in early twentieth century Kerala clothed lower caste women by force to uplift them. By the 1930s, most royal households (who were below Brahmins, caste-wise) were allowing their women to wear blouses, but the practice took longer to percolate downwards to poorer families, especially as blouses were quite costly.

In her story Revenge Herself (English translation anthologised in The Inner Courtyard), she highlights the moral and sexual choices faced by upper caste Nambudiri women, who were secluded in the inner house, through the story of the "fallen woman" Tatri. This is especially sensitive in Kerala, where other women are relatively free sexual lives in their matriarchal culture. In her story Mulappalinte Manam she highlights the woman's role as the central cohesive force in society, and she supports artificial birth control, so long as it does not contradict this basic womanly qualities of healing the schisms opened up by individualism.J. Devika, [http://unpan1.un.org/intradoc/groups/public/documents/APCITY/UNPAN010722.pdf Family planning as liberation: the ambiguities of "emancipation from biology" in Kerala] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170808130200/http://unpan1.un.org/intradoc/groups/public/documents/apcity/unpan010722.pdf |date=8 August 2017 }}(Working paper version),Inter-Asia Cultural StudiesVolume 7, Issue 1 March 2006 , pages 43–61

From her marriage with Narayanan Naboothiri, she had three sons, Bhaskara Kumar, N. Mohanan and Rajendran and four daughters, Leela, Shantha, Rajam and Mani. N. Mohanan was also a noted author and a recipient of Kerala Sahitya Akademi Award.{{Cite web |url=http://www.keralasahityaakademi.org/sp/Writers/ksa/Awards/novel.htm |title=Kerala Sahitya Akademi Award for Novel |date=2019-03-30 |website=Kerala Sahitya Akademi |access-date=2019-03-30 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131109145935/http://www.keralasahityaakademi.org/sp/Writers/ksa/Awards/novel.htm |archive-date=9 November 2013 |url-status=dead }}

• 1965: Kerala Sahitya Akademi Award for Children's Literature – Gosayi Paranja Katha{{cite web |title=Kerala Sahitya Akademi Award for Children's Literature |url=http://www.keralasahityaakademi.org/sp/Writers/ksa/Awards/Endowments/Award_Balasahityam.htm |publisher=Kerala Sahitya Akademi |access-date=16 February 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190327091212/http://www.keralasahityaakademi.org/sp/Writers/ksa/Awards/Endowments/Award_Balasahityam.htm |archive-date=27 March 2019 |language=ml}}
• 1973: Kerala Sahitya Akademi Award for Literary Criticism – Sita Mutal Satyavati Vare{{cite web |title=Kerala Sahitya Akademi Award for Literary Criticism |url=http://www.keralasahityaakademi.org/sp/Writers/ksa/Awards/Criticism_Studies.htm |publisher=Kerala Sahitya Akademi |access-date=16 February 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131109150442/http://www.keralasahityaakademi.org/sp/Writers/ksa/Awards/Criticism_Studies.htm |archive-date=9 November 2013}}
• 1977: Sahitya Akademi Award – Agnisakshi{{Cite web |url=http://www.prd.kerala.gov.in/awards.htm |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070524212356/http://www.prd.kerala.gov.in/awards.htm |url-status=dead |archive-date=2007-05-24 |title=Literary Awards |date=2007-05-24 |access-date=2019-03-30}}
• 1977: Kerala Sahitya Akademi Award for Novel – Agnisakshi
• 1977: Vayalar Award – Agnisakshi{{cite web |title=വയലാര്‍ അവാര്‍ഡ് |url=https://keralasahityaakademi.org/ml_aw27.htm |publisher=Kerala Sahitya Akademi |access-date=6 February 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110717134225/http://www.keralasahityaakademi.org/ml_aw27.htm |archive-date=2011-07-17 |language=ml}}
• 1981: Kerala Sahitya Akademi Fellowship{{Cite web |url=http://www.keralasahityaakademi.org/sp/Writers/Fellows/Html/HonMembersPage-2.htm |title=Kerala Sahitya Akademi Fellowship |date=2019-03-30 |website=Kerala Sahitya Akademi |access-date=2019-03-30}}

• {{cite book |author1=Lalithambika Antharjanam |title=Lalitanjali |date=1937 |publisher=Lalitodayam |location=Kannikode |pages=80 |author-mask=1}}
• {{cite book |author1=Lalithambika Antharjanam |title=Vanji Rajeswari |date=1938 |publisher=Sri Rama Vilasom |location=Quilon |pages= |author-mask=1}}
• {{cite book |author1=Lalithambika Antharjanam |title=Bhavadipti |date=1944 |publisher=Vidyarthi Mithram |location=Kottayam |pages=59 |author-mask=1}}
• {{cite book |author1=Lalithambika Antharjanam |title=Oru Pottichiri |date=1958 |publisher=S.P.C.S. |location=Kottayam |pages=38 |author-mask=1}}
• {{cite book |author1=Lalithambika Antharjanam |title=Nisabda Sangitam |date=1959 |publisher=S.P.C.S. |location=Kottayam |pages=56 |author-mask=1}}
• {{cite book |author1=Lalithambika Antharjanam |title=Ayirathiri |date=1969 |publisher=S.P.C.S. |location=Kottayam |pages=239 |author-mask=1}}

• {{cite book |author1=Lalithambika Antharjanam |title=Ambikanjali |date=1937 |publisher=Bhaskara Vilasom |location=Kannikode |pages= |author-mask=1}}
• {{cite book |author1=Lalithambika Antharjanam |title=Adyathe Kathakal |date=1937 |publisher=S.P.C.S. (2nd edition, 1954) |location=Kottayam |pages=165 |edition= |author-mask=1}}
• {{cite book |author1=Lalithambika Antharjanam |title=Moodupadathil |date=1946 |publisher=Mangalodayam |location=Trichur |pages=135 |author-mask=1}}
• {{cite book |author1=Lalithambika Antharjanam |title=Kalathinte Etukal |date=1949 |publisher=Mangalodayam |location=Trichur |pages=73 |author-mask=1}}
• {{cite book |author1=Lalithambika Antharjanam |title=Takarnna Talamura |date=1949 |publisher=S.P.C.S. |location=Kottayam |pages=127 |author-mask=1}}
• {{cite book |author1=Lalithambika Antharjanam |title=Kilivatililoode |date=1950 |publisher=N.B.S. |location=Kottayam |pages=117 |author-mask=1}}
• {{cite book |author1=Lalithambika Antharjanam |title=Kodunkattil Ninnu |date=1951 |publisher=N.B.S. |location=Kottayam |pages=112 |author-mask=1}}
• {{cite book |author1=Lalithambika Antharjanam |title=Kanneerinte Punchiri |date=1955 |publisher=S.P.C.S. |location=Kottayam |pages=114 |author-mask=1}}
• {{cite book |author1=Lalithambika Antharjanam |title=Irupatu Varshathinu Sesham |date=1956 |publisher=S.P.C.S. |location=Kottayam |pages=160 |author-mask=1}}
• {{cite book |author1=Lalithambika Antharjanam |title=Vellinaksatram |date=1956 |publisher=Published by the author |location=Trichur |pages=28 |author-mask=1}}
• {{cite book |author1=Lalithambika Antharjanam |title=Agni Pushpangal |date=1960 |publisher=S.P.C.S. |location=Kottayam |pages=127 |author-mask=1}}
• {{cite book |author1=Lalithambika Antharjanam |title=Tiranhedutha Kathakal |date=1966 |publisher=S.P.C.S. |location=Kottayam |pages=415 |author-mask=1}}
• {{cite book |author1=Lalithambika Antharjanam |title=Marikkatha Pretam |date=1968 |publisher=Vidyarthi Mithram |location=Kottayam |pages=60 |author-mask=1}}
• {{cite book |author1=Lalithambika Antharjanam |title=Satyathinte Swaram |date=1968 |publisher=S.P.C.S. |location=Kottayam |pages=123 |author-mask=1}}
• {{cite book |author1=Lalithambika Antharjanam |title=Viswarupam |date=1971 |publisher=S.P.C.S. |location=Kottayam |pages=84 |author-mask=1}}
• {{cite book |author1=Lalithambika Antharjanam |title=Dhirendu Majumdarude Amma |date=1973 |publisher=S.P.C.S. |location=Kottayam |pages=122 |author-mask=1}}
• {{cite book |author1=Lalithambika Antharjanam |title=Stree |date=1975 |publisher=N.B.S. |location=Kottayam |pages= |author-mask=1}}
• {{cite book |author1=Lalithambika Antharjanam |title=Pavitra Motiram |date=1979 |publisher=S.P.C.S. |location=Kottayam |pages=109 |author-mask=1}}
• {{cite book |author1=Lalithambika Antharjanam |title=Manikkanum Mattu Pradhana Kathakalum |date=2014 |publisher=DC Books |location=Kottayam |pages=114 |author-mask=1}}

• {{cite book |author1=Lalithambika Antharjanam |title=Gramabalika |date=1951 |publisher=N.B.S. |location=Kottayam |pages=71 |author-mask=1}}
• {{cite book |author1=Lalithambika Antharjanam |title=Kunjomana |date=1962 |publisher=S.P.C.S. |location=Kottayam |pages=35 |author-mask=1}}
• {{cite book |author1=Lalithambika Antharjanam |title=Gosayi Paranja Katha |date=1964 |publisher=S.P.C.S. |location=Kottayam |pages=32 |author-mask=1}}
• {{cite book |author1=Lalithambika Antharjanam |title=Tentullikal |date=1968 |publisher=S.P.C.S. |location=Kottayam |pages=31 |author-mask=1}}
• {{cite book |author1=Lalithambika Antharjanam |title=Kunjomanayum Mattu Balakathakalum |date=2022 |publisher=DC Books |location=Kottayam |pages=166 |author-mask=1}}
• {{cite book |author1=Lalithambika Antharjanam |title=Mrigasalayil |date= |publisher=Kurukshethra Prakasan |location=Cochin |pages= |author-mask=1}}

• {{cite book |author1=Lalithambika Antharjanam |title=Sita Mutal Satyavati Vare |date=1972 |publisher=N.B.S. |location=Kottayam |pages=153 |author-mask=1 |quote=Study}}
• {{cite book |author1=Lalithambika Antharjanam |title=Agnisakshi |date=1976 |publisher=S.P.C.S. |location=Kottayam |pages=152 |author-mask=1 |quote=Novel}}
• {{cite book |author1=Lalithambika Antharjanam |title=Atmakathaykku Oru Amukham |date=1979 |publisher=S.P.C.S. |location=Kottayam |pages=129 |author-mask=1 |quote=Autobiography}}
• {{cite book |author1=Lalithambika Antharjanam |title=Viradhatri |date=2011 |publisher=S.P.C.S. |location=Kottayam |pages= |author-mask=1 |quote=Play}}
• {{cite book |author1=Lalithambika Antharjanam |title=Mayatha Mazhavillu |date= |publisher=Lipi |location=Calicut |pages= |author-mask=1 |quote=Memoirs/essays}}
• {{cite book |author1=Lalithambika Antharjanam |title=Sakuntala |date= |publisher=Kerala Bhasha Institute |location=Trivandrum |pages= |author-mask=1 |quote=Screenplay}}

; English

• {{cite book|author=Lalithambika Antharjanam|title=Fire, My Witness|url= |author-mask=1 |translator=Vasanthi Sankaranarayanan |date=1980 |publisher=Kerala Sahitya Akademi |location=Trichur}}
• {{cite book|author=Lalithambika Antharjanam|title=Cast Me Out If You Will: Stories and Memoir |translator=Gita Krishnankutty |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=2hVvqtygPi0C|year=1998|publisher=Stree|isbn=978-81-85604-11-4 |author-mask=1}}
• {{cite book|author=Lalithambika Antharjanam|title=On the Far Side of Memory: Short Stories of Lalithambika Antharjanam |translator=J. Devika |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=7789DwAAQBAJ|date=2017|publisher=Oxford University Press|location=New Delhi|isbn=978-0-19-909153-9 |author-mask=1}}

; Other languages

• {{cite book|author=Lalithambika Antharjanam|title=Agg Goah|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=HayAwgEACAAJ|year=2004|publisher=Sahitya Akademi|location=New Delhi|isbn=978-81-260-1741-6 |author-mask=1 |language=Dogri}}

• Lalithambika Antharjanam Sahitya Award

{{reflist|group=note}}

• {{cite book|author=Ester Gallo|title=The Fall of Gods: Memory, Kinship, and Middle Classes in South India|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=0Z9MDwAAQBAJ&pg=PT96|date=15 February 2018|publisher=OUP India|isbn=978-0-19-909131-7|pages=96–}}

• {{Cite web |url=http://www.keralasahityaakademi.org/sp/Writers/PROFILES/Lalithambika/Html/LalithambikaAntharjanam.htm |title=Portrait commissioned by Kerala Sahitya Akademi |date=2019-03-30 |website=Kerala Sahitya Akademi |access-date=2019-03-30}}
• {{Cite web |url=https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/kerala/women-writers-supply-the-literary-flourish/article22638463.ece |title=From Lalithambika Antharjanam to N.P. Sneha, women writers supply the literary flourish in Kerala budget speech |author=Staff Reporter |date=2018-02-03 |website=The Hindu |language=en-IN |access-date=2019-03-30}}
• {{cite book|author1=Harish Trivedi|author2=Richard Allen|title=Literature and Nation|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=V9ufrUyISBsC&pg=PA322|year=2000|publisher=Psychology Press|isbn=978-0-415-21207-6|pages=322–}}

{{Sahitya Akademi Award For Malayalam}}

{{Kerala Sahitya Akademi Fellowship}}

{{Malayalam Literature |state=collapsed}}

{{Vayalar Awards}}

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