What was the novel of chandu menon?how did he balance between the western ideas and indian traditional culture?
Answers
The novel was written at a time when there was an emerging class of upper caste men (mostly Nairs) who received a Western style education, and were achieving prominent positions in British India. The period was a clash of cultures, as the educated Indians were torn between Western ideals and traditional practices. The Nambudiri Brahmins of Kerala, had traditionally had marital relations with Nair women, known as Sambandham, since only the oldest Nambudiri youth was allowed to marry a Brahmin girl. The younger sons were encouraged to have Sambandham with Nair women, in order to maintain male primogeniture, since the children born from such relations belonged to their mother's family. The matriarchy practiced by the Nairs was also coming under attack during this period. Many of the Nambudiri men, though learned in Vedas and Sanskrit, had little knowledge of English and Western sciences. The novel highlights the lack of willingness of the Nambudiris to adapt to the change of times, as well as the struggle by Nair women to break out of the age-old principle of Sambandham, which had little relevance during the late 19th century.
⏩Chandu Menon portrayed Indulekha as a women of breathtaking beauty, high intellectual abilities, artistic talent and with an education in English and Sanskrit.
⏩Madhavan the hero of the novel, was also presented in ideal colours. He was a member of the newly English-educated class of Nayar from the University of Madras. He dressed in Western clothes. But, at the same time, he kept a long tuft of hair, according to the Nayar custom.
⏩The hero and heroine showed the readers how Indian and foreign lifestyle could be brought together in an ideal combination.