Her-Self: Gender and Early Writings of Malayali Women, 1898–1938

‘Texts that Dazzle.’ V. Geetha, Foreword Translated for the first time into English, these 29 pieces of early writings of Malayali women (1898–1938)—Nambutiris, Nairs, Ezhavas, Syrian Christians and two Muslims—who had access to education, reveal the vigorous debate over modern gender relations that was taking place. Women reflected on what was ‘Womanly’ and on education, duties, vocation and civil roles—an ongoing discussion, first influenced by reformism and later by nationalist and communist ideas. In her new Preface for this reprint, author talks of how the collection offers many genealogies for Malayali feminism, making it both local and cosmopolitan. Indeed, this genealogy enables us to address many of the challenges that mainstream feminism in India now faces, for example, that of developing intersectional analyses of patriarchal oppression. Taken together, these pieces are efforts to define, in their unique ways, ‘women’s perspectives’ as specifically oppositional standpoints. Many are replies, rejoinders and responses to male public figures who claimed to speak on behalf of a ‘general good’, especially of women.

Table of Contents:
Foreword by V. Geetha Preface to the Second Edition Acknowledgements Introduction The Demerits of Female Education: A Refutation (1898) - N. A. Amma Manly Duty (1906) - K. Lakshmy Amma An Account of My Life and My Home-Making (1907) - Manntaraveetil Lakshmy Amma Are Women Weak? (1907) - K. P. M. The Place of Women in Education’ (1912) - K. Chinnamma The Craze for Imitation (1915) - C. P. Kalyani Amma Modern Women and Their Husbands: A Rejoinder (1915-16) - Mrs. K. Kannan Menon Literature and Womankind (1915) - K. M. Kunhulakshmy Kettilamma Womanliness (1915-16) - Sarojini Women and Freedom – Part I (1921) - B. Pachi Amma Malayalee Marriage Modified (1923) - K. Padmavaty Amma The Place of Women in Society (1924) - V. K. Chinnammalu Amma An Appeal to the Hindu Women of Keralam (1924) - Vatakkecharuvil P. K. Kalyani Nair Women and the Home (1924) - Konniyoor K. Meenakshi Amma A Reply (1925) - Tottaikkattu Madhavi Amma Our Women (1927) - Mrs. I. C. Chacko Women’s Independence (1927) - K. Mary Thomas Will Not Women Awake? (1927-28) - Editorial On Women’s Liberation (1929) - Anna Chandy Women and Khadar (1930) - E. Narayanikutty Amma Women and Literature (1931) - B. Bhageeraty Amma Womanliness (1933) - Parvaty Nenminimangalam Women Should Not Abandon the Kitchen (1933) - Devaki Narikkattiri Our Economic Position and Women (1933) - Pennammabhayi, Chambakkulam On Womanly Duty (1935) - Parvaty Ayyappan Womenfolk and Reform: Matters Necessary and Unnecessary’ (1936) - Ittichiriyamma Our Duty (1938) - Ayesha Mayan Welcome Speech (1938) - M. Haleema Beevi Some Obstacles in the Way of Equality between the Sexes (1938) - Kochattil Kalyanikutty Amma References Additional Readings

About the Author :
J. Devika is a historian, feminist and social critic. She is Professor, Centre for Development Studies, Thiruvananthapuram. She has authored several books and articles on gender relations in early Kerala society. She has translated both fiction and non-fiction books from Malayalam and English. Among these are Nalini Jameela (Autobiography of a Sex Worker, Penguin) and the short stories of K. R. Meera and Sarah Joseph. She also translated the acclaimed Malayalam novel Arrachar by K. R. Meera as Hangwoman (Penguin, 2014). She writes on gender, politics, social reforms and development in Kerala on publications like Kafila, Economic and Political Weekly and The Wire. She received her MA in modern History from the Centre for Historical Studies, JNU, and obtained her PhD in History from Mahatma Gandhi University, Kottayam. She also has a website about the first generation Malayali feminists: swatantryavaadini.in