Dimensions Of Individuals Psychological And Social Predicaments In The Novels Of Kamala Markandaya

Abstract

Kamala Purnaiya, whose pen name is Markandaya was born at newlineChimakurti, Mysore state, in 1924 in an affluent aristocratic Hindu Brahmin newlinefamily. She had an older sister, Lalitha and two brothers. She was the youngest newlinemember of her family. Markandaya was nurtured in princely fashion during her newlineyears in India. Her father was in the Indian civil service, in the Railways and newlinethat, Markandaya has said, enabled her to travel widely not only in South India newlinebut also in England and Europe because of a pleasant freemasonry in the newlinerailway fraternity. She could not remain at one place peacefully because of the newlinefrequent transfers of her father. Though it was quite wearisome, it proved to be newlinea boon affording opportunities to learn more resulting in adding new dimensions newlinein the vast store of her knowledge. Referring to the shaping influences of her newlinesuch early experiences Markandaya herself comments: newlineMy father was an inveterate traveler and something of a rebel; newlineleaving the traditional preoccupations of his family, he had joined newlinethe railways so that not only was the whole of South India opened newlineto me during childhood and adolescence but also a good part of newlineEngland and the Continent .I think the role of observer newlinewhich every traveller assumes is good training for any writer It newlinemakes a good starting point and I believe it was my starting point. newline(qtd in Montgomery 296) newlineThis early training that she acquired from her father s transferable job newlineworked out miracles in formulating her viewpoint and understanding of man newlineand his life, which stood in good stead in her career as a novelist. newline15 newlineAfter a short period of her early education in Mysore at the age of newlinesixteen, she joined the Madras University in 1940 where she studied History but newlineleft it without completing graduation for the sake of writing and journalism in newlinewhich she was deeply interested. She graduated much later in her career. She newlinetook up the job of an army liaison officer for a very short period but left it for newlinelaunching her career as a freelance journalist in Madras and Bomb