About the Author This book introduces the early novels in Kannada, Tamil, Telugu and Malayalam and examines the forces that led to the rise of the early novels in the South Indian Languages. The models. and the patterns of the early novels, their social relevance and their postcolonial implications are critically discussed. These readings, by specialists in English literature with proven scholarship in the regional languages, are effective interrogations of the most complex and turbulent period in the social and cultural life in India, when colonial value system clashed against Indian value system and when literary works became major innative regions of shelter or a confrontation.
Introduction The early phase of the regional literatures of India needs critical attention. As novel was a new genre in the regional literatures, it’s very sprouting and growing would be complex phenomena. Hence the need for cautious, but involved interrogation of this genre. The seminar, "The Early Novels in the South Indian Languages", held at the University of Calicut in October 2000, was a major step in this direction. The Nedungadi Bank Ltd., Calicut, in association with the University of Calicut, planned and organized the seminar. This book is the final outcome of the process of education began with the seminar.
Outstanding scholars representing the four regional languages of South India contributed to the successful education accomplished at the seminar.
As the seminar was in honour of Rao Bahadur Appu Nedungadi, the first novelist in Malayalam and the founding father of The Nedungadi Bank Ltd., a quick glance across the life and the work of this remarkably great person will be appropriate.
**Contents and Sample Pages**
