Kamala

Satthianadhan’s second novel, which she wrote shortly before her death, offers a much bleaker outlook on life than that of Saguna, further suggesting that she believed Christianity to be the key to a positive, egalitarian existence. Kamala, a Hindu woman, grew up in a forest isolated from society. When she enters an arranged, early marriage, Kamala is shocked at the value society puts on wealth over morality. Furthermore, Kamala must deal with ill-treatment and false accusations of infidelity from her husband and his family, coping with quiet strength throughout the novel. Through the story of Kamala, Satthianadhan criticizes social institutions like patriarchy and the caste system, heavily suggesting that she sees these problems lying within the Hindu religion, and again suggesting Christianity as a more progressive solution.

Lehigh University Catalog Record: https://asa.lib.lehigh.edu/Record/10765793

A version of this text has been digitized and is available through the Internet Archive.