Depiction of Indian Society in Kamala Markandaya’s Handful of Rice

Abstract

Markandayais the most outstanding woman novelist of the Indian English novelists’ belonging to both the east and west. India is the country of her birth and upbringing. England is that of her adoption. She lived for sometimes in south India to get the first-hand experience from the rural life. A thorough study of her novels shows that a gradual evolution of maturity is there in her art and genius. Her novels cover a wide range of themes. The study of Markandaya’s novels shows a gradual evolution of her art and craft. Omniscient narration, first person narration, the character narrating the story, the flash back techniques, simple but effective conversational style, inclusion of myths from India-these are powerfully employed in her novels. Before her marriage and setting down in England. She spent some years in a South Indian Village and thus gained first-hand knowledge of Indian rural life. In her other novels as well as in A Handful of Rice we come across the real and vivid picture of Indian society. The novels of Kamala Markandaya give us ample proof not only of her talent, but also her crusading sprit for the welfare of humanity. From her tragic vision wells the pity and concern for mankind that keeps seeking truth, goodness and beauty even though human ideals are not everlasting and this concern is manifested in her works. Kamala Markandaya makes her novels the forum for her sensitive cries against suffering caused by various things like poverty, industrialization and social tension. We may easily study this description under the following heads: