Published Online:March 2026
Product Name:The IUP Journal of English Studies
Product Type:Article
Product Code:IJES040326
DOI:10.71329/IUPJAF/2026.21.1.42-48
Author Name:Sayant Vijay and Anupama Nayar
Availability:YES
Subject/Domain:Arts and Humanities
Download Format:PDF
Pages:42-48
M Mukundan, popularly known as Mayyazhiude Kathakaaran (Mayyazhi’s storyteller), is one of the pioneers of modern Malayalam literature. His magnum opus Mayyazhippuzhayude Theerangalil (On the Banks of the Mayyazhi) is set in his hometown, Mayyazhi or Mahe, as it is known today. The lives of families and the unique sociopolitical background of the once French-ruled union territory, Mahe, inspire this particular novel. This paper examines how literary appropriation converges with the history and culture of a place in the said novel. The novel is selected to focus primarily on the history and political scenario of Mayyazhi and how people led their lives during the colonial times. The novel also captures the spirit of a period of transition. It offers an insight into the people’s lives and struggles during the French rule in Mayyazhi. The paper seeks to find answers to the following questions: Why is the concept of freedom different for different generations? Why did the older generation favor colonial rule?
The novel Mayyazhippuzhayude Theerangalil (On the Banks of the Mayyazhi) is a transition novel, as it clearly shows the transition of the place, people, culture and tradition of Mayyazhi from the colonial to the postcolonial times.