Black chinks

Black chinks
Sarah Joseph
 Sarah Joseph
● Indian novelist and short
story writer in Malayalam.

● She is a leader of the feminist

movement in Kerala and
well-known social activist .

● Her literary career began

when she was in high school
● She won the Kendra Sahitya Akademi Award and
the Vayalar for her novel Aalahayude Penmakkal

● She has published a trilogy of novels which includes

Aalahayude Penmakkal, Mattathi, and Othappu.

● She is known for Ramayana Kathakal, a retelling of

the Ramayana.

● “Karutthathulakal”(1998), translated by J. Devika

as “Black chinks” appeared in “The Masculine of
Virgin” (OUP, 2012 ).
 Notable works
● Raktachandran (The Blood-Moon)
● Dukhavelli (The Good Friday)
● Manassile Thee Matram (1973
● Papathara (The Ground of Sin)

Novels
● Thaikulam
● Aalahayude Penmakkal
● Maattaathi (The Woman-Enemy)
● Othappu
 Background
● This Ramayana story is a fictitious account of the fate
of Manthara, Kaikeyi’s confidant.

● Sarah Joseph presents the character and her

intentions, revealing through them a picture of
intrigue and power-hunger in Ayodhya.

● The story Karutthathulakal or the the Black chinks as

the name indicates is the result of finding out blind
spots or exploring the black holes.
 Characters
● Manthara - servant of kaikeyi, spy of aswapathy

● Kaikeyi - one of the wife of dasharatha

● Dasharatha - king of Ayodhya

● Aswapathy - Father of kaikeyi

● Bharata

● Valakan
 Black chinks
● In the story Manthara acts as a spy ,appointed by
Aswapathy, Kaikeyi’s father.

● The story dwells with Manthara’s escape

from Ayodhya on the night of Rama’s coronation.

● Her body is full of wounds but still she wisely

escapes from the eyes of the citizens and guards of
Ayodhya.
● Meanwhile manthara is waiting for valakan, she
●
offers rewards for valakan for helping her.

● The soldiers are actually after Manthara because

she has acted as a spy and created chaos in the
palace.

● On the way Manthara thinks about the fate of

Ayodhya and it’s people.

● She also remembers about the physical tourcher

she suffered in the palace
● she was caught and brought down to Shatrughnan’s
feet, “She’s the source of all ruin .she was teared by
Shatrughan in anger.

● Manthara views each one as suthradharas in plays

● Dasaratha, Vasishta añd Aswapathy was in lust for

power.

● Manthara wants to protect herself

● Devas prefer beautiful women

● Manthara continues her journey. Now we come to
understand about the spy work that Manthara does
for Aswapathy .

● She steal the news of the coronation , and sent to

aswapathy incoded language.

● Raman is going to be crowned, she knew that it

was not easy to stand in Ayodhya and she planned
to escape.

● Now she reached near a peepful tree but there she

saw Kaikeyi weeping, Kaikeyi pleaded to
Manthara to take her too to Kekay.

● But she lost the last chance of escape.

● she says that it is upon the sweat and blood of all

these people that all these thrones and kingdoms
have been constructed.

● She then disappears into the dark forest.

Analysis
● In this story Manthara is presented as a new
reading of Ramayana in which Ayodhya is
presented as a place of political conspiracy.

● Eventhough in Ramayana Manthara is

showcased as a villian figure, in this story she is
portrayed as a subaltern
woman.

● The writer by assuming Manthara’s viewpoint

deconstructs Ayodhya’s image as an ideal
kingdom.
● The story dwells with Manthara’s escape from
Ayodhya on the night of Rama’s coronation since
she was the cause of all misfortunes.

● She was injured by Ayodhya’s military and she

hiding in the forest finally she escapes.
Thank you