Towards Excellence

(ISSN No. 0974-035X)
(An indexed refereed & peer-reviewed journal of higher education)
UGC-MALAVIYA MISSION TEACHER TRAINING CENTRE GUJARAT UNIVERSITY

THE PRESERVER, THE ARBITER, THE DESTROYER: THE SEA AS ADJUDICATOR IN CHEMMEEN

Authors:

Nayana George

Abstract:

The sea as an object of veneration is a universal idea that has been promoted by many since perhaps the beginning of humankind. This paper explores the archetype of the sea as an adjudicator and as a divine and sentinel entity in the Indian author Thakazhi Sivasankara Pillai’s translated work, Chemmeen. The novel features the myth of Kadalamma (Kadal meaning ‘sea’ and amma meaning ‘mother’ in Malayalam, a regional language spoken in the south-western state of Kerala in India) that governs the people of the fishing community living on the coast. The paper briefly considers the ecocritical considerations of the myth as well.

Keywords:

judgment, morality, myths, translation, trials.

Vol & Issue:

VOL.14, ISSUE No.4, December 2022