The Sthory of Two Wimmin Named Kalyani and Dakshayani

The Sthory of Two Wimmin Kalyani and Dakshayani traces luminous paths of female friendship in the rural worlds of north Malabar, through the lives of two rural women, Kalyani and Dakshayani. Rebelling against the patriarchy in school at the age of six ('Rot in 'ell, yuh sonofabitch', yells Dakshayani at the school master who lifted her skirt to pinch her thigh, and walks out of school, with Kalyani following in solidarity), the two friends take on life and love. Women have no native place, they learn-but they have each other. Rajashree's cleverly crafted narrator pauses and plays the scenes of their struggles, pains and laughter, drawing strength from them for her own battle against the mind-police. The bittersweet longing for one's place of birth, the dialects of Malayalam, animals, spirits-all come alive in Rajashree's beautifully crafted tale, enabled by Devika's magnificent and careful translation.