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എന്റെ കഥ | Ente Katha
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Kamala Suraiya, better known as Kamala Das, is a well-known female Indian writer writing in English as well as Malayalam, her native language. She is considered one of the outstanding Indian poets writing in English, although her popularity in Kerala is based chiefly on her short stories and autobiography. Much of her writing in Malayalam came under the pen name Madhavikku
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Paperback, 107 pages
Published
March 1st 2010
(first published February 1st 1973)
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Anjali
A pdf version is available here :- http://sajancs.weebly.com/
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Musammil Tanur
http://sajancs.weebly.com Visit this site... U can download Pdf File...
Community Reviews
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Start your review of എന്റെ കഥ | Ente Katha
This book was originally published in Malayalam as Ente Katha in 1973.
The featured book is the translated version by K. Satchidanandan.
I am so glad I picked up this book.
The book starts with a detailed 12-paged introduction by the translator which helps in understanding the book in a more personal way.
The book is divided into 50 short chapters which deal with her childhood, an early arranged marriage, frequent shifts, her indifferent husband, her love of writing, loneliness, depression, unfulfil ...more
The featured book is the translated version by K. Satchidanandan.
I am so glad I picked up this book.
The book starts with a detailed 12-paged introduction by the translator which helps in understanding the book in a more personal way.
The book is divided into 50 short chapters which deal with her childhood, an early arranged marriage, frequent shifts, her indifferent husband, her love of writing, loneliness, depression, unfulfil ...more
It is rare that I read an Indian author in English, but Kamala Das and her book were a gambit that worked.
My story is the story of Kamala Das, a woman born in a conservative society of Kerala. In the book, she explores the desires of women of that era who were bound by tradition and had no say in any matters. It is not a continuous story but rather a collection of incidents based on the lives of various women the author came across in her life. It is difficult to say how much of it is true as s ...more
My story is the story of Kamala Das, a woman born in a conservative society of Kerala. In the book, she explores the desires of women of that era who were bound by tradition and had no say in any matters. It is not a continuous story but rather a collection of incidents based on the lives of various women the author came across in her life. It is difficult to say how much of it is true as s ...more
What is most fascinating about this book is the simple honesty with which Madhavikutty dramatises her self and places her life at the vortex of the controversial maelstrom unleashed by the publication of Ente Kadha. In that sense it s a taking stock of one’s own life and its perennial poetry.
Her confessions regarding her prolonged stints with religiosity, her bouts of scepticism, the attempts to project herself as a sinner before her readers and a saint before her gods all add to the enthralling ...more
Her confessions regarding her prolonged stints with religiosity, her bouts of scepticism, the attempts to project herself as a sinner before her readers and a saint before her gods all add to the enthralling ...more
Disappointing and incomplete too... So many repetitions... And the spelling.!!! .. Will not buy another Malayalam ebook...
Stellar! Review coming up.
I had heard of this book for a long time. Somehow, never laid my hands on it and therefore, never read. It is courtesy Dr Nagraja, my Linguistics professor from college that I got to read it now! He was moving to Mysore from Pune, and this was among the books he donated to our library The Book Leaf. And am I glad it was!
What spontaneous writing! There is nothing stilted about the writing style of Kamala Das. I can well imagine what it must have been to chat with her face-to-face! In the time of ...more
What spontaneous writing! There is nothing stilted about the writing style of Kamala Das. I can well imagine what it must have been to chat with her face-to-face! In the time of ...more
It's true that when you grow old your perspective changes. It's so true while re-reading a book too. Many thoughts becomes clear and assumes different dimensions. That's a different experience. The recent in the list of those books which I read again was Kamala Das ' My Story'. I should be very specific. I am reading it for the third time. When I first read it, about 15 years ago, the only scene that I remembered from the book was when Das ( her husband ) forcibly kissing her when they meet for
...more
K Das has a deft and confident writing style with powerfully effective use of imagery. Clearly a highly intelligent complex person who led a restive emotionally unsatiated life.
Hardy's crushingly depressing assessment of human existence comes to mind:
"happiness is but an occasional episode in a general drama of pain"
To apply it precisely to Kamalaben - need to replace "happiness" with "near fulfilment" and "pain" with "frustration"
Hardy's crushingly depressing assessment of human existence comes to mind:
"happiness is but an occasional episode in a general drama of pain"
To apply it precisely to Kamalaben - need to replace "happiness" with "near fulfilment" and "pain" with "frustration"
Really an awesome poet, writer and lover..
Some very deep insights about adolescent age, women psychology, love and our sexually suppressed society..
Some very deep insights about adolescent age, women psychology, love and our sexually suppressed society..
Something that cannot be described in mere words. With its mesmerizing poetry, and the captivating poet who pinned them up;this is nothing short of marvelous!
An explicit biography published February 1st 1973. Kamala Das (born Kamala; 31 March 1934 - 31 May 2009) was short-listed for the Nobel Prize for Literature and is probably the first Hindu woman to talk openly about desires of Indian woman.
Originally published as Ente Katha in Malayalam, I read the Tamil version finely translated by Nirmalya and published by Kalachuvadu Publications.
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Review
For many readers this will be the first time they read such a content from an Indian author.
B ...more
Originally published as Ente Katha in Malayalam, I read the Tamil version finely translated by Nirmalya and published by Kalachuvadu Publications.
Read Blog Here
Review
For many readers this will be the first time they read such a content from an Indian author.
B ...more
When you learn to swim
Do not enter a river that has no ocean
To flow into, one ignorant of destinations
and knowing only the flowing as its destiny,
Like the weary rivers of the blood
That bear the scum of ancient memories
But go, swim in the sea,
Go swim in the great blue sea,
Where the first tide you meet is your body,
That familiar pest,
But if you learn to cross it,
You are safe, yes, beyond it you are safe,
For even sinking would make no difference then....
During her era, I guess she was the only writ ...more
Do not enter a river that has no ocean
To flow into, one ignorant of destinations
and knowing only the flowing as its destiny,
Like the weary rivers of the blood
That bear the scum of ancient memories
But go, swim in the sea,
Go swim in the great blue sea,
Where the first tide you meet is your body,
That familiar pest,
But if you learn to cross it,
You are safe, yes, beyond it you are safe,
For even sinking would make no difference then....
During her era, I guess she was the only writ ...more
Jul 05, 2016
Varsha Bhargavi
rated it
really liked it
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
i-finished-reading-this
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Her story.
It was not about how she rose to fame. Not about how great a life she led. Its not about all the seemingly interesting things that have occurred in her life. In brief, it isn't like any other autobiography that inspires you to live in that person's shoes.
Its an honest story that leads you through the paths she's walked, her thoughts, feelings, mistakes. It touches more than once on the dark side that inevitably exists in everyone's life but most refuse to think so deeply about and more ...more
It was not about how she rose to fame. Not about how great a life she led. Its not about all the seemingly interesting things that have occurred in her life. In brief, it isn't like any other autobiography that inspires you to live in that person's shoes.
Its an honest story that leads you through the paths she's walked, her thoughts, feelings, mistakes. It touches more than once on the dark side that inevitably exists in everyone's life but most refuse to think so deeply about and more ...more
I had read the English version when I was in higher secondary, I feel I like that better. The malayalam is more complicated, may because I'm not used to reading more malayalam books. There is no structure as such, she just records parts of her life, like a set of memories. I do agree that it would needed a lot of courage to put all of her thoughts on paper without filters, I'm not sure I could do it. The book talks about the orthodox society and what society expects is an ideal woman. Kamala has
...more
Actually, Did Not Finish.
I love Kamala Das's writing, that's why I bought this book and had great expectations. But, I feel sorry to say that this book is like a plain diary, without any twist or excitement. My opinion about the author's writing is still same, but I didn't feel like turning pages (I tried) as I didn't know what I wanted know or why should I complete the book.
Very disappointed.
I love Kamala Das's writing, that's why I bought this book and had great expectations. But, I feel sorry to say that this book is like a plain diary, without any twist or excitement. My opinion about the author's writing is still same, but I didn't feel like turning pages (I tried) as I didn't know what I wanted know or why should I complete the book.
Very disappointed.
This is one woman who never ceases to amaze me. Reading this book, I was one with the woman who wanted to love under the Gul Mohar, the one who had an abundance of love for everything and everyone around her, the one who wanted to make sure that her kids believed in magic.
To think that someone like her existed not so long ago, gives me hope.
To think that someone like her existed not so long ago, gives me hope.
"City fathers, friends and moralists, if I were a sinner, do not forgive my sin. If I were innocent do not forgive my innocence. Burn me with torches blood-red in the night, burn my proud Dravidian skin and burn the tumult at the core. Or bury me in your back garden, fill my crevices with the red dust of Bombay, plant gentle saplings on my belly, for he and I met too late.."
Kamala Das' writing is vivid, beautiful and charming. It is also honest, and she has a way of creating an image in our mind ...more
Kamala Das' writing is vivid, beautiful and charming. It is also honest, and she has a way of creating an image in our mind ...more
its an awesome autobiography of a splendid writer
Madhavikutty is as rebellious as a rebel can get. Her concepts about sex, love and relationship may seem borderline disgusting to the uninitiated. Still, one cannot but admire her individuality and courage. The strength of her conviction is quite surprising. It is evident in her audacity to open herself in a culture that is still way too orthodox despite the high educational standards that they maintain.
Unfortunately, her disregard for rules also reflects in her writing style. This is hardly a b ...more
Unfortunately, her disregard for rules also reflects in her writing style. This is hardly a b ...more
Men are worthless, to trap them
Use the cheapest bait of all, but never Love
which in a woman mean tears
and silence in the blood’
This was my first encounter with Kamala Das when I read these excerpts from the book "When I hit you" by Meenakandasamy. When I first read these lines, I felt it was a radical generalization but also was intriguing and shocking at the same time... A shock that these lines are so unapologetically bold coming from a south Indian woman... This was enough for me to explor ...more
Use the cheapest bait of all, but never Love
which in a woman mean tears
and silence in the blood’
This was my first encounter with Kamala Das when I read these excerpts from the book "When I hit you" by Meenakandasamy. When I first read these lines, I felt it was a radical generalization but also was intriguing and shocking at the same time... A shock that these lines are so unapologetically bold coming from a south Indian woman... This was enough for me to explor ...more
Undoubtedly, this is one of the hard hitting & bold autobiographies which I ever read..
Kamala Das's My story originally appeared in Malayalam in 1973 known as Ente Katha...
She spent her early childhood in Kolkata and her ancestral home in Malabar, a place concocted with numerous relatives, splendorous nature, ritual and customs of the family and describes her life amongst them.
As a teenager she married an older relative, and the emotional and sexual problems arising from that unsatisfying relat ...more
Kamala Das's My story originally appeared in Malayalam in 1973 known as Ente Katha...
She spent her early childhood in Kolkata and her ancestral home in Malabar, a place concocted with numerous relatives, splendorous nature, ritual and customs of the family and describes her life amongst them.
As a teenager she married an older relative, and the emotional and sexual problems arising from that unsatisfying relat ...more
Before you start outraging on the 2 stars, please know that this is my rating for just this book, not the author's life or her choices or her other work. I haven't read any of Das' poetry or prose, though I've heard a lot about her and my expectations with this book was to get a glimpse of her life, what made her, unmade her and how she came about writing all that she did and becoming what she was. What I got instead was a litany of her "flings" (or adultery, post marriage) and a chronicle of al
...more
Feb 22, 2017
Jaishree
rated it
really liked it
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
biographies-and-memoirs
4.5*
An amazing book. I fell in love with her powerful poetry. It rates a 5* rating for the poetry alone.
"Some people told me that writing an autobiography like this, with absolute honesty, keeping nothing to oneself, is like doing a striptease. True, maybe I, will, firstly, strip myself of clothes and ornaments. Then I intend to peel off this light brown skin and shatter my bones. At last, I hope you will be able to see my homeless, orphan, intensely beautiful soul, deep within the bone, deep do ...more
An amazing book. I fell in love with her powerful poetry. It rates a 5* rating for the poetry alone.
"Some people told me that writing an autobiography like this, with absolute honesty, keeping nothing to oneself, is like doing a striptease. True, maybe I, will, firstly, strip myself of clothes and ornaments. Then I intend to peel off this light brown skin and shatter my bones. At last, I hope you will be able to see my homeless, orphan, intensely beautiful soul, deep within the bone, deep do ...more
This autobiographical work was considered overly explicit when it was first published (in Malayalam) in 1973. I can see why it was so considered in the then relatively conservative and tradition-bound communities in Kerala. By today's standards it would not cause an eyebrow to begin to be raised.
Many of the chapters begin with verses written by the author. These set the tone for what follows in prose. It was fsscinating to compare how she deals with the same subject matter in the two media. The ...more
Many of the chapters begin with verses written by the author. These set the tone for what follows in prose. It was fsscinating to compare how she deals with the same subject matter in the two media. The ...more
My Story by K. Das is a tale of an unloved woman. An Indian woman writing about extramarital affairs, sexual fantasies and lesbianism in the early 70s; no wonder this book caused controversies. Brought up in rural India, married at an early age, this woman found solace in her kids and ultimately, writing.
Her poetry conveyed melancholy of a lonely woman very well. Realising her mental agony was distressing and depressing.
One characteristic that makes her stand apart is her individualistic person ...more
Her poetry conveyed melancholy of a lonely woman very well. Realising her mental agony was distressing and depressing.
One characteristic that makes her stand apart is her individualistic person ...more
Loved her honesty and writing style. Writings on topics we shy away from, which are blunt honest without the fear of controversy are much needed in Indian literature. It must have been difficult for her to write about her desires and search for love in those days. I liked the book but it felt like only one part of the entire puzzle. I would have like to read more about other parts of her life.
The book was like an incomplete piece of art that makes you restless. You see the painting and keep won ...more
The book was like an incomplete piece of art that makes you restless. You see the painting and keep won ...more
This sensational autobiography of kamala das has send waves of shock to shake the mindset of common readers .The work has won admiration from the readers side because of the fearless presentation of issues still considered to be a social taboo.The work presents the journey of the author to womanhood ,her intense personal experiences .The memoir was far ahead of its era and has been widely acknowledged as a great work from the side of the author.
Every about one's life is written without any hindrance or censor. although I have to applaud the author's way of avoiding the critical person names here and there which might just slip off from the scenario.
It was catchy and clinging to read on and on and finish the story which begun with adolescence and ends with the realisation of death and old age!
It was catchy and clinging to read on and on and finish the story which begun with adolescence and ends with the realisation of death and old age!
Though an autobiography, it reads as a fanciful story of a whimsical and vain woman. And I mean vain in the best of ways. She is wealthy, well-read, socially aware and yet life throws her curve balls of loneliness, longing and disease. The author's brilliance is her honesty, her courage to write beautifully about being a snob and her distilled awareness of her self and her needs.
| topics | posts | views | last activity | |
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| 500 Great Books B...: My Story - Kamala Das | 1 | 27 | Jul 27, 2014 01:28PM |
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See also Madhavikutty
Kamala Suraiyya (born Kamala; 31 March 1934 – 31 May 2009), also known by her one-time pen name Madhavikutty and Kamala Das, was an Indian English poet and littérateur and at the same time a leading Malayalam author from Kerala, India. Her popularity in Kerala is based chiefly on her short stories and autobiography, while her oeuvre in English, written under the name Kamala Da ...more
Kamala Suraiyya (born Kamala; 31 March 1934 – 31 May 2009), also known by her one-time pen name Madhavikutty and Kamala Das, was an Indian English poet and littérateur and at the same time a leading Malayalam author from Kerala, India. Her popularity in Kerala is based chiefly on her short stories and autobiography, while her oeuvre in English, written under the name Kamala Da ...more
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“Today at Nariman Point the tall buildings crowd one another. But when I was young and in love with a grey-eyed man it was a marshy waste. We used to walk aimlessly along the quiet Panday Road or cross the Cuffe Parade to walk towards the sun. We did not have a place to rest. But in the glow of those evening suns, we felt that we were Gods who had lost their way and had strayed into an unkind planet..”
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