Commemorative programmes marking the 50th death anniversary of K. Saraswathi Amma, hailed as the first feminist writer in modern Malayalam literature, began on Sunday with a clarion call to rediscover her radical legacy.
The year-long series of programmes by the K. Saraswathi Amma Anusmarana Samithi got under way in the presence of writers, activists, students, and people’s representatives, including Nemom panchayat members, on the Nireeksha Sthree Nadakavedi premises at Choozhattukotta.
Saraswathi Amma, whose literary career flourished between the 1930s and 1950s, was remembered as a writer who defied her contemporaries by using sharp satire and sarcasm to ridicule patriarchal structures.
Speakers at the meet observed that her works remained relevant in the 21st century, particularly her critique of women as “second-class citizens”.
A futuristic social thinker
Social historian J. Devika, who delivered the keynote address on ‘Saraswathi Amma’s perspectives on gender and Malayali patriarchy in the 21st century,’ described the writer as a futuristic social thinker. Saraswathi Amma’s rejection of traditional institutions such as marriage and motherhood were not merely literary but a lived reality, as she chose to remain unmarried to preserve her intellectual independence as she believed these institutions were designed to trap women, Dr. Devika said.
“Saraswathi Amma is more relatable to the new generation of women because she looked closely at household dynamics and the inherent inequalities within the family structure,” she said.
Dr. Devika pointed out that while Kerala had seen improvements in female higher education, the labour market remained a patriarchal trap where the number of women in high wage and sustainable employment was still alarmingly low. She warned that modern media and even government systems often subtly attempted to confine women within “familyism,” a concept that made family the basic unit for a woman and which Saraswathi Amma had boldly challenged decades ago.
Inaugurating the session, novelist Chandramathi said Saraswathi Amma’s feminism was exceptionally radical for her time, as she dared to question the very foundations of family and social institutions.
Poet and painter Savithri Rajeevan, who presided over the function, highlighted the importance of the year-long commemoration, which will include seminars, quizzes, and theatrical performances to bring Saraswathi Amma’s vision to a wider audience.
The inaugural session was followed by technical presentations from academics, including P. Geetha, Seema Jerome, and Suja Susan George.
A skit ‘Avarude Kathayezhuthu’ and a play ‘Mounam Aksharam’ by Nireeksha Sthree Nadakavedi, reflecting the writer’s enduring influence on the performing arts, were enacted.
Published – January 19, 2026 11:32 pm IST
