Sarah Joseph (author)
Encyclopedia
Sarah Joseph (born 1946) is a novelist and short story
writer in Malayalam. She won the Kendra Sahitya Akademi Award
for her novel Aalahayude Penmakkal (Daughters of God the Father). She also received the Vayalar Award
for the same novel. Sarah has been at the forefront of the feminist movement
in Kerala
and is the founder of Manushi – organisation of thinking women. She along with Madhavikutty (Kamala Surayya) is considered leading women storytellers in Malayalam.
in Thrissur
city in 1946 to Louis and Kochumariam. She went for the teacher’s training course and began her professional career as a school teacher. Later she did her M.A. in Malayalam and joined the collegiate service in Kerala
. She served as a Professor of Malayalam at Sanskrit College, Pattambi
. She has retired from government service and lives at Mulamkunnathukavu in Thrissur district
.
and Edasseri Govindan Nair
. After a short period of uncertainty she took to fiction and began writing short stories. Her collection of short stories Paapathara is considered a milestone in feminist writing in Malayalam.
She has published a trilogy of novel which includes, Aalahayude Penmakkal, Mattathi, and Othappu. Her works are essentially liberalistic, and have always been powerful enough to convey the pathetic of any suppressed group. The novel Otahppu is about a woman's yearning for a true understanding of spirituality and her own sexuality. Othappu has been translated into English by Valson Thampu
with title "Othappu : The Scent of the Other Side". Her novel Aalahayude Penmakkal (Daughters of God the Father) won her three major awards the Kerala Sahitya Academy Award, the Kendra Sahitya Akademi Award
, and the Vayalar Award
. In 2011, Sarah won Muttathu Varkey Award for her collection of short stories titled Papathara.
She has won much critical acclaim for her Ramayana Kathakal, a subversive reading of the Ramayana
. This work has been translated into English and was published by Oxford University Press.
Novel
Short story
A short story is a work of fiction that is usually written in prose, often in narrative format. This format tends to be more pointed than longer works of fiction, such as novellas and novels. Short story definitions based on length differ somewhat, even among professional writers, in part because...
writer in Malayalam. She won the Kendra Sahitya Akademi Award
Sahitya Akademi Award
Sahitya Akademi Award is a literary honor in India which Sahitya Akademi, India's National Academy of Letters, annually confers on writers of outstanding works in one of the following twenty-four major Indian languagesAssamese, Bengali, Bodo, Dogri, English, Gujarati, Hindi, Kannada, Kashmiri,...
for her novel Aalahayude Penmakkal (Daughters of God the Father). She also received the Vayalar Award
Vayalar Award
The Vayalar Award is given for the best literary work in Malayalam. The award was instituted in 1977 by the Vayalar Ramavarma Memorial Trust in memory of the poet and lyricist Vayalar Ramavarma . A sum of Rs.25,000/-, a silver plate and certificate constitutes the award...
for the same novel. Sarah has been at the forefront of the feminist movement
Feminist movement
The feminist movement refers to a series of campaigns for reforms on issues such as reproductive rights, domestic violence, maternity leave, equal pay, women's suffrage, sexual harassment and sexual violence...
in Kerala
Kerala
or Keralam is an Indian state located on the Malabar coast of south-west India. It was created on 1 November 1956 by the States Reorganisation Act by combining various Malayalam speaking regions....
and is the founder of Manushi – organisation of thinking women. She along with Madhavikutty (Kamala Surayya) is considered leading women storytellers in Malayalam.
Early life and career
Sarah Joseph was born into a conservative Christian family at KuriachiraKuriachira
Kuriachira is an important residential area of Thrissur city of Kerala state of India. It is located 2 km away from Swaraj Round in the south direction. It lies beside the Thalore Bye-Pass Road. Kuriachira is 25th division of Thrissur Municipal Corporation. Renowned Malayalam writer and...
in Thrissur
Thrissur
This article is about the city in India. For the district, see Thrissur district. For the urban agglomeration area of Thrissur see Thrissur Metropolitan Area...
city in 1946 to Louis and Kochumariam. She went for the teacher’s training course and began her professional career as a school teacher. Later she did her M.A. in Malayalam and joined the collegiate service in Kerala
Kerala
or Keralam is an Indian state located on the Malabar coast of south-west India. It was created on 1 November 1956 by the States Reorganisation Act by combining various Malayalam speaking regions....
. She served as a Professor of Malayalam at Sanskrit College, Pattambi
Pattambi
Pattambi is one of the major town in the Palakkad district of the state of Kerala, South India. The place got its name from Batta Nambi. Once under Nedunganad Samanthas of Chera Kings. Later on Zamoothiri Raja annexed this place to his country and kept under the control of Eralpad Raja, the second...
. She has retired from government service and lives at Mulamkunnathukavu in Thrissur district
Thrissur district
Thrissur is a revenue district of Kerala situated in the central part of that state. Spanning an area of about 3,032 km2, Thrissur district is home to over 10% of Kerala’s population. Thrissur district was formed on July 1, 1949, with the headquarters at Thrissur City. Thrissur is known as...
.
Literary career
Sarah Joseph’s literary career began very early, while she was in her High School. Many of her poems appeared in Malayalam weeklies. She was also good at reciting her poems at poets’ meets which was much appreciated by poets like Vyloppilli Sreedhara MenonVyloppilli Sreedhara Menon
Vyloppilli Sreedhara Menon was a renowned Indian poet of Kerala. He was born on 11 May 1911 in Kaloor in the Ernakulam district. After taking his bachelors degree in science he took B.T...
and Edasseri Govindan Nair
Edasseri Govindan Nair
Edasseri Govindan Nair is a prominent Malayalam poet. His works include 19 books and over 300 poems in 10 anthologies, 6 books of plays and a collection of essays....
. After a short period of uncertainty she took to fiction and began writing short stories. Her collection of short stories Paapathara is considered a milestone in feminist writing in Malayalam.
She has published a trilogy of novel which includes, Aalahayude Penmakkal, Mattathi, and Othappu. Her works are essentially liberalistic, and have always been powerful enough to convey the pathetic of any suppressed group. The novel Otahppu is about a woman's yearning for a true understanding of spirituality and her own sexuality. Othappu has been translated into English by Valson Thampu
Valson Thampu
Revd. Valson Thampu is an Indian educator, christian theologian, who is the present Principal of St Stephen's College, University of Delhi, Delhi, since 2008...
with title "Othappu : The Scent of the Other Side". Her novel Aalahayude Penmakkal (Daughters of God the Father) won her three major awards the Kerala Sahitya Academy Award, the Kendra Sahitya Akademi Award
Sahitya Akademi Award
Sahitya Akademi Award is a literary honor in India which Sahitya Akademi, India's National Academy of Letters, annually confers on writers of outstanding works in one of the following twenty-four major Indian languagesAssamese, Bengali, Bodo, Dogri, English, Gujarati, Hindi, Kannada, Kashmiri,...
, and the Vayalar Award
Vayalar Award
The Vayalar Award is given for the best literary work in Malayalam. The award was instituted in 1977 by the Vayalar Ramavarma Memorial Trust in memory of the poet and lyricist Vayalar Ramavarma . A sum of Rs.25,000/-, a silver plate and certificate constitutes the award...
. In 2011, Sarah won Muttathu Varkey Award for her collection of short stories titled Papathara.
She has won much critical acclaim for her Ramayana Kathakal, a subversive reading of the Ramayana
Ramayana
The Ramayana is an ancient Sanskrit epic. It is ascribed to the Hindu sage Valmiki and forms an important part of the Hindu canon , considered to be itihāsa. The Ramayana is one of the two great epics of India and Nepal, the other being the Mahabharata...
. This work has been translated into English and was published by Oxford University Press.
Selected works
Short stories- Manassile Thee Matram (1973)
- Kadinte Sangeetham (1975, anthology of short stories)
- Paapathara
- Oduvilathe Suryakanthi
- Nilavu Nirayunnu
- Puthuramayanam
- Kaadithu Kandaayo Kaanthaa
- Nanmathinmakalude Wriksham (anthology of short stories)
Novel
- Thaikulam
- Aalaahayude Penmakkal
- Maattaathi
- Othappu
- Aathi