Memory and The Female Subject: An Analysis of ‘Ormayude Njaramb’ by Kr Meera

Book: Cultural Memory in Translation: Revisiting Cultural Memory Through Interpretative Lens from India by CSMFL Publications

Ardra R.
MA Politics and International Relations, Mahatma Gandhi University, Kottayam, Kerala, India.

10.46679/9789349926639ch13
This chapter is a part of: Cultural Memory in Translation: Revisiting Cultural Memory Through Interpretative Lens from India
ISBN (Ebook):978-93-49926-63-9
ISBN (Hardcover Print):978-93-49926-41-7
ISBN (Softcover Print):978-93-49926-75-2

© CSMFL Publications & its authors.
Published: November 10, 2025

R., A. (2025). Memory and The Female Subject: An Analysis of ‘Ormayude Njaramb’ by Kr Meera. In A. G. Uppal & D. Barot, Cultural Memory in Translation: Revisiting Cultural Memory Through Interpretative Lens (pp 185-197). CSMFL Publications. https://dx.doi.org/10.46679/9789349926639ch13

Abstract

Memory has always been central to feminist storytelling and tradition. Through this work, the researcher examines the popular Malayalam short fiction, Ormayude Njaramb (The Memory Vein), written by the multi-award-winning author K.R Meera. Ormayude Njaramb brilliantly portrays how memory becomes central to the shared experiences of womanhood. By analyzing the narrative structure and the complex portrayal of memory, trauma, and identity in the story, this study intends to analyse how KR Meera foregrounds the experiences of women within patriarchal structures while interrogating the boundaries between personal and collective memory.

The research situates the story within the broader context of memory studies, by putting the focus on the female protagonist’s recollections of her experiences of violence, oppression, and silencing. Through the narrative’s engagement with fragmented and disjointed memories, the story reveals the ways in which trauma disrupts the continuity of personal identity. The research also emphasizes how memory serves as a site of resistance for the protagonist, allowing her to reclaim agency over her own story and challenge societal constraints. By placing Ormayude Njaramb within the context of contemporary Malayalam literature, the research engages with debates on postcoloniality and gender and interrogates how Meera uses memory as a narrative tool to both reflect and subvert traditional gender roles.

Keywords: Feminist Memory Narratives, Malayalam Women’s Literature, Trauma and Identity, Collective Vs. Personal Memory, Patriarchal Resistance, Postcolonial Gender Studies.

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