Mapping Cultural Memory: A Metatheoretical Exploration of the Field Through Devaki Nilayamgode’s Antharjanam: Memoirs of a Namboodiri Woman

Authors

  • Salomi J Kottoor

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.53007/SJGC.2024.V9.I2.219

Keywords:

Cultural Memory Studies, individual memory, collective memory, Devaki Nilayamgode, memoir, Namboodiri women, Kerala

Abstract

The research is a unique attempt to analyse the theoretical framework of Cultural Memory Studies, conceptualised in the early 20th century by Maurice Halbwachs. This framework explores the reciprocal relationship between culture and memory, contextualising individual memory within a broader cultural context. Memories of the past shape our perception of the present, highlighting the importance of detailed study. The scope of this emerging field is examined through Devaki Nilayamgode’s 2011 memoir, Antharjanam: Memoirs of a Namboodiri Woman, which explores her lived experiences and the circumscribed
lives of the Antharjanams. By focusing on specific examples from Nilayamgode’s memories, the research aims to understand the socio-cultural landscape of early 20th-century Kerala. The study employs metatheoretical analysis and hermeneutic phenomenological methodology to investigate Cultural Memory Studies and the personal experiences of Namboodiri women
during the pre-independence period in Kerala, as well as the transformations over time. This research underscores the critical role of cultural memory in shaping societal narratives and contributes to the broader understanding of historical and cultural dynamics.

Author Biography

Salomi J Kottoor

Salomi J Kottoor is a final year postgraduate student specialising in English with Communication Studies at Christ (Deemed to be University), Central Campus, Bangalore. With a keen interest in New Historicism and Cultural Memory Studies, she has contributed to the academic discourse through her published research paper “A New Historicist Reading of Benyamin’s Akkapporinte Irupathu Nasrani Varshangal and Manthalirile Irupathu Communist Varshangal” in the book “Time and Text: Indian History and Literature inDialogue.” Her work explores the intricate relationships between history, culture, and narrative, particularly in the Kerala context, and is committed to understanding the complexities of representation in literature and society. Her analyses of alternative narratives constituting the multiple narratives that make up a cultural reservoir are intriguing and thought-provoking.

Downloads

Published

2025-01-29

How to Cite

Salomi J Kottoor. “Mapping Cultural Memory: A Metatheoretical Exploration of the Field Through Devaki Nilayamgode’s Antharjanam: Memoirs of a Namboodiri Woman”. Samyukta: A Journal of Gender and Culture, vol. 9, no. 2, Jan. 2025, doi:10.53007/SJGC.2024.V9.I2.219.

Issue

Section

Articles