The novel, ‘Prathivachana Sankeerthanam’ (Vishakanyakaye Snehicha Purohitan), by Ajith Lawrence, is a vivid account of life in a village along the Kerala coast, with their peculiar accents and lingo, which is a mix of Malayalam and Tamil.
It captures the lives and loves of people like candle-seller Kamalam, Beyathu, an orphaned Muslim girl and a bangle seller, Valakkaran.
But the teachings of the new Christian prelate soon turn son against father, and neighbour against neighbour. The prelate, a scholar in theology, wants to tweak the Church’s teachings to reflect the needs of neo-liberalism.
Instead of the traditional cemeteries in the churches in his district, he constructs chests that is sold for thousands of rupees. As a result, only the rich can afford them.
The novel, on one level, is a nostalgic narrative of the simple joys of life in a coastal village. At the same time it dramatically captures the reality of the neo-liberal world and the tensions it spawns within institutions like the Church and established political parties. A mix of romanticism, magical realism, humour, and political thinking, it appeals to the heart, mind and soul.
The author, Ajith Lawrence, is an accomplished journalist and community broadcaster who has worked with some of the leading local and
global media groups, like the Associated Press. The book has several illustrations by renowned artist Joseph Francis (Joefra) and is published by Mythri Publications, Thiruvananthapuram.
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