The River of Blood

The River of Blood (Kuruthippunal) was first published in Tamil in 1935. As a work of art, the novel lends itself to many layers of meaning, and the complexity of the novel stands testimony to the multifaceted personality of its author. The novel is based on the Keezhavenmani carnage of 1967 in which 42 Harijans were burnt to death in a landlord-peasant clash. To the agrarian problem, tinged with untouchability, Indira Parthasarathy gives a psychological dimension, which is the unique aspect of the book. Parthasarathy has beautifully highlighted the degradation in the field of politics and the corruption having assumed the way of life.