Book Reviews

Pankajam's 'Karmakshetra: Land of Karma'

For experiencing the true flavor of Keralite customs, practices and traditions, grab a copy of ‘Karmakshetra land of karma’ by the hugely talented author K. Pankajam.

This novel takes you through the life and times of Padmnabhan IAS a,k.a. Pappu on a flashback mode. After working across the globe as an IAS officer, Padmanabhan returns to his village as he feels that “This is my karmakshetra. My residual life should be spent here, at my own Kaithakurussi, the place where I was born…”

On the face of it, ‘Karmakshetra land of karma’ is the simple story of a boy from a lower middle class family that has a principled man Raghava Menon as its head and his wife who supports him in all his endeavours even if sometimes she does not agree with him – her disagreement over his acts of largesse, of his putting others before self etc. being more out of her concern for her own family and the future of their only child Pappu. In the end, it would appear that her concerns were not really misplaced and her foreboding of losing out heavily due to his generosity was proved right! At another level, the book also delves deeply into the human psyche and insecurities exceedingly well.

Author Pankajam has excellently etched out each character in the story - Maluvedathi, Paramu, Mathu, Nandini and Malini who impact Pappu’s life in different ways and also Kuppan, Koran, Kotha, Chirutha etc. who take the story forward and as Pappu believes, “were the oil lamps lit in the corridor of his growing years…” The engaging narrative includes various sub plots and stories that seamlessly blend with Pappu’s story. So true-to-life is Pankajam’s story-telling skills that we are left wondering if the novel is based on real life incidents! One feels as if each character bears resemblance to someone or the other in our own life!

An interesting aspect of ‘Karmakshetra- land of karma’ is that the culture of Kerala comes alive before the readers. This is borne out by the detailed Glossary at the end of the book. And this is the master stroke Pankajam has added in the book that makes it worth buying and reading! The Pankajam touch is all there in the poems that she has included in the concluding pages that indeed take the book to a higher realm.

Anything I write further about this slim 107-page novel would be revealing too much! So I’ll just conclude with the famous catch phrase of the 1971 award winning Alka-Seltzer ad:

Try it, you will like it!”

Book Information:

Karmakshetra land of karma by K. Pankajam
107 pages Price: Rs. 195/- USD 10/-
ISBN 978-93-5207-067-1
Publisher: Author Press.

14-Sep-2015

More by :  Padmaja Iyengar-Paddy

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Views: 3468      Comments: 4



Comment Respected Dr. V V B Rama Rao garu.Thanks very much for your detailed feedback on this review, doing full justice to the novel by K. Pankajam.

Padmaja Iyengar
25-Sep-2015 23:05 PM

Comment Completely my pleasure and honour to review this book dear Pankajam that made for an engaging read.

Respected Ramarao garu, it is indeed an honour to receive your detailed feedback that has truly added yet another dimension to the book. Thank you for dropping by and making the time to read this review.

Padmaja Iyengar
15-Sep-2015 07:55 AM

Comment Thanks Paddy for this meaningful review. I am honoured.

pankajam
15-Sep-2015 01:44 AM

Comment This novel in English ‘Karma Kshetra Bhoomi’ dealing with the traditions and culture of Kerala is an addition to Regional English Fiction.
Literature has an extraordinary capacity to cause emotive cohesion. Reading or listening to creative writing can produce health-promoting aspects. Regionalism subsists in nationalism for the regional variants of custom, behaviour, tradition and ethos. Regional language novels are unique in the way they depict lives of characters and incidents in the regions of the state. The hegemony and the hierarchies in different classes and castes are shown in depth and detail in our regional fiction. These are provocative, inspiring, painful or pride-giving in the works of writers dealing with the life and characters of their regions.
The novel deserves praise.
Rama Rao

dr v v b rama rao
15-Sep-2015 01:43 AM




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