Introduction


Kamala Markandaya
Kamala Markandaya had great hopes for India. Her most famous novel, Nectar in a Sieve, told the story of woman who faced incredible hardships yet never ceased to dream of a better life. Nectar, which takes its title from a poem by Samuel Coleridge, is typical of Markandaya’s forward-thinking perspective. It became an instant classic and a staple of college literature coursework. Drawing comparisons to Thomas Hardy’s novels, Nectar in a Sieve is anchored by a strong female character. The protagonist’s optimism serves dual purposes. It allows Markandaya the writer to imagine a better future both for the characters and the country, yet it also renders the realities and disappointments all the more real in light of such blind faith.

Essential Facts

  1. The name “Kamala Markandaya” is actually a pseudonym. The author’s real name is Kamala Purnaiya Taylor.
  2. Markandaya came from a very upper-class family. They were members of the Brahmins, the highest order of the Indian caste system.
  3. Markandaya studied history while at the University of Madras and later worked in journalism. Both disciplines had a major impact on the cultural examinations that characterized her work.
  4. Much of the criticism devoted to Markandaya’s work has been focused on its postcolonial overtones and the ways in which India has evolved since its independence from British rule.
  5. Despite her interest in writing about Indian identity and culture, Markandaya herself was an expatriate, living in England for most of her life. She died there in 2004.