Indulekha

Indulekha is a Malayalam novel written by O. Chandu Menon. Published in 1889, it was the first major novel in Malayalam language. It was a landmark in the history of Malayalam literature and initiated novel as a new flourishing genre.[1] The novel is about a beautiful, well educated lady of a Nair tharavadu. The title Indulekha, refers to the prodigy in this novel, a beautiful, well educated Nair lady of 18 years. The novel was written at a time when there was an emerging class of upper caste men (mostly Nairs) who received a Western style education, and were achieving prominent positions in British India. The period was a clash of cultures, as the educated Indians were torn between Western ideals and traditional practices.