AARACHAR: THE MAGNUM OPUS OF K. R. MEERA (Pages 53-62) by Mr. Unnikrishnan Atiyodi in THE ENGLISH RESEARCH EXPRESS / ISSN:2321-1164 (Online); 2347-2642 (Print)

K. R. Meera had been the winner of Kendra Sahitya Akademy award 2016. She also won several other awards like Kerala Sahitya Akademy Award, Oodakkuzhal Award, Vayalar Award etc. She began her career as a journalist, and had been the Chief Sub Editor of Malayala Manorema. Birth: 1970 Aarachar is an 'epithet of mockery and reality. An adolescent girl who had to fight her oppressive father, and unscrupulous lover form part of the story. Chetna, the heroine fights against male arrogance too. Meera says that she had to hang the respectable social being in her. The story is set in the city of Kolkota near the crematorium at Nimtala Ghat. The heroine Chetna lives in Sonagachi, in the ancient red light area. There is the smell of burning flesh and also the wilting jasmine. Historical anecdotes added make the story realistic. Chetna, the young woman had to perform her hereditary duty as a hang-woman. Critics are of the view that this novel is full of pithy and bleak humor.R. Meera had been the winner of Kendra Sahitya Akademy award 2016. She also won several other awards like Kerala Sahitya Akademy Award, Oodakkuzhal Award, Vayalar Award etc. She began her career as a journalist, and had been the Chief Sub Editor of Malayala Manorema. Birth: 1970 Aarachar is an 'epithet of mockery and reality. An adolescent girl who had to fight her oppressive father, and unscrupulous lover form part of the story. Chetna, the heroine fights against male arrogance too. Meera says that she had to hang the respectable social being in her. The story is set in the city of Kolkota near the crematorium at Nimtala Ghat. The heroine Chetna lives in Sonagachi, in the ancient red light area. There is the smell of burning flesh and also the wilting jasmine. Historical anecdotes added make the story realistic. Chetna, the young woman had to perform her hereditary duty as a hang-woman. Critics are of the view that this novel is full of pithy and bleak humor.Keywords: Aarachar - an 'epithet of mockery and reality, oppressive father, unscrupulous lover, male arrogance, Historical anecdotes, hereditary duty, hang-woman, pithy and bleak humor.