Archive · 6 Jun 2025
Remembering 'Puththam Veedu': Novel Explores Kanyakumari Love Story
Imagine a book published a long time ago in a place called Kanyakumari.
It was about a girl named Lissy, and how her family dealt with love and money issues.
The book talked about a Christian family who were once rich, but then faced problems.
It also showed how people in the area lived and the challenges they faced.
It was special because it was written by a woman and focused on the lives of people who were not usually written about in books.
The author's goal was to discuss social norms and the challenges that women faced.
Hephzibah Jesudasan's debut novel, 'Puththam Veedu', was published in 1964 and challenged social norms.
The novel, set in Kanyakumari, focused on a Nadar Christian family and a love affair defying tradition.
The story highlights a class divide within the community: some owned palm trees, others were palm climbers.
The novel was praised for its depiction of a rarely discussed fault line within the Panayeri Nadar community
Despite the success of 'Puththam Veedu', Hephzibah's subsequent novels didn't gain as much recognition.
- Who
- Hephzibah Jesudasan, author of 'Puththam Veedu', and the characters within the novel like Lissy and Thangaraj.
- What
- The story of the novel 'Puththam Veedu' which discusses the challenges of a Christian family and the love affair of Lissy and Thangaraj in the Kanyakumari district.
- When
- The novel was published in 1964.
- Where
- The novel is set in Panaivilai, a fictional village in Nagercoil, Kanyakumari district, Tamil Nadu.
- Why
- The novel explored social dynamics, class divides, and challenges within the Nadar Christian community and was groundbreaking for its time.
Breaking Tradition
Tradition and Social Norms
Family's Response to the Love Affair
Breaking Tradition
The novel challenged traditions and the family had different views on the matter.
Tradition and Social Norms
The elder's family disapproved the love affair between Lissy and Thangaraj
- Debut Novel Publication
- 1964
- Author
- Hephzibah Jesudasan
- Setting
- Kanyakumari district, Tamil Nadu
- Community Depicted
- Nadar Christian community
- Novel's Title Meaning
- 'Puththam Veedu' (New House)
- Translations
- Malayalam and English