Kadalivan

Kadalivan a multi-family saga set in early twentieth century Ahmedabad, provides a gripping read for a wide audience. Originally written in Gujarati in 1946, by Vinodinee Neelkanth, it is the first Gujarati novel written by a woman. The sweeping story chronicles
the lives of several female characters from diverse socio-economic strata and offers a panoramic view of Gujarat, spanning the urban background of Ahmedabad to the bucolic settings of its villages. Centred around a sprawling estate built amidst ‘Kadalivan’-
a banana grove, Neelkanth weaves a dense and rich narrative that reflects both the mores of the era as well as the timelessness of human characters. It is also a pivotal story about women’s emotions as they journey towards emancipation from the shackles of the social norms of the day. The groundbreaking writer’s evocative language and deft storytelling enlivens every page while raising issues of class, caste a the treatment of Gujarat’s most underprivileged. Kadalivan is also invaluable example of historical fiction, set in colonial India, providing a rare insight into how ordinary people were energised by Mahatma Gandhi’s call to freedom from the British.
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“Kadalivan is the first Gujarati novel written by a woman and thus, a significant milestone in the history of Gujarati literature. Kadalivan is the first ‘Nandi’-the first Gujarati literary offering towards the empowerment of women and that of the lower class and caste.”
Niranjan Bhagat
Poet Laureate, Critic, National Sahitya Academy Award Winner Gujarati Literature