Famine, Poverty, and the Fragility of Traditional Livelihood in Nectar in a Sieve

Abstract

Kamala Markandaya (1924-2004) is one of the most celebrated women novelists in Indian writing in English. Her very first work, Nectar in a Sieve, which appeared in 1954, is the “epic on rural life”. In this work, she has presented the life of farmers in their true colors. The novel honestly depicts the rural traditional means of livelihood and the introduction of modern industry through the tannery. The novel explores how traditional livelihoods are affected by the arrival of industry. After the introduction of the technique and modern industry, rural life was disrupted. The novel analyses the challenges faced by the rural community, from their traditional livelihoods to their modern aspirations for employment in their new setting. Nathan and Rukmani are the main characters in the novel and represent themselves not as individuals but as a whole community. Their sufferings and struggles ultimately voice the pain of the whole community. This research paper aims to examine the clash between traditional livelihoods and the meager employment opportunities.