Malar Manjam

Malar Manjam was the second novel of Thi. Janakiraman, who has been praised as one of the greatest Tamil writers. Like his debut, this novel was also published as a series in Sudesamithran weekly magazine. This novel brought him to the attention of many readers, with his fascination with human drama and relentless discourse on male-female relationships. With themes like polygamy and unorthodox love, it was much talked about following its publication, and is still relevant today. A man searches for solace in spirituality, burdened by his four marriages. A woman, born out of one of those relationships, calmly establishes her rights, a beautiful novel is woven out of this narrative threads. The novel's contemporariness lies with the character of Pali, who struggles and chooses between a person of her choice and an arranged marriage. In a way, breaking the traditions of her time, Pali paved the way for Thi. Janakiraman's much-beloved women characters to come.