வாய்மைநாதனின் “நாலி” புதினத்தில் பெண்ணியம்

Feminism in Vaimainathan’s Novel "Naali"

Abstract

This research paper focuses on Vaimainathan's novel 'Naali', analyzing Ecofeminism and Environmental Justice from a socio-literary perspective within the context of contemporary Tamil literature. The study explains how the coastal landscape and the female body are subjected to "double oppression" by the globalized shrimp farming industry.

The novel’s primary characters, Maniyamma and Kannamma, are portrayed as different faces of the struggle against power centers and environmental exploitation. By integrating the Sangam-era Thinai theory with modern ecological concepts, this study argues how Naali serves as a 'Gaia Care Narrative' against the commercialization of the so-called 'Dollar Beast' (shrimp). Furthermore, this report presents data regarding groundwater salinization, the destruction of mangroves, and the health impacts on female laborers caused by shrimp farms.