THE INDIAN COMMENTATOR

ERI by Pradeepan Pampirikkunnu  Readings on Kerala Readings on Kerala (1A02ENG) I Semester UG Common Course Comprehension Questions: Who is Eri? Eri, the character represents the historically downtrodden people in the Parayan community in Kerala. Eri has an inter-caste identity. He is born to a Parayan father and a Malayan mother.  Who is the narrator of the novel? The narrator of the story is a research scholar who belongs to the Malaya caste.  Why is the character Eri important for the narrator?  The recovery of the history of Eri is important to the narrator because he was impressed as a subaltern linguist by the legend of Eri. The narrator had heard stories of Eri from his father.  How did Eri help Raman to find his way home? Eri applied a medicine from his duppi in his kurya to Raman’s eyes and he was able to see in the dark.  Did Rama Panikar have a good collection of books in his home library as he claimed? Why?   Rama Panikar had claimed t...

Curing Caste by Sahodaran Ayyappan_ Comprehension Questions Readings on Kerala Readings on Kerala (1A02ENG) I Semester UG Common Course   Comprehension Questions: What, according to the author, are the two types of cures for the caste disease? Sahodaran Ayyappan suggests two cures for the caste disease: one is applied from the outside and the other is from the inside.  Why are external ointments not effective for the caste disease?  The cures that are only applied externally leave the real causes of the caste problem unsolved. External ointments or solutions applied outside are short-lived.  What are the symptoms of caste disease according to sages?  According to sages, hate, gossip, and nationalist rhetoric are symptoms of inwardly drawn caste disease. These symptoms exist dormant in the collective psyche of society.  Explain the phrase “hate rhetoric”.  Hate rhetoric is hate speech. Individuals who nurture caste- bias are prone to become successful a...