Anasuya Shankar

Anasuya Shankar (Kannada: ಅನಸೂಯಾ ಶಂಕರ) (1928–1963), popularly known by her pen name as Triveni (Kannada:ತ್ರಿವೇಣಿ ), was a writer of modern Kannada fiction. She advocated the woman's point of view, spoke up for women's repressions and suppressions, dealt with mental illness and how they should be treated and was among the first of such writers in Kannada. Her novels have been made into movies, most prominently Sharapanjara and Belli moda – both directed by Puttanna Kanagal and featuring Kannada actress Kalpana. Her novel Avala Mane earned the Karnataka Sahitya Academy Award in 1960.

Life

Triveni was born on September 1, 1928 in Mandya in the state of Karnataka, India. Her father was B. M. Krishnaswamy and her mother was Thangamma. She was also called as Anasuya and Bhagirathi. She graduated with a gold medal in her Bachelor of Arts degree from Maharani's Arts College in Mysore. She later married an English professor, S. N. Shankar. They have a daughter, Meera.

Triveni got her pen-name by accident. She always made two plaits (in Sanskrit/Kannada, veni means plait) in her hair. A friend told her she had enough hair not just for two, but three plaits. Anasuya thought that tri-veni was a nice name and started using that as her pen-name.

Career

Triveni published her first novel Apasvara in 1953.[1] After that, she published 20 novels and 3 short story collections.[2] Her novels mainly contained stories based on the psychological issues faced by women, their emotions and frustrations.[2]

Novels

Collection Of Short Stories

Novels made into movies

References

  1. Sisir Kumar Das. A History Of Indian Literature 1911-1956. Sahitya Akademi. p. p. 834. ISBN 81-7201-798-7.
  2. 2.0 2.1 Susie J. Tharu, Ke Lalita (1991). Women Writing in India: 600 B.C. to the Present. Feminist Press. p. p. 285. ISBN 1-55861-029-4.