ABSTRACT
Chenkalchoola, located in the Thiruvananthapuram district in Kerala, the southernmost state of the Indian subcontinent, is a geographical region that functions as a hinterland. The place has been registered as a slum, an abode of criminals, and a cradle of violence in Kerala's social imaginary. The place's peculiarity is not determined by exclusion or marginalization based on caste, class, race, ethnicity, or creed, as can be noticed in several other parts of India. People who have come to Chenkalchoola at different times have developed into a communitas, separate from the rest of society. In fact, the proximity of the landscape to travel hubs has mediated the formation of this community. This paper probes into the shifting perspectives of life and living in this space, from a stereotypical angle to one which has become reflexive in recent times. The grounds for such a transition are also explored. The literary narrative in focus is the memoir Chenkalchoolayile Ente Jeevitham (My Life in Chenkalchoola) (2014) written by S. Dhanuja Kumari, who grew up in Chenkalchoola and continues to live there. Poignantly capturing the lives of three generations, it shows how a literary focus on the hinterland enables a re-imagining of its history, culture, and future. Besides, relating the idea of the hinterland to the age-old Indian caste system and the modern governmental project called the Reservation System helps trace the way in which “belonging” becomes a political issue for the people of Chenkalchoola.
