Kamala Das is a Kerala poet famous for her honesty. Her
book 'My Story' created some controversy for its frank discussion
of her search for love inside and outside marriage. She writes
critically of the traditional conservative society in which she
lives.
Born in 1934, she had an early inclination towards the literary life, inspired by her uncle Nalapat Narayan Menon, a prominent writer. Her mother, Nalapat Balamani Amma, was also a well-known Malayalam poet. She was educated at home and married at 15 to K. Madhava Das, who was many years older. She bore her first child at 16, but her husband was often in a fatherly role to the children as well as Das herself. He encouraged her to associate with people of her own age, and also encouraged her writing. He was invariably proud of her accomplishments, even when they were controversial.
Kamala Das is bilingual, and writes easily in Malayalam (under the name Madhavikutty) and English. Her autobiographical novel, My Story, shocked mainstream Kerala with its candid accounts of her encounters with men. As an artist, her paintings included nudes.
In 1999 she converted to Islam, an action she said she had been contemplating for many years. She said
Two plain reasons lured me to Islam One is the Purdah. Second is the security that Islam provides to women. In fact, both these reasons are complementary. Purdah is the most wonderful dress for women in the world. And I have always loved to wear the Purdah. It gives women a sense of security. Only Islam gives protection to women. I have been lonely all through my life. At nights, I used to sleep by embracing a pillow. But I am no longer a loner. Islam is my company. Islam is the only religion in the world that gives love and protection to women. Therefore, I have converted
She is also known as a feminist writer. She says "I don't think any genius can survive caught in the machine of formal education."
