Hills of Healing: An Ecofeminist Reclamation of Nature and Womanhood in The Hills of Angheri by Kavery Nambisan

Abstract

Ecofeminism is a philosophy that explores the relationship between women and nature to redress the dual oppression of both in the hands of a male-dominated society. In Kavery Nambisan's semi-autobiographical novel The Hills of Angheri, the protagonist Nalinakshi (Nalli) embodies this philosophy through her journey from a village girl to a surgeon, as her connection to the environment provides her internal power and she demonstrates the mental strength needed to confront patriarchal forces that hinder her medical ambitions. While characters like her friend Jai succumb to capitalist greed and urban materialism and criticise village life as a coarse existence, Nalli remains committed to her roots and the principle of reciprocity with the earth. Her life illustrates key ecofeminist values such as eco-dependence, compassion, and the valorisation of local culture, as she rejects traditional hierarchical notions to remain true to her internal and external nature. The novel ends with Nalli returning to Angheri, signifying a personal and social transformation rooted in a harmonious relationship with the natural world. Through a comparison of characters such as the eco-dependent grandfather Ajja and the capitalist-driven Jai, this study examines the conflict between traditional reciprocity and the exploitation of nature for the sake of modern lifestyle. The novel deals with the glorification of cultural knowledge, the critique of patriarchal society and the nuclear family system, and the impact of modernisation on social and ecological transformation.

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