The plot of Malajanha centers around a young girl Sati who is forced into marriage with an ugly old man living with a concubine. The marriage eventually ends in tragic separation and Sati finds shelter with Nathanana, her childhood friend. The relationship between Sati and Nathanana is one of strong emotional bond though neither has ever spoken out to the other about the intensity of love. Sati, unable to bear the scandal concerning her and Nathanana, finally commits suicide by jumping into the river. This poignant love story is narrated in the context of life in rural Orissa infested by superstations, narrow caste prejudices and acute poverty. Women were like slaves with no mind and choice of their own and child marriages were widely prevalent. The agony and suffering of Sati may be seen as essentially related to the social evils that afflicted contemporary rural Orissa. ( excerpts from "Rise of the Oriya Novel: 1897-1930" by Jitendra Narayan Patnaik published in Orissa Review - November 2007 issue)

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