Nectar in a Sieve, Kamala Markandaya

Through the eyes of Rukmani, a peasant woman from a small village in India, Nectar in a Sieve explores painful and disturbing aspects of poverty and a village's transformation from agriculture to industry. Rukmani's strong and loving marriage and her devotion to her children provide hope and dignity in the midst of such deplorable conditions. Additional insights into pain and suffering are presented in conversations between Rukmani and Kenny, a British doctor who lives in the village.

Related Readings

"Pictures of Marriage"—autobiography by Ved Mehta

"Letter to Lord Irwin" and "About That Letter"—letter and commentary by Mahatma Gandhi

"Rice"—poem by Chemmanam Chacko

"Snatched From Death"—folktale translated by Dwijendra Nath Neog

"In India, Marriages Made by Computer"—newspaper article by Sheila Tefft

"Work Without Hope"—poem by Samuel Taylor Coleridge

from A Passage to India—excerpt from play by Santha Rama Rau

Study Guide (PDF)