Indira Parthasarathy’s The River of Blood (Kuruthipunal) was published in Tamil in 1975, he is a scholar, creative writer, literary critic, cultural historian and thinker, he is an author of nine plays. He received many awards like Sahitya Academy Award in 1977, Sangeet Natak Academy Award, Saraswati Sanman and Bharatiya Bhasha Parishad Award. His plays, short stories and fiction have been translated into Russian, Span, France and Middle East languages. K.N. Subramanyam has translated The River of Blood into English, The novel is based on the Keezhavenmani carnage of 1967 in which 42 Harijans were burnt to death in the landlord and peasant clashes. To the agrarian problem, tinged with untouchability, Indira gives a psychological dimension which is unique aspect of the action; he also beautifully highlighted political aspects and corruption in the modern society.
The River of Blood is a story of revolt against oppression; Indira Parthasarathy narrates many incidents in the novel. The capitalist and landlords suppress laboures, poor harijans and tribes in India but tribal leaders and communists revolt against oppression. In the novel Shiva and Gopal are good friends, they were classmate at Delhi, Gopal left to Delhi, he settled at Tiruvarur. He was an active communist comrade, he struggles for social justice but novel ends with tragic his dream could not come true. Shiva wants to meet Gopal, he travelled to Trivuvarur. Gopal was somewhat of an odd fellow, his father had