“Mother Mary Comes to Me” by Arundhati Roy
This book is a biography of Mary Roy, written by her daughter Arundhati Roy. Yet, in many ways, it also becomes Arundhati’s own autobiography, since the lives of mother and daughter are deeply intertwined—sometimes even beyond her conscious awareness. As Arundhati recounts her mother’s struggles and triumphs, she simultaneously reveals the shaping of her own life.
Arundhati’s worldview, often marked by defiance of traditional moral codes, was shaped by the difficult treatment her mother endured in her youth. Despite rejection and harsh words, she maintained a bond with her mother, keeping the lines of communication open.
In this narrative, Arundhati reveals the pain of growing up deprived of her mother’s affection, the absence of her father, her struggles with identity, her rebellious choices, and her unconventional relationships. Eager to escape, she longed to leave her mother’s school in Kottayam and begin anew at an architecture college in Delhi. Though she worked part-time as an architect, she willingly abandoned it to take part in a documentary on village life—an early sign of her adventurous spirit and her fearless resilience in facing ordeals.
What surprises the reader is the unbroken thread of family ties, especially with her mother. Even though Mary Roy often used harsh and abusive words toward her, Arundhati kept a small flame of love alive—visiting her, and ultimately caring for her in her final days.
Mary Roy herself was a formidable figure. Her landmark legal battle at the Supreme Court of India against the Travancore Christian Succession Act secured equal inheritance rights for women, though it left her estranged from her family and community. She boldly started a school in Kottayam that grew into one of Kerala’s most respected institutions. Her courage, boldness, and uncompromising willpower were traits her daughter also carried forward.
Arundhati, drawing from her mother’s spirit, threw herself into rebellious movements, lending her voice and pen to the marginalized. She lived modestly in a single-room apartment, but with the publication of her first novel, The God of Small Things, her life transformed. The book’s worldwide success brought her wealth, fame, and the means to support social causes close to her heart.
What makes Mother Mary Comes to Me remarkable is how beautifully Arundhati integrates personal experience with literary expression. With fearless honesty, vivid imagery, and flawless diction, she crafts not just a biography of her mother, but also a testament to resilience, rebellion, and the unbreakable bond of love. It is, without doubt, a literary masterpiece.
