The River of Blood (Kuruthippunal) was first published in Tamil in 1975. As a work of art, the novel lends itself to many layers of meaning, and the complexity of the novel stands testimony to the multifaceted personality of its author. The novel is based on the Keezhavenmani carnage of 1967 in which 42 Harijans were burnt to death in a landlord-peasant clash.