From: ssankara@magnus.acs.ohio-state.edu (Sornam Sankara)
Subject: SCT literary society magazine `a' - my comments
Keywords: Tamil, literature, short stories
Organization: The Ohio State University
Date: Mon, 16 Nov 1992 00:03:20 GMT




Following are my critical comments about the SCT literary society magazine.
Before going into this I want to inform that I am neither an expert nor an
amateur.  I have just thrown my comments in order to sustain the spirit of
literary society.  I congradulate the efforts of the editors and contributors
and request the contributers not to take my comments personnaly.


S. Sankarapandi
ssankara@magnus.acs.ohio-state.edu



               valai malar `a' - enathu kaNNottam
               ===================================

The name `a' is very suitable in my opinion.  Generally, any good effort
should start with enough optimism.  But at the same time one should anticipate
the hurdles we have to overcome and we must be prepared for facing our defeat
in that process.  So let it be 'a' rather than some fancy name to indicate that
this is only a beginning.  There was a magazine started in 1987-88 in the name
"pudhu yugam" (Meaning 'new era') and it was really a very good magazine
similar to the Malayalam popular magazine "mathrubhoomi".  It implanted many
hopes among the serious Tamil readers who do not have a single quality popular
magazine.  We thought it would create a new era among the Tamil readership.
But it disappointed everybody by ending with two issues.  That is the status of
Tamil readership.

Article 1
==========

     Relatively unknown novels from Eezham:
     ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

     I am happy to learn more about the literature  across the Pak strait. I
have not heard anything about the writers mentioned in this review though I
remember reading the name of Gnanaradhan in some essays.  I have also met one
Mr.Sachidanandan in "KanthaLagam publications" in Madras which normally carries
more literature and philosophy books from Eezham (I have seen few of the
PLOTE political magazines here).  He has written some books about the political
problems of the upcountry Tamils.  I have had a small discussions with him in
the book stall.  But I dont rememeber him having written novels.

     I would like to know whether we can buy the novels, malaikkozhundhu,
chondhakkaaran, kaalangaL saavadhillai, pudhiya thalaimuRaikaL and puthiya
boomi.  Can some Srilankan Tamils give some information on this.


Article 2
==========


     Literary profile of Na.Pichamoorthy
     ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
          I appreciate this effort of introducing the modern Tamil literary
figures to the Tamil 'valaignars'.  It was a good presentation by Vallikkannan
and Sundaramoorthy (Did Na.Pi write his name as 'murthy' or 'Moorthy' ?).

     Though I have not read many of Na.Pi's writings, I have read two or three
short stories and partly read his poetry collection published by Kriya
(Cre-A). I found some of his poems very difficult to understand.  The reviewer
writes, "his poetic works were variously called as 'ilagu kavithai' (simple
poetry), 'kattaRRu kavithai'(free verses)...".   I want to know whether one
should educate himself before reading his poems.   But his simple poems are
thought provoking.  Can anyone, Sundaramoorthy or any other modern literature
lovers write more about how to enjoy his poems with some examples ?  Because
this is important for familiarizing Na.Pi among the valignars who refuse to go
beyond Kannadasan and Vairamuthu.


Article 3
=========

     pettikkadai naaraNan - poem by Na.Pi.
     ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

This is one example of his 'kattaRRu kavithai'(free verses), I think.
Fortunately the translater has explained the poetry in a nutshell.  Though, the
last line of the poem explains the whole poetry and the author's thoughts, a
reader has to go to the author's status of mind.  In fact, almost all of us
would have experienced such an occasion and most of us would have felt in the
same way but we do not record our thoughts, or in other words, we do not put
them in sentences, or simply, we are not poets.

     I used to think about this (disintegration of traditional values)
whenever I travel in PTC buses in Madras during peak hours.


     I appreciate SP for posting this.


Article 4
==========

     maNNasai - short story by Na.Pi.
     ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

It is a very nice and simple short story.  I wish the 'valaignars' read atleast
this short story and can have the feel of the modern Tamil literature.  Since
'siRukathai'(short story), as such, is misrepresented by the Tamil magazines, I
am not sure whether one fed with Kumutham stereotypes may find this
interesting.  The title and the last few stanzas tell the theme clearly.

     Once again thanks for SP for his painstaking efforts in typing this (a
typo : the second sentence in the story - it should be 'contiguous' in stead of
'contagious').


Article 5
==========

     `enRaavathu oru naaL'  by  R. Balaji
     ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

          I hope, RB will take my comments in the right spirit.  I appreciate
his willingness to come forward and share his writings in the 'valaimalar'.

As usual, RB has been mistaught about poems by the cinema poets and the popular
magazines.  Mere jugglary of words and sensational verses alone cannot make a
poem.  Unfornuately, Kannadasan, Vairamuthu and other cinema lyric writers
misrepresented about Tamil poetry.  I dont blame them completely.  In fact
there are some poems by themselves in unpopular books in their early stages
which are worth reading as poems.

No doubt, Tamil language is known for 'ethugai' and 'monai' but it does not
mean that they alone make Tamil poems enjoyable.  By this time, one should hate
'ethugai' and 'monai' by the monotonous platforms of DMK and ADMK.  Recently
in the last two decades, the name 'puthukkavithai' has become more convenient
for everybody to write poems because they think that 'puthukkavithai' does not
have `ilakkaNam' which is again wrong.  I recommend reading a few books,

"inthakkala kavithai uththikal"  by Suba. Veerapandian, Kanimuthuu pathippakam.

"puthukkavithiyum puthupprakgaiyum" by Bala (I forgot the publishers).

I hope RB will think about this and attempt to write more poems.


Article 6
==========

     golu - short story by Sundarapandian
     ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

          I hope SP will not take my comments personally. I thank him for the
same above reason.

     I find the story largely satisfying the formula of 'siRu kathai', though
the message is more explicit.  The conversations also dominate the short story
and it is unavoidable because we are all influenced by the innumerable stories
of the Tamil weeklies.  I also like the sympolism handled through the
'marappaachi bommai' and the 'chettiyaar bommai'.


     The theme is not a new one and has been beaten to death by thousands
of stories of the Tamil weeklies.  Strictly speaking, the literature or the
writer in any society presents  his equations with the society.  The
characters and incidents express the author's way of experiencing the
traditions, relations, problems etc.  He may or may not suggest solutions (this
has not been understood very clearly and there are a lot of differences among
different people).  But one thing is clear.   Anything should be addressed or
recorded in the form of literature only by one writer (whoever writes it
first) though many people have the same experience as the first writer.  If
solutions are allowed, then there may be many short stories touching the same
problem.  Mere recording of the same experience in a different mould will
not make a true literature.  My personnal interest would be to read the
literature, analyze and work toward the solutions in other spheres.


     I hope SP will use his knowledge and talent to unravel some hidden truths 
of our present Tamil society, even if they are bitter, in his writings.


Article 7
=========

     aindhu kavidhaigaL - poems by Janagapriya
     ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

          Thanks to Sundaramoorthy for transliterating.

Honestly speaking I have not read any of his poetry collection though I dont
remember whether I have read any in magazines.

The poems given here just remind me about Vairamuthu's debut poetry collection
and does not make me feel distinguished.  I may be wrong.



Article 8
=========

     Modern Tamil Dictionary - review by M. Sundaramoorthy
     ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

     I hope every body in this net has learnt about this dictionary and thought
of buying this for their reference.  The price is really very very low for
the efforts taken by the committe and publishers.  Yet another 'jewel' from
Kriya(cre-A), one of my favourite publishers.

     If many of the netters are interested, I will initiate for shiploading the
copies from India.  Please send your interest through e-mail.


At last, I thank all the editors and contribtuors for bringing out the first
SCt valai malar and wish them to continue.


Thanks for your patience,


S. Sankarapandi

ssankara@magnus.ohio-state.edu