CHAAYAM PURANDA THIRA ( Malayalam ) Tamil novel by SUBRABARATHI MANIYAN Translated into Malayalam by STANLEY Published by Chintha publications, Thiruvananthapuram.
Pp.160 price Rs.85/-

 - K SATHYADEVAN -

A literary work, whether it is a novel, a poem or an essay carrying a poignant social message is bound to become a classic for, it retains its relevance far into the future spreading original literary fragrance. This is true to the hilt in the case of this novel written by Subrabarathi maniyan and handsomely translated into Malayalam by Stanley. The much talked about and intensely worried about and vastly debated problem of environmental pollution posing as a menacing threat to human life everywhere has been the focus of the topic in the novel which picturises the sub-human lives of a few souls thrown into the doldrums of poverty, filth and pollution obtaining in the guise of industrial development. The background of the novel is the fast growing knitwear city on the banks of Noyyal River. The novelist gives a comparison of the hoary past Noyyal which ran through the heartland of kongunadu like a silver girdle, turning everything green and fertile, and the blackened and dried up banks of today with filth and poverty all around solely.

Because of the emissions and effluents pushed out of the dyeing units coming up like mushrooms in the knitwear city in the recent times. The hapless life’s of a handful of people living around have been described with stirring passion and compassion in an effort to warn against the disaster looming large on normal life around the area in the guise of industrialization.

The fabric of the novel is woven with the thread spun around the characters like Bhakthavalsalam, Nagan, Swamiyappan, Chettiar, Jothimani, Velusamy and his lover Soundri and also the minor ones such as Chikkannan, Kamala, Veni and Thenmozhi, all eking out a living in small jobs connected with the dying and knitting factories flourishing all around. The author has used his pen to give life to them in his unique way with minimum words, but at the same time bringing out a vivid picture of their contrasting personalities.

Bhakthavalsalam Is the epitome of the educated under- employed youth destined to his fate with a small job under Swamiyappan, an entrepreneur in the dyeing and textile business. He too is a hapless soul struggling against odds in the quagmire of the unhappy situation prevailing in the industry for the lower class workers. His attachment to Jothimani, a factory worker has been narrated in scattered bits of conversations between them which are nimble but romantic.

The author waves out a fantasy to describe situations when Bakthavalsalam revels in his dreams about a life with Jyothimani, which as fate would have it, not to come.

Swamiyappan’s character has been that of a middleclass businessman struggling hard to push his business forward in a world full of deceit and skullduggery. The portraying of this factory owner, with an ancestral legacy both financial as well as cultural, through a couple of chapters is a superb master piece of the author’s skill in depicting characters in minimum words.

Nagan, the watchman and errand boy of Swamiyappan’s business place is a migrant from the village, attracted by the lure of urban dispensation; but succumbs to the pressure of work in the adverse conditions of chemicals and dies of the factory and ends up as a physical wreck. As a dalit community member with experience of social subjugation by the upper class, he carries within him a deep despise against discrimination in the basis of caste. The novelist speaks through Nagan; ‘is it a sin to be born on this earth? And is it a crime to be born as a low castle?’. Having been transplanted from an agrarian background to a proletarian hub of the city in quest of a living, it is not surprising that Nagan nurses a grievance in his mind in the form of a revolt against the social set up, albeit silently. .

Chettiar’s life as a sick and crippled old man, surrounded by filth and refuse of the decaying city is described with ample strength and clarity to arouse a sense of revulsion and nausea. But Chettiar always speaks sense amidst all his physical handicaps.

Death is an unwelcome visitor to this community at frequent intervals. And its stealthy approach has been described with grief and pathos that accompany such departures. This body of Soundari dangling at the end of a rope, the exit of chettiar from this world and even the corpse of a yong man found in the blackened waters of the canel beside the bridge are all symbols of devastation that the industrial pollution is bringing to the city. The last journey of Bhakthavalsalam to the Noyyal in its riotous fury after the rains is also a point to ponder whether man is not still subordinate to the order of nature, however high he may strive in his power to harness it to his advantage.

Book ReviewThe back cover epigraph on the book appears thus: ‘the blackend face of Tamilnadu in the urbanization process’. CHAYAM PURANDA THIRA is a strong pointer against the mindless industrialisation that the country is fast embracing in its quest for development, seemingly at the risk of damaging the eco-system, thereby inviting disaster to humanity, Sri Subrabharathi Maniyan has scored many a point high in the realm of literature in choosing a subject most relevant to mankind at this point of time. A common problem looming large over the developing countries throughout that world has been brought into perspective with the happenings at close quarters in our neighbourhood. It is the problem of the dying Noyyal with the textile and dyeing industry on its banks as the perpetrators of the crime.

No wounder that CHINTHA publications have chosen a novel which can do more benefit to society that the ever somany service organizations can manage to do through their propaganda.

Stanley has again proved that he is quite adept in the art of translation. His prowess to perform the ‘Parakayapravesa’ into the self of the Author while going through the process of translation is quite evident from the fact that the soul of the novel has been kept intact till the end. Hope that many more such jewels will find the light of the day through that efforts of Stanley.
 

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CHAYAM PURANDATHIRA Tamil novel by Subrahnarathimanian
Malayalam Translation: STANLEY
- A. N. GANESH (Malayalam playwright, Cinema serial writer)

On reading the forceful novel ‘Chayam puranda Thira”, it occurred t me the plight of the fateful dwetiers on the banks of Chaliar river, undergoing untold miseries due to all types of incurable diseases simply because they happened to live near the waters of the river highly polluted by the toxic wastes spewed out by the industrial giant, Mavoor Ryons.

A poignant hteme with atmost relevance to the present day social environment has been depicted in a straight forward manner without the one of exaggeration but directly going deep into the heart of the reader. The style of narration, the portrayal of characters and the contexts in which they appear are all brilliant and standing as a match to each other.

The characters in the novel pour our their tales of woes. They discuss the news in the village in their local dialect. They express their views mostly in the language of satire.

The novelist does not speak nor opens his mouth. Nor does he argue for their sake. Nor quarrel. Standing aside, he curiously watches everything, donning the mantle of an avid reader. And there lies the essence of relish the novel caters to the reader and the ultimate triumph of the novelist. Undoubtedly it can be claimed that “Chayam Puranda Thira” is of a class with unpretentious stemming from the fathomiess depth of the heart and pulsating through sentiments of the Tamils.

I have spent fourteen long years in the streets of weaver class Chettiars in a world of cotton. I could therefore transform myself as one among the characters in ‘Chayam Puranda Thira’ (in Tamil “Chayathirai”) with much ease, and relish the novel up to the hilt. Perhaps that may be the reason why I could plumb far into to depth more than an ordinary reader. Otherwise how could I be able to enjoy reading it in one stretch and read it for a second time variciously with uninterrupted interest?

It is not a small matter that Subrabharathimanian has marvelously succeeded in depicting the Noyyal river and the surrounding places deeply afflicted with the toxic pollutions exuded from the small scale banian factories and godowns and the unfortunate lot of people on its banks who left to suffer under the ravages of a plethora of incurable diseases. This he has accomplished in an effortless manner and in an enviable style. The translation has made it to flow effortlessly to the minds of Malayalam readers like a clear trackling water source. The fact, that it is a translation does not at all come to the minds of the readers. It is here that the genius of writer Stanley shines with brilliance. The language and the translation have done good justice to the original and have succeeded in retaining its oneness with the latter impeccably. The realism, simplicity and straight forwardness go hand in hand like a pair of yoked bullocks moving along the track in unison without jerk, drag or poll. Stanley is not only a playwright, but his hands are also adept in the craft of translation.

Bhakthavachalam, Samiyappan, Chettiar, Nagan, Kumar, Jothimani, Soundari, Veni, Kamala, Tehnmozhi and the like are characters of individuality and of high profile. Even the small time character, Chikkannan has been portrayed with bright coloour. The subtle hand of Subrabharthimanian in his craft is mosthigly commendable, perhaps unparalleled.

The relationship between Bhakthavachalam and Jothimani has been drawn without losing its emotional depth, at the same time without any exaggerated hue in its depiction. A very apt narration indeed.

Veluswamy is the scapegoat of the water and environmental pollution. A representative of the poor people who are destined to be at the receiving end of the disaster. A commendable piece in the story is the softness with which his love towards Soundari, its beginning and its end has been narrated. The horrible scene of Soundaris’s body swinging on a rope will haunt the reader for ever, certain.

The canvas depicting the picture of Chettiar is exceptionally astounding. It is sure to create ripples of disturbance in the mind of the reader, no doubt about that.

Chettiar, Soundari and Bhakthavatchalam are unfortunate characters who get themselves immioralised through the tragedies they face eventually.

Nagan’s attitude is sure enough to simmer up the sentiments of the reader to a great extent. “Is it a crime to be born And is it a sin to be born in a low class in society?”

“Chayam Puranda Thira” has been compared to the sinister and blackened face of unbanised Tamilnadu. What a true comparison in one single sentence. (=Chayam Puranda Thira: Malayalam Translation of Tamil Novel Chayathirai by Subrabharathimanian, Chintha Publication , Desabimaani road, Trivandrum, Kerala, Price Rs. 85 =)

•Chayathirai, Rs 50 Kaavya Publication, Chennai
•Reng Rengli Sadhar Mehi (Translation in Hindi •Rs. 150 Translated by Meenakshipuri, published by Neelakan Prakashan, Mourahil, New Delhi )
•The coloured Curtain (Translation in English by P. Raaja. Published by BRPC, New Delhi Rs. 150)
•Bannathira (Translation in Kannada, by Tamilselvi, Chennai Rs. 85, Navayuga Publication, Bangalore)
•Copies can be had from: MANAVU , 8 2635 pandian Nagar, Tiruppur 641 602. Tamilnadu

subrabharathi@gmail.com