|
|
 |
 |
 |
| Wednesday, 1 September 2004 |
 |
|
 |
Artscope | |
| News Business Features Editorial Security Politics World Letters Sports Obituaries
|
Gleanings An erudite simple soul by K.S. Sivakumaran You might not have heard of a Thamil scholar by the name Sivan Karunalaya Paandiyanar. It is understandable. But the younger generation among the Thamil-speaking people have never heard of him.
In fact, they have not heard or read any of the pioneers and pace-setters in the field of arts and culture in the Thamil language. They don't read at all and they don't care either. That is a pitiable reality! Coming Sunday, September 5, the Colombo Thamil Sangam at Wellawatta is celebrating the 100th birth anniversary of a simple, bare-bodied, verti-clad, diminutive scholar in Thamil. He is no more. He was born on the 9th of August, 1903 and passed away on June 30, 1976 having lived for 72 years. The function takes place at 5.45 p.m. at the Colombo Thamil Sangam presided by the president of the CTS Periyathamby Pillai Wijayaratnam. The president's father, 'Pulavaramani' Periyathambi Pillai, hailing from Mandoor in the east of Sri Lanka is not duly recognized despite his scholarship and mastery of the 'Venpaa' metre in Thamil prosody. This I have to mention here because petty and regional biases also play a part even in literary evaluation. K. P. Ratnam, himself a Thamil scholar and a former parliamentarian will deliver his opening speech, while the keynote address will be given by Supreme Court Judge, Justice C. V. Wigneswaran. His speech is titled 'Salanamum Saranamum' (The Movement and the Merging - I hope this is a what he wants to say). Sivan Karunalaya Paandiyanar Let me give you briefly some points regarding the late Sivan Karunalaya Paandiyanar. I have culled this information from two publications: a bilingual (Thamil and English) by the late E. Rathinam, a scholar, translator and dramatist, a talk delivered in Thamil by the late S. Vithiananthan Professor in Thamil folk-play specialist, producer and author of books. Born in India, Sivan Karunalaya Paandian came to Colombo to give private tuition to a youngster of South Indian origin. This man later became Professor of Thamil at the Annamalan University in Thamilnadu. Sivan (for short) gave tuition in religious literature, Saiva Siddhanthan and classical grammar. He was a vegetarian. "His simplicity reflected his culture, plain living and a rustic ritual." "His profession in conjunction with his inmate yearning for absolute knowledge endowed him with a keen intellect. His profound and resourceful memory were his great assets." Sanskrit scholar Sivan was knowledgeable in Sanskrit and familiar with Sanskrit literature and grammar. He has studied the Bhagavad Gita, the Upanishads and Pathanjali Yoga Sutras. He has also read the Mahabharatha in Sanskrit. "This knowledge helped him place Thamil literature and the growth of Philosophy in their proper perspective and evaluate their independence and originality." "His approach to philosophy was integral. His integration was within his range of gleanings from pure literature, philosophical treaties in Thamil and Sanskrit. His knowledge of logic was refined and sharp ... His acumen was interpreting pure literature in a metaphysical way. The kind of perception, that of going beyond the pure literary to philosophical is not alien to Thamil commentators and he followed in their footsteps." Sivan's works include Nambi Ahaval, Alagiyathu, Kathirgama Pillaithamil and Ezhini. The late E. Rathinam, who I referred above was an excellent translator and creative writer and also a good critic. Unfortunately, he is forgotten by the present. His wife Gnanam Rathinam was head of the Thamil School Service and later to Thamil Service of the Sri Lanka Broadcasting Corporation. She is at present in Australia. E. Rathinam's three books reprinted were released last Saturday at CTS. Grammar I wish to quote another evaluation of E. Rathinam on Sivan Karunalaya Paandiyanar: "His knowledge of grammar is not based purely on grammatical rules. His approach to grammar is based on historical growth of the language and compositive commentaries. As any student will know that part of the Thamil grammar especially rules on conjunction, the first, last and immediate positions of letters in words is really based on physiology of pronunciation. He was able to show how some words obeyed physiological rules rather than grammatical rules. However he never allowed the physiology to degenerate into colloquial. A clear grasp of Thamil phonetics and classics enabled him to explain how single words obeyed different rules of conjunction other than laid down in grammar books." It was ironical that despite his dress (verti and a piece of cloth to cover his chest) and Vipoothi (holy ash on his forehead) and inability to speak in Sinhala, Sivan living in Ratmalana was not harmed in 1958 assaults on the Thamilians. The Sinhalayas respected him for his simplicity. Hanif Kuresh The British writer Hanif Kuresh (Indian Muslim father and English mother) was in Colombo some years ago and he met some writers at the British Council. Well, you might know him in connection with the film My Beautiful Launderette. This was also shown in Colombo, a few years ago. Hanif Kuresh is in the news again. His new novel, The Mother is made into a film by Roger Mitchell (best known for Notting Hill). This film is acclaimed by critics in the West for its cinematic quality. But to those of us living in this part of the world (most of us are in fact hypocrites), the content of the film may be a case of revulsion. The movie reveals an older woman's unexpected sexual awakening. A 68-year-old woman, a widow, satiates her bodily needs with a young rustic man, the boy friend of her daughter, a neurotic writer. The role is played by Anne Reid and critics say her performance was brilliant. I have not seen this film released a few months back in the U.S. The New York Times critic Stephen Holden said that the writer Kureshi shows his character's frustrations and ambitions "with an unwavering Checkovian compassion.." In an autographed copy of his book (which included My Beautiful Launderette and The Rainbow sign) given to me, Kuresh Hanifa began his work as follows: "I was born in London of an English mother and Pakistani father. My father, who lives in London, came to England from Bombay in 1947 to be educated by the old Colonial power. He married here and never went back to India. The rest of his large family, his brothers, their wives, his sister, moved from Bombay to Karachi, in Pakistan, after Partition." Hanif Kureshis' plays have been produced at the Royal Court and Riverside Studios and some of his work have been performed, by the Royal Shakespeare Company." Lankan Thamilian lifestyle in microfilm A century of Lankan Thamilian lifestyle has been recorded in microfilm at the World Thamilian Documentation Centre in Kandy. The man behind this enterprise is Kurumbasiddy Kanagaratnam. Copies of this film have been kept at the archives in Switzerland and London with the assistance from the UNESCO. Two poets of significance Two poets who are ardent supporters of Thamil nationalism are politically oriented Kaasi Aanamdan and Puthuvai Ratnadurai. Their poetry has not been analysed by traditional Lankan entries of contemporary Lankan Thamil Literature. Because they were associated with the Thamil Tigers, much of their contributions have been ignored by those living outside the northeast. However, it is appropriate now to give a few details about them as the present climate is conducive to have a rapport with the hitherto ignored lot. Born as Sivanandan in 1938 in Mattakalappu, Kaasi Aanandan is in the field of writing for more than 45 years. Since his published works are not available with me I am not in a position to comment on them. Once the war situation ends and real permanent solutions are achieved, we shall perhaps be at a better footing to read critically his works. The other poet is believed to have been born in Puthoor in the North. He is Ratnadurai. He was living in Thirukounamalai for sometime. He used to write some leftist slanted poems in Kumaran, a monthly published by senior Lankan writer, S. Ganeshalingam. This journal was published in Colombo some 30 years ago. He used the pen-name 'Varathapakkiyan'. I remember commenting on some of his poems in the Thinakaran at that time. Puthuvai Ratnadurai's books are not available outside the northeast. Quotable quotes * Creativity is allowing yourself to make mistakes. Art is knowing which ones to keep - Cartoonist Scott Adams. * Heat is not a furnace for your foe so hot that it do singe yourself - William Shakespeare. * If you always do what interests you, at least one person is pleased - Katherine Hepburu. * Gossip is what you say about the objects of flattery when they aren't present - S. J. O. Rourke. * Success didn't spoil me; I've always been insufferable - Fram Lebowitz. Mystic river A film to see is Mystic River made last year and two actors were awarded Oscars this year: Sean Penn (a brilliant actor) and Tim Robbins. The film was directed by Clint Eastwood, an actor turned director. I also liked very much his other directional feature A Perfect World. Mystic River is a murder mystery. The locations of the film was South Boston. We learn that it is now available in DVD format. Contact: [email protected], 2587617. **** Back **** |
|
News | Business | Features
| Editorial | Security
Produced by Lake House |
