An incomplete compilation on Kailasapathy
 Most of the readers in Sinhala, English and Tamil in Lanka,
particularly in the academic circles, and even in Tamilnadu and abroad
might have heard of the late Kanagasabapathy Kailasapathy.
He was one of the two avant-garde literary critics who shaped the
contemporary Lankan and even Tamilnadu ancient and contemporary literary
landscape. Tamil studies. The other giant was Karthigesu Sivathamby who
passed away a few months back. For more than 60 years they were the
leading lights with huge admirers among the university students.
Inevitably they were also unofficially accepted by the rest
intellectuals.
In this piece this columnist wants to focus on Kailasapathy. Why at
this point of time I should write about him is because a new book in
Tamil has been published. From my point of view, it is an incomplete
attempt to compile and assess the late professor’s contribution to Tamil
Literature.
A relatively young but enthusiastic Marxist critic by the name of
Lenin Mathivaanam has written this book. Because of his ideology and
prejudicial nature he apparently ignores some of the books or booklets
written earlier to be included either as a footnote or added in the
bibliography.
His book published by reputed quality publishers- the Kumaran Book
House- has this title in Tamil: Professor K Kailasapathy- Samuka
Maattathitkaana Iyankaattal. It means roughly a Dynamic Personality for
Social Change. Kailasapathy’s photo adorns the cover. The book is
dedicated to a” Sinhala Comrade Abraham Singho who lost his life in the
struggle for rights of the Hill Country people”
A leading Marxist critic and author of many creative works- S
Ganeshalingan and another Marxist writer – Nanthini Xavier have written
a preface and forward. S G describes this booklet that includes the
background of Kailasapathy’s life, his writing, journalism, university
education, positions he held, his politics and his literary and arts
criticism.
He also says that none so far any literary studies either in equal
terms or above during the quarter century after his demise.
N X on the other hand informs that there are more thousand short
story writers and poets and hundreds of novelists in the country, but
only a few literary critics. He considers Kailasapathy as the foremost
trend setter in literary criticism.
He lists the following as his relatives and hopes: Karl Marx, Engels,
Lenin, Stalin, Mao, Che Guevara, Maxim Gorky, Mayakovski, Lu Sun, Ho Chi
Min, Pablo Neruda, Subramania Bharathi, Vaikkam Muhamadu Basheer,
Thigambara poets and many others. He sees the impact of Kailasapathy on
Lenin Mathivaanam.
What does the author himself says?
He says that despite Kailasapathy’s ideas on Tamil Literature and
Society, people like S Ponnuthurai and Nadchathiran Sevvinthiyan are
waging a war against the progressive writing and Marxism. Some ‘Buddhi
Jeevikal” (those who live using their brains) fail to fit into a
changing social environment. What he means by “Buddhi Jeevikal”, I
presume he means “intellectuals”. “Some follow the European analysis of
ethnicity in the Tamilian culture. These people join hands with the
capitalists.”
In this fashion the writer continues with his dogmatism out throwing
any dissent views and identifies Kailasapathy as the only true Marxist.
He also says that the so-called progressive writers condemned his
efforts as a Marxist critic and only writers like Neervai Ponnaiyan,
Nanthini Xavier, S Ganeshalingam, N, Ravindran, Theniyaan, Ithayarasan
and others supported his kind of Marxism,.Lenin Mathivaanan, the author
identifies himself as a genuine Marxist.
He is entitled to hold his pet views in the same way others who do
not toe his line of mono-disciplined thinking are entitled to hold their
views.
He has divided his chapters as follows: Background of Life
(Kailasapathy’s), Writings, Journalism, University, Politics, Literary
Organizations, Criticism and Conclusion. He has a separate section for
foot notes and an Addendum with important details regarding
Kailasapathy,The publications in which his writings appeared,
Kailasapathy’s article on The Background and retrospect of World Tamil
Research Conference, His article on Lankan Tamil Literature, His article
o The Path to Socialism. There is a bibliography too.
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