Homage to Ratheesh

From: kalyankumar
Date: Fri Jan 24, 2003

Dear Friends,
The days preceding the new year, I had been bearing a private grief,which I thought I would share with you now. It was the untimely demise of Malayalam film actor Ratheesh. Though as an actor, Ratheeshwas not as successful as Mammuty or Mohanlal, some of his individual charcters are too good to forget so easily.
I watched Ratheesh first in Ulkadal, directed by KG George in a small role of a medical representative. But he impressed me most as an actor in Balachandra Menon's ISHTAMANU PAKSHEY. In that movie,Ratheesh plays the role of an Air force employee, who comes home onleave and makes a point to visit Nandii Kutti (Ambika) regularly in the evenings in the pretext of going to temple, who is his murapennu.
Even as he subtly expresses his desire to make her the life-partner ,she gives him a shock saying that "Ishtamanu, Pakshe.. but she will marry only a writer.
This man who only knows to love Nandinikutty can never cause her anyhurt. He goes back to work. The news of his death in an aircarsh, months later leads to the first mis-carriage of Nandinikutty, who hadalready married a businessman, whose only love for books is limitedto reading Railway Time Table.
Even today that character essayed by Ratheesh struggling to balance the expectations and imminent frustration is simply unforgettable.Though I have watched him in movies like Ee Nadu, Chamaram, Thusharam etc, this type of a depth was missing in all of them. What is morepoignant is that death snatched him, at a time he was horning his emotive skills in a better way in TV serials and was keenly trying for a forceful second coming.

May his soul rest in peace.

Best Regards,
G. Kalyan Kumar

Anand's works

Posted by Gireesh

Reading Anand is an act of discussion. He writes from the planes where philosophy and history mix together and become an intellectual blow to the reader. Anand’s characters, whether they are IAS officers or prostitutes, speaks philosophy. Anand wrote short stories, poems and novels, but will regard first and last as a novelist. Through his first novel, ‘Alkkoottam’ Anand made an unchallenging place in Malayalam literary fields.
“Maroobhumikal Undakunnathu’, may be regarded as one of the best of piece of work in Malayalam literature. The latest one, after 'Govardhanatey Yathrakal' is ‘Apaharikkapetta Daivanghal (Stolen Gods)’. The novel mainly revolves around three characters. Ganeshan, his wife Naseema, and their son Aman. Aman dies in an accident. Before that, Ganeshan and Naseema lose him for five years and then he comes back, again the destiny calls him back. The death of Aman vapors all the colors from their life. They continue their life mechanically and one day accidentally Ganeshan see some of his son’s writings. It opens him a vivid picture of his son, his journeys and the poems he wrote. Aman takes the shape of any individual who can be lost at any moment in the crowd. Anand brings out the impact of urbanization on human relationship, particularly of parents-children. The novel also traces the never ending sufferings of people who are thrown out from their roots and made destitute. One of the characteristic of the novel is that it’s a mix of verse and prose where Anand himself wrote numerous poems.

A good piece for serious reading.

Regards
Gireesh

Post Modernism

Posted by Gireesh

Hi All,
Mathrubhumi weekly is running a debate on Modernism and Postmodernism. It's titled 'Swargam Theernnupokunnu, Narakam nilanilkkunnu'. Though I couldn't get many of its issues I read some of them. The one which was written by K.P Nirmalkumar made really an interesting reading. It's titled"KSHOBHICHAVARKKORU SHRADYAM". What a title!
His article is a revelation. Or is it a confession? He takes both the sides. How the traditional critics were insensitive to modernism and at the sametime how fake literature flooded in the name of postmodernism.
Though modernism generated some of the finest pieces of writing in Malayalam literature, postmodernism failed drastically there. Vijayan, Mukundan and Kakkanadan were the rising stars of modernism. They continued writing andmade their own niche in Malayalam literature. But in case of postmodernism, it went no where. It seems Methil stopped writing. Nirmal Kumar follows.
I didn't read much work of Nirmal Kumar. But still recall the times backwhen he wrote some of his 'Gautala Jara' stories in Mathrubhumi weekly. It was a different kind of story telling.
Many participants echoed that original writings can't be tied to any 'Isams'. Probably, that sums up the whole discussion.

Regards
Gireesh Kumar P
------------------------
Response from Kalyan Kumar

Dear Friends,
It was very exciting to know that Mathrubhumi weekly has entrusted the defence of modernism to KP Nirmal Kumar. In Malayalam, modernismis now tied to the seat belts of some writers like Vijayan,Mukaundan, Anand and Kakanadan.
And the damage was that instead of evolving as a concerte period in the literary history of Malyalam, these so called isms became accolades for the craft of some of these well read writers who had better exposure than some of their counterparts who were based in kerala.
But I think, we need to see the concepts of modernism and post-modernism on a historical and global perspective.
Modernism, is the movement in visual arts, music, literature, and drama that rejected the old Victorian standards on how art should be made, consumed and what it should stand for.
The period of high modernism is from 1910-1930, when the major figures of modernism radically redefined what poetry and fiction should be. Thus in European literature figures like Woolf, JamesJoyce, T.S Eliot, Ezra Pound, Thomas Stevens, Proust, Mallarme,Kafka and Rilke became the cult figures of twentieth-century modernism.
In its writings, Modernism tends to present a fragmented view of human subjectivity and history (Eg: T. S Eliot's Wasteland) where he presents the fragmentation of human life as something very tragic and abominable and mourns it as a loss.
Modernists uphold the idea that works of art can provide the unity,coherence and meaning which are fast losing out of human life in modern times. Only art can fill that vacuum better than any other human institution.
However, Postmodernism, never laments the fragmentation, provisionality or incoherence in human life but says that you have to accept it as it is and rather celebrate it. If the world is meaningless- so what? Let us not pretend that art can make any valuable addition to it and just play with that nonsense.
Another view point is that modernism and postmodernism are cultural formations that have accompanied particular stages of capitalism.Market capitalism, which occurred in the late 19 century in WesternEurope, England and the United States, is associated with particular technological developments, namely steam-driven motors and that brought in a particular kind of aesthetics, namely, realism.
The second phase occurred from the late nineteenth century until the mid-twentieth century as monopoly capitalism and had electric and internal combustion motors as technology and ushered in modernism.
The third phase or the current one is multinational with emphasis onmarketing, and consumerism and not on producing them. This is associated with nuclear and electronic technologies and has postmodernism as its aesthetic guide.
Now the larger question comes, in this capitalist evolution, where does Kerala stand to be ready to bracket itself in modernist or post-modern schools.

Best Regards,
G. Kalyan Kumar

P K Balakrishnan and his works

From: "Gireesh Kumar P"
Date: Mon Dec 2, 2002

I just finished reading a novel written by P K Balakrishnan. You guessed it. Yes, it's the celebrated 'Ini Injan Oranghatte'. Critics say it's amasterpiece. And they said it correctly.
Mahabartham was always an inspiration for many Indian authors. Quite anumber of people tried to view it from an individualistic point. MT did itthrough his 'Randamuzham'. In Marathi literature V S Khandekkar did abrilliant work through his Yayathi. Balakrishnan choose the legendary character. Karnan.
The beginning of the novel itself is an example of Balakrishnan's power in language. Duryodanan is lying in the battlefield waiting for death. There he comes, Ashwathamav, bringing the news that he set ablaze the Pandava tents.
In fact, I heard about this novel quite long back. Years back I heard its radio interpretation also.
The novel is a brilliant attempt from Balakrishnan to bring out the individuality of Karnan. A character sidelined due to a reason which he was not guilty of. Probably, he was the only character who got neglected at every walk of his life. A futile war which was fought for his kingdom (Remember he was the eldest of all Kauravas and Pandavas).
Life was packed with a bunch of struggle for him. The moment he born,destiny followed him to the eternal river of calamities. Denied education from Dronar, Went to Parusama and returned back with a curse. And in the final war, Kurukshetra, he was tied up with his vows given to Kunthi,finally got defeated through a treacherous act of Arjunan.......
This book underlines the power of language and craft ....
A novel worth of reading......

Thanks and regards
Gireesh

From: "kalyankumar"
Date: Fri Dec 6, 2002

Dear Friends,
The impressions of Gireesh Kumar on PK's "Ini Jnan Urangakatte" made interesting reading. The book, I think came out in the 80s and went on to win several awards.
But the pity was that Balakrishnan's personality got clogged in acertain brand of left looking journalism. His literary potential too bloomed at a very late stage and his drift from the Kerala Kauamudi group was perhaps the real turning point in his career and a moment in re-inventing himself.
Madhyamam newspaper recognised his worth and installed him as their debut Editor, though its management control is vested with a proactive Muslim group.
With all respects to PK, I submit that re-evaluation of Kunti can still create any number of books. Kunti's marriage, liasons with many Gods, renunciation of the first child, prodding her sons to share Panchali among them etc make her a lascivious and hard-hearted woman and an agent that unleashed fatal currents in that epic.
But the greatness of Mahabhratam lies in its treatment love and war above the palace intrigues and its brillaint unraveling of the darkershades of many glittering personalities.

Then, I wish a happy Eid to all.
Regards,
G. Kalyan Kumar

Padmarajan

Posted by Kalyan Kumar

Dear friends,
It was some two weeks back that I chanced to watch NJAN GANDHARVAN in Asianet after a spell of 10 years. Not one to call it a master piece or a great movie, still it kindled the thoughts about the man who scripted and directed that cinema. late P. Padmarajan-the former AIR announcer and the prolific writer especially screen plays.
Who can forget Thakara and the unforgettable character of Chellapan Asari essayed by Nedumudi Venu? Though he fell into the trap of crass commercialism in later years, his powerful scripts and movies in the late seventies and eighties stood out from the predictable Malayalam pot boilers and painfully boring and indeligible art movies.
As a cine goer, I would select a handful of Padmarajan scripted movies as my favourites- Rathinirvedam, Vadakaiku Oru Hridayam, IthaEvide Vare, Thakara and Kallan Pavithran.
Like MT's Valluvanadan characters, the serenity of his nativeOnattukara region provides the backdrop for his rural characters. Can any of our club friends throw more light on Papan, as he isfondly called?.

Best Regards,
G. Kalyan Kumar
--------------
Gireesh responds:

I still recall the times when Padmarjan's 'Prathimayum Rajakumariyum' appearing in Mathrubhumi weekly. In fact, I saw his movies later only. He belongs to that rare breed of film makers who had film making in their blood.
Let me add some more movies to Kalyanakumar's list. Kariyilakkattukal,Desadana pakshi Karayarilla, Oritathoru Fayalman, Thoovanathumpikal,.Moonampakkam,..
Padmarajan brought a new film sensibility in Malayalam cinema. He never hesitated to experiment. It seems he never believed in that commercial, art differentiation. That confidence must have given him the dare to take movies which are probably some of the best movies in Malayalam cinema.
He kept a romantic touch in almost all his films. Even when he slipped to commercial side we could feel that Padmarajan touch. He was very careful inchoosing the theme. A very good observation power coupled with magical senseof telling stories which others overlooked. That best exemplifies in hismovies like Kallan Pavithran and Oritathoru Fayalman. His death at an earlyage is a real lose to Malayalam cinema.
We lost some of our best film makers at a very young age. Aravindan,Bharathan, Padmarajan...
........And now we are regarded for Shakeela movies. India Today andDoordarshan have taken keen initiative to spread this all over India. WhenIndia Today says about Adoor, they use a phrase, 'Noted Malayalam film maker'. Is he not an Indian film maker? Pity of that weekly.
Thanks and regards
Gireesh----

Sambasivan...!!

Dear Friends,
As you all will observe, there had been sweeping changes in the entertainment tastes of Malayalis in the past few years. For thatmatter, I am not making any customary segregation like mass art or elitist art. Apart from cinema, there were certain cultural forms which flourished in Kerala and had a vast popular appeal.
For these art forms to flourish, the precincts of temples in Kerala made a big contribution by providing them with platforms during theirfestival seasons. Thus dance ballets, kathaprasangam became the main cultural items in those festivals providing enjoyment to elated worshippers who would sit through the night for these dances(basically on mythological themes like Devi Kanya Kumari or talesf rom Mahabharatam or Ramayanam) and kathaprasangam programmes.
While the once popular Kathakali and Thullal started declining aspopular art forms, one art form, having its roots in Harikatha emerged. Thus kathaprasangam combined the visual pleasure of emotingand narration of story backed by orchestra and songs.
But this was not every one's cup of tea. Many upstarts appeared and vanished. The significant names were a few. We had Kedamangalam Sadanandan, Kollam Babu, Thevarthottam Sukumaran, Usha Rajan enjoyinga mass appeal.
But no one made a lasting impression as late V. Sambasivan, who rode the kathaprasangam field like a colossus and literally converted it into an one-man industry. This High School teacher from Chavara inKollam district powered by his leftist leanings roared, laughed, sangand cried before thousands of avid kathaprasangam lovers in andoutside kerala for about 25 years.
Sambasivan's ingenuity was his sharp judgement in selecting a goodstory. Credit goes to him for introducing Shakespeare, Tolstoy,Balzac, Pearl S Buck and innumerable Bengali writers to the masses ofKerala making their masterpieces household names among keralites.
Amazingly talented Sambasivan would pen the lyrics and set them to lilting tunes all by himself. Samban, as he was fondly called, usedcontemporary political and social situations to interpret hischaracters with finesse. His stentorian voice and strong sense ofhumouur and singing abilities created a larger than life image forhim, which made him stand out from rest of his mediocrecontempraries.
The unforgettable stories which Samban told us include (which I enjoyed most and admired also)-Othello, Aysha of Vayalar, Rain Bow,Vilakku Vangam, Erupatham Nootandu etc.
In my school days, I have seen in front of my eyes, how excitedpeople used to come for the programme with stereo tape recorders in hand to record as they say "samban". Those were the times, the Gulf employed people from kerala used to bring in the latest brands ofcostly tape recorders. Samban even used to make fun of that, in hisown inimitable way!
Then we had the branded cassettes of Samban pouring in from Thompson and others. Nonetheless these casettes never gave the plaesure ofwatching Samban alive in the stage.
I look back those days with a tinge of sadness and do belive that it was indeed a lost paradise. Today, the festivals are being muddied by mimicry of low tastes and so called ganamelas.
My sorrow gets further compounded as we do not see any sign ofanother talent coming up in kathaparsangam to fill the vacuum left bySamban. And the hard fact remains-only a person of rare calibre can resurrect that dying art. In Samban, perhaps more than the art the man mattered.

Yusuf Ali's muse

Posted by Kalyan Kumar

Dear Friends,
A few days ago, I was watching Pattupetty in Asianet, the song theyplayed "PATHINALAM RAVUDICHATHU KALLAIKADAVATHO..." from the movieMaram (1971) produced and directed by Yusuf Ali triggered a few thoughts on him.
That song gave me an opportunity to sit back and ponder on the outstanding contribution of Ali to the Malyalam film songs and Malayalam poetry in general. (I am afraid, there may be dissenting voices on Yusuf Ali's contribution to Malayalam literature as crtitic M. Krishnan Nair rightly says Malyalam potery is now hijacked by someModernists and their cronies for whom even Ezhuthachan is a renegade)
Maram, the famous novel of NP Mohammed, which I studied for my secondlanguage Malyalam paper for Degree, was a hit in the box office whenmade into a cinema. Kechery's other significant directorial venture was Neelathamara written by MT.
But Malyalis honour Yusuf Ali more for his poetic prowess, than his directorial skills. His poems blend the images drawn from nature andhis Malabar roots in particular make them all the more appealing as it elevates the reader to higher planes of spiritual insights transcending the narrow realms of man-built religious barriers.
Ali's versatility in penning brilliant spiritual and devotional lyrics on Hinduism is famous which he does with a finesse causing envy in many others. The lyrics in Hariharan's "Sargam" mark his excellence on this.
As a poet he earned more laurels and a spate of academy awards for his celebrated poetry anthology HAINDAVAM. In a nut shell, Yusuf Ali represents the core of romantic and religious lyrics in Malayalam which refuse to fade. In that respect, Yusuf Ali is head and shoulders above his time and peers.

Best Regards,
G. Kalyan Kumar

KG George on Visionary Film Makers

Posted by Kalyan Kumar

What distnguishes an ordinary film maker from a good director is his vision. Thus spake veteran K. G George. As you all remember, the jury headed by George created a furore when it left the best directors's slot vacant in the recent kerala film award selection. Reason proferred was "a suitable candidate could not be found". Adoor Gopalakrishnan had already requested not to consider him for the best director award.

Later in a programme with a TV channel, George confronted the allegations in the media that the jury was partisan and had insulted the genius of many upcoming directors. Making a brilliant defence of himself, George said "The new breed of directors lack vision. And the best cinema award does not mean that its director is the automatic choice for being the best director".

In his view, the vision of the director gets shaped up from the attitude of that craftsman read filmaker towards the helplessness of the human beings, individually as well as collectively. And
surprisingly George and his team could not find a director in Malyalam having that artistic vision. The undertone was that, directors have to raise themselves to a higher plane and become real creators than mere production controllers.

It is not clear this hypothesis was to deliberately snub some of our high brow directors. But George had a point, that if cinema has to be seen as a cultural expression, then it must be more humane. Ditto to its creators also.

Sex and Aesthetics

Posted by Kalyan Kumar

As you all recall, the 80s were remembered for the tidal wave of A certificate movies in Malayalam. The run away success of "Avaluday Ravugal", directed by IV Sasi triggered this wave. In that movie, a new comer Seema literally stole the box office thunder with her role
as a young prostitute. Forget the titillating poster of the movie, where Seema lifts her shirt and curiously looks inside her thighs for a scratch, which she had while jumping the iron fencing.

But Avaluday Ravaugal had a poignant story and soul-stirring songs to captivate the viewer. That was not the case with many of the movies that followed like a Sathrathil Oru Rathri or Thamburati-which had only raw passion for woman's body as their USP.

Even the mass media too got into this sex frenzy, particularly n some magazines where this sexulaization of content became explicit. Some titles I remember are: Ethreythra Madalasa Rathrikal in Kerala Sabdam by Indrajit and some P. Ayyaneth's novels.

Recently I read a scathing indictment of Adoor Gopalakrishnan in his portrayal of a scene in Nizhal koothu, where a teenage girl attaining her maturity is shown in embarrassment with blood oozing down her legs.

These instances I have quoted indicate the shortcomings in our creative people on the portrayal of sexuality and the failure of our audience in evolving to appreciate the core aesthetics of sex sans its beastiality.

T Padmanabhan’s "Kadal"

Posted by Angelina:
Mon Jun 23, 2003

This is a small write up on Shri T Padmanabhan’s short story "Kadal". Kadal is considered as a classic in Malayalam. Unlike his most other stories, in Kadal the narrator is not "Ayyal" but a young lady and Kadal is the story of her mother.

The story starts when her father called her back to home from hostel in order to be with her dying mother. She knew that her father’s relationship with mother is not so good. She knew that her mother is keeping some distance from father for reasons unknown to her.

While she is with her mother, mother allows her to go through her diary and she slowly understands the problem. The diary opened a New World, which was totally unknown to her till that time. The sentences are very small some times and sometimes they are very long, long enough to wonder whether there is no end to it. There are references about poetry, music & love in the diary. Words from the poems she liked the most, First lines of music, which she never forgot sing and extra ordinary and poetic thoughts about love. And also about Sea, again and again about Sea. The desire to became part of Sea, to become a wave in the Sea, to fly over the Sea like butterflies and sleep in the calmness of Sea.

There are references about her life in Banaras, the places there, the music classes, her teachers and friends. She was not so much interested in marriage instead she wanted to continue her studies. She wrote very little about her husband in the beginning, but whatever she wrote is full of love. There are jokes about her husband’s ignorance of music.

But towards the end, the words are like lightning, one after the other. One day she wrote: "I never expected this from him. That too without my knowledge… open the shelves and read my papers. I never expected this from the man whom I trusted the most and loved so much. I could have given him everything if he wanted. But without my knowledge…

After some days mother wrote: "Yesterday I requested my husband to return my letters. But he acted as if he was ignorant of what had happened? Why is he like this? I fear our relationship is going to break. I am really sad. But what can I do?

Suddenly one day my husband asked me, " Who is he in your life? The one who never forgets to write to you whenever you come for vacation? Apart from a teacher, what is he to you? I can’t understand. Then why did you marry me?" You are living like husband and wife in Banaras and…

I was shocked. How can I convince him? Finally I told: " We are not husband and wife in Banaras. He is my teacher and I am his student. You may not understand the relationship between the teacher whom the student respect the most and the student whom the teacher most proud of. But I don’t know how to convince you. Anyway I decided not to return to Banaras. After a while husband asked me, "Is it better to complete the studies. Otherwise what will people think?" I was really shocked again. Why is he so much worried about people? Is he acting as my husband just for other peoples sake?

This story is not ending here. But I like to stop here and request all malayalamlovers to read the story whenever you get free time.

Regards
Eleena

T V Kochubava’s "Vruddhasadanam"

Posted by Bobby

This is about Shri T V Kochubava’s novel "Vruddhasadanam". Vruddhasadanam is considered as the masterpiece of Kochubava. Kochubava, like N S Madhavan was one of the most promising writers of the postmodern era of Malayalam literature. His sad death at such a young age is really a loss to Malayalam.

Vruddhasadanam is the sad story of Cyriac Antony and his cruel second wife Sarah. Like all other men, Cyriac Antony was also as innocent and as foolish enough not to suspect the eternal fidelity and everlasting love of his wife. That was the reason that in one of the calm mornings of December when Sarah insisted him to go to Vruddhasadanam, he not only agreed to it but also considered it as a proof for Sarah’s great concern on his health. He knew that Sarah loved him so much that she was afraid of Cyriac’s health deteriorating and he becoming sick, sitting idle in the house. So just for a change he was send to Vruddhasadanam.

In Vruddhasadanam, everything reminded him of Sarah’s love. As a proof of her everlasting love, Sarah arranged the best facilities available in the Vriddhasadanam for him, she paid extra money to avail the services of two nurses around the clock at his doorstep. She gave a huge donation to the sadanam so that he was allowed to go out in the evenings with the nurses. The arrangements in the Vriddhasadanam appeared to be so great to him that in his prayers Cyriac Antony even begged God not to allow him to forget Sarah even for a moment in that palace of joy. So he understood that it was too selfish and cruel to suspect Sarah’s love even though he was sad, since she didn’t visit him during Xmas and New Year. Sarah was doing all these sacrifices not because she no longer loved him but because to ensure that his health wouldn’t deteriorate at the age of 56 and he wouldn’t die in his sixties or even seventies so that she could love him for years and years to come.

This was how Cyriac Antony till that day with his special privileges he entered the office, opened the record room, took his file and shocked to read the condition put down by Sarah in her own hand writing:

Give VIP Considerations

Never allow him to return till death

Never allow him to meet his wife till death

Inform us only after death

Moreover the next day Mr. Dominic came to meet him and to get a no objection letter from him so that he and his love Sarah could marry officially and continue to live together.

Regards
Boby
-----------------------------
Kalyan Kumar responds:

Dear friends,

Two popular works were introduced by Angeleena and Boby with vivid story lines. 'Vrudha Sadanam' resembles closely with P. Padmarajan's movie "THINGALAZCHA NALLA DIVASOM". There the selfish children take their aged and widowed mother to old-age home, there she dies the same night, heart-broken.

T. Padmanabhan's 'Kadal' looks a bit contrived in plotting. Still the deft touch of a seasoned writer sparkles in it. The common thread in both stories seems to be intolerance and perfidy in relations. Kadal as a metaphor of turbulence lends an extra dimension to the
philosophical interludes of the story.

To the rejoinder on my write-up "Art of living", I must say spirtuality is something very subjective, therefore, I don't have the inclination to keep a monopoly on interpreting its ambiguities.

Regards,
G. Kalyan Kumar

M N Vijayan's statement

Posted by Gireesh Kumar
Wed Jul 16, 2003

A few days back, eminent thinker and Leftist, M N Vijayan made a statement. He said that Surveys are the tools of Capitalism. I was bit amazed by hearing this statement. Just to thwart capitalism, will he say that no one should conduct surveys? Statisticians will starve!

M N was in the limelight, recently, through his provocative statement. After Govindapillai, it seems, it was his term to go against the leadership. Anyhow, it's good that the stalwarts of communist parties are openly criticizing their demigods.

I haven't read his writings much. But I recall a statement made by him quite long back. " Mass can't think, Only an individual ". That's enough for me to revere this person.

Any thoughts?

Regards
Gireesh Kumar P
---------------------------------------
Kalyan Kumar responds:

Dear Friends,

This refers to Mr. Gireesh's article on MN Vijayan. No doubt Vijayan is a highly respected intellectual and his views are always heard with the gravity it deserves.

The allegation appeared in Vijayan's journal "Padam" (lesson) that people's planning (janakeeya asoothranam)in Kerala was funded by CIA backed agencies has baffled CPM and understandably and has put it on the defensive. For a party like CPM, which always uses the label "CIA agents" to mar its rivals, this is something very nasty to bear with.

The charge gains substance and credibility, as it appeared in a journal, edited by a party intellectual who is also editing the CPM publication "Deshabhimani" weekly.

In his subsequent press interviews, Vijayan, while rubbishing the threat of defamation case by Thomas Issac MLA says "I have documentary evidence to prove my case". He even says CIA has the history of funding even those opposing it and he is least surprised
if the whole project was funded by them. Vijayan has also called for a thorough enquiry by the party (CPM) itself.

Clearly, CPM is confused on how to keep its intellectauls under leash. P. Govinda Pillai, recently showed some coverage and called EMS as Stalinist in outlook. He is now censured. What is Vijayan's fate, we still don't know.

One section of people is of the opinion that is in tune with the moral coruption of communists, as it happened in many communist countries, where a bunch of ruthless, corrupt bunch of laeders and their cronies dominate, subvert and manipulate the party within.

Yet another section of people believe it is the intellectual bankruptcy and loss of proper leadership, that is showing up, after EMS died. "But someting is rotten in Denmark". Let's hope for a new age Gorbachev to clean up the CPM, which its critics say is bigger than a multi-national corporation, with assets running into thousands of crores.

Regards,

G. Kalyan Kumar

Disgrace Shown to Adoor

Posted by Kalyan Kumar
Thu Mar 6, 2003

Dear Friends,

The unceremonious exit of Adoor Gopalakrishnan from the post of Chalachithra Academy chief went practically unnoticed. The media in Kerala, while injecting a dose of sensationalism to the whole affair turned a blind eye when it came to defending the integrity and artistic freedom of a globally acclaimed film maker like Adoor who is pitted against the machinations of a cultural minister, for whom cinema is all about the MGR movies he had seen as a compulsive second-
show watcher. Finally Adoor resigned and TK Rajeev Kumar of Sesham fame took charge as the successor.

What Adoor Gopalakrishnan has done to Malaylam cinema itself is an epic in itself. From his Swayamvaram (1971) to Nizhalkoothu(2002), Adoor evolved a cinema, which communicated at different levels about the vibrations in Kerala society. Though he is criticised for his hardened mindset in sticking to the themes of decaying feudal values and their struggle to cope with modernity, Adoor is a visionary and is thousand cuts above any mediocre film maker, who like to denigrate him.

After graduating from the Pune film Institute with gold medal in late 1960s, Adoor set himself on a lonely journey. Adoor's pioneering contribution was in introducing and promoting the concept of film societies in Kerala. The Chitralelkha film society he founded, became
the coproducer of his first movie "Swayamvaram". He had his style in everthing. And he never compromised a wee bit. Instead of competing in the local market, he marketed his films
internationally, got rave reviews for most of his films, rare honour came from British Film Insitute for his work Elipathayam and countless national awards he earned. Perhaps after Satyajitray no other film maker from India, had this kind of an international
respect.

That a man of Adoor's stature was humiliated by a politician who became a minister by default is a matter of shame. The climate for the artistic activities of an established genius has been curtailed. This is a disgrace by the state towards a man who burnt his lifetime for creating a sensibility in Malayalam cinema and struggled to get it accepted nationally and internationally.

Regards,

G. Kalyan Kumar

Yatra - A literary experience

Posted by Bobby

Journeys are part of human life. In fact many religions and mythologies consider life itself as a journey. None us remember our first journey, the journey from mother’s womb to earth. Neither will we remember our last journey. But there will be many and many unforgettable journeys in ones memory. It may the journey to school holding the little sisters hands or brothers or it may be the journeys to in laws house during the summer vacation or may be the journeys one undertake in search of a job or as part of the job.

Malayalam literature is also blessed with a number of unforgettable journeys. We have a novel "Govardhante Yathrakal" by Shri. Anand. "Govardhante Yathrakal" is the journeys undertook by Govardhan, who is innocent and everybody knows and agrees that he is innocent but is punished to death. Not only that the court has its own logic to justify his punishment. Govardhan continues his journeys asking questions about justice, low and order, crime, punishment etc. to his contemporaries, to the great personalities of the past and to the people who will come to live in this earth in future.

Malayalam’s most loved writer Shri. M T Vasudevan Nair concludes the novel "Asurawith" with the journey Govindankutty undertakes. He in facts starts the journey just to return to starting point again.

"Priyapettavare thirichu varan vendi yathra arabhikukayanu"

While in "Manju", M T discusses the other side of journey, the waiting or longing for some one to arrive. In Manju, Vimala is waiting from seasons to seasons for the arrival of her beloved. Even when the last season tells farewell, she and her friend the boatman in the lake is not ready to give up hope. Let us also hope with the boatman that one day, may be the next season or the season next to it, her beloved will arrive.

"Varum Memsab, Varathirikilla"

For Poet A Ayyappan, Journeys are not just journeys but history itself. He once wrote:

Sila ligithangalam pura vasthukalam

Pusthakangalum alla charitram

Charitram yatrayanu

Shri. Balachandran Chullikad’s Poem "yatra mozhi" is another poems dealing with journey.

But the most artistic expressions of journey are scripted by Shri. O V Vijay in his legend making novel "Khasakinte Ithihasam". Ravi, who unable to face his father and ran away from his sins, was again and again in sins even in his last abhayam Khasak. When he deiced to leave Khasak, Vijayan wrote:

Sayanna yathrakalude Acha, Vida tharika. Mantharathinte Elakal cheerthu thunniya punar janiyude e koodum vedinju njan veendum yatra yakunnu.

Regards

Boby
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Response from Kalyan Kumar:

That’s truly a remarkable write up Boby. Nicely touched some of the magnificent works in our language. There is a book titled Yathra written by Guru Nithya Chaithanya Yathi. It’s basically a biography. Yathi talks about his childhood and younger days journeys in it. There is portion in that book where he describes one of his visits to a friend’s house where his mother cooks fish for dinner. Yathi, being a vegetarian find it’s difficult to take the food, but at the same time does not want to displease his friend’s mother. Finally, he takes the dinner.

In Govanrdhantey Yathrakal, Anand is talking about ‘Natotis’. And there he makes a statement. Natoti’s translate time into space( Natotikal kalathey sthalathilottu tharjamma cheyyunnavaranu)

Probably, the most enchanting description of a journey is the journey of Ravi in Khasak. And Vijayan said it in his lyrical prose:

“Sayanna yathrakalude Acha, Vida tharika. Mantharathinte Elakal cheerthu thunniya punar janiyude e koodum vedinju njan veendum yatra yakunnu”

Welcome Note

Posted By Kalyan Kumar

Dear Friends,

Malayalam spoken by 30 million people has a glorious literature and
an exciting culture to its credit. As the flag bearers of that
culture transcending all caste, regional or religious boundaries I
invite all to join this platform.

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Welcome all.